News Bits and Bobs

The British press has lots of stories rehashing the BBC's press release about Series Four: BBC News, ITN, The Sun,The Stage, the Manchester Evening News, the Evening Standard and the South Wales Echo all have stories.

Billie Piper recently suffered a bout of temporary blindness, possibly exacerbated by the flash bulbs of paparazzi cameras. The story is covered at The Daily Mirror, ITN and Digital Spy. With a stunning lack of self-awareness, The Sun accompanies the story with photographs taken the night Piper was taken ill.

And, in a story about the recent fire at Rome's Cinecitta Studios, Varietymentions in passing that "the BBC is on site preparing to shoot its revived sci-fier "Doctor Who" at Cinecitta in September." The report is taken up by The Sun, which includes a quote attributed to Julie Gardner about the potential shoot (see spoiler below, which includes speculation on the tenth Doctor). The Sun's story was in turn taken up by Digital Spy. If these reports are accurate, it will be the first time the revived series will see full filming outside of the UK (excluding the brief plate shots taken in New York for "Daleks in Manhattan").

Thanks to Nigel Ellis and David McIntee.
FILMING on Doctor Who was thrown into chaos after an Italian film set bosses planned to use, was hit by a fire. Crew on the BBC1 drama flew out to Rome’s Cinecitta studios — where the Beeb filmed their epic Rome series — earlier this week. They plan to make an Ancient Rome-themed episode for Doctor Who’s fourth series there later this year.

But on Thursday night a huge blaze ripped through the studio — destroying masses of expensive BBC equipment. An insider said: "It was a huge blaze. At one point, it looked like the whole studio was a goner. It threw a real spanner in the works for the Doctor Who team. They’re planning an episode where the Doctor goes back in time to Ancient Rome and thought it would be perfect to use the set."

Who bosses still plan to use the set once fire damage has been cleared up, with insiders suggesting crucial parts were still intact. Doctor Who executive producer Julie Gardner said: "Some of the production team have been looking at locations in Italy for the new series. The Doctor will have a Roman adventure.”

Meanwhile, TV Biz can reveal that show star David Tennant is set to take a starring role in a stage version of Hamlet. The Royal Shakespeare Company is set to announce next month that the actor will play the Danish prince in 2008.

Taking the role is likely to mean David is forced to quit Doctor Who before the end of series four — as we predicted.