Late Week Press Clips

BBC News reports that musicals are the inspiration for a new BBC One entertainment programme which will see celebrities performing songs from Broadway and West End shows, and John Barrowman will take part. Stars "will be among those taking on numbers from Cats, Guys and Dolls, Billy Elliot and Chicago. The four-part show will be broadcast on Saturday nights early next year. The BBC has enjoyed success over the past year with song-and-dance programmes like Strictly Come Dancing. The show, which is being filmed at London's TV Centre in September and October under the working title of Simply Musicals, will take on the same live feel of those hits. Audience members will be asked to come dressed for a night out in the West End in an attempt to give the show the atmosphere of a real theatre." The report notes that the program was commissioned by former BBC One controller Lorraine Heggessey, who also commissioned Doctor Who. Also reported in the Mirror and Media Guardian.

The official Doctor Who website has reported on the Big Finish "Cyberman" series we reported on a few days ago, and the police box in Glasgow news story (see our story on August 30).

Round Table, a current affairs discussion programme in which two local celebrities take a humorous look at the week's news, will air on BBC Radio York on September 9th, and Doctor Who will be the subject. The programme will be part of the 'Jules and Julia' slot and will be broadcast between 1 and 2 pm. DWAS Coordinator Ian Wheeler will take part in the roundtable discussion.

Exec producer Russell T Davies' forthcoming appearance at the Mardi Gras Fringe Benefit at the Sherman Theatre in Cardiff next month is noted in a press release. "Russell will be in conversation with arts writer Mike Smith about the new series of Dr Who now been filmed in South Wales. As well as discussing the new Time Lord, David Tennant, and maybe revealing a few secrets of the forthcoming Christmas special, the Swansea-born writer will also be answering questions from the audience at the Sherman Theatre, Cardiff on Tuesday September 6. ... Joining Russell on the Sherman stage will be top comedienne Clare Summerskill and West End actor Dave Benson, who received plaudits for his one man Kenneth Williams show, Think No Evil, and live music from Swansea singer Scotty. Mike Smith said, 'I am looking forward enormously to interviewing Russell and opening up the conversation to the audience as I know Dr Who is one of the big conversation topics everywhere I go. This evening will be great for Dr Who fans who can get to ask about the new series û not that I can guarantee Russell will be giving anything away! With comedy and music also on the bill this will be a great evening. Who knows we might get the Lord Mayor of Cardiff along û real or the Slitheen!'" For more details visit the Sherman Theatre website.

Kingswood Warren, home of the BBC's Research and Development Department, will open its doors to the public on September 10-11 as part of the Heritage Open Days. "Visitors will not only be able to look round the impressive reception rooms and the beautiful grounds and croquet lawn," says the press release, "but will also be able to experience some of the technical broadcasting wizardry of the BBC, making the impossible appear to happen before their eyes. Young visitors can participate in a show of the BBC's virtual reality Production Magic in the TV studio and (for a small charge) take away a videotape or DVD recording their exploits. Demonstrations will range from some of the electronic trickery behind BBC television coverage to the material that made Harry Potter's invisibility cloak. There will also be exhibitions on the achievements of BBC R&D û including demonstrations of some current projects and on the history of the Kingswood Warren house." Full details are available at the BBC's R&D website or the Heritage Open Days website.

New Zealand's Prime network has experienced a "dramatic increase" in audience levels for the new Doctor Who series in their target demographic of ages 25-54. Says the report, "Taking into consideration the previous programme in this timeslot was Wife Swap USA, it appears Prime's audience was crying out for a change." The high ratings have continued across the first six weeks of the series, with audience share being won from rival station TV3.

The Avalard/Hammer Horror website features an interview with Colin Baker, who at the time of the interview was appearing in previews for a new adaptation of "Dracula" on stage. Baker mentions Doctor Who in several instances, including his at-the-time forthcoming Australia tour and also his enjoyment of taping new Doctor Who audios for Big Finish.

Additional stories on the recent announcements about this year's batch of toys at The Sun, Manchester Online.

(Thanks to Steve Tribe, Paul Engelberg, Alan Daulby, Paul Hayes, Martin Hoscik, Chuck Foster)