Among the updates to the official Doctor Who website in recent days, two new games have been added: "Slitheen Surfer", in which the player helps guide Margaret Slitheen and her extrapolator through the debris of an exploded Earth; and "SuDocWho", a variation on current puzzle fad Sudoku, using pictures of the first nine Doctors instead of (or as well as) numbers to complete the grids.

Prospect magazine today calls the return of the Daleks this year as one of the "ten highlights from 2005." "It was a great year for comebacks: Hugh Laurie in House, the two Ronnies (all too briefly), Bob Dylan... Nothing, though, could match the Daleks. This is partly about nostalgia. But even new viewers respond to the strange mix of pure evil ('Exterminate!') and absurdity (creatures with silly voices who want to take over the universe but have only just learned to climb stairs and always lose). They are a sci-fi version of Hitler, which perhaps explains their popularity in the 1960s when British culture was still trying to make sense of Nazism while keeping it at a distance."

The Scottish Daily Record today listed David Tennant as #1 on its list of "100 Hottest Scots" in the men category. "The 34-year-old from Paisley is the hottest man on TV at the moment after bagging the coveted role of Doctor Who Despite appearing in pyjamas in the Christmas special of the sci-fi show, he is sure to set hearts racing with his quirky good looks and brilliant acting. He's sizzling because... more than 10 million viewers will tune in on Christmas Day to witness his debut in the Tardis. He also turned in a superb performance as a sinister stalker in ITV drama Secret Smile and did a credible singing turn in BBC1 musical drama Blackpool. Memorable moment of 2005 was when he cut a swathe through the women of Europe as Casanova in the BBC3 series of the samename - despite being the son of a Churchof Scotland minister."

The Times today says of the Radio 2 documentary, Doctor Who: Regeneration, "Was it the special effects that made the new Who so memorable, or the scripts by Russell T. Davies, or the acting of Billie Piper and, in particular, Christopher Eccleston? And now that Eccleston (above, with Piper) has gone, desperate not to be typecast, can David Tennant hope to match him? Gatiss gets the facts - well, at least some informed conjecture."

Also, a writer in today's Financial Times says that "A TV-deprived childhood has left me impervious to Doctor Who. After hearing Doctor Who: Regeneration, I feel tempted to brand the whole phenomenon as self- important claptrap. This 'celebration', BBC navel-gazing at its most complacent, rolls out Who types starting with writer Russell T. Davies, apparently challenged both adenoidally and glottally - the latter a common complaint among mediafolk such as exec prod Julie who says you know you go' a hi' when you see the viewing figures. This level of insight is continued by the BBC1 controller who notes that the Doctor has brought younger viewers to the BBC in tones that suggest he expected OAPs. Jane (head of drama, BBCTV) talks portentously of Christopher Eccleston 'kicking open the door, and the new Doctor, David Tennant, taking us somewhere we hadn't quite expected'. This is kids' TV, for heaven's sake, not a breakthrough in biological ethics."

Monday's The Sentinel has a feature article about India Fisher of Big Finish. "Gallivanting around the universe in a time machine, tackling the Daleks and imitating pop-brat Kelly Osbourne. These are some of the ways in which the daughter of a Stoke-on-Trent MP has carved out a career for herself. For while ex-Arts Minister Mark Fisher is busy representing Stoke Central as a Labour MP, his daughter, India, has got involved in something far less down-to-earth. The 31-year-old has become an international superstar in the cult programme Dr Who - the audio version. Playing the role of Charlotte Pollard, Dr Who's assistant, India has for the last six years starred in the tape and CD version of the smash-hit drama, which has just kicked off a new series on the small-screen. Much to her amazement, India has achieved superstar status among the worldwide followers of the cult series. The tapes and CDs have winged their way to obsessed fans all over the world, and she has been invited to countless international conventions. And she has also gained fame as a star of TV - acting as Welsh singing sensation Charlotte Church and Kelly Osbourne in the Dead Ringers show which stars John Culshaw. .. 'My brother Rhydian is a businessman so he's the sensible one and I guess we should have followed his lead. But we've always been quite the arty family and I've always had a passion for acting. If I hadn't given it a go, I'd never have forgiven myself - although I might have been much better off financially.' A year and a half ago, Nev Fountain, the writer of Dead Ringers, spotted India at a Dr Who convention in Los Angeles and asked her to play a part in their series. She was an immediate hit. Since then, she has done impressions of Kelly Osbourne, Charlotte Church and even Sonia and Sharon from EastEnders. India said: 'It's tough - they often give you a character they want you to do on the Friday and you have to get it ready in just 48 hours. Sometimes I wonder how on earth I'm going to do it - but it's not an opportunity I can possibly turn down. They needed someone to do the younger characters. I look a little like Kelly Osborne I guess - I've got my dad to thank for that - so I guess I was perfect for the part.' ... But if there's one thing India was, as a Stoke-on-Trent schoolgirl ever-so-slightly irritated by, it was her name. 'My brother's called Crispin, another one is called Rhydian and I'm India so it's an interesting collection of names. Whenever my name came up in the school register, the teacher always used to pause before saying it - she expected the pronunciation to be unique somehow. And the kids in the playground used to jokingly things like: 'So what's your middle name, Pakistan?' I used to wish I was just called something nice and simple like Jane. But I love it now."

An article at Ekklesia comments on the anti-war message apparently to be seen in "The Christmas Invasion". "Journalists who have previewed the episode say that a later scene also recalls ex-PM Margaret Thatcher's decision to sink the Argentine warship the General Belgrano during the Falklands/Malvinas war in 1982. Responding to pre-broadcast comments, award-winning scriptwriter Russell T Davies declared: 'It's Christmas Day, a day of peace. There is absolutely an anti-war message - because that's what I think.' Meanwhile, looking up somewhat wearily from his computer, Doctor Who commentator and fiction writer Mark Clapham told Ekklesia: 'The Doctor has usually been a character who advocates peaceful means before violent solutions. He's not a particularly dedicated pacifist though - he often finds himself having to apply violent solutions sooner or later.' Author and Who analyst Jim Smith, who co-authored the Virgin Books guide Who's Next? with Clapham and Eddie Robson, went on: 'There are many stories which are definitely anti-war. Not a particular war - just war itself. ‘The Crusade' (1965) is specifically about the futility of religious warfare and is even set in Basra. While it's adventure fiction and thus has fighting in it, the whole show is deeply suspicious of politicians, soldiers, military means, military objectives, and so on.' Doctor Who long ago cast an eye on terrorism and possible superpower reactions to it. Says Smith: 'In 1970 ‘The Ambassadors of Death' featured a xenophobic political group trying to scare the whole human race into attacking some harmless aliens.' Whether the Christmas day episode will feature Doctor Who's iconic enemies, the Daleks, remains to be seen. But if it does, the spiritual head of the world's 77 million Anglicans will be on-hand to comment."

Contact Music says that Kaiser Chiefs frontman Ricky Wilson claims he was offered the role of Doctor Who before David Tennant. "The 'I Predict a Riot' hitmaker believes Tennant looks too youthful for the part, and is determined to get his hands on the role. He says, 'It's the kind of thing I've got down for my autumn years. I'm worried David's too young for the part. Eddie Izzard would be perfect. The BBC offered it to me but I was so busy they got a lookalike.'" Uh, right...

