The media have been quick to act on the announcement of the first day's filming for the new series of Doctor Who.

The Daily Mail have published a selection of photographs of new Doctor Matt Smith and companion actress Karen Gillan on location, featuring the two leads along with what appears to be a new, slightly tweaked, police box prop for the TARDIS. The Metro has also published a photo of the two with the TARDIS.

Meanwhile, The Sun have also covered the filming, with a photo revealing a well-known guest star also appearing alongside the two time-travellers. Digital Spy reports a BBC spokesperson as confirming the person in question, whilst SFX, the London Paper and Holy Moly published more photos from the proceedings.




Scott Frankton has kindly provided a report on today's filming:


Finally, the BBC itself has acknowledged the interest fans and the audience have in the series, with entertainment correspondant Lizo Mzimba appearing on BBC News's E24 to discuss how popular the series remains, including the press in attendence for filming as shown in this video!

BBC News has released the first image of Matt Smith and Karen Gillan in costume as the Eleventh Doctor and his companion, whose full name has been revealed as Amy Pond.

The BBC Press Office has also released a press release about the beginning of filming for Doctor Who Series Five. In the press release, Matt Smith is quoted as saying:

Writer and incoming producer Steven Moffat says:

The press release also has quotes from producer Piers Wenger and Ben Stephenson, Controller, BBC Drama Commissioning.

The BBC's official Doctor Who site has also been updated with details about Smith's costume and a small image gallery.

Update: Media reports in: The Times, Telegraph, Northampton Chronicle and Echo, Pontefract and Castleford Express, What's on TV, Capital FM, Now, Empire, Mirror, Broadcast, BBC News, CBBC, The Guardian, South Wales Evening Post, InTheNews, Digital Spy, Den of Geek

The BBC has announced that Scottish actress Karen Gillan is to play the new companion, alongside Eleventh Doctor Matt Smith, in the next series of Doctor Who, due to be broadcast in the spring of next year.

Twenty-one year-old Gillan previously appeared in last year's episode "The Fires of Pompeii", as the Soothsayer. BBC News reports that she studied acting at Telford College in Edinburgh, and has also appeared in The Kevin Bishop Show and the forthcoming film Outcast, starring James Nesbitt.

In the press release, executive producer and chief writer Steven Moffat is quoted as saying: "We saw some amazing actresses for this part, but when Karen came through the door the game was up. Funny, and clever, and gorgeous, and sexy. Or Scottish, which is the quick way of saying it. A generation of little girls will want to be her. And a generation of little boys will want them to be her too."

Gillan herself says: "I am absolutely over the moon at being chosen to play the Doctor's new companion. The show is such a massive phenomenon that I can't quite believe I am going to be a part of it. Matt Smith is an incredible actor and it is going to be so much fun to act alongside him – I just can't wait to get started!"

The news is also being reported by, among many others: Children's BBC, InTheNews.co.uk, Digital Spy, Den of Geek, Broadcast Now, The Stage, The Sun and The Guardian.

The BBC Press Office has announced the successful applicants to succeed Phil Collinson as the producer of Doctor Who. Collinson left the series at the conclusion of the fourth production block, to take up a new post as Head of Drama for BBC Manchester.

Collinson is to be succeeded by two people: Tracie Simpson and Peter Bennett. Simpson was the producer of the Easter Special, Planet of the Dead, and was a production manager on the programme for several years. Bennett is the producer of the forthcoming five-part third series of the Torchwoodspin-off, entitled "Children of Earth".

Also joining the production team as a third executive producer alongside Piers Wenger and Steven Moffat will beBeth Willis. Willis was formerly the producer of successful BBC One drama Ashes to Ashes, and will join the production team as part of a new remit to work alongside Wenger on a range of BBC Wales dramas.

Lead writer and executive producer Moffat is quoted as saying of the appointments:

"Beth and Tracie and Pete aren't the A Team, they're the people the A Team call. Tracie and Pete are the backstage stars of Doctor Who and having them on board as producers isn't just the best possible news for Matt Smith's first series, it's a massive relief. And Beth Willis, fresh from the brilliant Ashes To Ashes, is joining Piers and I as an executive so finally there'll be someone to wear the trousers."

The Daily Mirror is reporting that the TARDIS interior will be redesigned for Matt Smith's arrival in the TARDIS and the move to HD filming. The Mirroralso says that the designers will "improve the quality of the police box exterior", and credits the change to incoming showrunner Steven Moffat, who scripted a line in the 2007 episode "Blink" noting that the TARDIS's police box windows were the wrong size, an in-joke aimed at the Outpost Gallifrey Forum (now the Doctor Who Forum). The TARDIS redesign story has been picked up by the Daily Telegraph, METRO and Digital Spy.

Cardiff's Western Mail has reported on recent filming in Newport for the second of the 2009 Doctor Who specials.David Tennant and Lindsay Duncanwere filmed with the TARDIS in a snowy street. Spoilery photographs and set reports from fans who were present at the filming can be found in this thread in the Doctor Who Forum.

In other news, the Guardian's TV and radio blog has an entry speculating about casting for the companion in Series 5. The Radio Times will have 21 different covers for Comic Relief's Red Nose Day, including one with David Tennant(also covered at The Wire). And the Daily Telegraph reports that the Royal Shakespeare Company is preparing to film their recent production of Hamlet starring David Tennant and Patrick Stewart.

Thanks to the posters on the Doctor Who Forum's "Media Watch" thread.

According to columnist Rich Johnston at Comic Book Resources, Neil Gaiman has already been asked by forthcoming Doctor Who producer Steven Moffat to write an episode of the show in 2010.

Johnston also mentions a couple of rumors flying around that have not yet been comfirmed nor denied. To read the entire article, click here.

Starting on Friday January 19th, 2007 (Friday night/Saturday morning) the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation will commence a repeat run of the 2005 Doctor Who series starring Christopher Eccleston. Starting with the premiere episode "Rose" episodes will be broadcast each Friday at 12:00 midnight (12:30am in Newfoundland and Labrador). This will be the fourth full CBC network run of Series One since April 2005.

Episodes of Series Two with David Tennant will continue on the CBC after their Christmas hiatus with "The Satan Pit" on Monday January 15th, 2007 at 8:00pm (8:30pm in Newfoundland and Labrador).