Doctor Who Confidential is a documentary series created by the British Broadcasting Corporation to complement the revival of the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. Each episode was broadcast on BBC Three on Saturdays, immediately after the broadcast of the weekly television episode on BBC One. The running time of the first two series was 30 minutes, being extended to 45 minutes in the third. BBC Three also broadcast a cut-down edition of the programme, lasting 15 minutes, shown after the repeats on Sundays and Fridays and after the weekday evening repeats of earlier seasons.
Described as focusing on the human element of the series, Confidential features behind-the-scenes footage on the making of Doctor Who through clips and interviews with the cast, production crew and other people, including those who have participated in the television series over the years of its existence. Each episode deals with a different topic, and in most cases refers to the Doctor Who episode that preceded it.
There have also been two episodes of Doctor Who Confidential broadcast apart from the showing of Doctor Who episodes: in November 2006 an edition subtitled "Music and Monsters" was produced going behind the scenes of a televised concert of soundtrack music produced as part of that year's Children in Need appeal, and on 3 January 2009, a special edition was broadcast to announce the actor chosen to play the Eleventh Doctor.
In September 2011, BBC controller Zai Bennett cancelled the series as a cost-cutting measure. Within 24 hours of the show being officially cancelled, pages on both Facebook and Twitter were established in an attempt to save the show, both with links to a petition gaining over 20,000 signatures within the same 24 hour period. People involved with the show such as Neil Gaiman who wrote "The Doctor's Wife" and Tom MacRae who wrote "The Girl Who Waited" have also expressed their concern with the axing of the programme. In 2012, seventh series executive producer Caroline Skinner announced that small behind-the-scenes features would be released on the BBC's Doctor Who website to make up for Confidential's cancellation.
Read more about Doctor Who Confidential: Series 1 (2005), Series 2 (2006), Series 3 (2007), Series 4 (2008), Specials (2009–2010), Greatest Moments, Series 5 (2010), Series 6 (2011), List of Narrators, Other Shows in Confidential Format
Famous quotes containing the words doctor who, doctor and/or confidential:
“It seems to me that your doctor [Tronchin] is more of a philosopher than a physician. As for me, I much prefer a doctor who is an optimist and who gives me remedies that will improve my health. Philosophical consolations are, after all, useless against real ailments. I know only two kinds of sickness—physical and moral: all the others are purely in the imagination.”
—Philip Dormer Stanhope, 4th Earl Chesterfield (1694–1773)
“The best thing about Sassy Seats is that grandmothers cannot figure out how they work and are in constant fear of the child’s falling. This often makes them forget to comment on other aspects of the child’s development, like why he is not yet talking or is still wearing diapers. Some grandmothers will spend an entire meal peering beneath the table and saying, “Is that thing steady?” rather than, “Have you had a doctor look at that left hand?””
—Anna Quindlen (20th century)
“The Enemy, who wears
Her mother’s usual face
And confidential tone,
Has access; doubtless stares
Into her writing case
And listens on the phone.”
—Phyllis McGinley (1905–1978)