Q&A Session Series 7: Part 2 Hints

WARNING: WHILE THIS POST CONTAINS NO MAJOR SPOILERS, SPOILERPHOBES SHOULD READ AHEAD AT THEIR OWN RISK.

Matt Smith and Caroline Skinner took part in a Q&A session today where they talked about many topics with the majority about Series 7: Part 2. Below is a summary of the main points.

• The 50th anniversary wasn't touched on much with the only things said about it being: "it's cool and exciting" and there are big plans.

• Matt expressed his interest in his Doctor facing The Master and wondered if John Simm would play him (Rumours earlier this week said that Simm said he would love to return but he later downplayed the rumours saying they were 'taken out of context').

• Neil Gaiman's episode for Series 7: Part 2 was teased and it contains some "old classics".

• Skinner and Smith both said that they were interested in seeing the Ice Warriors and the Yeti, perhaps clues??

• Smith promised that next year's opener was going to be a classic and contains a great monster.

• Smith was asked about the 'Fall of the Eleventh' but he said there were many adventures to come before that.

• Both Skinner and Smith confirmed that River Song will return next year.

Hmm, sounds very interesting! All of the points that surround Series 7 will be available to see on our Series 7 page which can be found at the top of this page.

WARNING: THE SERIES 7 PAGE CONTAINS NEWS, RUMOURS AND SPOILERS ON UPCOMING EPISODES OF DOCTOR WHO.

Series 7: Power of Three Chatty Man Clip

Matt Smith was a guest on Alan Carr: Chatty Man last night and during the interview, a new clip for The Power of Three was shown.

You can see the whole interview below but if you just want to see the clip skip to 3:04.

Smith: The Pond's Ain't Coming Back

Matt Smith has promised that it is 'game over' for the Ponds in The Angels Take Manhattan.

Speaking in the new issue of Doctor Who Magazine, he said: “They ain’t coming back. At least, that’s what Steven says. That’s it. Game over.

“That good, though. I kind of like that Steven has said that. Otherwise… the bringing back of people is difficult. It has to be for really great reasons.”

He added: “What Steven has written in this Angels episode is perfect. You know, there’s something that harks back to The Eleventh Hour, that Steven had thought of about two-and-a-half years ago! Isn’t that remarkable, that it’s been in Steven’s head for that long?

“Like there was a moment in Asylum of the Daleks which I just think is great, it’s one of those ‘What does that mean?’ moments. It’s when Oswin looks to camera and says, ‘Remember me’. The fans are now going, ‘What?! Remember what?’ That’s why it’s important to keep things a secret, because the revelation is the fun bit of sitting down and watching it. With Amy this whole idea of the girl who waited… Steven writes the romance of the show so brilliantly and he understands it. I don’t mean just the Amy/Rory romance, I mean the romance, the theatrical romance."

Series 7: Asylum of the Daleks Behind the Scenes

The BBC have released a video taking a look at behind the scenes in Asylum of the Daleks. It also features interviews with Matt Smith, Karen Gillan and Steven Moffat.

BBC: Smith quit rumours false

The BBC Head of Communications, Sam Hodges, has denied rumours that Matt Smith will be leaving in the 2013 Christmas Special.

The Daily Mirror today printed a front page article saying: "I QUIT! Matt calls time on Time Lord".

However, Sam Hodges expressed on Twitter: "Matt Smith hasn't quit - just an over excitable headline. It’s taken from comments saying he won’t be doing it forever. He’ll be around for a good while yet.”

So no panic yet then!

Doctor Who Insider: Farewell to the Ponds

BBC America have uploaded a new Doctor Who Insider looking at the upcoming departure of Amy and Rory.

The video below features some brief new clips and interviews with Matt Smith, Karen Gillan, Arthur Darvill and Alex Kingston.

Series 7: Daybreak Preview

Daybreak previewed Asylum of the Daleks earlier today. The video below shows new clips plus interviews from Matt Smith and Karen Gillan.

Series 7: BBC News Clips

Earlier today new clips were released from Asylum of the Daleks. The video below shows new clips and interviews with Matt Smith and Karen Gillan.

Smith: Doubtful of 50th Regeneration

Matt Smith has said that Doctor Who's 50th anniversary will be unlikely to feature a regeneration.

In an interview with Radio Times, he dismisses rumours that he will leave the show in November 2013, the month of Doctor Who's 50th anniversary.

"We want to make [the anniversary] as big and bold and as brilliant as we can because, we hope, it can be one of the monumental bits of TV history," said Smith. "But I doubt there'll be a regeneration."

He added: "Steven [Moffat] will tease you all right to the end. Because that's what he does to me."

Moffat - head writer and showrunner on Doctor Who - recently told Digital Spy that the anniversary celebrations would be "huge", but added that fans will have plenty to look forward to before 2013.

"We've got an awful lot of stuff to announce before that," he said. "We don't aim to have one event, over a year in the future - we want to make Doctor Who an event every single week. And we're going to pull that off, so... patience!"

Smith: Returning Monster

Matt Smith has hinted at a monster from the Classic era returning in the near future.

In an interview with TV Choice, he said, "Perhaps there are some classic monsters coming back," he teased. "There's one I'm very intrigued by, which we haven't seen for quite some time."

