Several Doctor Who stars have contributed to a new project to raise money for a charity providing special days for seriously ill 16 to 40 year olds throughout the United Kingdom.

Organised by The Willow Foundation and British artist, Julie-Anne Gilburt, Stars on Canvas is an exhibition of 20x20 cm canvases, each created by different stars from the worlds of sport, art, design, fashion, music and entertainment.

The charity was founded in 1999 by Bob and Megs Wilson as a lasting memorial to their daughter, Anna, who died aged 31. Anna battled cancer for five years, yet during these years she and her family and friends experienced some of their most memorable moments and quality times. The Charity's aim is to replicate the positive impact special days had on both Anna and her family for other seriously ill 16 to 40 year olds throughout the UK.

Pictures online include submissions from Freema Agyeman and Billie Piper, David Tennant, Catherine Tate and Russell T Davies.

The results will be displayed at the Catto Gallery, in Hampstead, North London from 2 to 5 December 2010.

From 26 November until 5 December 2010 each Canvas will be sold online through an eBay auction with profits going to the charity. To register your interest and receive a notification prior to the eBay auction going live, please email your name to starsoncanvas@willowfoundation.org.uk

Tenth Doctor David Tennant is to star in a new BBC drama based on the true story of Manchester United's legendary "Busby Babes", the youngest side ever to win the Football League.

United is a BBC Two film which portrays events set around the 1958 Munich Air Crash that claimed eight of the team's number number and the extraordinary spirit of a city that rebuilt the side in the wake of the disaster.

Tennant will play coach Jimmy Murphy, alongside Jack O'Connell (Skins, Dive) as Bobby Charlton, the youngest of the Babes, and Sam Claflin (Pirates Of The Caribbean, Any Human Heart) as star player Duncan Edwards. The film draws on first-hand interviews with the survivors and their families to tell the inspirational story of a team and community overcoming terrible tragedy.

The drama is written by Chris Chibnall, who wrote last year's two part Doctor Who story The Hungry Earth/Cold Blood as well as the 2007 story 42, and who has also written numerous episodes of Torchwood. It is directed by James Strong who has directed several episodes of Doctor Who and Torchwood.

Simon Heath, Executive Producer, World Productions, says:
United starts filming later this month in and around the North East of England.

David Tennant's return to BBC One last Sunday was watched by 5.1 million viewers according to unofficial overnight figures. The drama Single Father has received rave reviews and scored an Appreciation Index figure of 87. It continues on Sunday.

The new BBC One controller has been named as Danny Cohen. Cohen has been in charge of BBC Three since May 2007 after previously working for Channel 4 and E4. As Controller he is responsible for the commissioning and scheduling of Doctor Who.

Doctor Who Live continues its tour around the UK. Currently at the Glasgow SECC it moves to Birmingham on Monday.

British musician Mitch Benn, best known for his humorous songs performed on BBC Radio has released a song praising the output of the BBC, in which Doctor Who gets no less than three mentions. The song will be released for download from iTunes, Amazon and other reputable sites on November 1st.

Former Doctor David Tennant has returned to Doctor Who - at least in documentary form! In his first series-related work since leaving the show, the actor filmed material in June for a feature to appear on the forthcoming Revisitations II boxed set, due out next year.

The words Doctor Who once more adorn the cover of Radio Times this week, along with a picture of Tenth Doctor, David Tennant.

The magazine is promoting Tennant's latest venture, playing the lead role in Single Father, a four-part drama for BBC One about a man struggling to raise his four children after the death of his wife. Written by Mick Ford of Ashes To Ashes, the series is set in Glasgow, and tells the story of Dave, a photographer facing the seemingly impossible job of bringing up his four kids alone. Things get even more complicated when he begins to fall in love with Sarah – his wife's best friend.

Tennant was asked about the timing of his departure from Doctor Who. Tennant was also asked about the recent series and new Doctor, Matt Smith

The BBC has released a Drama Showreel showcasing the new drama output coming up on the BBC over the next six months, featuring clips from the 2010 Christmas Special of Doctor Who.


The showreel was previewed at an event marking two years in post for BBC Controller of Drama, Ben Stephenson.

Other dramas featured include performances from the Ninth, Tenth and Eleventh Doctors:

Christopher Eccleston stars in an episode of Accused, a new drama series from Jimmy McGovern for BBC One.

David Tennant plays Dave in Single Father coming to BBC One on Sunday 10 October.

