Media reports on series 7b and stuff happening this week

[ibishtar]

• Stills from the first episode and high-res portraits of the Doctor and Clara (they're separate, in case you want to look at the latter but not the former because of spoilers). Here you can find more high-res stills and portraits.
• Some Q&A with Moffat, Matt and Jenna. Includes the following quote from Matt on the 50th:

“I read it and I clapped at the end. I think it’s hilarious and I think it’s epic and I think it’s vast. You will not be disappointed. I think it’s going to be the biggest and the best and the most inventive, the most exciting year for the show, and this script delivers on all those points that you want it to, for where the show is at this time. It’s brilliant. It somehow manages to pay homage to everything and look forward and I think that’s part of the genius of it. We’re upping the scale of everything. It’s 3D. I won’t say anything about the length, but there’s just a bit more bang for your buck.”

• Some teasers and tantalisations for the first episode.
• Some stills of the episode Cold War including of David Warner
• Audio and partial transcript of Steven Moffat talking about The Fields of Trenzalore, River Song and other Doctor Who things as well as other parts of his career in a Q&A at Trinity College.
• Ep 1 to air in Australia Easter Sunday, 31 March 2013, at 7.30pm on ABC1.
• Remember the radio report from Roath Lock studios? Here's youtube links to the Doctor Who parts, including interview with Jenna and Marcus Wilson and a visit with Marcus Wilson to the DW set. (Thanks, Combom)

Stuff happening today:

1. Today, 18th March, booking opens for General Public for David Tennant's Richard II in both Stratford-Upon-Avon and London. Tickets can be booked on both The RSC and Barbican websites and, as they have less members, it appears that The Barbican website has more and better seats available including some still in the front row for some dates
2. Third episode of Broadchuch airs today at 21:00 on ITV (I won't put up a reaction post this time unless you want one)
3. Also, second episode of Neverwhere airs today, with a new episode every day this week

Stuff happening on Saturday 23rd:

1. From Saturday 23rd at 17:15, a prequel minisode for ep1 of series 7b will be available on Red Button. Description: 'The Doctor takes a break on Earth, despondent that he can't find Clara'
2. Also on Saturday, a special Doctor Who-themed episode of game show Pointless celebrity edition will air at 7:00pm on BBC One. The guests will be the seventh Doctor team of Sylvester McCoy and Sophie Aldred; the companion team of Frazer Hines and Louise Jameson; the 'noble' team of Bernard Cribbins and Jacqueline King; and finally the "sixth Doctor" pairing of Nicola Bryant and Andrew Hayden-Smith (standing in for Colin Baker who was participating in I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here at the time of recording). K-9 (aka John Leeson and Mat Irvine) will help Alexander Armstrong host. More info and photos here.
3. The Third Doctor short story by Marcus Sedgewick, The Spear of Destiny, will be published as an e-book. Author talks about it here. Extract of the short here (includes links to extract of the First and Second Doctor shorts). Info and sinopsis here.