‘Pirates actor Bill Nighy would make a great Doctor’

David Bentley of Coventry Telegraph was able to interview Gareth at this past weekend’s Memorabilia in Birmingham. Although the interview hasn’t yet been posted, he did reveal the following tidbit of information.

“ ACTOR Gareth David-Lloyd, who plays Ianto Jones in Doctor Who spin-off show Torchwood, says his top choice for the new Time Lord would be Bill Nighy.

Gareth, 27, spoke to me at this past weekend’s The Memorabilia Show at the NEC, Birmingham. He also gave me some exclusive revelations about the new series of Torchwood, which I’ll put in the second part of this interview.

I asked him who he would like to see replace David Tennant as the Doctor and he said: “My choice would be Bill Nighy. I just think it would be fabulous.

“There was a time when the Doctor wasn’t necessarily a young, good-looking sex icon as well as a nice big character. Casting Bill Nighy would take it back to the older style of the show.”

British actor Nighy, 58, had an background in stage and television before moving to the big screen - his roles include Love Actually, Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, Notes on a Scandal, Underworld and as the tentacle-faced Davy Jones in the second and third films of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. He will play General Friedrich Olbricht in Bryan Singer’s Nazi war thriller Valkyrie, released on December 26 this year. ” ( SOURCE )

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The Future of Blue Gillespie

There’s some good news and some bad news to report on the future of Blue Gillespie. The short stint of shows in North America - which was originally rumoured to take place during January - has been postponed. There is hope for shows to take place during the summer instead. On the bright side, the reason for this change partially hinges on the fact that Blue Gillespie is releasing an album. In fact, the band is planning on heading into the studio at the end of this month - 26 November onward - so that they can release a two-part album. For more information, visit their official MySpace page or read the update from their latest blog here:

“ hello all

we haven’t been able to manage the website recently, so so sorry we haven’t got back to you but we have been really busy discussing the future of the band and it’s all good news.

the new cd is on it’s way. we have decided to make a 2 part album with the first release being an E.P. we are in the studio from the 26th of this month and will be in and out within a week. keep your eyes on the prize.

also the america trip has been postponed until the summer of 2009, we want to make sure that the cd is finished, the promotion has all been organised, the venues are booked and the tickets on sale.

29th november we are playing in the plough inn, in north east london. you can get the details by simply going through google and checking it out.

hope to see you all there.

bam on!!! ”

New Show Added for “Early Christmas Cheer”

Good news for Londoners who weren’t able to make it to Blue Gillespie gigs in Wales: they’re coming for you! GDL Live has just announced a show to take place at in Walthamstow, East London at a venue called The Plough. The gig will be taking place on Saturday, 29 November; the time has yet to be announced. Admission is £3, and other acts are to be announced. The fans wanted a London gig and you guys got it. Be sure to go out and support the band so they have the drive to play to a wider audience.

“Torchwood Comes to Norwich”

Yesterday, I mentioned that Gareth was scheduled to appear in Norwich on 6 December for a signing. There have now been additional details revealed. The signing will be taking place at the Television and Movie Store in Norwich, starting at nine in the morning and extending until midday. Gareth will be there signing Torchwood merchandise; there is a £10 minimal spend at this particular event. If you have any questions regarding the signing, contact the store at 01603 611420. As the event will begin early with no clearly designated signing hours, I would highly recommend you get there with flexible time to make sure you get a spot in line and a chance to meet Gareth.

For more information, feel free to visit the Facebook event page.

45 Glorious Years of a Time Lord

Fantom Films, the company in charge of putting out the various audiobooks Gareth has been apart of, is also planning a Doctor Who experience at the upcoming Memorabilia - the UK’s longest running collector show. It will be taking back at the NEC Birmingham during the weekend of 22-23 November. Gareth David-Lloyd is scheduled to be there both days on Saturday and Sunday.

