A Very Sticky Situation

This weeks edition of the 'Radio Times' over here in the UK (dated June 3rd - June 9th) contains the usual Doctor Who suppliment - as well as a free pack of stickers!
Of course, it would be little use making a Doctor Who sticker album without Captain Jack, so without further ado, I present Jack's very own unique sticker. It can be found in this week's aforementioned Radio Times. So go buy a copy now, and you too can have an image of Jack, avaialble to stick wherever you want (insert innuendo here) !

The Cardiff Cruiser

Thanks for all your nice flowers and cards, but not to worry, I'm still alive. I've just been a bit busy with the end of the school year and preparations for my wedding in a few weeks. I can thank folks like JH and others who are doing all the work these days. Including Richard in Cardiff who took these shots of the Torchwood Range Rover on location. Click on the thumbnails if you desire a full-sized peek.

With the cost of gas these days, I hope that the Torchwood Institute is well funded. I suspect that the armor plating on their vehicle really reduces its mileage.

Numbers Make My Head Hurt

The new edition of Dreamwatch magazine confirms that P.J. Hammond's episode "Small World" has moved from its current position in the Torchwood schedule. It's no longer episode three due to "effects requirements" and the writer predicts that it'll now be moved to "around episode six". This is the biggest indicator we've had that this episode will now form part of block three. We'll bring you more news on the other episodes as soon as we get it.

Meanwhile, our episode guide has been updated to include the changes.

Inside the Hub (Or, At Last, A New Set Report!)

Here's a quick set report from our friend in the Torchwood production team. Some would call him a mole. Not me. I'll kindly bestow the nickname Chula upon our friend on the inside, in honour of Captain Jack's first appearence on Doctor Who (the infamous Chula warship in "The Empty Child" two-parter). So, here's Chula's latest set report, this time with a difference. It's not from location filming, but from deep within the Torchwood studios at Camelot! Yay for Chula! BEWARE OF THE SPOILERS...

Have been in the studios all week so not much to report. The sets are incredible, especially the HUB (Torchwoods secret base under Millennium Square) it's a large cavernous space with high-tec work stations, a firing range (where we discover Gwen is a crack shot), a morgue and dungeons where Torchwood's resident monster the "Weevil" lives (played as always by Dr Who's brilliant monster-man Paul Casey). The Weevil is fantastic and is sure to be one of the Fan's favorites, but it's not the only monster down there!

Gareth has been shooting his first scenes as Ianto this week and his character is quite the charmer. Dressed in snazzy suits he guards the Hub from unwelcome attention and although not strictly part of Torchwood, his intelligence, good looks and a strange ability to make superb coffee makes him an valued contributor to their investigations.

The cast and crew said their goodbyes to Peter Bennett (1st AD) and Stefan Morris (2nd AD) both returning to Dr Who. Steff received a Dalek cake whilst Peter's had a picture of John Barrowman pulling a moonie on his (he dutifully ate the piece of cake with Johns butt on it). Both will be greatly missed.

Torchwood secret:
We learn a big secret about Capt Jack at the end of episode 1, he tells Gwen -

Out of respect for the Torchwood production team, that's where our set report ends. They work so hard to bring us thirteen episodes of television magic that it would be horrible of me to ruin the fun and tell you guys the secrets months in advance. But it is a marvellous secret, and should make for a VERY interesting series concept. And on that cryptic note, I'll bid you guys goodbye until more Torchwood news comes in...

The Con-Man!

Some exciting news for fans of the convention circuit: John Barrowman is set to make an appearence at this year's London Film and Comic Con on July 1st / July 2nd!

The news was announced here folks.

A GALLERY OF JOHN AT LAST YEAR'S CONVENTION CAN BE FOUND HERE

Other guests already confirmed are Richard Dreyfuss, Jorge Garcia, Ejjah Wood and many more too! With John in the mix, this could be your only chance to see that bizzare Torchwood/Jaws/Lost/Lord of the Rings crossover that you've been dreaming of for years. Should you require anymore tempting, visit here for lots more details!

