BBC Worldwide today announces a major global publicity tour to launch episode one of the new series of Doctor Who and introduce Peter Capaldi as the new Doctor. Doctor Who: The World Tour will begin in the UK on August 7th and finish in Brazil on August 19th. The trip will see Twelfth Doctor Peter Capaldi, on-screen companion Jenna Coleman, and the show’s Lead Writer and Executive Producer Steven Moffat*, visit 7 cities across 5 continents in 12 days to take part in a series of media and fan engagements to publicise the show’s forthcoming Series 8 to a global audience.

The tour marks the largest ever promotional undertaking in Doctor Who’s 50-year history and will kick off in Cardiff, Wales before taking in London (UK), Seoul (South Korea), Sydney (Australia), New York (US), Mexico City (Mexico) and Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). More details of the itinerary will be available soon at www.doctorwho.tv/worldtour as well as reports from the tour as it happens, which fans everywhere will be able to enjoy across social and digital platforms.

BBC Worldwide’s ambition for the brand has grown considerably since the global success of the 50th Anniversary which saw the special episode The Day of the Doctor broadcast simultaneously in 98 countries and in over 1500 cinemas across the world, setting a new record for event cinema in its first 3 days on general release.

Peter Capaldi has commented on his excitement ahead of the tour: “It’s fantastic that so many people across the world love Doctor Who. After 8 months solid filming deep in the world of monsters, Jenna and I are thrilled to be heading for the Planet of Fans”.

Executive Producer and Lead Writer Steven Moffat adds: “I've always thought we'd all be a lot safer if the Doctor conquered the world, instead of the Daleks. Now with Jenna and Peter leading the charge, it looks like it's going to happen. I'll be bringing up the rear to handle the exposition scenes, and maybe carry some bags.”

Amanda Hill, Chief Brands Officer at BBC Worldwide says: “We were so bowled over by the global reaction to the 50th episode last year that we thought what better way to introduce the new Doctor than to take the team around the globe. Doctor Who encompasses British creativity at its best and we're passionate about it being on the world stage. This tour is something normally reserved for Hollywood blockbusters but with Doctor Who it appears you can do anything you dream of and continue to challenge what’s perceived as the norm in TV.”

Doctor Who Series 8 is due to TX in the UK in August. BBC America (the US broadcaster) will transmit on the same day. Doctor Who is distributed by BBC Worldwide to over 200 territories.