(Thanks to Paul Engelberg and Steve Tribe)

With the approach of The Christmas Invasion, the press has gotten back into the Doctor Who fold to a level not seen since last July. Here's a collection of items that have appeared in the past 24 hours alone:

According to today's The Sun, "Doctor Who bosses have hastily rewritten scripts after star Roger Lloyd Pack broke his leg. The actor, who played dopey Trigger in Only Fools And Horses, fell down the stairs at his home in Camden, North London. The accident happened just days before Roger, 61, was due to start filming the new series of the BBC sci-fi show, starring David Tennant as the Doctor and Billie Piper as his assistant Rose. So scriptwriters have made Roger's character wheelchair-bound - meaning he could end up looking a bit like evil Dalek creator Davros. A pal said: 'Roger was gutted when he broke his leg. He was worried he would not be able to take part in Doctor Who. But BBC bosses offered to put his character in a wheelchair to get around the problem. They were massively keen for Roger to stay in the show, so they were happy to accommodate him. His character is a real baddie and the wheelchair is a great prop, which adds a bit of mystery and intrigue to the part. So it has worked out very well.' Roger will play the Doctor's enemy John Lumic in the new series in January." Also reported atDigital Spy.

The Western Mail features an interview with David Tennant. "Standing in the cave of the Sycorax warriors, and sword-fighting a seven-feet-tall Sean Gilder as the Sycorax leader in prosthetics and weird contact lenses, and all of those extras standing there....," offers Tennant, almost going misty-eyed at the memories. "OK, it might have been in a warehouse in Newport, with special effects put in later on, but that was the first moment I thought to myself, 'This is something special.' And those moments keep coming every day. Just being in the Tardis, for example. And getting to act opposite Elizabeth Sladen as Sarah-Jane, a veteran Doctor Who sidekick who returns in the next series. I used to watch her when I was a kid, eating beans on toast and a cup of Irn Bru. She looks the same and sounds the same! ... It's mad, it's crazy - how unreal is this? ... I was three years old when I decided I wanted to be an actor. I just loved watching people on the telly. I was watching stories being told, and thinking 'this is just great.' I think I had a conversation with my parents about who those people were in the TV, and as soon as I had an understanding that this was a job, that people got paid for telling stories, that was what I wanted to do. ... My first TV memory is being entranced by Jon Pertwee regenerating into Tom Baker. ... I got another good luck message from Peter Davison, who was filming Distant Shores at the time. I was about ten when Tom regenerated into Peter Davison, so again, another amazing moment. In fact, Peter came on set one day with his children, which was a big thrill both for them and me! We are more aware that he's [the Doctor] someone who fought a war, lost all his people and because he's the last Time Lord, the last authority in the universe, he's less indulgent, more ruthless. ... Wales is a great place to film. You can be in the countryside or by the sea for one scene, and you can be back in the city in no time. ... Every Doctor Who fan I've met has been completely charming. They're always warm, polite, and enthusiastic about the show; they're delightful, welcoming and supportive. What's fascinating is the range of people who come up to you as a Doctor Who fan. They're not just a certain type of bloke, but you get women of all ages, young kids, elderly people - they've all come up to me. And that, I think, reflects the genius of Russell T Davies, that he's created a show that attracts a genuine nine-to-90-year-old audience - well, younger than nine, really."

Today's The Herald also features comments from Tennant: "It's reeeaaallly exciting. Apart from anything else, it's fun. It's a laugh. You've no idea. It's such a laugh. It really takes you back to tattie scones in front of the telly. ... I've never been boy-band handsome. So my looks have never been an obsession of mine. ... When I was offered [the role], suddenly it was real rather than some kind of childhood fantasy moment. You suddenly start thinking, 'I have to do this now.' It was curious. It was almost a 'be careful what you wish for' moment. ... You're finding ways to skin a cat each day. The Doctor is always right; he always knows where he's going; he has the moral high ground. He doesn't waver from that, so it's finding new ways to come at that. Part of the joy of the character is that he's unexpected. He's an alien and he's unpredictable. ... I was nervous about moving to Cardiff but I'm getting home to London on weekends, so I'm getting back and doing a bit of life. When you're here it's 12hour days, and then you're learning your lines for the next one. There's a relentlessness to it - but I have a lot of friends who are actors, so they know the score. You fall in and out of each other's lives all the time. ... It's different now in the way Russell writes it. The relationship between the Doctor and Rose is a love story - except they're not shagging. He's on his own and yet he has Rose, but can they ever be quite a couple in the traditional sense? He's 900 years old and she's 19, and that would be a bit weird. That said, there are moments in this series that are . . . well, sexual would be the wrong word, but they explore that side of things possibly more than we've seen before. ... You can be saving the universe and then talking about fly-fishing, but you've got to play it for the truth of the situation. You've got to believe that this guy can be talking about tangerines and then suddenly save the world."

Tomorrow morning's edition of the Sunday Herald interviews Russell T Davies about how he gave 'new life' to Doctor Who. "Nobody is more excited than me about the Christmas special," says Russell T Davies to the Herald. "I am a fiend for Christmas television. When the Radio Times came out, I turned to December 25 and scanned down the listings and there was Doctor Who! It's just astonishing. On a personal level, never mind professionally, I am so delighted that this has happened. ... On the day the first episode was broadcast I was nervous, but I knew how good it was. So if we hadn't got the viewing figures I would have been able to act like a martyr. I could have been burned at the stake with piety in my heart, saying, ‘Never mind! I know it was good!" Says the article, "Best of all were the scripts. One two-part episode, The Empty Child, in which the gas mask-wearing ghost of a little boy killed in the Blitz haunts his gymslip mother, was among the most disturbing and moving things to appear in British television drama. It is hard to believe that it was broadcast at teatime on a Saturday. ... Although suffering from a bad back, presumably from all the TV critics patting him on it, Davies has gamely agreed to discuss the Christmas episode. Talking in his Manchester home, he is clearly excited by the show, and determined to ensure that Doctor Who continues to redefine family viewing as an experience which makes the heart beat faster and the synapses in the brain snap and flex like hungry electric eels. 'Just wait,' he says, 'till you see this.'"

Sunday morning's The Independent notes in a review of television that "Christopher Eccleston made Saturday evenings on BBC1 a must-see again by breathing new life into an old character, Doctor Who. He fought off invasion by half a million Daleks - and then promptly walked away. If he doesn't regret it, I certainly do. He was, quite probably, the best doctor yet - writer Russell T Davies and Eccleston's replacement, David Tennant, will have a hard act to follow." Also, in the Guardian, "The consensus view was that reality television had peaked and some new hot genre would emerge in the course of the year. But what no one predicted 12 months ago was that the story of broadcasting in 2005 would be the return of family entertainment. This picture of returning innocence was admittedly patchy - 2005's Big Brother marked a TV nadir, when a drunken contestant masturbated with a bottle - but the fact is that three of the most talked-about series in the schedules were Saturday teatime shows with a potential audience age-span of around 60 years: Doctor Who, Strictly Come Dancing and The X Factor. It is also notable that the first two of them are clever reimaginings of concepts originated several decades ago."

The Scotsman today said that "A very different kind of Doctor comes under the spotlight... In Doctor Who: Regeneration (Tuesday, Radio 2, 8.30pm), producer Malcolm Prince offers a behind-the-scenes look at the eagerly-anticipated TV programme Doctor Who: The Christmas Invasion (Christmas Day, BBC1, 7pm). The new Doctor, David Tennant, whose film credits include Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, talks about how he intends to tackle the role, while director James Hawes promises that the first programme of the new era will see strange things happening to Christmas trees." The Independent says, "Mark Gatiss explores how the return of the Time Lord became one of the television phenomena of the year. The documentary traces the story, using interviews with David Tennant (who takes over from Christopher Eccleston as the Doctor on Christmas Day), Billie Piper and the creator of the new series, Russell T Davies."