Matt Smith plays Christopher Isherwood in Christopher and his Kind coming to BBC Two next month.

Doctor Who Live has launched an official Twitter account. The feed provides news and updates from the team behind the live show, due to tour the UK this Autumn.

Details of David Tennant's new 4 part drama series, Single Father, have been released by the BBC Press Office. In the series, filmed in Glasgow, Tennant plays a photographer facing the seemingly impossible job of bringing up four kids alone after the sudden death of his wife, Rita. The Daily Record has been reporting on how Tennant prepared for the role.

A Doctor Who inspired stage adventure is being performed at the Charles Cryer Studio Theatre in Carshalton in South West London. Hell Blossom, by Ian Wheeler, is part of a trilogy of Doctor Who plays. It runs from 30th September - 2nd October.


The actress Margaret Hickey has died. Hickey played Mary Smith, an inhabitant of Salamander's underground community, in the Second Doctor story The Enemy Of The World.

The Doctor Who Audiobook Dead Air has been named the 2010 Audiobook of the Year.

Written by James Goss and read by David Tennant the story was the seventh and final exclusive-to-audio adventure to feature the Tenth Doctor.

The award was selected by voters visiting the Audiobook store. It beat other books nominated including Adrian Mole, The Prostrate Years, Othello, Animal Farm, Shakespeare in Love and War Horse.

James Goss told the Doctor Who News Page he wished to thank all the fans who voted for the story.


Michael Stevens, Commissioning Editor for AudioGO said
The winner was announced at 5pm on Saturday 18th September, at Chiswick Book Festival.

Tenth Doctor David Tennant has been spotted on a banner taken from the remake of the 1985 horror film Fright Night. In the film due to be released next year, Tennant plays Peter Vincent, a master of illusion. The film also stars Colin Farrell, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Toni Collette and Imogen Poots.

Steven Moffat and his wife Sue Vertue will be giving a BAFTA master class exploring how the modern day version of Sherlock Holmes arrived on our small screens this summer. The event on Thursday 9th September is part of the Kaleidoscopic Festival taking place at Glyndŵr University and Wrexham Library in North Wales. Limited tickets are available from BAFTA.

Sixth Doctor Colin Baker has been talking to the Yorkshire Post prior to his arrival at the Grand Opera House York later this month to play Inspector Morse in a new murder mystery, House of Ghosts. He told the paper "I loved my time on Doctor Who, loved it, for three years it was among the happiest times of my career".

Karen Gillan will join Steven Moffat at the Edinburgh International Television Festival for a question and answer session about Doctor Who. The Masterclass is being held at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre on Sunday morning. Moffat will also appear on the panel for special Question Time on Saturday night alongside Diane Abbott MP and Mariella Frostrup.

Update: It was announced Saturday that the Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss production of Sherlock has been recommissioned by BBC One controller Jay Hunt. There will be three new 90-minute episodes in Autumn 2011. Talking of the Sherlock recommission, Gatiss and Moffat, said: "We've been overwhelmed by the warmth of response to our new Sherlock Holmes and John Watson and can't wait to take them on three new adventures next year. There'll be baffling new puzzles, old friends and new enemies – whether on two, or four legs. And we might well be seeing the cold master of logic and reason unexpectedly falling. But in love? Or over a precipice? Who can tell?"

David Tennant has been listed as one of the top ten Hamlets by The Guardian newspaper. Tennant, who played the role in Stratford and London in 2008, was described as sardonic and volatile, a Hamlet so graceful that at times he seemed almost to dance across the stage.

BBC4 is to dramatise Douglas Adams's 1987 novel about anti-hero Dirk Gently. Adams was Script Editor for Season 17 of Doctor Who and wrote The Pirate Planet and co-wrote City of Death. He was writing a third Dirk Gently book, The Salmon of Doubt, at the time of his death in 2001. The books have formed the basis of a play and a BBC Radio 4 series but have never before been filmed for Television.

Andrew Smith has been talking to the Rutherglen Reformer about his return to Doctor Who and his new script for Big Finish Productions. Smith wrote the 1980 Fourth Doctor story Full Circle. The new story is called The Invasion of E-Space and once more features Lalla Ward as Romana. Smith told the Reformer: "I wrote the first draft, sent it off, and I didn’t hear back for a little while. I was getting really paranoid as I had no idea how it had gone down, but I was quite relieved when they got back to me and said they loved it."