Anyway, here's a quick cut-and-paste of general prices for the convention, including your chance to buy a golden ticket - to ensure the best possible service on the day!

SATURDAY ADMISSION: Early Bird £10 (from 9am) Standard Entry (11am to 6pm) Adults £5, Children £3 (Under 12)

SUNDAY ADMISSION: No Early Bird Standard Entry (10am to 5pm) Adults £5, Children £3 (Under 12)

Also available: LIMITED EXCLUSIVE GOLD PASSAdvantages include: shorter queues at the entrance, reserved talk tickets, easier and quicker access to autograph queues, exclusive goody bag, official photo CD, and dedicated assistanceTHERE ARE ONLY 50 GOLD PATRON PASSES AVAILABLE! Click here for details.

I hope to see you all there folks!

Ghost Watch

Doctor Who Magazine # 370 is released in newsagents across the UK tomorrow, but I've managed to grab a sneak peak, and found some very interesting Torchwood news inside.

As well as commenting upon the casting of Burn Gorman and Naoko Mori, the magazine also exclusively reveals the director of the second block of filming on Torchwood (which consists of just two episodes). This particular block will be completed by Colin Teague, a director who has already headed up some notable episodes of Holby City (along with producer Richard Stokes). We wish Colin all the luck in the world, and here's hoping he produces some incredible episodes!

Colin's two episodes will not contain Noel Clarke's episode like previously thought. Instead, block two will contain a script by Toby Whithouse (Doctor Who - "School Reunion"), as well as script editor Helen Raynor's story, which has the working title of "The Ghost Machine". Now that's what I call an excellent episode title!

Below is an updated episode guide. Any spoilers associated with particular episodes will be printed in invisotext next to the title, so again, DO NOT HIGHLIGHT IF YOU WANT TO STAY SPOILER FREE! Don't say I didn't warn you! Information in brackets is currently awaiting confirmation.

EPISODE ONE - "Flotsam and Jetsam"
Written by: Russell. T. Davies, Directed by :Brian Kelly
Jack Harkness has returned from the far future, to modern day Cardiff where he's found a job working amongst Torchwood, an ultra secret military organisation. Jack believes that by staying near to the 'Rift' the Doctor will return one day and find him. Whilst investigating some alien gangsters (supposidly) he meets a police woman called Gwen Cooper, and soon Gwen has become part of Torchwood itself, replacing a former Torchwood operative named Suzie who has since gone rogue.

EPISODE TWO - "Dark Revelations (tbc)"
Written by: Chris Chibnall, Directed by: Brian Kelly
Current rumours suggest that during this episode Gwen Cooper's boyfriend learns the secret of Torchwood, and is taken over by a great evil. During the course of the episode Gwen learns exactly what it means to work for a top secret co-government agency.

EPISODE THREE(?) - "tbc"
Written by: Toby Whithouse, Directed by: Colin Teague
No details currently available. Bah!

EPISODE FOUR (?)- "tbc"
Written by: Noel Clarke, Directed by: (block three)
Noel appeared on GMTV last week and revealled that his episode is currently sheduled to be episode four of Torchwood. For now we'll continue to place the episode here. No specific details are yet available.

EPISODE FIVE (?) - "The Ghost Machine"
Written by: Helen Raynor, Directed by: Colin Teague
Thing's go bump in the night, but that's all I'm saying. The clue's in the name.

EPISODE SIX (?)- "Small World"
Written by: PJ Hammond, Directed by: (block three)
Gwen is still feeling her way in to the world of Torchwood, which she has just joined. This episode revolves around some "malevolent fairies". Hammond confirms in Dreamwatch magazine that the episode is no longer the third of the series.

OTHER EPISODES:
One more Russell.T.Davies script (possibly the finale)
At least three more Chris Chibnall scripts
A script by Si Spencer

And a quick note for fact fans: the first cast readthrough for Torchwood was Wednesday 26th April 2006, with actual filming commencing on Monday May 1st 2006. The first few weeks of filming were location shots as the team continue to settle into their new studio "Camelot".