Broadcast magazine says of Doctor Who: "There was an element of back to the future about some of this year's biggest hits. First we saw the old Time Lord himself, Doctor Who, re-emerge from his Tardis, attracting massive audiences and plaudits for BBC1. The Doctor proved there was still a place in the schedule for something long forgotten: family viewing. Doctor Who's success has sparked a hunt for old heroes with the BBC already commissioning Tiger Aspect to bring back Robin Hood and Granada looking to remake The Prisoner, possibly for Sky One. We can expect other retro heroes to resurface." It notes that Doctor Who was #4 on the list of BBC1's Top Five Programmes, beaten in the ratings only by "EastEnders," "The Vicar of Dibley" and "Comic Relief: Red Nose Night" (with "Little Britain" as #5 on the list). The Magazine also features an opinion piece of Emily Bell, editor-in-chief of Guardian Unlimited, in which she refers to Russell T Davies on the subject of "People of the Year," noting "creatively it has to be Russell T Davies for his high-quality output and his salvation of family viewing. "

Tomorrow's The Observer talks about the record numbers of gay men and lesbians occupying key positions across British life, noting Russell T Davies: "Head writer of the BBC's recently revived Doctor Who. Also responsible for other audience-pullers such as Casanova, Linda Green and Bob & Rose. Came to prominence in 1999 when Channel 4 showed his controversial drama series Queer as Folk, an explicit tableau of love, lust, clubbing and gay life in Manchester. Currently working on the Doctor Who spin-off series, Torchwood, about a team who investigate alien goings-on in Britain, due to be aired on BBC3 in 2006 - 'X Files meets This Life,' says Davies. Has been with his partner, Andrew Smith, a Customs officer, since 1999. Born in Swansea." It features a comment from Stuart Murphy, former Controller of BBC3, calling Davies "an absolute genius".

The Scotsman, in an article about the television year in review, says, "What a difference a year makes. ... Doctor Who (BBC1)... was great fun. No programme faced a bigger challenge in 2005 than how to 'do' the Daleks; Russell T Davies chose opera. With a whoosh of Wagner, the eggbox psychopaths took to the air, finally ridding themselves of all comparisons to Mariah "I don't do stairs" Carey, and there was a strange serenity about them as they croaked their last. Until next time, that is. ... On ITV1 came Secret Smile, starring Kate Ashfield and Claire Goose and featuring a dirty rotten scoundrel etc, etc. The latter right bad yin was played by David Tennant, Scotland's best-kept acting secret until last year's Blackpool, which he followed early in 2005 with the Carry On-ish Casanova (BBC3, Russell T again). Now he's about to go stratospheric as the new Doctor Who."

The Observer in the Guardian says of Tennant in "Secret Smile", "It was great to see Tennant building on last year's quite brilliant performances in Blackpool and He Knew He was Right and finally coming out as a primetime star. Gratifying too, to watch him providing some genuinely nasty, meaty, murderous filling in 2005's otherwise fluffy white-bread Casanova/Doctor Who sandwich. There were a couple of moments in Secret Smile when he was genuinely terrifying, which, given that his character (Brendan Block. Sounds like shock. Sounds like a dance DJ, too, come to that) had established his general horribleness within about the first 10 minutes, meant that building on all this without turning Block into a staring-eyed panto-turn would, in lesser hands, have been an insurmountable dramatic challenge." Today'sEvening Chronicle, Newcastle also says about the show that "Tennant was good as Brendan and he did menacing pretty well, but then he's had plenty of practice recently and is in danger of becoming rent-a-villain. Maybe he's getting in the nasty roles before he becomes forever associated with Doctor Who and his time-travelling exploits." And today'sDaily Telegraph says, "This was swept along by the sheer menace of David Tennant's staring-eyed performance as Brendan Block, a malevolent nasty who charmed women before beating or murdering them. (I hope he is not like this as Doctor Who)."

The Guardian today reviews the BFI TV Classics book about Doctor Who written by Kim Newman: "Newman's Doctor Who traces the sci-fi staple from 1963 genesis to Cool Britannia comeback, pointing out that only when fixating on its own fanbase has it struggled." The article also reviews DW comic strip artist Dave Gibbon's latest endevour, The Originals.

Also in the press: TV Squad talks about David Tennant in "Secret Smile" and "Harry Potter"; Digital Spy notes that Tennant "has been seeking advice on his love-life from co-star Billie Piper" according to the Daily Star.

(Thanks to Steve Tribe, Paul Engelberg, Peter Weaver, Faiz Rehman)

BBC News reports today that the auction of the miniature TARDIS replica (which we reported about in yesterday's press column) has been sold at Christie's auction house for £10,800. The plywood replica was built at the BBC visual effects department and was last seen on television in 1970. Sarah Hodgson, head of popular entertainment at Christie's said: "There was strong international interest throughout today's successful sale for film and entertainment memorabilia from all eras. The Stormtrooper helmets from Star Wars and the Tardis from Doctor Who performed particularly well and attracted strong prices, with all doubling their pre-sale estimates."

BBC News today notes that "Christmas comes once a year, except in Cardiff, where it has already been and gone. Back in July, shoppers in the city centre found themselves walking past a giant Christmas tree, a late-night festive market and Santa lookalikes. It was as if the Welsh capital had somehow been flung into a different dimension. And in a way, it had been. Perhaps thanks to the Tardis, the city was the backdrop for the Doctor Who special to screened on Christmas Day. The Hayes shopping area of the city has played its part in another climactic galactic tale of the changeling Timelord and his earthly adventures. Over two nights, the BBC Wales team which makes the show transformed one of the busiest areas of Cardiff into a tinsel and snow-filled location. They even borrowed the council's own Christmas lights to do it. Producer Phil Collinson said: 'The main problem was trying to find places that did not have leaves on the trees. We tried to be quite careful about that. We filmed on The Hayes, which wasn't so bad because it wasn't the greenest part of Cardiff. The people in the streets are so proud that this show is made here. It does make it easier for us. We have closed the main street for a whole evening. In any other place they would be shaking their fists as us, but in Cardiff, its 'okay, go ahead'.' A typical episode takes around two-and-a-half weeks to film, he said. 'We've had hordes of people turning up to watch. There is always a bang or a flash or a guy in a green suit to watch.'" Collinson notes that "The Christmas Invasion" is "scary... that's why we can't show it after the Queen (the Queen's speech), but it's still good fun.'" It also quotes Russell T Davies as saying, "I would never have let someone else write the Christmas episode - I have been dying to write a Christmas episode all my life."

BBC News is reporting that Christopher Eccleston was invited by the British Red Cross to visit the Indonesian province of Banda Aceh as part of relief efforts for last year's devastating tsunamis. "Before the Tsunami I'd never thought about Indonesia and I didn't know the Acenese as a race existed," Eccleston tells BBC News. "In the last two or three days here I've learned lessons about courage and optimism in the face of unimaginable grief that I shall never ever forget." The article notes that Eccleston met some of those re-building their lives in Aceh, including going to a school where 500 children lost their lives in the flood: now a popstars-style talent show is helping children regain their sense of fun; visiting one of the Indonesian islands hit by the Tsunami; and later appearing on BBC Breakfast (this Friday) to speak about his impression of the Red Cross' work in Indonesia. There is currently a video clip at BBC News; go to the front page and click on "Latest news in video and audio" at top. (Update: you can also find it atBBC News 24.)

