Doctor Who At The Proms

Doctor Who is set to land at the Proms

Doctor Who is to feature in this year's Proms alongside Nigel Kennedy and maypole dancing, it has been announced.

The new Proms director denied that the arrival of the TARDIS at the Royal Albert Hall meant the world-famous music festival was being dumbed down.

This year's events, which cost the BBC £8 million to stage, will also celebrate the music of Vaughan Williams on the 50th anniversary of the English composer's death.

Daleks and Cybermen will roam the stage at the Doctor Who Prom on 27th July, presented by actress Freema Agyeman, the Time Lord's assistant Martha in the last series of the show.

The event will feature music from Doctor Who, including the theme tune, and other compositions related to time and space, including Holst's The Planets - Jupiter, Wagner's Die Walkure - the Ride of the Valkyries, and the Uk premiere of Mark-Anthony Turnage's The Torino Scale.

Doctor Who star David Tennant will appear at the concert, in a pre-recorded scene written by Russell T Davies.

Violinist Nigel Kennedy, 51, returns to the Prom for the first time in 21 years, performing Elgar's violin concerto, the work which established him as one of the great violinists, and a Late Night Jazz Prom.

Maypole dancing features in the proms' Folk Day, which includes a series of events in and around the Royal Albert Hall.

Proms director Roger Wright said the musical emphasis would be on the British Isles, with other compositions from Eastern Europe.

The event ties in with the anniversary celebration of The Lark Ascending composer Vaughan Williams, who was an avid composer of folk music. Story-telling, folk ensembles, fiddle sessions, and maypole dancing will take place at Kensington Gardens on 20th July.