And that's your lot for now! More news as we get it...and if anybody has any updates for our rough episode guide, then contact myself or Kurly and we'll be happy to make any changes.

The Noel Clarke Diaries

Noel Clarke (Mickey Smith in "Doctor Who") appeared on the Entertainment Today section of GM:TV on Friday. He appeared to talk about Doctor Who (specifically the fate of Mickey in "The Age of Steel", as well as hinting that Mickey might still return...), as well as his film "Kidulthood" which is released on DVD across the UK next week. It really is a fantastic film, so go out and buy it guys and gals, and support Mickey...I mean Noel Clarke, along the way.

Oh, and Noel also mentioned Torchwood (see what I did there...left it to last to add tension). It seems that his script is currently scheduled as episode four and will presumably take place in recording block two (the team are still recording block one now, and will soon move onto block two episodes). Although Noel didn't mntion any details about his episodes he did call the show a mix between "The X Files" and "CSI". Whether being compared to CSI is a good thing or not is entirely up to you to decide.

But one thing looks certain now: Mickey Smith will not be appearing in Torchwood. Which is a shame, because Mickey plays the role of a hero so brilliantly in "The Age of Steel"...

Captain Jack:Yours To Keep (Soon)

Just a quick update to tell you guys that forbidden-planet will soon be taking online orders for the Captain Jack action figure, which suggests rumours of a June / July release are true. Anyway, for more information, click here. This will be the place where the action figure will eventually be available to pre-order. Credit cards to the ready folks!

For now, until we have an official photo image of the action figure, we'll have to make do with this humourous home-made Jack. The creator describes it as "half KANEDA (from the McFarlane AKIRA action figure line), with a FARSCAPE upper half." So, John what do you think? Have we found you a potential Torchwood costume? That red would so suit you!

Torchwood:High Definition Television!

In a move that's sure to delight fans of High-Definition Television, a source has confirmed that Torchwood is indeed being filmed in High Definition. All this basically means is better picture and sound quality for viewers who possess a HD Television set (so if you don't already own one, buy one today, or in time for Torchwood in October!). The benefits of HD programming also mean that a series is more likely to sell to the American market, as the US already use HD technology. So it's a major yay for Torchwood as it tries to secure a place on American television screens. Watch this space.

INDIRA VARMA PLAYS "SUZIE"

We've also got news of a guest star in episode one, "Flotsam and Jetsam". Actress Indira Varma is set to play the role of Suzie. Indira has already made a name for herself in the UK and US by appearing in high profile series such as The Canterbury Tales, The Quatermass Experiment (with a certain David Tennant), Little Britain, and HBO's Rome epic. A word of advice to readers though: becareful when typing Indira's name into google images. A few naughty pictures may pop up on screen. Don't say I didn't warn you!

Spoilers concerning Suzie's character appear below in invisotext. DO NOT HIGHLIGHT IF YOU DON'T WANT TO BE SPOILED!

Suzie is a rogue Torchwood operative that eventually gets replaced by our heroine Gwen (Eve Myles). I told you it was a pretty big spoiler!

The Most Perfect Timing

Sci-fi wire, the Sci-fi Channel's news service, today continues with its Torchwood headlines, suggesting that the station is gearing itself up for broadcasting series two of Doctor Who. If that's the case, there's a strong possibility that immediately after that series finishes, America could bare witness to the very first series of Torchwood too. Anyway, here's a quick interview with Russell T Davies (we should talk about him more, cos he's fantastic at what he does). The full interview can be read here.

"It all sort of gradually came together. I actually vaguely pitched the idea for the program to [executive producer] Julie Gardner before Doctor Who, when we were working together on a production of Casanova. We both love science fiction, and we used to talk about shows like Buffy [the Vampire Slayer], and one of the great joys of working together was discovering that we both loved that sort of material. She said, 'Wouldn't it be great to do that sort of thing in Britain?' So I pitched the opening scene there and then in an e-mail, and she said it was marvelous. So after Doctor Who became a success, we began talking about it."

"We also had an enormous response to John Barrowman, who just became a star overnight in a supporting role. People just loved him, and he had been a star-in-waiting for many years, so we were lucky to have grabbed him at the right time."

