iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Matt Newton @mattjnewton.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

Spotted this establishment in Bremen in Germany. Perhaps he didn't become a car salesman after leaving UNIT...

The sign for a restaurant called John Benton

Matt Newton @mattjnewton.bsky.social · 05/07/2026

I was in the Somerset town of Frome yesterday and was very surprised to find a blue plaque to Lois Maxwell who lived there towards the end of her life.

The house where Lois Maxwell lived in Frome

000

Matt Newton @mattjnewton.bsky.social · 24/05/2026

I met a true celebrity today....

010

Matt Newton @mattjnewton.bsky.social · 17/06/2025

Today's Dr No cast fact: Peter Burton, who played Major Boothroyd, was married to Lillias Walker who memorably played Sister Lamont in Doctor Who's Terror of the Zygons. One of their daughters married Gregor Fisher so he became the father-in-law of Rab C Nesbitt.

Peter Burton as Major Boothroyd in Dr No, Lillias Walker as Sister Lamont in Terror of the Zygons and Gregor Fisher as Rab C Nesbitt

100

Matt Newton @mattjnewton.bsky.social · 08/06/2025

Today's Dr No cast fact: Stanley Morgan, who played the Concierge at the gaming club where we first meet Bond, went on to become a best selling novelist. He wrote over 40 novels (mainly adventure stories and light thrillers), selling over 10 million copies world-wide.

Stanley Morgan in Dr No and later with his first novel

000

Matt Newton @mattjnewton.bsky.social · 31/05/2025

Today's Dr No cast fact. Louis Blaazer (Pleydell-Smith, Bond's contact at Government House) was the father of the model/actress Val Penny who appeared in the video to famously cheesy 1982 Number 1 hit "Save Your Love" by Renée & Renato after the Renée was deemed not photogenic enough

000

Matt Newton @mattjnewton.bsky.social · 30/05/2025

It's amazing where Bond research can take you. Looking into the life of Yvonne Shima (Sister Lily in Dr No) has taken me into the tragedy of the forced relocations of Japanese-Canadians after Pearl Harbour given that Yvonnne and her family were subjected to this - something I knew nothing about

010

Matt Newton @mattjnewton.bsky.social · 29/05/2025

Really pleased for @tobyhadoke.bsky.social on the publication of his amazing book on The Quatermass Experiment. It was a mutual friend who introduced him to Prof Q and I remember when he was getting phone calls from the likes of Rudolph Cartier as a teenager so it is lovely to see the final result!

291

Matt Newton @mattjnewton.bsky.social · 27/05/2025

Another random photo from the family archives - a car that looks like Bessie at Worcester carnival in 1983. The number plate shows it isn't Bessie, so I wonder what the story is?

A car that looks like Bessie from Doctor Who in a carnival procession

020

Matt Newton @mattjnewton.bsky.social · 26/05/2025

Final photos from the Doctor Who 20th Anniversary event at Longleat in 1983 - the Visual Effects tent including Jeremy, the robot from Rentaghost. Does anyone know what the town model is from?

Unknown model at the Doctor Who 20th Anniversary event at Longleat in 1983

K9 and Jeremy from Rentaghost at the Doctor Who 20th Anniversary event at Longleat in 1983

000

Matt Newton @mattjnewton.bsky.social · 26/05/2025

More from the Longleat Doctor Who Anniversary event in 1983, this time the displays of studio sets.

A camera and the edge of the UNIT office set at the Doctor Who 20th Anniversary event at Longleat in 1983

Kamelion on the TARDIS console room set at the Doctor Who 20th Anniversary event at Longleat in 1983

The High Council chamber from The Five Doctors at the Doctor Who 20th Anniversary event at Longleat in 1983

000

Matt Newton @mattjnewton.bsky.social · 26/05/2025

Sorting through some old family photos I found some pictures from the Doctor Who 20th Anniversary event at Longleat in 1983. Those are random peope with the TARDIS but it is me with the Kraal....

The entrance to the studio sets tent at the Doctor Who 20th Anniversary event at Longleat in 1983

Photo op at with the TARDIS, a Marshmen and Davros at the Doctor Who 20th Anniversary event at Longleat in 1983

Me with a Kraal at the Doctor Who 20th Anniversary event at Longleat in 1983

000

Matt Newton @mattjnewton.bsky.social · 26/05/2025

I made a New Year's resolution to start using this site. And now we're almost in June. Where is this year going?

000