The entire list of guests is at Fantom Film’s Memorabilia page. Other guests include Fenella Woolgar (Agatha Christie), Ryan Sampson (Luke Rattigan), Anna Hope (Novice Hame), Mary Tamm (Romana), Terry Molloy (Original Series Davros), and many others from both the Original and New series of Doctor Who, including many of the previous assistants. They will be there for a DW Signing Zone; to my knowledge, there are no panels. If you’re planning on going, do be sure to buy tickets to the exhibition, arrange travel plans, and book hotel rooms early! This is only in a couple of weeks, so be sure to hurry.

“Ianto is Coming to Norwich”

Gareth has also been confirmed to make an appearance at the TV and Movie Store in Norwich, England. This event will be held on 6 December, though the time of the event remains unknown. More details are forthcoming, so be on the lookout.

Bringing Down the Hub

During the weekend of October 13th-15th, the Hub - a convention specifically meant for Torchwood - offered plenty of opportunities for meeting TW-related cast and crew, panels to hear those very people speak, and even some news on the upcoming season of Torchwood. It certainly seemed as if the weekend in Northampton was fun for all, including the event organisers. In fact, during the weekend of March 13th-15th, there were be another Hub convention taking place in Northampton again - the Hub 2. Confirmed guests so far include Kai Owen (Rhys), Tom Price (PC Andy), Matt Rippy (the real Captain Jack Harkness), and Gareth David-Lloyd. Rumours swirl that Eve Myles (Gwen Cooper) will also make an appearance, and many other guests are sure to come. Tickets are on sale now for this convention, with more information about that on the official site. It is also highly recommended that, if you’re planning on going, to book your hotels now. The Park Inn has already sold out, so you’ll want to book a room at the Ibis before it’s too late.

Also, to any Hub attendees in the last month: if you have any con reports, photos, and general experiences of meeting Gareth, do please send them over. I’m looking for any kind of material to enrich the site and I need your help to do so. Rest assured, you will receive full credit. Thanks very much!

Rundown in Los Angeles

Back in August, fans heard talk of Gareth potentially making a trip over to the States in order to play some gigs with his band, Blue Gillespie, and to possibly do some scouting for an acting job. At the Hub convention, all of that had been confirmed by Gareth himself. In January, he’ll be heading over to Los Angeles for pilot season, to take place over a few months. Although it’s not known what he’s auditioning for, keep a look out for new North American pilots and keep ears open - just in case! Also, there indeed has been ongoing talk on Blue Gillespie paying a visit to the States as well. As of right now, there are no confirmed dates to speak of, but check back at GDL.org or GDL Live (the official site) for more updates on the subject.

Torchwood fans: don’t worry! Even though Gareth may very well be partaking in some acting duties in the States next year, there will also be time for filming TW as well. Shooting a U.S. show would likely take place over the summer, and it has been rumoured that series four of Torchwood - if commissioned - would start shooting later on in the year. Which is another thing altogether. Watching the week-long series three of Torchwood is very, very important. The BBC is on the look-out for how well the show is received airing on BBC1, so do be sure to show your support and enthusiasm when the series is aired in the spring of next year.

A Matter of Small Talk

• Remember the Face of Cardiff competition happening throughout last month? Unfortunately, there’s some bad news. There has not been an official statement or announcement on the winner thus far, but Gareth informed fans at the Hub that he had, in fact, not won the competition after all - despite being in the lead until the very final day of voting. The winner is still unclear, but presumably it is X Factor star Rhydian Roberts’ prize to claim.

• This past Saturday, 1 November, Gareth was in London at the Strand signing. Although he arrived an hour late due to travelling issues, he appeared to be in good shape and was happy to sign for all who arrived. If you have any photos or experiences of your time at the Sci-Fi Collector event, don’t hesitate to send them over. They’ll be featured on the site with full credit.

• The Kool Skools Project on 17 November, with Blue Gillespie in attendance, has been postponed until March of 2009. It is unsure whether or not Blue Gillespie will make an appearance at the new March date, but you will certainly be able to see Gareth at a Kool Skool Project event as early as next week. On 8 November, at 4.15pm, Gareth David-Lloyd will be at Gigbeth, at South Birmingham College. The rest of the band is not said to be in attendance for this event.

