According to Steve Roberts of the Doctor Who Restoration Team: "We've just been given the OK to tell you that the first trail for the new series will be tonight at 7.29pm, just before Eastenders. There will be four peak time trails tonight on BBC1 including this one and two on BBC2." The following is a list of the actual times expected for each trailer (with thanks to Steve Roberts and "peterawl")

Outpost Gallifrey has received reliable information that suggests that a Doctor Who trailer will indeed air on Tuesday night, March 8 at 8:00pm on BBC1, repeating later in the evening. This information could, however, change at any time. A heads-up for our UK readers!

The rumor mills have been working overtime this weekend on news that the first episode of the series, Rose, has been leaked on the internet, courtesy an unidentified employee of a foreign broadcaster of the show. We weren't going to mention it originally, in order to help keep this from becoming even more widely known, but BBC News and other news services made that a moot point. Obviously, Outpost Gallifrey isn't going to tell you how or where to download it, but don't be surprised if you find reviews all over the web.

BBC News itself addresses the leak of "Rose" in a story that also reveals that Christopher Eccleston emailed Russell T Davies about the role. "He e-mailed me and said if we were looking for a Doctor Who, he'd be interested," Davies told Radio Times according to the news article. "It was gobsmacking because you think he's going to be doing Hamlet all the time. Which, come to think of it, he was." It says that episodes 1 and 2 were written before he was cast. "So I'd established a template for what I wanted, which fitted Chris perfectly. That was a happy accident - we both wanted to strip it down, make it more down-to-earth."

In an interview with today's Media Guardian, new series producer Russell T Davies explains how producing the new series of Doctor Who is a lifelong dream come true. When they approached him, "I worried they meant a cheap pastiche version, or an ironic version, but it was the real deal - Saturday night, proper budgets. All those things you think you'd have to fight for. Astonishing." The interview discusses his work on previous shows such as Children's Ward, Queer as Folk and Mine All Mine, as well as his thoughts on being a child transfixed by Doctor Who. "When I was eight, walking home from school down Hendrefoilan Avenue, I always used to think 'I could turn round the corner and the Tardis would be there - and I would run inside and I would fight alongside the Doctor.' It was the one programme that encouraged you to make up stories. The Tardis could land in the everyday world and no other science-fiction programme would do that. You were never going to be a member of the crew on the Enterprise when you were eight years old: it was in the future and they were the navy. Even if we don't get an audience, I hope there will be some eight-year-olds sitting there thinking the same thing. That's when I fell in love with it. I was transfixed." Read the full interview at the website.

A report in today's Observer discusses the obsession of fans with Doctor Who, framed in the context of the return of the series. It includes comments from Russell T Davies ("If we had tried to be ironic we would have died a death") and notes that there are only a few thousand fans of Doctor Who that are considered active or interested. (Strange, Outpost Gallifrey's front page got over 17,000 unique visitors last Thursday!) The report talks about websites and fandom and Doctor Who Magazine (in fact, noting DWM's circulation is "around 30,000") and how the new show, based on a preview is "not, and never will be - how shall I put this? - Doctor Who." You can read the whole article at that site.

The Ain't It Cool website, a major source of online film gossip, has published several negative reviews of the first episode of the new series along with a positive one, based upon the recent leak of an episode on the Internet.

An article in today's Times discusses the Daleks who apparently are upgraded: "In previous series of Doctor Who, the Daleks were warlike metal aliens engineered by the evil Davros on the planet Skaro. They were beings of ruthless logic with one small but significant flaw: you could evade them by running up a flight of stairs. The upgraded versions take to the air using rocket-boosters, enhancing their ability to exterminate, exterminate. The new Daleks are also bigger than the ones last seen in 1989 and have more lethal weaponry than the old guns that resembled sink plungers. But fans will have to wait: the evil forces do not appear in the first episode, to be shown on BBC1 on Easter Saturday." It also contains ver minor spoilers about the first episode.

Another Times article, much more in depth, discusses the upgrading of the Doctor Who series itself. "For 25 years, Doctor WhoÆs creaky charm captivated a nation," the article says. "Now Russell T Davies has polished it up, with slick effects and an even slicker script." It notes that the scripts themselves are "slick, witty and, most important of all, fresh. They also have Davies the MouthÆs fingerprints all over them. The DoctorÆs slightly deranged monologue sounds suspiciously like Russell T himself." The article notes that the new series has "about 800" special effects. Says The Mill's Robin Shenfield, "I'm pretty sure nothing of this scale has ever been attempted ù certainly nothing British." Mike Tucker, who's doing miniature-effects on the series, says the original show "was always pushing against the boundaries of its budget, trying to do stuff it couldnÆt possibly achieve. They would try to make the Loch Ness monster attack a village, or theyÆd have an attack with a horde of Daleks when they had only three Dalek props. It was one of its great charms. But then Star Wars came along and raised the game. These days, kids are so effects-literate." The article discusses how CGI effects have been implemented, and gives some spoilers about the new show (protected by our Spoiler tag, below), as well as noting that "Doctor Who is a huge gamble for the BBC. It will probably go out in its old slot, early on Saturday evening," noting that it will happen at the end of March.

The CBC network in Canada this evening aired a teaser trailer for the new series during a broadcast of "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets," which displayed the previously announced (but not then fully confirmed) broadcast date of April 5, 2005, at 8:00pm. So it's true, Canada will indeed get the series about 10 days after the UK broadcast.

