Latest news with #MrRing-a-Ding
Scottish Sun
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Doctor Who's become all that is obsessively woke & deranged about BBC – but the latest episode still shocked me
Read on for the show totally ruined by 'weapons-grade sycophancy' and the soap star even more miserable than her alter ego ALLY ROSS Doctor Who's become all that is obsessively woke & deranged about BBC – but the latest episode still shocked me Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE miracle of time travel means Doctor Who can visit anywhere in the universe at any point in history. Yet I can almost guarantee the Tardis will, henceforth, never randomly land in the following settings: The Soviet Union during the Stalinist purges of 1936-38, Budapest in the brutal crushing of the 1956 uprising, North Korea at any time and China during either the cultural revolution (1966-76) or the great famine of 1959-61. 5 Doctor Who has become the embodiment of all that is obsessively woke, self-destructive and deranged about the BBC Credit: BBC 5 The show is now overrun with cutesy harmless twerps, like Mr Ring-a-Ding and The Meep, pictured Credit: PA Or indeed anywhere else that would remind BBC1 viewers socialism is one of the most lethally stupid ideas in the whole history of mankind. Instead, the Doctor, if he lasts much longer, will continue to ping-pong between state-approved destinations, like the old British Empire (booo!) and America during the 1950s segregation era, where he can flag up the issues of racism and . . . more racism. Last time he landed here, in 2018, it was for a lecture about the civil rights movement called Rosa, which almost made the BBC combust with self-satisfaction, even though the idea was done much earlier and more effectively by Quantum Leap, in 1989, with its brilliant Color Of Truth instalment. To nobody's great surprise, then, the Doctor returned to the deep south of Florida, 1952, on Saturday, to investigate some cartoon s**thouse who went by the name of Mr Ring-a-Ding and had vanished 15 people inside a Miami cinema in the name of God knows what cause. On the face of it, a promising enough start to the adventure. But that's all the episode turned out to be. A start that was followed by a deeply boring middle and a feeble ending which involved Mr Ding-a-Ling, who turned out to be Lux, the God of light, wafting away into the sunset, much like the plot and the show itself. There are no prizes for guessing the cause of this disappointment, of course, as Doctor Who has become the embodiment of all that is obsessively woke, self-destructive and deranged about the BBC. It was still a bit of a shock to see the scale of it, however, on this episode which began the moment Ncuti Gatwa's Doctor and his new assistant nurse Belinda Chandra — the H and Claire of intergalactic time travel — exited the Tardis in Miami and spotted the name 'Rock Hudson' above the haunted cinema. 'The most beautiful man,' said the Doctor, reverentially. 'Yes, we did him on our HIV training course,' replied Belinda, like a talking NHS leaflet. 'This time travel thing is so strange, 'cos we know what happens to him, poor soul.' Doctor Who star defends show after 'woke storylines' backlash and bizarre trigger warning over 'discriminatory aliens' Which was a terrible thing to say about his stint on Dynasty, given it rarely fell short of 20million viewers. Rock wasn't the oddest namecheck, though. That would have to be Cuba's former President Fulgencio Batista, who's one of those dictators the BBC doesn't like (a right-wing one) and another distraction from a storyline ultimately derailed by the show's unhinged obsession with politics and segregation. It follows a pattern set by the previous series, obviously and the first episode of the current run where all manner of robot twattery turned out to be a front for another telling-off about toxic masculinity in some 'planet of the incels' caper. It's one thing allowing the cult of woke to sabotage the scripts, obviously, but quite another to let it also ruin the villains on a show like Doctor Who, which is now overrun with cutesy harmless twerps, like Mr Ring-a-Ding and The Meep, who can be safely despatched without anyone hiding behind the sofa. To the extent that Davros is now an upright, bustling little gimp, rather than the terrifying one-eyed walnut of yesteryear and the most terrifying-looking creature in the entire franchise is probably Anita Dobson. If this has been done because Russell T Davies and the BBC believe its audience is too fragile and politically sensitive to be