• The 6-7th of December, in Upminster, Essex, is going to host a Doctor Who & Torchwood weekend at the ROOMES store. Former Doctor, Peter Davison, will be there on Saturday (11am-1pm, 2pm-4pm), while Gareth David-Lloyd and Sara Lloyd-Gregory take up their spot on Sunday (11am-1pm, 2pm-4pm).

• Blue Gillespie are playing a gig at TJ’s in Newport, Wales on 27 December. It will likely be one of the last before Gareth (and possibly the band) head over to the States, so do try and catch them at this event!

• And, finally, according to Gareth, Torchwood filming for the third series will wrap up on 21 November. There has yet to be an announcement on the official air date.

Signing at the Strand

On Saturday, 1 November, Gareth will be at the Strand in London. It will be hosted and organised by SciFiCollector and, as such, there will be numerous Torchwood-related gifts to pick up, including a 2009 calendar, stamp covers, and even a series of action figures featuring Gareth’s character, Ianto Jones. If you’re planning on attending, I would highly suggest arriving and queuing early so that your chance to meet Gareth isn’t diminished. Here’s the official release from SciFiCollector’s Blog, explaining the event in detail:

“ Saturday November 1st 2008,
AT 79 STRAND, LONDON, WE PRESENT,

GARETH DAVID LLOYD
TORCHWOOD’S IANTO

Come and join us at our main shop on the Strand where from Midday onwards you can have your chance to meet Gareth who’ll be signing our ‘Fragments’ stamp cover, part of the new Torchwood Collection of commemorative items, in addition to the Torchwood 2009 Annual, Calendar, DVD’s and you never know…., we might just have some of our Wave 1 Torchwood Figures by then! We’ll also possibly have Ianto’s 5 inch Action Figure, part of Wave 2, so you’ll be able to draw a direct comparision of just how good a likeness it is.

Our usual signing rules apply, buy one of our items and get one of your own collection signed for free.

Be early, going to be busy! ”

The Hub Approaches

This is just a quick reminder from yours truly that the annual Torchwood convention, The Hub, is quickly approaching. In fact, taking place from 13th-15th of October, the con is now in just two weeks! If you haven’t yet already, book your hotel room(s), arrange travel, and purchase your passes for the convention. Gareth David-Lloyd will be there along with many TW co-stars, including regulars John Barrowman, Naoko Mori, and Kai Owen. Visit The Hub’s website for further details for this event which is guaranteed to be a blast.

‘Oscar & Jim’ Prepares for the Screens

At the HighTide Festival in 2007, Gareth David-Lloyd played a role as Gerry in the play Oscar & Jim - a “comic exploration of love, death and music set in a Paris cemetery.” The writer of the play, Iain Wetherby, also set out to make a movie adaptation of the theatrical performance. Unfortunately, Gareth wasn’t able to have a part in the film due to a clashing schedule. (On the bright side, he didn’t cancel any convention appearances!) In a LiveJournal interview, Ian explained how Harry Lloyd (of Doctor Who and Robin Hood fame) came to be casted as Gerry:

“ Charlie played Emma in the HighTide Festival and read the part at the Soho Theatre in 2007. She was always inked in for the film. Gareth David-Lloyd (who plays Ianto Jones in Torchwood) was Gerry at HighTide and was very keen to shoot the film. Our dates clashed with a (can you believe this) Torchwood convention in the US, so we were suddenly short of a leading man. Charlie was at Oxford with Harry and suggested him. I got the script to Harry through his agent. We met and talked about the project. I bought him a cider - I think that was the clincher. ”

Quick Updates on Gareth

Just a reminder to those in the area: Blue Gillespie is playing at Le Pub in Newport, Wales on Saturday, 27 September. (Technically, that’s today!) If you’re nearby, definitely check out the show, especially as fellow artists Death Of Her Money and Caballero will be in attendance. At a scant £5 per ticket, you’re guaranteed to have a good time.

Also, SFX - the “leading science fiction, fantasy and horror magazine” - are having a poll for their SFX Reader Awards 2008. With categories such as Best Actor, Best TV Show, Best Episode, and Sexiest Man, there’s plenty of room to vote for Gareth David-Lloyd or other Torchwood related answers. If you’re interested in voting, check out their voting page right here and nominate away.

