Sunday 10 October 2010

BBC America Press Release: Doctor Who to film in the U.S. for the first time

BBC America have issued a press release relating to Doctor Who going to the United States for filming for the next series of Doctor Who:

DOCTOR WHO TO FILM IN THE U.S. FOR THE FIRST TIME

Upcoming season's first two episodes to be set in the U.S.

The BBC announced today that season six of Doctor Who, which delivered record ratings for BBC AMERICA earlier this year, will open with a spectacular two-parter set in the U.S. and penned by 'Who supremo' Steven Moffat.

In the special two-parter co-produced with BBC AMERICA, key scenes will be filmed in Utah for a story set in the late '60s in which the Doctor, Amy and Rory find themselves on a secret summons that takes them on an adventure from the desert in Utah - right to the Oval Office itself.

Production on episodes one and two of the new season starts in Cardiff this month and Matt Smith, Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill will then travel to America in mid November to shoot pivotal scenes. They will also be joined by Alex Kingston who reprises her role as River Song.

Showrunner and lead writer, Steven Moffat, said: "The Doctor has visited every weird and wonderful planet you can imagine, so he was bound get round to America eventually! And of course every Doctor Who fan will be jumping up and down and saying he's been in America before. But not for real, not on location - and not with a story like this one! Oh, you wait!"

Piers Wenger, Head of Drama BBC Wales and Executive Producer, added: "Steven's scripts generally inspire us to go that extra mile - this time we're going that extra four thousand. Thanks to our friends at BBC AMERICA and to the continuing ambition of our lead writer and production team, the first two episodes of Matt Smith's second season as the Doctor are going global and look set to become Doctor Who's most action-packed and ambitious season opener yet".

The new season follows on from the Doctor Who Christmas special guest starring Katherine Jenkins and Michael Gambon which is due to premiere at Christmas. Season six will start airing on BBC AMERICA in spring 2011 and has been split into two blocks, with the second block airing in autumn 2011. By splitting the series Moffat plans to give viewers one of the most exciting Doctor Who cliffhangers and plot twists ever, leaving them waiting, on the edge of their seats, until the autumn to find out what happens.

2010 has been a breakthrough year for the Doctor Who franchise across all platforms since BBC AMERICA became the official home of the series. The series reached the number one spot on the "Top TV Seasons" chart on iTunes and now Doctor Who: The Complete Fifth Season hits stores on Blu-ray and DVD on November 9.

Doctor Who was co-commissioned by Ben Stephenson, Controller, BBC Drama Commissioning for BBC One and Jay Hunt, Controller of BBC One and will be produced by Marcus Wilson (Life on Mars) and Sanne Wohlenberg (Margaret). Steven Moffat is Lead Writer and Executive Producer (Sherlock Holmes) with Piers Wenger, Head of Drama, BBC Wales and Beth Willis (Ashes to Ashes), also Executive Producing.

Filming is taking place in Cardiff until March 2011.

The BBC have also issued a press release:
The TARDIS crash lands in America for series six of Doctor Who on BBC One

The BBC announced today that series six of Doctor Who will open with a spectacular two-parter set in the US and penned by "Who supremo" Steven Moffat.

In the special two-parter co-produced with BBC America, key scenes will be filmed in Utah for a story set in the late Sixties in which the Doctor, Amy and Rory find themselves on a secret summons that takes them on an adventure from the desert in Utah right to the Oval Office itself.

Production on episodes one and two of the new series starts in Cardiff this month and Matt Smith, Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill will then travel to America in mid-November to shoot pivotal scenes. They will also be joined by Alex Kingston who reprises her role as River Song.

Showrunner and lead writer, Steven Moffat, said: "The Doctor has visited every weird and wonderful planet you can imagine, so he was bound get round to America eventually! And of course every Doctor Who fan will be jumping up and down and saying he's been in America before. But not for real, not on location – and not with a story like this one! Oh, you wait!"