MSNBC wonders today what sort of project famed director Peter Jackson ("The Lord of the Rings," "King Kong") will do next. "It seems almost certain that 'King Kong' will enjoy the same critical adulation and blockbuster popular success as the 'Lord Of The Rings' trilogy, which means that Kong isn’t the only 10-ton gorilla around. With four massive successes in a row, director Peter Jackson is an enviable position as an artist, having gained enough clout that he could choose just about anything he dreamed of for his next film and he’d find a studio that would let him make it. So what should that next movie be? ... The venerable British sci-fi series 'Doctor Who' is in good hands now on the small screen, brought back to life in a cheekily well-written, Buffyesque format by 'Queer As Folk' creator Russell T. Davies. But nobody’s made a feature-length film spinoff of the series since Peter Cushing starred in two forgettable 'Doctor Who' movies in the mid-1960s. Jackson would find an excellent match for his talents in 'Who’s' match of slam-bang action, creepy horror and thought-provoking science fiction. The villains of this hypothetical film would almost certainly have to be the tank-like Daleks simply because they’re The Doctor’s most popular foes, but we’d love to see what Jackson would do with such eerie aliens as the fungoid Zygons, the amoeba-like Rutan, or the reptilian Silurians and Sea Devils. There’s plenty of other forgotten or underappreciated science fiction that would fit Jackson. Like 'Doctor Who,' lots of them are British — we’d be intrigued to see his take on the 1950s 'Quatermass' TV serials and the 1962 monster-chiller 'Day Of The Triffids.'"

A review of The Christmas Invasion today in the Sun, which says "Killer Xmas trees, slaying Santas and a sackful of sexual chemistry -the Dr Who special is the best gift fans could hope for. Best bits are the PM scrapping the Queen's Speech in an alien invasion, the Doc being revived with a cuppa, and his regenerating hand. Just don't let the evil Sycorax put you off your turkey!"

Irish News reports today that Billie Piper is among a list of celebrities (which also includes Robbie Williams and Neil Morrissey) behind a new event in aid of a Belfast-based victims support group. Actor James Nesbitt will today launch Art Wave at Belfast City Hall, a new event which will see artwork by artists and celebrities auctioned to raise funds for charity Wave, which uses the arts as therapy to help children, young people and adults who have been traumatised as a result of the Troubles. The event, set to take place next spring, will see major Irish and English artists donate pieces of work for an exhibition and auction in Belfast's City Hall.

Newsquest Media interviews Andrew Skilleter, famed illustrator responsible for many Doctor Who portraits and book jacket/video covers over the years. "Watching with particular interest as actor David Tennant takes to our screens as the tenth Dr Who this Christmas will be artist and illustrator Andrew Skilleter. For Dorset-based image-maker Andrew has been closely involved in the intergalactic time-travelling adventures of the Doctor for more than a quarter of a century. ... Twenty two years on Christmas finds the good Doctor back on the cover of the Radio Times and Andrew back in the spotlight as all things Dr Who-related are suddenly a source of universal interest. ... 'When Chris Ecclestone [sic] came on the scene there was an enormous boost in interest and with David Tennant about to take over it is still riding high. A week or so ago I was at this huge memorabilia event at the NEC. It's really been quite hectic.' Having been closely involved in the time travelling glory days of the 1980s, Andrew says he isn't entirely sure about the new era of Dr Who. 'I've tried to distance myself from it and watch it simply as a drama but I think all I can say is that when it was good it was very good indeed. I think it's a shame that Chris Ecclestone didn't stay with it a little longer, but I'm certainly going to be interested to see what David Tennant does with it.'" The article mentions that Reeltime Pictures will shortly release a "Myth Makers" documentary video that focuses on him and his work, and that some of his Target and BBC Video covers will be released as collectors' prints throughout 2006.

More reviews of "Secret Smile" starring David Tennant: the Scotsman says it "wasn't totally pish. The Chicklife seemed accurate enough, as did the motifs of middle-class life: mixed salad bowls and bottles of olive oil. But David should get as far away from this Chickstuff as he can in his TARDIS for the time being (or indeed not being)." The Daily Express says, "It has to be said, Secret Smile... hasn't given us much to smile about so far. In fact, it began with the heroine, young architect Miranda Cotton, being dead, so it's hard to imagine there can be any sort of happy ending. But even if it does take you to places you feel you'd rather not go, it's addictive viewing – largely because of a great script and convincing acting. There's something totally believable about Miranda's evil stalker Brendan, played by former Casanova star and the new Doctor Who, David Tennant."

Additional comments about the anti-war stance of "The Christmas Invasion" at The Telegraph, Stuff.co.nz. Meanwhile, American Thinker is reacting to the news by saying that "the once-respected BBC is using a Christmas Day broadcast to a science fiction series to bash America... And this from a government-owned broadcaster." Finally,InformITV talks about the 'red button' episode "Attack of the Graske".

(Thanks to Paul Engelberg, Steve Tribe, Matt Kimpton, John Bowman)

The official Radio Times listing for the Doctor Who Christmas special, The Christmas Invasion, airing at 7.00pm on Sunday 25 December, shows additional cast members and other details, as well as noting that series one will repeat on BBC starting the day after. The listing is as follows:

Though we published some of the big-ticket press clips last week (on 1 December), the following catches us up with other items from the past couple of weeks, including items from this weekend:

There was another item this week about the possibility of Stephen Fry'sepisode of series two of Doctor Who being delayed until the third year: writer Mark Gatiss, appaering on the Simon Mayo show on Radio FiveLive this week, said it might happen because of budget reasons, though there was no final decision reported.

icWales has a report on the National Orchestra of Wales's recent recording sessions for the new series incidental music. "The soundtrack to the new Doctor Who series has been recorded by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. The Cardiff orchestra recorded the music in closed sessions this month at the BBC studios in the city. Conducted by Ben Foster, the sessions were produced by the programme's composer Murray Gold, who also arranged the new version of the Doctor Who soundtrack. 'The BBC National Orchestra of Wales is the best orchestra I've recorded with,' said Gold. The recording sessions will be featured on BBC 3 on Doctor Who Confidential when the new series goes on air in the New Year."icNorth Wales also covers the story: "The orchestra recorded the music in closed sessions last month at Studio 1 at the BBC in Cardiff, conducted by Ben Foster and attended and produced by the programme's music composer Murray Gold, who also arranged the new version of the famous Doctor Who soundtrack - in turn made even more memorable in its day by the legendary BBC Radiophonic Workshop. This rather basic 'sound special effects' unit, based in the BBC's Maida Vale studios in London, was created in 1958 and ran for just under 40 years until being disbanded, you may be amazed to learn, as lately as 1997. As I understand it, contemporary incidental or theme 'music' for BBC programmes was created by recording sounds such as voices, car engines, bells and the like onto audio tape, which was then manipulated by cutting and pasting, running forwards and backwards at different speeds, for example, in a bare basement with plenty of reverb."

Issue 197 of TV Zone, due out 7 December, features an interview with "Christmas Invasion" director James Hawes, who talks about overseeing the invasion of the Sycorax, David Tennant's debut, killer Santas and bringing K-9 back to the screen. He also chats about his plans for Torchwood - and debunks a few of those casting rumours! Meanwhile, effects supervisor Dave Houghton spills the beans on the secrets of the Doctor's regeneration, and what we can expect from The Christmas Invasion and Season Two... The issue also includes interviews with the cast and crew of Battlestar Galactica, Invasion and Stargate Atlantis, and features on The Goodies, Bewitched, Bones, Lost in Space, Ghost Stories for Christmas and TV on the theatrical stage. Oh, and a competition to win all of Babylon 5! Phew. Links for ordering are on the VisiMag website.