“ It’s been a golden year for science fiction and fantasy. On the big screen, The Dark Knight has fought valiantly against WALL-E, Iron Man, Hellboy II and that big monster from Cloverfield. On American telly, Pushing Daisies has brought quirky to the mainstream, Lost is back on form and Battlestar Galactica has continued to raise the bar for space opera. Meanwhile, here in Blighty, Doctor Who’s kept doing what he does best, Gene Hunt has moved to the ‘80s in Ashes to Ashes and the Beeb has brought the Arthurian legend to a new generation with Merlin. But what were the best movies, TV, books, comics and games of the last year?

You can have your say by voting in this year’s SFX Reader Awards. You can vote for anything you like from the last twelve months, and we also want you to say who you think is worthy of SFX’s illustrious Lifetime Contribution Award. ”

Torchwood Filming Continues

Both Gareth and John Barrowman were spotted filming together in Cardiff on Friday, 26 September. When additional set reports and photos come in, I’ll update separately from this post. Hopefully, it’ll be soon. Keep an eye out in the meantime!

Quick-Fire Gallery Updates

I wanted to quickly mention that, once again, the gallery has been extensively updated. In the past week, I’ve added many various Torchwood and Doctor Who screencaps (including Gareth’s brief appearance on the DW: Confidential). These caps are courtesy of CowboyHD, who graciously gave me permission to use his fantastic, high-quality caps. Also, I’ve added some pictures to the Public Appearances section, including the two events, Celtic Blues from last November and The Rift from this past April. Many, many thanks to both Lene Solbakken and Ulla Inkeri Huhta for sharing their beautiful photographs of Gareth at either appearance. (As a bonus, there have also been a few images added under the Candid portion. Again, thanks to Ulla and Anna Altheide for providing those images!)

Random Remarks About Gareth

Doctor Who revivalist, Russell T Davies, has recently released a book narrating his tales as a writer for the popular franchise. Doctor Who: The Writer’s Tale “is a year in the life of the hit television series, as told by the show’s Head Writer and Executive Producer. A candid and in-depth correspondence between Russell T Davies and journalist Benjamin Cook, the book explores in detail Russell’s work on Series Four, revealing how he plans the series and works with the show s writers; where he gets his ideas for plot, character and scenes; how actors are cast and other creative decisions are made; and how he juggles the demands of Doctor Who with the increasingly successful Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures spin-offs” (AMAZON.COM). Those who already have the book have said that Gareth is mentioned sparingly. Regardless, if you’re interested in a more behind-the-scenes look at “Whoniverse” shows that Gareth is involved with, it might be worth checking out. Buy it at Amazon (US).

Eve Myles has recently updated her official MySpace, in which she mentioned filming for Torchwood series three. Here’s what she had to say:

“ [Online for] the first time in quite a while.

Been super busy filming Torchwood and I can safely say that this season will be the best yet!

We’ve had quite a few bloopers and accidents, which were mostly caused by John :), which he will kill me for saying if he ever finds out. He has a problem with his Scottish accent coming out to play at random times, which cracks me and Gareth up. ”

The Face of Cardiff

Who will be the official Face of Cardiff? Cardiff’s Queen Arcade has been newly refurbished and, in honour of all the talents in Cardiff, the owners have decided to brandish one face onto the building. A local artist will create a photo-mosaic of the winning face - commemorating them as Cardiff’s most popular personality.

WalesOnline have reported that X Factor star Rhydian Roberts is currently in the lead, with 31% of the vote. Brad Voth, Cardiff Devil ice hockey team captain, is in second with half the votes: a still strong 15%. Not far behind is Gareth David-Lloyd, with 12% of the votes casted thus far.

If you would like to vote, visit this site and cast your nomination for your “Welsh hero.” I would encourage that only those of a Welsh heritage partake in this, as the Queen’s Arcade website specifically asks, “Who makes you proud to be Welsh.” Of course, you can make your own judgment on whether or not you’d like to send in a nomination. The nominations end on Sunday. Here’s to hoping Gareth gets recognised!