Piers Wenger, Head of Drama BBC Wales and Executive Producer, added: "Steven's scripts generally inspire us to go that extra mile – this time we're going that extra four thousand. Thanks to our friends at BBC America and to the continuing ambition of our lead writer and production team, the first two episodes of Matt Smith's second series as the Doctor are going global and look set to become Doctor Who's most action-packed and ambitious season opener yet."

The new series follows on from the Doctor Who Christmas Special guest starring Katherine Jenkins and Michael Gambon which is due to broadcast at Christmas. Series six will start airing on BBC One in spring 2011 and has been split into two blocks, with the second block airing in autumn 2011.

By splitting the series Moffat plans to give viewers one of the most exciting Doctor Who cliffhangers and plot twists ever, leaving them waiting, on the edge of their seats, until the autumn to find out what happens.

The series was co-commissioned by Ben Stephenson, Controller, BBC Drama Commissioning for BBC One and Jay Hunt, Controller of BBC One and will be produced by Marcus Wilson (Whitechapel) and Sanne Wohlenberg (Margaret). Steven Moffat is lead writer and executive producer with Piers Wenger, Head of Drama, BBC Wales and Beth Willis (Ashes To Ashes), also executive producing.

Filming is taking place in Cardiff until March 2010.


Media Coverage:
Your TV [AU](13th) - Doctor Who travelling to America
Croatian Villas(12th) - Doctor Who to go overseas again after Croatia success
Geekosystem(12th) - Doctor Who to Film in America for the First Time Ever
UGO(12th) - Doctor Who Is Heading to... Utah?
World Screen(12th) - Doctor Who Heads to the U.S.
Mania(12th) - Doctor Who Travels to U.S.
Topless Robot(11th) - The Doctor Is In (America)
BBC Press(11th) - The TARDIS crash lands in America for series six of Doctor Who on BBC One
Herald Sun [AU](11th) - Dr Who's sixth series to start with two-part opener shot in Utah
Comic Vine(11th) - Doctor Who to Film in America for the First Time
Big Shiny Robot(11th) - Doctor Who to Film Season Opener in Utah!
Crave(11th) - 'Doctor Who' To Film In America
RTE(11th) - Doctor Who to be filmed in America
All Headline News(11th) - BBC Sci-Fit Hit "Doctor Who" To Film In Utah
TV.com(11th) - BBC's Doctor Who Takes on the United States in Season 6
About(11th) - Doctor Who Premiere Filming Stateside
TV.com(11th) - Doctor Who's Sixth Season Starts in America, Then Stops Again
Register(11th) - Doctor Who touches down in US of A
TV Squad(11th) - Part of New 'Doctor Who' Season Will Be Filmed in America
Hit Fix(11th) - 'Dr. Who' will film in the U.S. for the first time
Film School Rejects(10th) - Doctor Who is Coming to America, But in a Good Way
Digital Spy(10th) - 'Doctor Who' to film two-part opener in US
What's On TV(10th) - New Doctor Who series to kick off in desert
Collider(10th) - DOCTOR WHO Films in the United States for the First Time Ever to Open Season Six
Monsters & Critics(10th) - Doctor Who films in the U.S. for the first time
Screen Rant(10th) - ‘Doctor Who’ Season 6 Opener To Film In The U.S.
ATV Network(10th) - New series of Doctor Who to film in America
io9(10th) - Matt Smith coming to America: The Doctor faces the fearsome might of Richard Nixon
Airlock Alpha(10th) - 'Doctor Who' Coming (Back) To America
Press Association(10th) - Doctor Who series starts in States
Pop Culture Zoo(10th) - Doctor Who To Film In The US – Official Details
Anglotopia(10th) - Breaking: Doctor Who To Film in the USA for New Series – Preview Released
InToTown(10th) - Doctor Who and his Tardis crash land in America
BBC News(10th) - Doctor Who series will begin in the Utah desert
Digital Journal(9th) - Is Doctor Who about to follow Torchwood to America?
Comic Book Resources(8th) - Doctor Who Comes To America In New Season?