Well, lockdown continues and we have to isolate as my partner is classed as “high risk” – she’s also susceptible to catching the virus (ba-boom, tish).
I’m experimenting with Patreon and Ko-fi models to finance my work, which I am producing during lockdown. There will be a couple of podcasts, and I’m looking into various bits of writing and regular video content too. Happy to take suggestions if there’s anything you think I should do (“bog off and never come back” isn’t the sort of feedback I’m looking for by the way). I will launch those pages, and some of the content, soon – so please spread the word.
But for now…
Here’s my latest news
Immediately prior to lockdown I recorded the lead role on the Audiobook of Beast by Matt Wesolwski and the results are available on Audible here. I play online journalist Scott King, investigating the mysterious death of a young female vlogger, murdered by three young men – or was she – in a place known as The Vampire Tower.
During lockdown I recorded the DVD commentary for the forthcoming Doctor Who lost story animation release Fury from the Deep which is out on 14th September. Details for it have been announced here. The commentary features someone from the animation team, as well as cast and crew from the original production, three of whom aren’t on the DVD’s Making of… documentary which is excellent and nothing to die with me). We have even coaxed an interview from an illustrious nonagenarian who has never spoken about his time on Doctor Who before.
XS Malarkey has become even more creative in these trying times, and this virus hasn’t stopped us putting on our regular Tuesday shows. We’ve been doing our gigs on Twitch, with our fine array of comics adapting their skills to a new medium (which combines living rooms and cyberspace with just a dash of invention and a soupçon of desperation). So far we’ve had Robin Ince, Josie Long, James Acaster, Nish Kumar, Mark Watson, Tom Allen, Jordan Brookes, Randy, Rob Rouse, Eddie Pepitone, Judah Friedlander and many more. They’ve been great, and the audience have really got involved. We’re also raiding our archives and playing past performances from classic Malarkey nights on Sundays at 8pm – Sophie Willan, Laura Lexx, Anna Mann and Sean McLoughlin have submitted to this process, joining us to forensically dissect their sets, their jokes and their comedy lives for us. Both gigs are free but rely on donations. Find our channel here. The shows remain available for 14 days after broadcast.
It’s a gig, but not as we know it – XS Malarkey has been adapting to the brave new world we find ourselves in…
I have written more Guardian obituaries: one for actor Maurice Roeves, and another for Louis Mahoney.
I will continue presenting The 7th Dimension on Radio 4 Extra but will be a little bit automated. There are some great shows though, so make sure you continue to tune in at 6pm and midnight.
I feature (vocally) on the brand new Making Of… documentary of the recently released Power of the Daleks DVD/Blu-Ray, available here. It’s a very detailed look at the production from script to screen, and features part of a telephone call I did with Pamela Ann Davy, the lovely actress who appeared in the story, on what turned out to be her only interview about Doctor Who before her death shortly after we spoke.
The documentary The Doctor Who Cookbook – Revisited which I present has been nominated for a Royal Television Society Award (Best Factual Entertainment and Features) which is rather delightful.
I recorded a Radio 4 Play, Not For Turning, before lockdown – it will be broadcast in September and is written by Tim Dawson who wrote the sitcom Coming of Age.
Other than that it’s dog walking and growing veg and all the things you would expect a stereotypically middle class twit like me to be doing .. oh, well, I have also been tracing all the school children extras from the very first episode of Doctor Who, as you do. Do stay safe and wear a mask if you can, thank you!!