Is a children's version of Doctor Who Magazine in the cards? A job advert for "Doctor Who Adventures" is on the BBC's jobs site. "We are looking for a Doctor Who expert with first class editorial skills to work on this exciting new magazine for pre-teen boys. Not only will you have an encyclopaedic knowledge of all things Who, you'll have first-hand experience of writing and commissioning for pre-teen boys."

December 2's Express and Echo features an interview with former Doctor Who companion Peter Purves. "I've had a really lucky career," Purves tells the paper. "I'm very proud of the fact that these cult shows have played a major part." The article notes that "Roles in television favourites Z Cars, Dixon of Dock Green and The Saint followed between 1963 and 65, before he was cast in Doctor Who for a one-off appearance as Morton Dill. 'I got that through pure luck,' he said. 'The director, Richard Martin, remembered me from a television play I'd done and cast me in a small part as this tall, gawky hillbilly who joined Doctor Who and the Daleks on the top of the Empire State Building in a serial called The Chase. After that the producers asked me if I would be interested in taking over from Bill Russell and Jackie Hill who were leaving. As you can imagine, I jumped at the chance!' Peter played Steven Taylor, one of the original doctor's (William Hartnell) 'ever-present 'companions', for 44 episodes. 'That was a hell of a break. At that time, if you think about it, there wasn't a lot of work in television as there were only three channels.'"

There are 2 small pieces on Doctor Who in December's Attitude magazine and a short interview with John Barrowman (though this doesn't mention Doctor Who). The Doctor Who DVD Box Set is reviewed (with small pic of Captain Jack astride the Bad Wolf bomb): 'Russell T Davies re-invents the timelord for the 21st century as a dry-witted, leather jacket-clad loner, pitching the Doctor (Christopher Eccleston) and his shop-girl assistant (Billie Piper) against dastardly foes from the past, present and future, including the Daleks (hurrah!). Mixing pop culture compelling performances and jaw-dropping special effects, the new Doctor Who is rollicking good fun. The five-disc set comprises all 13 episodes in a rather natty TARDIS box packaging, plus copious additional material such as commentries and a spotlight feature on Captain jack (Attitude fave John Barrowman).' On the same page is the Christmas day TV review, including: :... High point of the day, though, for most gayers will be the return of Russell T Davies' sublimely brilliant DOCTOR WHO - where we find out if David Tennant can fill the excellent Christopher Eccleston's size 11 boots.' Barrowman and his partner Scott Gill are interviewed (p56) regarding civil partnerships. On being congratulated, John comments: "Well, to be honest, we're actually not going to get married. We're probably just going to sign the register. We're not going to have any kind of ceremony because I'm not a supporter of the word marriage for a gay partnership. It's something that has the connotation of religion and religion is something that hates or dislikes gay people and doesn't agree with them."

The new Readers Poll in SFX Magazine notes that the Best TV Show is Doctor Who. 'Break out the Union Jack bunting, and raise a patriotic cup of char. Blighty finally showed the world how it's done. Doctor Who returned as the rtings-snatching ITV-bothering kid-enchanting mainstream smash we always knew it could be... again. And this was before the madness and the majesty of Sad Tony.' At number 2 - Lost. At 3, Batttlestar Galactica. Christopher Eccleston won Best TV Actor. 'There was a TARDIS-load of expectation on his wiry northern shoulders, but Christopher Eccleston wrestled Doctor Who into the 21st century, bringing stellar acting chops to a role that had become a frock-coated joke. Let's see if David Tennant can vault that bar next year.' (At 2, Michael Shanks, 3 -Terry O'Quinn). Billie Piper was voted Best TV Actress. 'A fat yah-boo sucks to all those doom-mongering snobs who, only a year ago, dismissed Billie Piper as a has-been teen popstrel who would prove the ruination of Doctor Who. Truth is, her performance as Rose was pure magic. Go team Billie!' At 2 - Claudia Black, 3 - Evangaline Lilly. The best TV episode according to the poll was Episode 13, "The Parting of the Ways". 'Doctor Who dominates the Best TV Episodes category, with Steven Moffat's two-parter at two and four, but it was Russell T Davies' pulse-troubling, tearduct-tickling swansong for Christopher Eccleston's Doctor that ruled all. Daleks, regeneration, the near-decimation of mankind ... and the words "little tubs of coleslaw." ' At 2, The Empty Child. 3, Dalek. 4, The Doctor Dances. 6, Father's Day. SFX also voted two Doctor Who books in the "best non-fiction" category: "Monsters and Villains" by Justin Richards at number 3, and "Back to the Vortex" by Shaun Lyon at number 4. (Books on the film "Serenity" were first and second). Billie Piper won the "Sexiest Woman" category, with John Barrowman the #4 on the "Sexiest Man" list and Christopher Eccleston close behind him at #5. Finally, in their "Hall of Fame" category, at number 2 was the return of Doctor Who, at #4 was Russell T. Davies, at #5 was the Doctor and Rose holding hands, and at #10, the return of the Daleks.

Last week's Radio Times (not the one with Doctor Who on the cover, but the one before) featured a listing of the 20 most eagerly-awaited Christmas programmes. "Doctor Who" comes in at No. 2 (behind "Little Britain"), described as: "Eagerly anticipated Christmas Day special, with David Tennant as the new Doctor, and Billie Piper. Real family viewing." The magazine presented its review of the year's broadcasting and the show featured heavily. As well as a namecheck for Billie Piper on the cover, "the better-than-you-could-have-hoped-for return of Doctor Who" is the climax of editor Gill Hudon's run-down of the year's best: "Russell T Davies, Christopher Eccleston, Billie Piper: thank you!" The Alison Graham Column also recalled "Russell T Davies's thoroughly engaging romp, Casanova, [which] made a star of David Tennant. From Casanova, Tennant sprang effortlessly to take over the role of the Doctor from Christopher Eccleston, who played his part in re-establishing a TV icon." The eight-page review of the year's television includes almost two pages on the series, publicity shots of Tennant, Piper and Eccleston accompanying a spoof Who-themed National [Enquirer? Examiner? See attached scan] cover and a brief interview with "sidekick of the year" Piper: "I never watch anything I do because I get so scared and paranoid, but I forced myself to sit down and watch series one of Doctor Who recently," she told RT. "And I have to say that, watching it, I felt really, really happy and proud of the entire thing." ... Hardly suprisingly, she's looking forward to spending more time [next year] at home. For now, however, she's back where she was at the start of the year: filming the next series of Doctor Who..." The feature also offers discounts to RT readers on the recent books The Legend Continues and The Shooting Scripts. There are also two items looking to the next series - a small news item on the return of the Cybermen, and Charlotte Church, in her own interview, scotching rumours that she has a part in the series.

The Daily Star on 24 November noted that "of course, the big one everyone's talking about for Christmas Day is BBC1's Dr Who: The Christmas Invasion. David Tennant makes his full debut as the Doc - tackling the threat of the evil Sycorax. They're a race hellbent on taking over Earth, even though they sound more like a nasal decongestant." The Sun noted that Billie Piper was "a huge fan of Christmas specials. "It means so much to me that our show is going out when families will be sitting down together, eating copious amounts and drinking sherry. I think I'm going to need a few sherries before I watch it." (Also noted at DigitalSpy.)