Quizzed about the returning threat, Smith clarified: "[It's] a thing we haven't seen since the series returned to our screens in 2005."

This could tie in with recent rumours that The Ice Warriors or the Yeti might be returning.

50th Anniversary: Live Episode?

Matt Smith has said they're might be a live episode for Doctor Who's 50th anniversary

Smith told Forbes: “I feel very pleased and privileged to be a part of that year because it’s the biggest year in the show’s history. It’s his birthday, so it’s my birthday.”

He added: “It won’t just be a televised event, I think it will be a live event. The way it’s transmitted on TV will hopefully be an inventive thing–something different.”

This fits in with recent hints from Caroline Skinner who recently said that the production team have “huge ideas for live events,” and it wouldn’t just be things like the Proms.

Smith on Rose, Skinner on 50th and AAITAS

Matt Smith has revealed he would like to see Rose Tyler (Billie Piper) come back for the 50th Anniversary. 

He said: “If I wanted a companion from the past I would say Rose because I am good friends with Billie.”

Meanwhile in a different interview to Digital Spy, Caroline Skinner (Executive Producer), has spoken about 2013 Doctor Who. "I think next year is going to be a really enormous year of storytelling. I’m thrilled about the plans that are coming together…The challenge is to make the 50th as huge an event as we possibly can, because it’s Doctor Who, and the fans deserve it. I can’t tell you what we’re going to do, but it’s going to be really, really big. Who needs sleep anyway?”

Skinner also talked about the upcoming Mark Gatiss written docudrama, An Adventure in Time and Space. “I just read the first draft of the script this morning and it’s such a beautiful character piece. It’s something that Mark Gatiss has been wanting to write for the best part of a decade and it’s a fabulous story. There are so many things that the fans will love about the origins of Doctor Who, but also the characters who made it are just such extraordinary people. It’s something that will be a joy to bring to life.”

Christmas Special: Victorian Streets Filming

WARNING: THIS POST CONTAINS SOME SMALL SPOILERS.

Last night, the Doctor Who team were in Bristol filming for this years Christmas Special.

The special will take place in 1890's London with snowy streets adding to the Christmas setting. On set were Matt Smith, Jenna Louise Coleman and Dan Starkey who plays the Sontaran Strax.

In one scene, the Doctor apparently says, "Take her back where you found her!" probably referring to Clara so does he not like her at first?

In another scene, Clara chases after the Doctor but he won't stop and he rides away in a horse and cart. "She's not my problem" he says and Clara falls over in the snow.

Matt Smith to stay on until at least 2014

Matt Smith has confirmed that he will be staying as the Doctor until at least 2014.

Speaking to The Sun's TV Biz, he said that Steven Moffat didn't have to do much to stay with the "brilliant" show. He added that he is having great fun filming for the new series.

He also said that Moffat is already working on another run of the show for 2013. About this Matt says, "His first episode sounds great. It hasn't been written yet but the idea is as brilliant and as mental as you'd expect from Steven. So there's a lot to look forward to... When Steven was going to pitch the next season to me not long ago he said, 'Are you ready to cry?'"

Matt also said that he can't wait to start filming for the 50th anniversary celebrations next year, which will be marked with a special doc-drama telling the story of the show from it's beginnings.

Matt said, "We want to do 50 years - and everyone that's been associated with the show - justice. We want to go 'Look world, here is Doctor Who. It's 50 years old, a science-fiction show, still going and going from strength to strength'. Steven will do something brilliant. He'll do something grand or maybe something very simple but he'll come to it as a fan. He'll go 'What would I want to see?'"

So are you happy that Matt Smith is staying on as the Doctor for at least another two years? Leave your thoughts in the comment box below.

Christmas Special Filming: Cemetery

WARNING THIS POST MAY CONTAIN SOME SPOILERS. READ AHEAD AT YOUR OWN RISK!

Filming continued today on the Christmas Special today, at Cathays Cemetery, Cardiff.

Matt Smith, Jenna-Louise Coleman (Clara), Neve McIntosh (Madame Vastra) and Catrin Stewart (Jenny) were all on location with one scene of The Doctor, Vastra and Jenny mourning somebody at the grave, could it be Clara???

The three of them lay flowers on the grave and the Doctor storms off.

Madame Vastra: Where are you going?

The Doctor: To find her! To find Clara!

So this basically confirms that the new companion will be called Clara after all and that it isn't her at the grave, so who is it?

More pictures at the cemetery:

With Jenna-Louise also on set, she was seen in modern clothes, so does this put to sleep previous rumours? It does seem rather strange that she would be wearing modern day clothing when she was seen in Victorian era clothes for filming on this episode not so long ago and the fact that this scene looks like it is still set in Victorian times.

So it looks like it will be quiet a while until we will know the answers to these questions but what is 99% certain now is that Jenna-Louise's character is called Clara.

BFI Screening Q&A Guests Announced

The BFI (British Film Institution) have announced that Matt Smith, Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill will attend the preview screening of Asylum of the Daleks on the 14th August.

Steven Moffat and Caroline Skinner will join them afterwards for the Q&A session, which is chaired by broadcaster and fan of Doctor Who, Richard Bacon.

Tickets for Doctor Who related events at the BFI are extremely popular with tickets for the preview of Asylum of the Daleks selling out in just one hour!