Doctor Who convention attracts hundreds of fans

Last weekend hundreds of Doctor Who fans from all over the world flocked to the Millennium Centre in Cardiff for the first-ever ‘Doctor Who’ convention since the show was regenerated in 2005.

The two-day event featured question panels, prosthetics demonstrations and special effects displays, along with a chance for visitors to meet their heroes at autograph signings and photo sessions.

Actor Matt Smith, who plays the eponymous Time Lord was present, along with Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill who play his companions Amy Pond and Rory Williams. Showrunner Steven Moffat and Executive Producer Caroline Skinner were also present.

During one panel discussion Smith said that there was a great deal of pressure when he first took on the role of the Doctor. He added: ‘It’s quite a bizarre and surreal experience, and one that will never happen again’. Speaking about his co-stars Gillan and Darvill, who will shortly be leaving the show, Smith said: ‘They are my great friends’.

Explaining his decision to leave, Darvill said: ‘We don’t want to become dull. We want to go out on a high’. Talking generally about being part of the Doctor Who family he said: ‘It’s an absolute honour which is still overwhelming for us’.

In the last part of the panel sessions, ‘Doctor Who’ fans (known as Whovians) were given the opportunity to grill the cast and crew about the series, including details on next year’s 50th anniversary. Although Moffat and Skinner refused to give anything away, Moffat did say: ‘I have had Doctor Who stories running through my head since I was a child and you ain’t seen nothing yet’.

Attendees, some of whom had come from as far as New Zealand and Australia, were the first to watch the teaser trailer for the forthcoming series of the show before it was put on show’s official website on Monday.

The series will be returning in the autumn.

For more information about the 'Doctor Who' Convention visit: dwconvention.com

For more information about the show visit: www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/dw