Today sees the launch of John Barrowman's new album, Tonight's The Night - The Very Best Of John Barrowman. The album features fourteen of his favourite tracks from previous albums, plus two new songs especially recorded for the album, Tonight's The Night and I Owe It All To You.

The entertainer is currently engaged in a number of promotional spots for the album, plus his upcoming tour, BBC1's Tonight's The Night, and of course the current international series Torchwood.

Several radio interviews were recorded last Thursday for local stations around the country, which are being broadcast in various slots over the next few weeks, with more being recorded today. This week also sees a number of television appearances on magazine programmes such as Daybreak (ITV1 today), The Wright Stuff (Channel 5 Thursday), The Alan Titchmarsh Show (ITV1 Wednesday), and a 'regular' appearance on Loose Women (ITV1 Wednesday). He will also be promoting the album on shopping channel QVC tonight from 7:00pm.

The known schedule of appearances can be found in our Media article.

Sixth Doctor, Colin Baker, has been elected honorary president of the Doctor Who Appreciation Society.

The Society, DWAS, is the longest running Doctor Who fan club in the world, founded in May 1976. The election of President was conducted through a survey of members and announced at the Day of the Daleks event at Riverside Studios on Sunday.

The role has previously been held by third Doctor Jon Pertwee and by Nicholas Courtney, who held the role from 1997 until his death earlier this year.

Baker said on twitter he was greatly honoured and touched at the appointment.

The Radio Times has revealed that the BAFTA award winning actress, Imelda Staunton, will lend her vocal talents to the 10th episode in the current series, The Girl Who Waited, due for transmission on 10th September.

Staunton will play Voice of Interface in the story alongside Josie Taylor playing Check-in girl and Stephen Bracken-Keogh providing the Voice of Handbots.

Imelda Staunton, is best known for her performance in the 2004 Mike Leigh film, Vera Drake, where she played a working-class woman in London in 1950 who performs illegal abortions. The role won her the BAFTA and Venice Film Festival Award for best actress in a leading role. She was a regular in the Harry Potter film series playing Professor Dolores Jane Umbridge.

The Radio Times has also confirmed that actor Simon Callow will be returning to the series in the final episode of the current series, The Wedding of River Song. Callow last appeared in Doctor Who alongside Ninth Doctor, Christopher Eccleston, in the 2005 story The Unquiet Dead, where he played Charles Dickens. No details of his character in the upcoming story have been released.

David Tennant has beaten Matt Smith in a recent poll by the SyFy Channel to find the sexiest sci-fi hunk. The tenth Doctor came in at second place (16.9%), beating spin-off show Torchwood lead John Barrowman who came in third (14.2%), with Smith in tenth place (8.7%). X-Men star Hugh Jackman topped the poll (20.3%). In the sci-fi babes poll Karen Gillan beat predecessor Billie Piper, taking fourth (10.6%) and fifth (7.7%) places respectively; the top spot was taken by Buffy The Vampire Slayer actress Sarah Michelle Gellar (12.7%).

Matt Smith talks about playing the role of the Doctor: "I can never relax because I'm always pushing myself to the highest level but it's nice to enjoy the fact people have accepted me as the Doctor and enjoy the things I do. I think he's grown. I hope people see growth.
I think he should always be evolving. I don't think good actors get typecast. In 10 years' time I'll be playing very different parts than I am playing now. So there is plenty of time for me to evolve as an actor." Also: "It's so funny, I read other scripts and I just go, 'Not as good as Doctor Who!' For me, it's a privilege to play this man. These parts don't come along that often. There was never any hesitation on my part to stay for another year. Why would I quit? I've got Steven Moffat writing scripts, but not only that - Toby Whithouse, Richard Curtis... all these great writers. And then of course, the part. I just love playing the Doctor. I've grown terribly fond of him. It's something I really enjoy." [Daily Record, 27 Aug 2011; Press Association, 28 Aug 2011]