The Sun on 24 November ran an article about John Barrowman competing in Dancing On Ice, a celebrity skating show. "John Barrowman, 38 -- who plays the captain in BBC1's hit -- will compete in Dancing on Ice, TV Biz can exclusively reveal. He is set to strap on his skates to train with '80s champs Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean on ITV1's Strictly Come Dancing-style show. John, who was in musical Chicago with Jennifer Ellison, 22, will battle other stars including Dame Kelly Holmes and Tamara Beckwith in the New Year. An insider said: 'He's more used to battling Daleks but at least he has rhythm.'"

In 26 November's Independent, a comment about the recent switching on of Christmas lights by Tennant and Piper: "Celebrity switchers: Of all the planets, in all the galaxies, Dr Who and his assistant Rose (aka David Tennant and Billie Piper) had to pick the Welsh capital. Piper told the crowd her favourite scene involved being attacked by a Christmas tree and the Cybermen were 'quite sexy actually'. Was it the prospect of this that drove Christopher Eccleston to quit? ... They should have hired... Billie, a couple of Cybermen and Chris Evans. Now that we'd like to see."

The Doctor Who Appreciation Society has received a letter from the Queen - or rather from the Queen's Senior Correspondence Officer, as Her Majesty understandably does not deal with her mail herself! DWAS Coordinator Ian Wheeler told Outpost Gallifrey, 'We scored a big hit by getting a letter from Lorraine Hegessey a couple of years back which was the first indication that the show was coming back. I never expected to top that but I think that we have managed it! I'd read about the Queen requesting tapes of Doctor Who so dropped her a line. Whilst the Palace does not comment directly on the Queen's tastes, the letter wishes the members of the Society well and says that the Queen was interested to hear that we have been going for nearly 30 years.'

The Chicago Sun Times covered the ChicagoTARDIS convention last weekend, noting that Nicola Bryant and Peter Davison would be guest stars at the event.

In addition to our story (run 24 November on Outpost Gallifrey) aboutBroadcast Magazine's "Hot 100" lists, there are other people besides David Tennant who were given accolades in the same issue, we've learned. Exec producerJulie Gardner came in at #13 on the producers list: "Gardner has clearly developed a special and highly productive relationship with Russell T Davies which so far has produced the phenomenal comeback of Doctor Who for BBC1 and Casanova for BBC2. It's been very good news for BBC Wales, which has been turned around by the commissions Welsh-born Gardner has brought west. Add to that Lucy Gannon's single drama Dad, the Richard Curtis-penned The Girl in the Cafe, from Tightrope Films, and it's been an extraordinarily good year for the former English teacher who only joined the BBC two years ago. Next off the Gardner production line is the eagerly awaited Kudos time travelling cop serial Life on Mars." Russell T Davies was #1 on the writers list: "Many a sceptical eyebrow was raised at the news that Davies was to write the return of Doctor Who. But fears that it would be a camp, ironic, retro brand exploitation exercise soon disappeared down a black hole of brilliant writing. If there was anything missing from Davies' CV it was a ratings busting primetime family drama and this was it. Even the Doctor's greatest sworn enemy, Michael Grade, was won over. And as if the Doctor wasn't enough Davies also turned BBC3/2's Casanova into a glorious romp, confirming, if confirmation were needed, that his range is unmatched in television today. Davies is not the hottest writer of the year, he's the hottest of his generation." Broadcast Magazine also published an analysis about the new show and 'old school heroes' being back on tleevision: "With 9.9 million tuning in to Doctor Who earlier this year, who can blame drama producers for ransacking the archives in search of a dose of nostalgia to whet our dramatic appetites, jaded by a surfeit of cynicism? Writer Andrew Davies, who has injected new life into more than his fair share of classic characters, reveals there's a lot to be said for nostalgia. 'I watched Doctor Who and it took me back to when I first saw it with my kids when they were small.' ... For Russell T Davies, the writer behind Doctor Who, the secret is to reinvent without jettisoning the things that made the original work. 'With Doctor Who we haven't fiddled with the basic format too much. Basically they got it right in 1963. The Doctor, a human, the Tardis and monsters - and all of that is still intact. We haven't done anything daft or damaging like: 'Let's make the Doctor a villain this time!'"

The Observer on 27 November said that "the best British actors, writers and directors are putting inventive drama back on the small screen. ... Beeb-bashers will have noted that the sparkling array of new work on BBC1 coincides with the corporation's charter renewal. The spate of quality dramas, the cynics would maintain, is a multi-billion-pound version of buffing up your CV. Having Poliakoff alongside Shakespeare Retold and Bleak House on your flagship channel ticks that 'public-service' box rather better than Ground Force. Whether this spurt of creative elan continues after 2007 remains to be seen. The Doctor Who effect suggests it might. No one is claiming Russell T Davies's self-referential crowd-pleaser will have Ken Loach looking over his shoulder, but it's about as close to memorable as the Saturday family slot is ever going to get, and it's proved to the execs that, at its best, drama can trump both light entertainment and reality pap in the ratings. ITV is currently preparing an anti-Who counterblast and, tellingly, its weapon of choice is neither a reality show nor Ant and Dec: it's a sci-fi drama called Primaeval. As Dan Chambers says: 'Reality TV probably peaked last year and what will fill the gap is drama.'

The website of Online Recruitment has a bone to pick with Russell T Davies. "When the well-known writer and producer of the successfully relaunched Doctor Who, Russell T Davies goes on record in an interview with the BBC (due to be broadcast on Radio 2 in a documentary on the 20 December) stating that he would never cast a Doctor over the age of 45, something is obviously wrong. Not only will he be in direct contravention of the new age discrimination laws due to come into effect in October 2006, but he's also lost much of the radicalism presented by the original series, says Penna plc, a human capital management consultancy. In an extract from the documentary Russell T Davies is quoted as saying, 'We live in an age now where you would never cast an older Doctor. Absolutely never. Never over fifty, I wouldn't say over forty-five actually. So we'll always have young Doctors now, because that's what a hero is these days.' The original Doctor Who challenged previous conventions of the BBC. Its producer was a young woman whose roots were in commercial television, the originator Sydney Newman was Canadian, and its director was Asian. Since the 1960s, the business world has gradually caught up with the ground-breaking foresight of Dr Who and recruited and developed people not based on age, sex or race but on talent. Penna plc, a human capital management consultancy, is sorry to see this apparent bowing to public pressure. 'Russell T Davies is not only wide of the mark and misinformed, but his quote is potentially damaging and would almost certainly be illegal with effect from next October,' says Gary Browning, CEO of Penna. 'Like employees in the workplace, Doctors (in the 'Who' sense) could benefit from the wisdom of age. In an era of low birth rates, increasing life expectancies and a rapidly increasing workforce, age is not something any of us can afford to discriminate against in the future. Over the next two decades the number of people of employable age will decrease by 15% - there will be, for the first time, more people over the age of 40 than under. The challenges of this demographic shift will impact on employers and time travellers alike.' Recent research from the Employers Forum on Age (EFA) found that attitude, not age, counts. Russell T Davies should learn from this. 'The Doctor Who's of the past have been loved and revered because of their talent and ingenuity – not because they were traditional heroes," continues Gary. "The only words of consolation I take from Russell's quote is that with my 45th birthday just 4 weeks away, it would seem that I can still be considered as the next Time Lord – but only just!'"