scared by anything more threatening than capitalism then they really have missed the entire point of the show and I have disturbing news for them. On Saturday, Doctor Who got its lowest ratings of all time with just 1.58million viewers. They can, of course, try to explain away this terminal decline with the fact the figure doesn't take into account iPlayer viewers, but it won't wash. It's a disaster and an act of self-sabotage that owes everything to political bias and the brain-washing cult of woke which are both so entrenched at the BBC I've started to think a Hungary 1956 episode might not be so far-fetched, after all. With the Doctor commanding a Red Army tank division and Belinda purging the communist party of bourgeois elements via a bullet in the neck. Unexpected morons in the bagging area THE Weakest Link, Romesh Ranganathan: 'In the popular nursery rhyme, the monarch who called for his fiddlers three is called Old King who?' Jaz: 'Queen.' Tipping Point, Ben Shephard: 'Equestrian Life is a magazine for riders and lovers of which animal?' Saleem: 'Dogs.' The Finish Line, Roman Kemp, looking for bats: 'Something vespertilian resembles what flying mammal?' Paul: 'Cows.' And Ben Shephard: 'What word for the fruit of a palm tree can also mean a romantic appointment?' Mike: 'Mango.' Ben: 'DATE!' CELEBS ALL ON BRAND-I TV is forever warning us about strobe lighting, bad language, violence, sexism, homophobia, racism, 'graphic depictions of mental health' and all sorts of other worries about old shows that 'reflected attitudes of the time.' You name it. 5 Weapons-grade sycophancy ruined An Evening With Elton John And Brandi Carlile But it never flags up the sort of weapons-grade sycophancy which knackered my enjoyment of An Evening With Elton John And Brandi Carlile, on ITV, where the tone was set by host Dan Levy, a nervous little creep who wanted to know how the pair met: 'And why was I not there?' A question that neither required nor got an answer from Elton and Brandi, who were anxious to get on with the music. No matter how hard they tried, though, the grovelling never stopped, and if celebrity guests weren't actually paying tribute inside the London Palladium they were doing it via video message, like Dua Lipa who said: 'Dearest Elton, it's impossible to say how deeply in awe I remain of you.' But then she had a go at it anyway. If you thought that was the worst of it, however, Sam Smith then appeared, practically on all fours as he claimed: 'Without people like Brandi, the Earth would stop spinning, the rivers would run dry and the birds would sing no more.' A claim so bold and nauseating it left poor Elton with nowhere else to go except: 'Wow! This is kind of one of those things where you say, 'I was there,' maybe.' Yeah, or maybe you say: 'Thank f*** I wasn't.' TV (NOT QUITE) GOLD NOTHING on television really deserved such a glowing reference this week. But I did enjoy the following: The return of BBC1's brilliantly stressful Race Across The World. Black Mirror's Eulogy episode, on Netflix. Bill Maher's demolition of the 'not working class,' on Real Time. Bradley Walsh's lightning-quick response to Blankety Blank contestant Helena revealing: 'I'm a sex therapist.' 'And have you got any hobbies?' And an unfiltered Harry Clark, from The Traitors, who's clearly watched too many Shaolin kung fu movies, asking a Cistercian monk, on the first episode of BBC1's very earnest Pilgrimage: The Road Through The Alps: 'Do you have any super-powers? Are your ging gang goolies made of titanium?' Answer? 'No.' Random TV irritations 5 Patsy Palmer is even more miserable than Bianca Jackson Credit: ITV THE astonishing CBB revelation that Patsy Palmer is even more miserable than her East- Enders alter ego Bianca Jackson. BBC1 imagining there is a hidden army of Naga Munchetty fans who love to start the day with three hours of shark-eyed frostiness. And 'topical quiz show' Have I Got News For You still attacking Liz Truss, long after she's stopped being PM, every single week, yet not having a single word to say about the Supreme Court's historic and very grown-up ruling on gender. Someone put these cowards out of their misery, please. Great sporting insights DION DUBLIN: 'The defender's thinking 'should I not go, or should I stay'.' Paul Merson: 'Arteta left no stove unturned.' Robbie Savage: 'The whole of the stadium drove United on and half of them had gone home.' (Compiled by Graham Wray) Lookalike of the week 5 This week's winner is Celebrity Big Brother nuisance JoJo Siwa and Lars Ulrich from Metallica Sent in by Peter Scott, of Glasgow.