David Tennant talks about the various roles he's taken recently in film, television and theatre: "I'm quite greedy for the variety, I think. I love the fact that I'm doing Shakespeare in the West End at the moment and then talking about vampires at the day. That's sort of what I'd always hoped I'd manage to do, to mix things up like that, to have a wide variety of work. I think it just helps you to keep being hopefully creative and it keeps challenging you. It's ideal really, if I can do a film and then a play and then a bit of telly and then a radio play and then an audio book, I love the fact that I'm in a job where I get to do all those different types of things." [Huffington Post, 18 Aug 2011]

Both David Tennant and Billie Piper are to appear in a new BBC1 drama, Love Life, a series of plays that will be based on improvisation by writer/director Dominic Savage. BBC Controller of Drama Commissioning, Ben Stephenson said: "This is a complete first in TV drama on BBC One: a serial made through improvisation. It features some of our very best acting talent working in a way we've never seen on screen from them before, using improvisation to push the boundaries of each story, to get right to the heart of the truth." The two actors will feature in different episodes of the drama. [BBC Press, 26 Aug 2011]

Billie Piper is also to play the lead in a new BBC3 show written be Lee Hupfield, Tom and Jenny, described as "a high-octane comedy pilot about a feuding couple who, despite splitting up, refuse to leave the house they've bought together". [BBC Press, 26 Aug 2011]

Karen Gillan is supporting her hometown radio station, Monster FM, which will be returning to the Inverness airwaves for a limited period during September. Gillan and Inverness Caley Thistle manager Terry Butcher will be presenting special programmes of their own favourite music on the station, which will be operated by trainee DJs from the European Social Fund-backed Radioskills project at The Moray Firth Media Trust. [Highland News, 30 Aug 2011]

John Barrowman commented on how his life style has changed over the years: "I can’t handle clubs and wild nights out like I did in my 20s. I’m lively when I perform and I always put everything into a show but when I get home I love lying down in front of the TV and relaxing. I’m not quite the party animal people imagine. I’m certainly not a big fan of nightclubs. But that doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy a vodka and tonic after a tough day." [Wales on Sunday, 21 Aug 2011]

Sophie Aldred appears in the new comedy-drama film Thriller Theater! from the independent Untitled Creative Group based in Chicago, Illinois, USA. The film is directed by Michael S. Olson, who for the past 11 years has been the technical director for the annual Chicago TARDIS convention. Aldred portrays television station manager Lynn Whitlam, who's not easily convinced to give up two hours of late night infomercial programming to take a chance on a new horror host show called 'Thriller Theater'. "The script was written with the Lynn Whitlam character never being seen - we only ever see the back of her head, or her hands; we only hear her voice. But when the opportunity arose to involve Sophie in the project, we jumped at it - who wouldn't - and we had the perfect role for her, all ready to go," says Olson. "We filmed her scenes in Madison, Wisconsin, during her appearance at the MadCon convention in September 2010. And of course, she was superb." Thriller Theater! (the movie) receives its premiere screening on 8 September 2011 at the Portage Theater in Chicago (funds for the screening are being raised via public contributions to Kickstarter.com). The movie is also being submitted to various film festivals throughout the country. For more information on the film, visit http://thriller-theater.com. [with thanks to Steven W. Hill]

Bernard Cribbins helped launch a new Wheelyboat that enables disabled visitors to access the waters of Farmoor Reservoir in Oxfordshire for fishing. A patron of the Wheelyboat Trust, he said: "It is of huge importance to give disabled anglers the same opportunities as able-bodied anglers." [BBC News, 19 Aug 2011]

Matt Smith was nearly cast in series The Inbetweeners, according to its creators Iain Morris and Damon Beasley: Matt Smith, the best Doctor Who of all time, was up for the role of Will. He was really, really brilliant and so funny, just a brilliant actor. And clever. He had all the comic timing you wanted, all the dramatic sense you might need. We spent a long time in development; I think if we had to make a decision very quickly and we were going off to shoot, we would definitely have gone with Matt at that point. But it just became a very long, drawn-out thing, and he had other projects on the go. Quite big projects, as it turned out, but we loved him." [Heatworld, 24 Aug 2011]

The actress Anne Ridler has died.