The BBC has pulled the plug on an adult video featuring Daleks, according toThe Register. "Those readers who have ever wondered in an idle moment how a couple of Daleks would respond to the presence of three naked lesbians romping in their Mothership might recently have found the answer in the shape of a sci-fi smutfest entitled 'Abducted by the Daleks'. Sadly, however, you'll have to wonder on because the BBC and the estate of Dalek creator Terry Nation have moved swiftly to pull the plug on the the trundling salt-cellars' intergalactic rumpy-pumpy. The 1,000-disc limited edition DVD recently popped up on eBay but has now been removed at the Corporation's behest. ... To cut to the chase - literally - here's how UK tabloid the Sun describes it: 'Dr Who's foes capture three naked 'disco babes' in the 18-rated DVD. They chase the girls around their spaceship and grope them with their plungers.' Oh dear, oh dear. The director of Terry Nation's estate, Tim Hancock, told the paper: 'The reason the Daleks are still the most sinister thing in the universe is because they do not make things like porn. They weren't ever intended to be sexual creatures. It's simple, Daleks do not do porn.'" The film apparently used the word Daloids instead of Daleks. The Sunfeatured a brief article about the video. Also covered at Yahoo News UK,MegaStar, GadgetSpy, ShortNews, Aversion.

icWales covered a Doctor Who related protest in Cardiff. "A life-sized replica of Doctor Who's Tardis came to Cardiff city centre as protestors campaigned to re-establish a city hospital. Scenes of the hit BBC sci-fi series were filmed in the empty wards of Cardiff Royal Infirmary (CRI). And protestors calling for a hospital to be re-established on the site took the Tardis to Queen Street yesterday with the campaign slogan 'CRI Wants Real Doctors Not Doctor Who,' insisting it should be used as a hospital and not as a film set. 'Cardiff already desperately needs more hospital facilities and the city is still growing,' said Dave Bartlett, who is secretary of CRISIS – Cardiff Royal Infirmary Save Its Services – which organised the protest. 'But hospital waiting lists and waiting times are growing even faster so the development of a hospital on the site of the CRI is a priority for the health needs of the city.' The Tardis and campaigners held their protest outside the Capitol shopping centre. And tomorrow they will lobby MPs at the assembly overnment offices in Cardiff Bay, handing over an 85,000 signature petition calling for a new hospital."

London24 says it's been a great 12 months for David Tennant, who has "rocketed from relative unknown to a household name. Although David first graced our screens in the 1994 drama Takin' Over The Asylum, it is roles such as the maverick DI Carlisle in the acclaimed Blackpool, and then as Casanova in Russell T Davies' fast-paced serial that have made him one of the nation's favourites. However, it's his role as the 10th Dr Who that is set to cement his place in history. And few could have predicted the show's phenomenal success when it returned to our screens after a 16-year gap." There are quotes from David Tennant, possibly taken from other sources. Just a few: "It was funny, when I first got asked I laughed! But it's such a great job! I get to play a Time Lord and have a Tardis - you can't knock that! ... Every time the Doctor goes through [regeneration], he changes to an extent. So you get to work on a blank canvas where you don't have to worry too much about what has gone before. It's interesting because he's always going be the slightly wild, bloke that he's always been. But because he's getting older, he's moving on. He's seen it all before, every alien creature with a superiority complex. ... Viewers are going to see a slightly more no-nonsense Doctor and it is influenced by what Chris did. We are more aware that he's someone who fought a war, lost all his people and, because he's the last Time Lord, the last authority in the universe, he's less indulgent, more ruthless. ... [About the costume:] I wanted something that would look good and feel right. I also wanted an outfit that wasn't too authoritarian, so that's why I opted for a scruffy- looking suit."

Finally, an obituary was published this week for Jonathan James-Mooreat the MediaGuardian. James-Moore was the producer of the Radio Four miniseries "Slipback" starring Colin Baker and Nicola Bryant, written by Eric Saward.

(Thanks to Paul Engelberg, Steve Tribe, Paul Hayes, Peter Weaver, Chuck Foster, John Bowman, Tim Parker)

The new issue of Radio Times has revealed two new titles for forthcoming episodes of the second series of Doctor Who. Mark Gatiss' episode is entitledThe Idiot's Lantern, according to the magazine, while the 13th and final episode of the season (written by Russell T Davies) bears the ominous title of Doomsday. In addition, the magazine also mentions that the name of the "red button" interactive episode written by Gareth Roberts that will be available starting on Christmas day is Attack of the Graske.

Is Stephen Fry's episode (currently slotted as #11) going to be delayed until next year? According to the weekend's Sunday Times, there is "more intrigue at Dr Who, where Stephen Fry's episode may be delayed. My mole in the Tardis assures me it is 'good' and 'very Stephen Fry', but that it needs so many special effects, it could prove to be too expensive, at least for the next run." The paper continues: "At least Fry got the chance to contribute. Shopping and F***ing playwright Mark Ravenhill was so annoyed about not being asked to contribute an episode, he almost considered buying up the rights to the less celebrated children's sci-fi drama from the 1970s, The Tomorrow People, as revenge."

SFX Magazine will soon be running a feature in a future issue regarding readers' "behind the sofa" memories of Doctor Who. "What's the moment of the original series that's still burned into your memory decades later? Did the Daleks give you a pant-wetting accident? Did you suffer nightmares for weeks afterwards? Were you terrified of plastic toys after seeing the Autons? Did your mum ban you from watching the show? We want to hear your stories - the more personal, the better. And if you've got photos of you dressed up as Doctor Who, or monster drawings from your childhood exercise books, send us copies of them too! Drop us a line by emailingsfx@futurenet.co.uk - please title your email DOCTOR WHO MEMORIES - or write to us at SFX, 30 Monmouth Street, Bath, BA1 2BW."

The new Radio Times (last one before the Christmas special), covering 10-16 December, interviews David Tennant, who considers himself "the dullest actor ever to have played the Time Lord." Says Tennant, who insists he leads a boring life, "I've no hobbies or pursuits. I live in north London and drive a Skoda. I'm afraid that's as interesting as it gets." Tennant also notes that he is avidly anti-Conservative and cannot believe anyone in showbiz would ever vote for the Tories: "When I started working in theatre in England, I would meet people and they would say, 'Oh, I voted for Margaret Thatcher'. The first time I heard someone saying that, I honestly thought they were joking. I'd be thinking, 'I have never met anyone from your world. What's it like? Do you roast children over open fires?' I still find it impossible to believe that anyone in the arts votes Conservative." The actor describes himself as a "skinny streak of nothing" but admits to having the odd moment of vanity. "I've been known to wear moisturiser, which may mean I'll be stopped on the Paisley boundary next time I go home." Tennant notes that before filming Casanova, he decided to work on his six-pack: "I thought I'd feel more confident in the role if I was feeling more confident physically, so I worked out every single day for five weeks. And then I didn't get to take my shirt off until week 10 of filming, by which time it had all gone to pot." The son of Presbyterian ministers, Tennant added his Christian faith helps him to cope with fame - but he claims to avoid any "preachy tendency". "It's a question of humanity with that element of not necessarily putting oneself first." The story has also been picked up and run in the Mirror, icWales,This is London, WaveGuide, Daily Record, ITN.

Also in the new Radio Times, E. Jane Dickson speaks to Tennant about his new ITV drama "Secret Smile", his career and background and of course taking on the role of the Doctor. There's also a small preview of "The Christmas Invasion" in a sidebar on the second page of the interview, and a picture of the TARDIS with a caption telling the reader to turn to that page for more information in an earlier section previewing the top programmes to watch this Christmas. Finally, the next issue preview at the back makes mention of the forthcoming Dalek competition and the 10-page Doctor Who special included with the Christmas edition.

icWales is reporting that protestors staging a demo at the Cardiff Royal Infirmary brought a replica TARDIS with them as they campaigned for the re-opening of the facility, with one of their protest slogans being "CRI Wants Real Doctors Not Doctor Who".