"We only ever booked him for five episodes. I mean, a bisexual con man from the 51st century: Did you ever think that was going to work? On paper, I had doubts about it myself. So I thought, 'Oh, five episodes of that will do!' I thought he would run out of charm by then. But he turned out to be the most extraordinary success, which was John, I have to say, and all of the writers loved writing for him."

In other news, issue# 370 of Doctor Who Magazine comes out next week in the UK, and we're promised some Torchwood news inside. And there's been suggestions that episode seven of this year's Doctor Who, "The Idiot's Lantern", may have yet more Torchwood references, so as ever, keep your eyes and ears peeled folks!

Torchwood And The Fiction Of Fans

Forgive me for that very Babylon 5 blog title. Anyway, with little to no Torchwood news to discuss (bar a short interview on sci-fi wire which can be found here) I thought that I'd invest in some useless conversation, specifically on the subject of fan fiction.

Recently I commented upon the birth of Torchwood's fan community. One aspect of such a community is the ever growing number of fan fiction sites. And Torchwood's no different. However, very few websites have any solid Torchwood fanfic pages. Mostly the sites have Captain Jack tales from his time aboard the TARDIS. Believe it or not there's not much fan fiction relating to Jack's missing two years.

But there are always exceptions. Below is a short list of some of the sites I've found that talk about Jack's past in very innovative ways.

fanfiction.net

whofic.com

Doctor Who World

I must stress that these stories are in no way "canon" and should not be taken for fact. They are not written by the BBC Production teams, and are in no way associated with them. Still, they're terific fun, so get reading!

If anybody out there has any more website names that do contain Torchwood fanfic adventures, then contact myself or Kurly, and we'll add the site to the list above.

And guys, welcome to the mad, mad world of fan fiction writing!

Friendly Cardiff .VS. Big Old Nasty London

I've just read this short interview from the latest member of the Innuendo Squad, Ianto, aka Mister Gareth David-Lloyd. (Thanks to our friends at The Institute for this lead). You can hear what he has to say below (and if Gareth's reading, congratulations on the casting young man!) :

http://www.musicomh.com/theatre/three-women.htm

He learned his acting craft in Gwent but now Gareth David-Lloyd’s talents are going intergalactic.

Gareth, 25, from Bettws, has landed the role of a lifetime a major part in the new Dr Who spin-off series Torchwood.

He is to play Ianto, the receptionist at the Cardiff branch of Torchwood a government agency searching for alien technology which has fallen to Earth.

He will be filming for six months on the show, which is set in modern-day Cardiff. This is the first major role for the Newport actor, who went to Bettws Comprehensive and Coleg Gwent, Cross Keys.

“I’m really excited,” he said. “This is going to be different to anything else I’ve done before.”

It was at Monnow Junior School in Bettws that Gareth had his first acting role playing a robot in the school play. He then had acting lessons at Risca Leisure Centre before joining the Dolman Youth Theatre and Gwent Young People’s Theatre, where Argus reviewers marked him out as a star of the future.

He moved to London to pursue his career three years ago, with roles in Absolute Power, with Stephen Fry, and a BBC2 documentary drama on the life of Beethoven.

But Gareth is pleased his new role will be based in Cardiff, “I can’t wait to move back to South Wales, people are just much friendlier,” he said. “London was getting a bit fast for me.”

He was encouraged in acting by his aunt, 80-year-old Doris Leaves, with whom he lived on Allt-yr-yn Crescent from the age of nine.

Mrs Leaves said: “He got out of breath when he played football so I told him he needed a hobby. It has all sprung from there really.”

Former Labour leader Neil Kinnock, now Lord Kinnock, became a fan after seeing Gareth performing at Monmouth Castle. When Gareth decided to pursue a career in acting Lord Kinnock sent £250 to help him on his way.

Filming started on Torchwood last month and Gareth will be on set from May 24. His character will be introduced with a small part in the first episode, before featuring in all 13-parts of the drama series.