While there's nothing confirmed, a report on the usually very reliable DVD Times website notes that the new series may be getting a DVD release in October. "It seems the BBC want to get the first series on to the shelves in time for Christmas," says the report. Again, there's no word on anything official, but this does match the rumors that Outpost Gallifrey has been hearing the past few weeks. (Thanks to Greg Deeter)

The latest issue of Doctor Who Magazine reports that "the exact date of transmission can't yet be confirmed - schedules can change up to a fortnight in advance - [but] it is still likely that the new series will begin transmission on Saturday 26 March." Both the BBC and BBC Worldwide are said to be "gearing up for a major launch of the show this Spring." This includes UK press screenings in early March, probably Tuesday 8 March, "which will coincide with the start of major television advertising campaign", with photographs and interviews following in UK newspapers and magazines. There may be a specially written television trailer, as well as radio trailers and a nationwide poster campaign. ChildrenÆs BBC will run "special behind-the-scenes reports" on both Newsround and Blue Peter.

Joe Ahearne has been confirmed as the director of episode 11, which bears the confirmed title "Boom Town"according to DWM, confirming Outpost Gallifrey's report last month that Ahearne had signed on to the additional episode. Episode 11 is therefore no longer a separate block from 12 and 13, as "it made sense for Joe to cover the whole thing", according to producer Phil Collinson. The magazine also confirms "The Doctor Dances" as the title of episode 10, again confirming the reports made online some time ago.

Regarding casting, some new updates: Episode 10 has Vilma Hollingberry as Mrs Harcourt. Episode 11 includes Aled Pedick as Idris and Will Thomas (previously seen on television in Belonging) as Mr Cleaver. Episodes 12 and 13 starPaterson Joseph as Rodrick, who apparently "shares some very unusual scenes with Rose Tylerà but will he live to tell the tale?" The same story includes Jamie Bradley as Strood and Abi Eniola as Crosbie, with Sebastian Armesto, Kate Loustau, Dominic Burgess and Karren Winchester in unconfirmed roles. Episode 13, The Parting of the Ways, also sees the return of Camille Coduri as Jackie Tyler and Noel Clarke as Mickey Smith.

The issue gives details for Episodes 4 to 7 of Doctor Who Confidential, which match the information given on the SFX site and reported here last week. One small additional detail is that Episode 5, Life on Earth, as well as looking at the DoctorÆs links to Earth, also "examines the new seriesÆ first cliffhangerà" See also the BBC website news below. There's also a foretaste from James Goss of the changes coming to the official website, a "teaser version" of which will launch in early March, with the full site beginning "with the first episode". The site will include "an astonishing amount of video û including 30 short films about the making of the showà WeÆre looking at clearing Doctor Who Confidential as well." There will also be broadband clips from the original run, desktop wallpapers, screensavers, sound files, hundreds of behind-the-scenes pictures, including "design sketches and photostories showingà how the TARDIS was built" and "some great games û including one where you get to drive a Dalek and anotherà how Monopoly would be if it were set in space, had tentacles, big weapons and a sense of humour. Some of itÆs written by Gareth Roberts". Also promised: "Some surprises".

There is a competition open to readers of DWM to see one of three exclusive preview screenings of the first episode on Monday 21 March in London. Entrants need to fill in a form on page 7 of the magazine and send it in; subscribers can e-mail their entries, giving their subscription numbers. The closing date and draw is on Wednesday 16 March. And the next issue, DWM 355à will include previews of The End of the World, The Unquiet Dead and Aliens of London, a set report on Rose, an interview with Simon Callow and behind-the-scenes on the creation of the TARDIS. ItÆs published on Thursday 31 March.

For further information on all of this, plus several exclusive interviews and all the regular features, pick up DWM 354 now on sale!

The new Doctor Who series will air beginning Tuesday, April 5 in Canada, according to a solid airdate confirmation from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) and from several sources including Benjamin Elliott's "This Week in Doctor Who." According to the report, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) has scheduled Doctor Who for Tuesday nights at 8PM starting April 5, 2005. So far only the April 5th broadcast (without episode title) is showing. They have put up a temporary webpage up for their Doctor Who broadcast, though there's nothing there.

If you live in Canada or are in a border section of the US with access to the CBC, the Doctor has a home on April 5. And this should put to rest any worries that the show will broadcast earlier in the UK...

Another set report from Paul Mount, who braved the elements today in Cardiff Bay to report on the current state of affairs from the outdoor production of the new series; click on the spoiler tag for more information.

While there is still no official confirmation from the BBC (and we stress that there's still plenty of time for this to change!), we've received enough information from various sources to safely conclude that the new series will indeed premiere on BBC1 on Saturday, March 26, 2005, likely at either 6:45 or 7:00pm (with the BBC3 "Doctor Who Confidential" series airing immediately afterwards at either 7:30 or 7:45pm.) Various sources have reported a range of rumored plans for a possible March 8 press launch, including radio and television trailers and broadcasts starting around that time; various radio interviews and photo shoots; new merchandise; a relaunch of the official Doctor Who website; and plenty of other publicity plans tying into the relaunch of the series. It also mentions that the show has been sold overseas in Canada, New Zealand and, surprisingly, Australia (for which a venue has not yet been announced), but omits the US as of this writing. As soon as we have a clearer picture of all of the various publicity plans, we'll pass the word along.

(Editor's note: Once again, I want to stress that this is not an official confirmation, but after checking with many sources, I'm now confident that this is indeed the broadcast date, barring any last minute change of plans, and that it will be announced through official channels soon. I've also been told that this date has only been finalized within the past month. More soon!)

Rumors have circulated today based on posts on the Restoration Team forum concerning a possible deal with NBC/Universal, who own the Sci-Fi Channel and USA Network, for broadcast of the new series, potentially with the Sci-Fi Channel as first broadcaster and USA as syndicators, which would include the entire back catalog of Doctor Who serials. While there is no official word confirming this, it's the first indication in some time of a possible deal for US broadcast of the new show. Stay tuned!