Telegraph
19-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Doctor Who, episode 2 review: the show turns ‘Scooby Who' with an imaginative animated romp
Doctor Who (BBC One) improved on last Saturday's series opener in fine style. Titled 'Lux', a giddy mash-up of animation and live-action lit up the long weekend. Considering the time of year, this wasn't so much Who Framed Roger Rabbit? as Who Framed The Easter Bunny? Happily, the mythical lagomorph delivered a golden egg of an episode. A thrillingly wild ride saw the Tardis land in Miami, circa 1952. The period scene was set with newsreel reports of Operation Hurricane's atomic bomb testing and Queen Elizabeth II's 16-week mourning period for George VI, before the adventure began in earnest: an abandoned movie theatre hiding a deadly secret. So far, so Scooby Doo – a comparison which writer Russell T Davies was smart enough to acknowledge. The 15th Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) styled himself as Velma, with new companion Belinda (Varada Sethu, continuing to give as good as she got) as Fred. Thankfully there was no sign of Scrappy Doo. He'd have ruined everything. The antagonist, the show's best for a while, turned out to be a villainous cartoon character called Mr Ring-a-Ding, voiced with hammy relish by Alan Cumming. It was a genuinely spine-shivering moment when he broke the fourth wall and started speaking directly to cinema-goers – before climbing out of the silver screen to consume them. Textbook everyday Who horror. The sort of quotidian fear, fuelled by children's imaginations, of monsters under the bed or statues coming to life. Showrunner Davies had a riot with his own premise, pushing it to extremes and packing the script with self-reflexive playfulness. The Doctor and Belinda were turned into animated characters ('I'm all flat and this waistline is impossible!'), before acquiring depth by discussing their back stories. This made them sufficiently well-rounded to regain three-dimensional status. Such postmodern madness recalled classic Sixties story ' The Mind Robber '. The franchise's partnership with Disney added resonance to the vintage cartoon conceit. After clever gags about continuity and being framed, the duo emerged from a TV screen, only to find themselves in a sitting room with three gobsmacked Whovians. 'This is so Galaxy Quest,' said one, name-checking the cult sci-fi spoof. From their logo T-shirts, tribute fezes and stripy scarves to their eager talk of online plot leaks, this was an affectionate poke at the show's obsessive fanbase. The trio even debated their favourite adventure. Steven Moffat's Blink took the crown – the second week running that Davies has nodded to his fellow Whopremo. A poignant undertow was lent by the projectionist (Linus Roache) longing for his late wife, as well as a mother's search for her teenage son. He'd disappeared when Mr Ring-a-Ding came to life. It turned out that 15 audience members were trapped on celluloid, waiting to be freed in the feelgood ending. The denouement was a bit daft, as they so often are. Mr Ring-a-Ding was a manifestation of Lux Imperator, the god of light – part of the recent lineage of chaos-causing deities which includes the Toymaker, Maestro and Sutekh. Their magical powers enable them to sidestep logic in ways which feel like cheating. The now-obligatory social consciousness came from the era's racial segregation and mention of Rock Hudson's AIDS diagnosis. A bonus coda during the closing credits saw the fans marking the episode as seven out of 10, but we'd go one louder. Directed by Amanda Brotchie with real verve, this was heaps of high-energy family entertainment, full to bursting with impish invention. With the show's future precarious and rumours swirling of production being paused again, this was precisely the sort of romp that might help secure its future. Sweet as chocolate and gently spiced like a hot cross bun, it was perfectly pitched for Easter weekend. Cartoon capers for children, retro thrills for their parents, classic Americana for international audiences and packed with Easter eggs for the nerds. Doctor Who in danger of the axe? As Mr Ring-a-Ding's catchphrase went: don't make me laugh.
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Doctor Who confirms surprise new-season plot twist role for Graham Norton that's "not just a cameo"
Graham Norton has been confirmed to guest star in a new episode of Doctor Who. The beloved sci-fi show is due to return with its 15th season on April 12, marking Ncuti Gatwa's second season as the Doctor. It's now been confirmed that Norton will appear in the season's sixth episode on May 17, titled 'The Interstellar Song Contest'. The episode will follow the Doctor and his new companion Belinda Chandra (Varada Sethu) as they travel to the 803rd Interstellar Song Contest – where planets from across the universe compete for the top prize. Norton – who has served as the BBC's television commentator for the Eurovision Song Contest since 2009 – will appear in the episode, and showrunner Russell T Davies has confirmed "it's not just a cameo". Related: Best streaming services "There's no song contest without the great man himself, and it was an honour to welcome Graham Norton to our studios in Cardiff," he shared. "And it's not just a cameo, he has a whole plot twist all to himself! This is the wildest episode of all, and we're lucky to have Graham adding to the mayhem." The episode will also include guest appearances from Unforgotten's Charlie Condou, Slow Horses stars Kadiff Kirwan and Freddie Fox, presenter Rylan Clark, and Miriam-Teak Lee. Related: Meanwhile, it was confirmed earlier this year that The Traitors US host Alan Cumming will guest star in the second episode of the season, voicing a character named Mr Ring-a-Ding. Mr Ring-a-Ding is described as a "happy, funny, singalong cartoon, who lives in Sunny Town with his friend Sunshine Sally. "However, in 1952, after years of repeats in cinemas across the land, Mr Ring-a-Ding suddenly looks beyond the screen and sees the real world outside – and the consequences are terrifying." Take our interdimensional Doctor Who quiz! Doctor Who airs on BBC One in the UK and Disney+ elsewhere. Classic episodes of Doctor Who are available on BBC iPlayer in the UK. Interested in talking about Doctor Who? Visit our dedicated sub-forum Read more Doctor Who news on our dedicated homepage at at Pandora at at at at at Apple at at at You Might Also Like PS5 consoles for sale – PlayStation 5 stock and restocks: Where to buy PS5 today? IS MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 7 THE BEST IN THE SERIES? OUR REVIEW AEW game is a modern mix of No Mercy and SmackDown
