News / Doctor Who
What we know about Doctor Who filming in Bristol so far
A myriad of rumours are already circulating around what storylines could be as Doctor Who prepares to start filming in Bristol and sets are constructed in the Old City.
The most tantalising set is for a toy shop, Mr Emporium, which was built the day after Russell T Davies announced that Neil Patrick Harris was joining the cast.
Fans are speculating that Harris will become the Celestial Toymaker – a character not seen on screen since the 1960s – with Chez Marcel on Broad Street possibly transformed into his shop.
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Fans are speculating that this could be the shop of the Celestial Toymaker
More set dressing has been taking place around Clare Street and St Stephen’s Avenue, with graffiti and posters attached to a variety of walls.
One date on a poster says that a band called Metronome are playing a gig on September 3 2024, meaning that it is likely that these scenes being filmed will be set close to the present day.
Doctor Who is set to return to BBC One later in 2022 for the Centenary Special while the 60th anniversary special will air in 2023.
Posters on St Stephen’s Avenue feature the tag ‘flux’ and a reference to Half Life 3
A date on one of the posters is September 3 2024
Eagle-eyed fans have spotted the word ‘flux’ within some of the graffiti, both on the posters and on the side of Dhamaka restaurant on Clare Street.
Flux was the name given to the thirteenth season of Doctor Who in 2021 as well as being described by Tardis Core Data as “a cataclysmic threat described by Karvanista as a “hurricane ripping through the structure of this universe. Its impact on physical structure ran against the very laws of space-time, disrupting every particle.”
Graffiti specially made for the filming of Doctor Who
We may be in BS1 but you don’t have to look too far to see that Bristol will be doubling for London for the scenes being shot in the Old City.
A newspaper stand near St Stephen’s Church is for the Bloomsbury Gazette – with scarcely believable morning and evening editions on sale.
While on Tuesday night, a black cab was being kept safe on Marsh Street next to O’Neill’s.
A newspaper stand selling the Bloomsbury Gazette
A London taxi in Bristol
Close to the black cab are two more intriguing vehicles.
The first is a white Mini that has been seriously burned and appears to have propane burners inside it which could enable it to burst back into flames.
Next to the Mini is a black truck with the logo of Unified Intelligence Taskforce on its side.
Unified Intelligence Taskforce is an organisation set up by the United Nations to investigate aliens and alien objects that come to Earth.
A burned out Mini
A truck with the badge of the Unified Intelligence Taskforce
Could the burned out Mini be linked to the aeroplane parts spotted being stored on St Stephen’s Avenue?
Elsewhere, market stalls have been set up on Clare Street.
Filming is due to take place from Wednesday to Friday this week, when we could find out more details on what on Earth is going on.
Aeroplane parts appear to be stored on St Stephen’s Avenue ready to be used in filming
Market stalls have been set up on Clare Street
All photos: Martin Booth
Read more: City centre travels back in time ahead of Doctor Who filming
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