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March 8th, 2010 58 comments

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Matt Smith and Karen Gillan to tour UK

The 11th Doctor embarks on his maiden voyage… with a whistle-stop tour presenting five regional premiers across the UK

From The BBC Press office…

Belfast, Inverness, Sunderland, Salford, Northampton


Doctor Who will begin an exciting national tour across the UK in March, introducing the new Doctor to fans of the series in five different locations spanning the length and breadth of the British Isles.

The tour will introduce the 11th Doctor, Matt Smith, and his Companion, Karen Gillan, to fans of the BBC One show and offer them a unique chance to meet the stars.

Each location will also host a regional premiere of episode one, The Eleventh Hour, for local children, working alongside BBC Outreach to enable kids to get a first look at the new Doctor in action.

Matt and Karen will travel around the UK on a specially themed Doctor Who tour bus, featuring the new TARDIS logo and iconic imagery.

BBC Outreach proactively takes the BBC into specific communities and sections of society, and has been integral in organising and supporting the tour.

The focus of the tour is to reach relatively under-served communities by the BBC.

The Doctor’s maiden voyage will commence on 29 March in Belfast, and then travel to Karen Gillan’s home town, Inverness, for a screening on 30 March.

The bus will then move on to Sunderland that afternoon and Salford on Wednesday 31 March before finishing later that day in Northampton – Matt Smith’s hometown.

Following the tour, from 1 to 3 April, the BBC will also hold events for three days at selected BBC Big Screens across the UK giving Doctor Who fans in London, Manchester, Edinburgh, Plymouth and Swansea the chance to interact directly with the show in their home towns.

The events will feature exclusive footage – including the chance to see the Doctor Who trailer in 3D – and giveaways, and fans can also get their photo taken tumbling through the giant vortex.

Visitors will be able to meet some of the scariest monsters that have had viewers watching from behind their sofa for generations as well.

Piers Wenger, Executive Producer, and Head of Drama, BBC Wales, said: “This is a great opportunity for the new Doctor and his Companion to interface directly with the people who matter most to Doctor Who: the fans.

“The chance to visit them in their hometowns will ensure that the 11th Doctor’s maiden voyage is an utterly magical one.”

Alec McGivan, Head of BBC Outreach, added: “Outreach is all about getting face to face with people so they can get involved and experience the BBC in a different and exciting way – we’re delighted to be able to take one of the BBC’s best loved brands out to its audience.”


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58 comments

  • Chloe Harrison

    June 18th, 2011 - 6:50pm

    I can,t wait to watch Doctor who again .

    BOW TIES ARE COOL !!!!!!
    Spoiler 😉
    A good man goes to war

    I am The Doctor and you are The Daleks

    Love them bits of DW makes me laugh everytime

    Reply
  • Chloe Harrison

    June 18th, 2011 - 6:19pm

    Am a huge fan of Doctor who and i have to wait for septermeber its on easter. Has anyone meet matt smith because and believe me he is cool 😉 xxx :):D 😛 😉

    Reply
  • The Last Warrior

    July 17th, 2010 - 11:42pm

    yeh but alot of people who work on DW avoid coming on these sites for obvious reasons.
    but there have been people on here trying to pass themselves off as Matt & Karen

    Reply
  • Kate Grerple

    July 17th, 2010 - 2:42am

    @ The Last Warrior

    That’s true but the people who write the blog see the comments and can pass them on. As well as that, they do read the comments because when you write them, underneath the text box there is a warning saying,
    By clicking submit you agree to our terms and conditions, we reserve the right to edit or delete inappropriate messages.
    So they must have to read through them because a computer can only pick up words as a word, like hello. If I posted h e l l o it wouldn’t be able to pick it up.

    Katie G.

    Reply
  • The Last Warrior

    July 16th, 2010 - 4:26pm

    @Kate Grerple

    Matt & Karen arent on this site by the way……

    Reply
  • Kate Grerple

    July 16th, 2010 - 5:01am

    (CONTINUED ON FROM ONE BELOW…)
    Two things I forgot to ask…

    1. Do you guys have Twitter? I’m not a stalker but a fan, BTW 🙂

    2. Why did Rory suddenly leave the show but then come back later as a Roman Soldier??? It was so unexpected, there was nothing in the Next Time (like Amy yelling ‘No, Rory!’ or something) and I thought something really bad had happened so he had to go away and I hoped he was coming back or would be saved but nothing happened so I was sad but then in the second last episode he came back and I was like 😮

    Kate GRERPLE

    Reply
  • Kate Grerple

    July 16th, 2010 - 4:42am

    Hi Matt and Karen!!!
    I am a HUGE fan I have watched just about every single episode including the fist ever one, an Unearthly Child. I have 2 favourites: “Mummy? Are you my mummy?” and the Weeping Angels (not Blink.) They are both ones that continued over two episodes and I like that because a) it means one can learn more about what is happening since you don’t have 45 minutes to make an orientation, complication and resolution but 90, and b)then the tension is high with everybody who watches it (like friends at school) and it gives a chance to guess what is going to happen and everything 🙂

    But back on track to what the Blog post was about, I don’t think it’s stupid that the tours aren’t in the biggest cities (not that it makes a difference to me cause I’m in Australia.) If you ‘fans’ didn’t notice, they went to places where they had some form of relation, like Matt’s old school and Karen’s home town! They did not just choose insignificant places; they go on tour for marketing – the producers wouldn’t choose the places where nobody watches. In fact, maybe that’s the reason they didn’t go to London and everything! Possibly nearly all of the people living in the towns they chose watch Dr. Who so it would be better for marketing to go to those towns – or the venues in the big cities were booked out because after all they are the big cities!!!