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Ncuti Gatwa: Beautiful to explore relationship with new Doctor Who companion
Doctor Who actor Ncuti Gatwa has said it was 'beautiful' to explore the Time Lord's relationship with his latest companion in the new series of the sci-fi show. Andor actress Varada Sethu is a new addition to the long-running BBC programme and stars as Belinda Chandra, who is 'on an epic quest to return to Earth', along with the Doctor. Speaking at the show's premiere, Sex Education star Gatwa told the PA news agency: '(It's) so exciting to be back. We've got a new companion. We've got new stories to tell. 'We go to new places and we can't get back to the place we want to get back to. 'There's challenges that we haven't had before in Doctor Who. So, yeah, super excited to be back.' He added: 'All you want as an actor is a really good, meaty role to sink your teeth into, and to craft. 'With this job you get the opportunity to do that time and time again. 'So, it's just been so lovely to just expand on everything that happened in season one and it's a new companion this year and so Belinda, really, is like a catalyst of growth for the Doctor this season. 'So that was such a beautiful relationship to explore.' Former Coronation Street actress Millie Gibson returns in the role of Ruby Sunday, who travelled across time and space with the Doctor during Gatwa's first series. She said: 'It's a much more kind of mature take on Ruby. She's older and it's life after the Doctor. So, whatever happens after you've fought goblins, hung off a rope ladder above London and get swallowed by a double bass! 'So, it's seeing the companion after doing all these crazy things, and if they've got PTSD, if they can get back to their normal life.' She added: 'I feel so connected to Ruby. I feel like, as I've grown up, I've grown up with Ruby.' Guest stars of the new series include former EastEnders actress Rose Ayling-Ellis, Slow Horses actors Christopher Chung and Freddie Fox, as well as Scottish actor Alan Cumming, who voices 'runaway cartoon' Mr Ring-a-Ding. According to a synopsis, the new season of Doctor Who sees Belinda and the time-travelling alien come up against 'great dangers' and 'ferocious enemies' as a 'mysterious force' tries to stop them from returning back to Earth. Doctor Who will launch on Saturday April 12 at 8am on BBC iPlayer and will air later that day on BBC One.
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Alan Cumming to guest star in new Doctor Who series as ‘runaway cartoon'
Scottish actor Alan Cumming will guest star in the upcoming series of Doctor Who as 'runaway cartoon' Mr Ring-a-Ding. The stage and screen star will feature alongside Ncuti Gatwa as he returns for his second series as the fifteenth incarnation of the Doctor. Gatwa will be joined in the Tardis by Belinda Chandra, played by Jurassic World actress Varada Sethu, when the show returns to BBC and Disney+ on April 12. 📢 Mark the date in your diary! #DoctorWho season 2 arrives on BBC and Disney+ on April 12 2025 And Alan Cumming's guest starring in the new season too… Get all the info ➡️ — BBC Press Office (@bbcpress) February 26, 2025 Bafta-winner Cumming will make his animated appearance in episode two as Mr Ring-a-Ding, a 'happy, funny, singalong cartoon, who lives in Sunny Town with his friend Sunshine Sally'. 'However, in 1952, after years of repeats in cinemas across the land, Mr Ring-a-Ding suddenly looks beyond the screen and sees the real world outside – and the consequences are terrifying,' the episode synopsis adds. Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies said: 'Only Alan Cumming could give a runaway cartoon so much wit, malice, danger and fun. 'He makes the whole universe of Doctor Who wilder and madder than ever, and it's an absolute honour to welcome him on board the Tardis.' In the new series Millie Gibson returns as the Time Lord's companion Ruby Sunday, while EastEnders actresses Rose Ayling-Ellis and Anita Dobson are among the other stars adventuring through time and space. Slow Horses actor Christopher Chung, Mandy actress Michelle Greenidge, The Little Mermaid star Jonah Hauer-King, Years And Years' Ruth Madeley, Cold Blood's Jemma Redgrave and Coronation Street actress Susan Twist will also appear in the upcoming series. The new series has also had an injection of new writers, including This Book Is Gay author Juno Dawson, who created the first official Doctor Who-scripted podcast, and Pete McTighe, who is a writer and executive producer for forthcoming spin-off The War Between The Land And The Sea. McTighe also wrote Doctor Who episode Kerblam! while Chris Chibnall was at the helm. Screenwriter Sharma Angel-Walfall and writer and curator Inua Ellams have also written for the forthcoming series. Gatwa's first series as the Time Lord premiered on May 11 last year with a double bill. The second season of Ncuti Gatwa's Doctor will launch on Saturday April 12 at 8am on BBC iPlayer and later that day on BBC One in the UK.