Gareth says there will be plenty of surprises for Doctor Who fans in the series, “I can’t say too much but the scripts look really good. I can’t wait to get started.”

In other news, last night's Doctor Who episode over here in the UK, "Rise of the Cybermen" featured two short Torchwood references made at the expense of the Cybus Corporation. One reference saw a news item on Rose's mobile phone talk about the latest Torchwood Institute happenings, whilst another saw returning face Pete Tyler talk to "Stevie"; an old friend of his, who seemingly works at Torchwood.

The fact that this episode - and next week's too - takes place on a parallel world may dampen the relevence of these references to the over-all story arc. But we'll see. It seems Torchwood is building momentum rather rapidly now.

Torchwood's coming folks. Brace yourselves.

Latest Location Photos

The shots below were taken by a fan earlier this week on a rainy night outside the Ultralase laser eye surgery center on Windsor Place in Cardiff. Perhaps this spot is using alien tech to help give us humans super vision! I always suspected the idea to use lasers to cut into people's corneas must have come from another world.

Thanks for sharing! Click on the thumbnails to enlarge.

Torchwood will be filming at . . .

Other than a mention of some snogging going on in a scene, I haven't heard any reports from the past week of production yet. But hey, there is at least one kiss every week on Doctor Who these days, so I could have guessed that would be somewhere in Torchwood. If you have been able to get some photos or news from locations in Cardiff please don't hog it all to yourself. Without the goods, I will just have to make up some crackpot theories and then claim they are coming from a reliable source. I have quite a vivid imagination you know.

I had posted some vague details about where Torchwood will be filming over the next few days here earlier, but the BBC has asked me to quit doing that so I have removed them. I must say I'm a bit torn, unless fans are really slowing things down, I don't see the harm in it. However, I don't want to piss off the BBC either as I'm still hoping for that cameo on the show! I know the Beeb needs to cover their interests. So readers, feel free to voice your opinion on what we should do in the comments below.

Wednesday's Schedule

Since you demanded it, here is more of the inside scoop on where Torchwood will be filming. This is only for those eager Woodies who just can't resist getting a peek of the crew in all their glory in Cardiff.

Wednesday, May 10th
Calltime 2:00pm - Wrap 1:00am
Location 1 - The Penn and Wig Pub, Park Grove
Location 2 - Ultralase, 24 Windsor Place
Location 3 - Car Park, Gerald Eve, Windsor Place

The first two locations are interiors, with little to see. The car park however should provide an opportunity to witness some filming. Of course it goes without saying, that anybody who goes to the locations needs to show utmost respect to the process, the production staff and the actors. If you don't, then these type of advance notices will undoubtedly cease and Torchwood.TV readers will just have to return to the glory days of my non-topical rants sprinkled with unfunny sarcasm.

And the BAFTA goes to...

So, last night Doctor Who won the BAFTA award for Best Drama Series (rightly so!) and also the brilliant Pioneer Audience Award, voted for by the public. The entire team deserve the award 100%, and that includes a certain Mr. John Barrowman, who in my opinion made "The Empty Child" two-hander the best piece of drama this side of forever. David, Billie, Russell, Phil and Julie may have been celebrating their win in a rather posh London Hall, but John was tucked away in Cardiff, filming Torchwood. The dedication I tell ya!

Anyways John, if you're reading (and I'm sure you are!) give yourself a pat on the back on behalf of the British public. We love Doctor Who, as evident from the show's BAFTA win, and we love Captain Jack too.

But most importantly we can't wait until Torchwood. So go get 'em tiger!

Can you take a letter please Ianto?

Torchwood news is coming fast and furious, and hard for me to keep up, what with my own crazy schedule. Thanks to everybody who is helping out.

Source:hampsteadtheatre.com

It was announced today that Gareth David-Lloyd of Bettws, Wales will be Ianto, Torchwood's receptionist. I was hoping for that gig myself, since my typing speed is quite fast, but apparently I don't have a nice enough bum to work for the Institute.

