Casting Updates

The new issue of Doctor Who Magazine features some updates on casting for the new series. Besides confirming actors Zoe Wanamaker ('a part shrouded in secrecy... tabloid rumours [about the nature of the part] are completely untrue!'), Simon Pegg (in "The Long Game") and Tamsin Greig (also in "The Long Game"; says producer Phil Collinson, "the part she's playing will change the life of one of the TARDIS travellers... but I'm not saying how") which have been reported here previously, the magazine also confirms actor Richard Wilson, famed for his "I Don't Believe It" role of Victor Meldrew, will play the role of "the mysterious Doctor Constantine." Episode 6 by Rob Shearman also features Steven Beckingham as Polkowski, John Schwab ("The Order") as Bywater, Jana Carpenter ("Silent Witness") as Di Maggio, Nigel Whitmey ("Helen of Troy") as Simmons, Joe Montana ("The Bourne Identity") as the Commander andBarnaby Edwards from Big Finish's audio range as a Dalek. Episode 7, "The Long Game," features Christine Adams("NY-LON") and Anna Maxwell Martin ("Enduring Love") in unknown roles. And episode 8 by Paul Cornell featuresFrank Rozelaar-Green ("Micawber") as Sonny, Rhian James as Suzie, Eirlys Bellin ("The Magic Paintbrush: A Story From China") as Bev, Christopher Llewellyn ("The Black Dog") as Stuart, Natalie Jones ("Cadfael") as Sarah, andCasey Dyer as the boy. The issue also confirms musician Murray Gold as doing the incidental music and that the title for Mark Gatiss' episode is "The Unquiet Dead," both reported here previously. There's also a comment from exec producer Russell T Davies about the start date: "If you hear anyone, anywhere, quoting sources giving an authoritative date, they are merely guessing and trying to sound important" (which, by the way, we believe he was referring to print magazines and online speculation, not our reporting... we stand by the late March date simply because of the information we've gotten from people who are in the position to know.) (Thanks to Steve Tribe)