'Doctor Who': BBC sci-fi drama moves to new Wales studio - video
Published May 29 2012, 17:14 BST | By Morgan Jeffery
The BBC has released a new Doctor Who behind-the-scenes promo video.The sci-fi drama recently relocated to the new Roath Lock studios in Cardiff, which will also serve as a home for new Russell T Davies series Wizards vs Aliens.
The new promotional clip features Who stars Matt Smith, Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill and provides a brief look at a read-through for one of Gillan and Darvill's final episodes.
The pair will depart the show midway through the seventh series, in an episode filmed on-location in New York.
Doctor Who showrunner Steven Moffat recently told Digital Spy that it was "incredibly sad" bidding farewell to the two actors.
"It's a huge upheaval - it's personal and it's human," he explained. "People should not underestimate how upsetting it is for everybody involved in it.
"I don't mean 'upsetting' in the sense that it's a tragedy - it's not a tragedy! But it's a huge bloody change - it's someone moving out of your house, that's how big it is."
Doctor Who will return to BBC One in the autumn, with the series seven premiere debuting at this year's Edinburgh International Television Festival.
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Doctor Who should be based in London NOT cardiff
May 30th 2012 at 11:02pm
What a topsy turvy world we live in where to save money the BBC go out and build new studios in Manchester and Wales.
May 30th 2012 at 3:32pm
The BBC was forced to move to Salford by the government, and also has targets it is obliged to meet for production in Wales, Scotland and outside the M25 in general. I'm sure the top brass would have much preferred to stay at TV Centre.
May 30th 2012 at 4:18pm(+1 like)
Its probably cheaper than hiring studios. Also Roath Lock is a relocation from elsewhere in Wales, so presumably its an upgrade of facilities.
May 30th 2012 at 6:18pm
Blame John Birt. His visionary plan of "Producer Choice" made it cheaper for BBC people to hire non-BBC studios than to use the ones in their own buildings. We have the ridiculous spectacle of BBC programmes being made at The London Studios (ex LWT) whilst ITV programmes are made at BBC TV Centre. Now we have the farcical situation of a fantastic purpose built television centre being partially mothballed and productions moved to tin sheds all over the place. As you say, a topsy-turvy world and we're heading to a point where all BBC programmes will be made by outside facilities.
May 30th 2012 at 7:16pm
Doctor Who was being filmed in a rented studio in Upper Boat (just north of Cardiff) anyway so makes sense to move it to a studio where other BBC programmes are being filmed (Casualty, Pobol y Cwm etc.)
May 30th 2012 at 8:59pm
I saw this video a few months ago on the special Roath Lock tour I won tickets for :D Brilliant studios! Can't wait to see the episodes they film there are the studios are MASSIVE and sooo cool!
May 30th 2012 at 1:35pm
Can't say I find this very exciting. Seems like an expensive gift to the luvvies when we're supposed to be tightening our belts.
May 30th 2012 at 4:26am(+1 like)
"Gift"? When a company builds a new factory to manufacture products do you call that a "gift" to its workers? Having several productions and all their facilities under one roof should save money.
May 30th 2012 at 1:27pm(+2 likes)
This is where Casualty is filmed!:)
May 29th 2012 at 9:46pm
Isn't Casualty filmed in Bristol anymore then?
May 30th 2012 at 3:26pm
I believe the big fire in Casualty around Christmas was when they switched studios (I think Casualty switched to HD at the same time) and that all BBC Wales drama is moving to Roath Lock
May 30th 2012 at 6:23pm