Filming schedule for tonight and tomorrow night

The Torchwood Mole has sent me the following schedule:

Monday the 8th
Calltime: 7pm, Wrap 5am
Loc 1 - The Hayes, City centre
Loc 2 - Ask, Mill Lane, of The Hayes
Loc 3 - St Mary's Street

However, he added there will be nothing of great interest today, and JB will not be on set until the very last scene.

Tuesday the 9th
Calltime 4pm, Wrap 3am
Loc - Creation, Greyfriars Road.

Tomorrow all the teams are involved but all the scenes are interiors, so unless you like looking at the ouside of buildings, you could probably better use the time by spending it with your family.

The fifth wheel?

So who is the mysterious fifth member of the Torchwood team? Well read on if you would like a recap of the speculations that have been circulating. It relates to the finale of WHO.

Source: Doctor Who Confidential Screencap

Tracy-Ann Oberman of Eastenders fame will play a villian named Yvonne Hartman in the final two episodes of WHO this season. Elements of these episodes will lead right into the Torchwood series. In the Express newspaper last month Oberman said she will be playing the head of the Torchwood Institute. The speculation is that she will be in charge of a London-based Torchwood who has gone a bit astray, in league with the Cybermen and such.

None of the location reports last week spotted Oberman, so it might be a case of her exit/death leaving a spot for Jack to come in and head up a new reformed Torchwood Institute now based in Cardiff. If you are in Cardiff it looks like you will have a few chances to see the team on the streets in their range rover and look for more clues this week. A few shooting spots that have been mentioned are at the The Hayes, City Centre on Monday and then wednesday evening in the Pen and Wig pub.

No Torchwood references in The Girl in the Fireplace. The commentary features the writer of the episode Steven Moffat and Torchwood writer Noel Clarke, who is now better known as The Tin Dog.

The World Wide 'Wood

I've been wanting to write this post since like the dawn of time (see file "Castrovalva") but I've waited patiently for the right occassion to do so.

Now, with four out of five cast members confirmed, and filming having now started, I feel we're all ready to start talking about the important stuff: namely, fans.

Fans. We're the people that sit and watch every week . We're the people who dedicate our lives to every aspect of our beloved series. And we're the people who care about Doctor Who and Torchwood so much that both shows now feel very much part of our lives, to such an extent that we're willing to put our lives on hold for 16 years to wait for a Time Lord's return. Fans.

The very fact you're reading this page tells me one thing: Torchwood is not just any other television show to you: It's something very special that you want to desperately be part of, because no matter what you say, you're a fan. And that's a fantastic thing. Embrace your love, because fanlove is, as Russell T Davies once observed, a very special thing.

And we want to hear from you all. Why do you love Doctor Who so much? What are your expectations for Torchwood? Have you any messages of support for some friends of ours in Cardiff, who are working away so hard to bring us 13 weeks worth of programming that we're sure to love? Post your comments here at torchwood.tv, because - along with a number of other websites out there - we're witnessing the birth of Torchwood's fan community.

Together at last, we should all be celebrating that very fact.

Now, John, Eve, Burn and Naoko, if you're reading, we'd love to hear from you guys too. Because quite simply, we're fans. And we love you.

Filming: Day One Feedback

Filming began last night in Cardiff (at last!) and although I tried to make it down there to witness the birth of the show, commitments prevented me from doing so. Anyways, Outpost Gallifrey has posted several set photographs, and several set reports. Because the set reports are all of a spoiler-nature, I'll re-post them all below, in invisotext. To read them simply highlight the text, and hey presto, you have a set report!

So, if you don't want to read what happened on set, look away now!

Paul Mount:

Arrived at Charles Street around 8.15pm. Amidst drizzly rain the production unit is up and running, activity based around the rear entrance to Minsky's night club. At first doesn't seem to be a lot going on but suddenly a big black vehicle appears on the scene....how can I describe it? Like a big land rover or range rover but augmented by a huge black front grill with no noticable front number plates and a big extended rear section.

The vehicle rushes up Charles Street, turns and heads back, parking near the unit vehicles. There are people in the front seats but through the slightly-tinted windows it's hard to make them out. Then out steps John Barrowman, togged up in a long mohair-like brown coat and what look like a very trendy waiscoat and shirt combination underneath, black trousers and boots.