Anne Ridler played Gemma Corwyn the second-in-command of Space Station W3 in the 1968 Doctor Who story The Wheel in Space. After appearing in five episodes of the story she sacrificed her life to help the Second Doctor defeat the Cybermen.

Anne Ridler had a long and distinguished career first appearing on television in 1955 and going on to work on over 5 movies and 29 TV serials. Her first screen role was on TV with a regular spot alongside Francis Matthews in the Francis Durbridge series My Friend Charles. Her breakthrough came as a regular in Dixon of Dock Green, appearing as WP Sgt. Chris Freeman from 1962 to 1964. She had guest roles in Moonbase 3 in 1973 and The Tomorrow People in 1975 abd in the 1980' s she played voice of Kate Kestrel, Cy-Star and It-Star in Gerry Anderson's puppet-animated Terrahawks series.

She had small roles in the Hammer film Camp on Yangtse Incident (1957), the Michael Anderson-directed Blood Island (1958) and 633 Squadron (1963).

She played Jacqueline Shaffer in the Big Finish story Master.

The actor Noel Collins has died at the age of 74.

Noel Collins appeared in 3 episodes of the 1989 Doctor Who story Battlefield where he played Pat Rowlinson, the landlord of the hotel in which the Seventh Doctor and Ace stayed while investigating an inter-dimensional distress call.

Collins was best known for his role in the long running BBC police series Juliet Bravo, where he played Sergeant George Parrish throughout the six year run of the show. He also appeared in Play for Today, When the Boat Comes in and the comedy series Bread.

Collins retired at the age of 60 after being diagnosed with lung cancer and undergoing an operation which involved removing a lung. In the 1990's he joined 52 other claimants in a £17million lawsuit against cigarette giants Gallaher and Imperial Tobacco arguing that the companies had been negligent in not reducing the tar content in their cigarettes between 1957 and 1971 once it became obvious that smoking caused lung cancer.

Although the case was dropped in March 1999 Collins retained his anti smoking stance until his death. His widow Helen Collins paid tribute to her husband's bravery in the face of his illness. "He was content in his life but also stoic during the bad times. He became very anti-smoking but he lived through his illness as best he could. Even in his last week he was still getting Juliet Bravo fan mail which he found amusing. He loved the theatre and really enjoyed his career, but without being pretentious or boastful."

Noel Collins died on 15 August after losing his long battle with cancer.

David Tennant has been talking to The Guardian Weekend as his run in the West End playing Benedick to Catherine Tate's Beatrice draws to a close.

Tennant talks about his career so far, his life growing up in Scotland and his tabloid reputation as a seducer on the Doctor Who set. "I refute that heartily." he says. "Well, I mean I have had some girlfriends, and I did meet some of them at work you know, my bedpost really has very few notches compared with other actors of my erm, erm, pedigree.

He talks about his future plans following the release of Fright Night next month. "I just like to join the jobs up and hope they will be as varied and interesting as possible. So if I can do a film with DreamWorks, then come back and do a little British film, then do something in the West End, then do something for the BBC, that's great. You learn from experience that the things you think are going to change your life probably won't. Not that I'm looking for it to be changed. I'm very happy with what I've got."

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Colin Baker joined experts from East Cambridgeshire District Council, Cambridgeshire Constabulary and Job Centre Plus in the cathedral city of Ely on Friday in a day aimed at helping residents tackle any life challenges that they may face.

The Sixth Doctor was joined by experts in housing, policing, benefits and drug awareness as well as a Dalek, a Cyberman and an Ood. Baker, who is currently touring in Wilkie Collins, The Woman in White, gave his time free for the event.