    Before I go I’d just like to say to say that even though it’s such a shame that the series has finished now, it was one of the best yet (especially the last 2 episodes; they were CRAZY! For seven days my Dr. Who fan friends and I continually thought, Everybody, in some way or another, was put in a position which is impossible to undo (with the exception of Rory.) What is going to happen?! Matt and Karen, PLEASE don’t quit the show, you guys are REALLY good and make Dr. Who a-mazing!

    One of Your #1 Fans,
    Kate GRERPLE

    Reply
  • AMBI

    June 6th, 2010 - 7:28pm

    HI I LOVE YOU SO MUCH

    Reply
  • LILLY

    June 6th, 2010 - 7:25pm

    HI I AM SUCH ABIG FAN

    Reply
  • Ben Jones

    May 14th, 2010 - 7:23pm

    How come u didn’t come 2 york
    Im Doctor who’s biggest fan

    Reply
  • Ms Robinanne Lavelle

    May 2nd, 2010 - 11:25am

    I was the relief teacher who worked with a small class of Year 13 boys to raise their marks in Marketing in the short time remaining before the exams. They worked during lunch times and after school with me going over the entire course in just one term. It was such a rewarding and challenging time for me. I was led to believe these marks were essential in gaining entrance to University in order that each could seek they chosen career paths. I always wondered if Matt had gained University entry and the other boys too. However, I returned to Australia. Therefore, it was such a shock to see they young boy now a man and acting as one of my favourite childhood characters Dr Who. Would love to hear from you or any of the other boys in that class. You were also so funny and witty with such an outgoing personality…

    Reply
  • Rachel

    March 30th, 2010 - 10:32pm

    Patsy,he is going to NSB the 1st episode is being screened in their theatre (cripps) i am told it is due to finish at 6.30 so figure its 1.30min so reckon the bus will arrive anytime from 4pm,my daughter is crazy for dr who and was so hoping to get a glimpse of Matt or Karen,i am going to pick her up from nsg and drive down to the school and loiter in the hope of seeing something! I have been told by a friend that an article in the paper said the bus was going to market square but know nothing about this!

    Reply
  • patsy

    March 30th, 2010 - 9:08pm

    not fair as i read above !!! that matt visit to northampton is hush !! hush !!! time n place would be nice, my son disabled he was looking forward to even seeing the bus !!! but no well bycot matt we want tenant back!!!! what school he going to his old school school for boys ??so unfair he want fans ,, cant even let his own town see him !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Reply
  • JJ

    March 29th, 2010 - 4:05pm

    where abouts in salford is it, and is it on wednesday, because i thought it was tomorrow(tuesday 30th march 2010)that they arrived in salford

    Reply
  • booboo

    March 26th, 2010 - 6:53pm

    I was told they would be releasing the bus route nearer the time but seeing the episode is by invitation only to local schools and groups.

    there is no info anywhere that i can see, if we get it we will post it up

    Reply
  • maria

    March 26th, 2010 - 5:56pm

    I need to know if the dr who tour bus will be traveling through belfast city center.My son would really love to go but we would have to travel quite a bit to get there it would help if we new what time he was passing through. There are so many fans who watch the show and buy all the merchindise it does’nt seem fair to be keeping all the fans in the dark.Can anyone help please!!!!

    Reply
  • Lisa

    March 26th, 2010 - 1:48pm

    Alan in Belfast said a lot of schools in Belfast have been approached – maybe it’s an over cautious security thing Inverness and Sunderaland have leaked already

    Reply
  • booboo

    March 26th, 2010 - 12:13pm

    nothing yet that we have seen

    Reply
  • Brendan Crilly

    March 26th, 2010 - 1:13am

    still any information on what time itll be in belfast?

    Reply
  • Rachel

    March 25th, 2010 - 7:20pm

    This seems a bit unfair they make a big announcement like this,but it turns out that they are going to visit a school in Northampton which has already been selected and it will not be open to the public. My daughter is gutted as she was hoping she would be able to get a glimpse of the 11th doctor as we live in Northampton and this appeared to be on the doorstep! Got this information after emailing the bbc.

    Reply
  • drwhofan

    March 20th, 2010 - 11:56pm

    They are deliberately not going to the big places, it’s nice that the small places get some of the fun too, we all pay the licence fee but all the exciting stuff happens in London! They are going to Wales after the tour. The BBC website says ‘Following the tour, the BBC will also hold events on big screens for Doctor Who fans in London, Manchester, Edinburgh, Plymouth and Swansea.’

    Reply
  • booboo

    March 20th, 2010 - 1:53pm

    It invitation only to see the show, hopefully we will be able to tell you where to see the bus

    Reply
  • LOLWUT

    March 20th, 2010 - 1:51pm

    I dont understand it, With the Scotland one Do you need a Invitation to get in the Tour bus? =/

    Reply
  • BooBoo

    March 19th, 2010 - 4:51pm

    I have been told details of the visit will be confirmed nearer the time

    Reply
  • booboo

    March 18th, 2010 - 6:25pm

    No idea, it seems very difficult to get any information

    Reply
  • Brendan Crilly

    March 18th, 2010 - 6:21pm

    what time does it start in belfast?

    Reply
  • bethy

    March 18th, 2010 - 2:23pm

    yay belfast i 1st i cant wait

    for once it pays off to grow up in a wet windy town!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Reply
  • the 1st doctor

    March 16th, 2010 - 3:16pm

    Yes they finily go north like Inverness not just Glasgow

    Reply

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