Production crew rush over to shield him from the rain with a big brolly. Someone's in the passenger seat fiddling with interior lighting. A few moments later he gets out and it's Burn Gorman (Torchwood co-star and the real star of Bleak House, IMO). Someone calls that it's lunchtime and, under cover of brollies, everyone moves off to vehicles further down the road.

I think I caught a glimps of Naoko Mori walking down the road surrounded by production bods but I wouldn't swear to it. Managed to get a look inside the vehicle through the windows - very swish, leather interior, couple of DVD screens set into the dashbaord. Futuristic and yet modern at the same time.

Went back around 11pm to see a scene being rehearsed at the top of the steps leading down into Minsky's. There are two or three burly security guards at the top of the steps. Some girls enter the club. Another girl - couldn't make out who it was - approaches a Grant Mitchell-type guard and, from the dialogue I can hear, says she wants to get back into the club and that's she's already paid to get in. The guard tells her "You'll have to pay again." She gives him a big snog, he staggers back, surprised, and lets her down the stairs into the club.

No sign of any of the major cast around while this is being rehearsed. The scene is rehearsed several more times and, as I left, they seemed to be preparing to move downstairs to film. Not much, I know but Torchwood is, it's fair to say, on its way!!

John Campbell Rees:

The circus has moved on, if only temporarily, from Doctor Who to its spin-off series Torchwood, which had its first day of location shooting today. When I arrived at 4pm, there was filming inside the Bar Icon at one end of the street. Impenetrable black drapes covered the front of the bar, hiding the filming taking place inside from prying eyes. I thought the afternoon would be a bit of a wash out, so I wandered off to do some shopping. After meeting up with Tim, I returned to Charles Street at 6.30pm, to find that filming had moved to outside the rear of Minsky's Nightclub. I immediately spotted John Barrowman and Eve Myles. Barrowman was wearing an old RAF Officer's greatcoat, similar to the one he wore when playing Captain Jack in The Empty Child/Doctor Dances. A few minutes later, I spotted Naoko Mori and Burn Gorman. The very impressive vehicle that the Torchwood Crew used was parked opposite Minsky's. A souped-up and apparently armour plated Range Rover with the word Torchwood in embossed large friendly letters on the side (aka the Jackmobile). It looks as if the Art Department had a great deal of fun with this vehicle. Although, it must be an absolute pig to drive, as all the windows are black tinted glass, whilst the extra bits of fibreglass stuck on the body make it look armour-plated must really affect the aerodynamics and centre of gravity of the vehicle. Inside, the front passenger seat appears to have numerous screens and keyboards in front of it, making it look as if this car is also a mobile office for the crew. Burn Gorman was seen exiting the car from this seat during filming, which makes me suspect that the initial press release (which stated he was playing the group's medical expert, whilst Naoko Mori, who played a doctor in the Doctor Who story Aliens of London/World War III is the computer expert) is ever so slightly wrong.The first scene I saw being filmed was the Torchwood crew getting out of the Jackmobile. They crossed the road, and three of the crew go down the stairs to nightclub, whilst Eve Myles stayed behind and talked to the two police officers guarding the entrance. On the second take, Burn Gorman tripped on the curb and fell in front of the road, much to the amusement of the assembled cast, crew and onlookers.The next scene to be filmed was a close-up of Eve Myles talking to the local police. It is obvious that she is recognised by the officers and that she recognises them. Which leads me to suspect that the character of Gwen Cooper is a policewoman who has recently been seconded to Torchwood. The snatches of dialogue I heard were Captain Jack asking Gwen if she was going to be much longer, and Gwen asking the police woman on duty to "say hello for me", probably back at the Station where she until recently worked. Whilst filming this scene, a drunk wandered onto the location, an became loud and unruly when he was not allowed to continue down Charles Street. The on-site Security quickly bundled him away.The final scene I saw being filmed before they broke for their lunch, and I had to head home was the Torchwood Crew's arrival in the Jackmobile. It was at this point that it started to drizzle. In order to make it look as if it had been raining heavily, a large truck belonging to Any Effects Ltd drove down Charles Street drenching the roadway, as the dampening from the light drizzle would not have registered.Throughout the filming, Jack would be wearing the RAF greatcoat. The questions that springs to mind are* Where did he get it? The one he had in The Empty Child/Doctor Dances was destroyed with the timeship he was piloting?* Why does he feel the need to wear such an ostentatious outfit? The highlight of the evening has to have been being within 10 yards of the lovely Eve Myles and Naoko Mori. Lowlight was the drizzle.