"I think everyone knows that it has been a difficult time for many people over the last few years and I know a lot of people who have or are struggling to keep their heads above water," he said. "I hope that in a small way I can attract people along who might not necessarily seek help who can then talk to the experts who will be on hand."

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Christopher Eccleston is currently filming in the North East of England in a comedy drama about a grumpy pensioner who joins a local choir.

Also staring Gemma Arterton, Vanessa Redgrave and Terence Stamp, Song For Marion by Paul Andrew Williams is a comedy drama about a grumpy pensioner Arthur (Terence Stamp) who is reluctantly inspired by his beloved wife Marion (Vanessa Redgrave) to join a highly unconventional local choir.

Eccleston plays their son James in the Steel Mill Pictures production.

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Matt Smith has been snapped in a fetching white sailor's hat with wide-rimmed glasses as he rowed on the Thames while filming for the new BBC Drama Bert and Dickie. Smith is playing Bert Bushnell, one half of the rowing team that won the gold medal in the 1948 Olympics in London for the double scull.

David Tennant is to play a wedding planner with a passion for plastic surgery in a new comedy on Sky Atlantic. The actor will make a guest appearance in episode one of This Is Jinsy, playing Mr Slightlyman. The series will be shown in September 2011 and future episodes will feature Catherine Tate and Simon Callow.

Tennant has also been signed up for a new CBeebies animation series, Tree Fu Tom. He will provide the voice of the lead character Twigs while the voice Tom will be provided by former companion Sophie Aldred, who played Ace alongside the Seventh Doctor in the 1980's. The series is aimed at 4-6-year-olds, and set in an enchanted world where movement creates magic.

Colin Baker is currently touring the UK playing the role of Count Fosco in the national tour of Wilkie Collins' classic ghost story The Woman in White. This tour runs into the Autumn and includes stops in Swansea, Guildford, Buxton, Worthing, Derby, Basingstoke, Crewe, Malvern and Taunton.

Robert Shearman, who wrote the 2005 story Dalek, will become writer-in-residence at Edinburgh's Napier University from September. The fantasy writer will advise students on the university's MA in creative writing course, a role previously held by Scottish novelist James Robertson.

For every year since 2001 the Guardian has released the Media 100 - a list of who they consider are currently the most powerful people in the UK Media; candidates for the list are judged on cultural influence, economic clout and political power over the course of the last year.

This year sees Doctor Who and Sherlock lead writer Steven Moffat enter the chart as number 92:

BBC executives that have an influence of Doctor Who's future in the list include Director General Mark Thompson (4), Director of Vision George Entwistle (26), and BBC1 Controller Danny Cohen (14)


Moffat's predecessor Russell T Davies was a regular in the chart when he was overseeing Doctor Who, entering the chart strongly for his 2004 involvement in bringing the series back at number 14 in the 2005 list, followed up by 28 (2006), 15 (2007) and 31 (2008). The Doctor himself has also appeared in the past, represented by actor David Tennant who was listed as number 24 in 2007.


The list is drawn up by a panel of judges, which this year included Lorraine Heggessey, the BBC1 controller responsible for the decision to bring Doctor Who back into production during 2003 (and herself ranked 46/54 during that period).

Karen Gillan (aka Amy Pond) will be making her West End theatre debut this Autumn in a revival of John Osbourne's 1964 play Inadmissible Evidence.

The play is to be performed at the Donmar Warehouse Theatre and will be directed by Jamie Lloyd. Gillan will play the character of Shirley, the hard-done-by secretary to middle-aged laywer Bill Maitland, to be played by Douglas Hodge; other cast members include Esther Hall, Amy Morgan, Daniel Ryan, and Al Weaver.

The Daily Mail reported that Lloyd had been very impressed with the Doctor Who actress:

Originally performed in 1965 on Broadway, the play featured Nicol Williamson as Maitland and Jeanne Hepple as Shirley. It was subsequently made into a film with Williamson reprising the role alongside Eileen Atkins in 1968.



The play runs from 13th October to 26th November - for more details see the theatre website.