Andy Stark:

When I arrived it was pouring with rain, much to the disappointment of the crew member who had been brought in specifically to hose down Charles Street to give the appearance of a recent downpour. It continued to rain on and off for most of the evening despite there having been bright sunshine for most of the day previous to this. After waiting for a couple of minutes on the side of Charles Street just down from the back of Minsky's nightclub (with a very small group of fellow onlookers in attendance), a black Range Rover type car came from round the corner at the end of the street (which in real life is actually a dead end) and rushes down the street stopping directly opposite the back door of Minsky's. All four doors of the car open and the four members of team Torchwood (John Barrowman, Eve Myles, Naoko Mori & Burn Gorman) leap out - John, being the designated driver - and run over to the club and down the steps leading to the front door. The sign above the club door reads "Night Spot" in pink fluorescent lighting. Captain Jack is wearing what appears to be a long trenchcoat that seemed similar in style to the one worn in The Empty Child and all other team members are wearing black outfits.The scene stops and after a few minutes hesitation the team get back into the car and drive back up to the end of the road and turn around. Once again the car comes down the street but rather than shooting the scene again, it appears that the director calls for a break and, shielded by umbrellas, they all go off for lunch.After nosing around the Torchwood mobile for a bit we left for a while and a couple of us returned an hour or so later to see preparations for a scene being filmed outside the night club. In the lead up to the scene being shot we saw a green screen being moved from where it had been resting on the side of the street to the alley next to Minsky’s itself. When and for what purpose the green screen was being used we didn’t find out but we tried to follow its progress by wandering round to the front of the club (adjacent to where the final scenes from Rose were filmed) to find a spot where it looked like some props were being temporarily stored: these included some empty pallets, a sofa(?) and some store mannikins(!)We then returned to Charles Street to see a scene being rehearsed involving two bouncers and the club owner greeting clubgoers. Two girls went in to the club, which looking through the doors seemed to be in full swing, followed by another girl who was denied entry. She seemed to gain admission by giving the owner a great big kiss leaving him a little shellshocked and he then let her through. At this stage as it seemed that none of the regular stars were going to make an appearance we decided to call it a night and leave.

If anybody else has any set reports for block one of Torchwood, then e-mail them to either Kurly or myself and we'll do our best to post them on the site. Anyway, at long long last Torchwood has arrived. Yay!

Operation Torchwood Begins At 15:30 Hours

We've received word from a source in our comments section that a Basecamp has been set up in Cardiff City Centre ahead of filming, which starts at 15:30 tomorrow. We currently have no more information, but if this is indeed the case, expect a media rush over the next few days. When the situation has become any clearer we'll post an update here.

Many thanks to Big Joe.

Bedtime With John (Insert Innuendo Here)

CBEEBIES - THINK 'TORCHWOOD-LITE'

All this week John Barrowman will be presenting the Bedtime Hour on the Cbeebies Channel, a channel over here in England that's run by the BBC for pre-school children. John will be reading aloud children stories, and if you want to see him every night this week doing so, you can catch Cbeebies on Freeview Channel 71, Sky Channel 617, Ntl Channel 599/68, Telewest Channel 702, or by clicking this link after each broadcast, and then following the link on that page to the Bedtime Hour catch-up.

TARDISODE NO. FOUR

Oh, and if anybody hasn't seen the TARDISODE for "The Girl in the Fireplace" yet, do check it out. No Torchwood references this week, but still, it's cool to see other 51st Century guys and gals at work. Who knows, they could even be time agents...