CBBC News is running a competition: "Meet Doctor Who! - Have you ever wanted to travel through time?? You could fast forward through time and see the Christmas episode of Doctor Who before anybody else does! We're looking for one Press Packer to report for Newsround from the premiere screening of the Christmas episode, The Christmas Invasion. David Tennant is the 10th Doctor Who and appears for the first time on Christmas Day in a one-hour show, where he finds himself under attack from a band of rogue Santas. Your mission will be to interview The Doctor and Rose and ask them all the questions you're dying to know. And, you will get the chance to see the Christmas episode before anybody else!! You'll need to be free for all of the day on Monday, 12 December so make sure you speak to your parent or guardian before entering this competition. To be in with the chance of winning this out of the world prize, all you have to do is tell us which point in history (or the future!) you would like to travel to in your Tardis. You might choose to do battle with the dinosaurs or fast forward to when we can live on the moon! Only your imagination is the limit - oh, and 50 words! The competition closes on Wednesday, 7 December 2005 at midday." Of course, this is only open to children...

The Sunday Mail ran a piece in which David Tennant predicted he would play the TV time traveller... in a school essay written 20 years ago. "The 14-year-old sci-fi nut was so obsessed with the show he got his gran to knit him a long, multi-coloured scarf - just like his favourite Doctor, Tom Baker. The scarf featured regularly in his essays until English teacher Moira Robertson warned him to 'exterminate' the references or he could end up failing his exams. Moira, who taught David at Paisley Grammar School, was so impressed with him that she kept a copy of his story 'Intergalactic Overdose'. It reads 'I had a habit. It was as bad as it could get. I needed help to stop, but I didn't care. I wanted more and more. You see, I was a junkie, a Doctor Who junkie. When I was old enough, I was convinced that I was going to play the part of the Doctor on TV.' Moira said: 'He must have been calling on his powers as a Timelord because he was so utterly convinced that he would be Doctor Who. I was unaware that the bright wee boy I was teaching had the amazing power to shift time and predict the future... but he certainly did.' Moira revealed David first showed his acting talent while at the school, adding: 'Although he was very talented, he certainly didn't act 'I'm the greatest.' But if there was one boy who had star quality... he was it.' Tennant, 34, who will star in a two-hour Dr Who special on Christmas Day, last night paid tribute to his old teacher. 'She made me first realise the possibilities of great literature - J.D. Salinger, Harper Lee, Orwell and Arthur Miller. And it was Moira who first guided me towards a dim understanding of what Shakespeare could be about.'"

The SF Crows Nest site has run an interview with science fiction writer Robert J. Sawyer, who notes that he thought the new season of Doctor Who was "absolutely terrific. I've got a total crush on Billie Piper, who I gather is a pop star in the UK. I'd never encountered her before the new series started airing. And I'm really sorry that Christopher Eccleston has left; I thought he was great. Episodes like Dalek and Father's Day absolutely blew me away. I'm looking forward to the next season. As you know if you read the ending credits, the new Doctor Who is a co-production with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and I got to do a lot of commentary for the CBC's documentary The Planet Of The Doctor, which was tremendous fun. By the way, since people are always curious, my favourite classic Doctor was Jon Pertwee." Sawyer was interviewed by CBC for their six-part web documentary "Planet of the Doctor" that was released earlier this year in conjunction with their airing of the show.

(Thanks to Paul Engelberg, Paul Hayes, Steve Tribe, Peter Weaver)

Radio Times will feature the year's third Doctor Who cover this year with the issue that goes on sale on 3 December. This follows the earlier covers this year, both at the start of the series as well as the Dalek cover that was released with the airing of the episode "Dalek". Click on the thumbnail for a larger version. Meanwhile, the press release for the Radio Times cover is below. (Thanks to the BBC Press Office; special thanks to Martin Hoscik at UNIT News who helped out when the release went missing!)

The Children in Need telethon, of which the seven-minute special (or, rather, 6'54" from start to finish, not the 3.5 minutes we were led to believe according to the official BBC roster) was part, raised over £17 million for charity, according to a BBC News article. "The BBC telethon Children in Need raised more than 17.2m during the fund-raising campaign on BBC One. The total is slightly higher than last year and is expected to grow to more than 30m when all donations are in. Presenter Terry Wogan said: 'Thank you for all your donations and everything you have done for Children in Need.' The telethon featured performances by Madonna, Rod Stewart, Girls Aloud and Liberty X and an appearance by Prime Minister Tony Blair. The organisers estimate that more than a quarter of a million people made donations." Additionally reported at CBBC News. Also, on the local East Midlands broadcast, "Derek the Dalek" (a fan-created Dalek) appeared; there are photographs here.

An update on last week's Cardiff Christmas lighting that David Tennant and Billie Piper took part in: you can now see the video of the two switching on the Christmas lights in Cardiff on the BBC South East Wales website, along with some still photos... click here. According to Andy Roberts of BBC Wales New Media, "This is a permanent, official web posting of the live insert featured in the regional news programme Wales Today. We'll keep it online indefinitely." Another report on the lighting was featured at Hello Magazine.

An article in Saturday's Birmingham Post asked, "Are you looking for a piece of film or television history? Props and scripts from classic films by directors such as Alfred Hitchcock, Martin Scorcese and Stanley Kubrick can sell for huge amounts of money at auction, but more contemporary film, music and television history is also very popular among collectors. ... As well as being famous for his love of jelly babies, Tom Baker's Dr Who was a great fan of scarves and one collector managed to get their hands on the actual scarf worn by Tom when he played the Doctor in the 1970s and early 1980s. It sold for £7,800. ... The rare 1970's BBC Television prop known as "The Dalek Supreme" sold for a staggering £36,000, over three times its pre-sale estimate, to benefit The Great Ormond Street Hospital for Sick Children. The Dalek was greeted with a round of applause in the saleroom and was bought by the communications agency Indeprod. The Dalek had previously sold for £4,600 when bought as a charity lot in 1986 to benefit the BBC Red Cross Sponsored Appeal. A spokesperson at Indeprod said: 'We are delighted to have acquired a Dalek. We shall place it in our reception area for all to see and enjoy. We have been after a Dalek for years and this seemed to be the perfect opportunity especially as the proceeds will go to The Great Ormond Street Hospital. We are also very pleased that the Dalek will stay in this country.'"

A new and licensed Dalek top is now available from Marks and Spencer in the UK. It comes in sizes from 3 to 14 years and costs £8 or £11, according to size. It hit the high street this week and is also available online at Marks and Spencer.

The weekend's Sunday Mail noted that "the new Doctor Who has stunned fans by transforming into a cockney. Scots actor David Tennant sounds like mockney Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins in sneak previews of the new series. And the BBC were last night forced to admit that David, 34, had dumped his native accent to star as the timelord. The actor, from Bathgate, West Lothian, is proud of his roots and sported the kilt when he arrived at a recent awards bash with Cutting It star Sarah Parrish. ... Last night, a BBC spokeswoman said: 'Playing a character with an English accent is not alien to David. David is an incredibly versatile actor whose work on screen is not defined by his accent but by his talent. We have every confidence that David's Doctor, like the man himself, will be hugely popular.' But producer Russell T Davies has suggested there could be a twist in the tale. He said: 'Every planet has a Scotland - you'll have to wait and see. There are revelations on the way.' The new series sees Doctor Who and his sidekick Billie Piper transported to Balmoral in the time of Queen Victoria, played by Pauline Collins. Doctor Who has had a Scottish accent in the past, when Sylvester McCoy played him from 1987."

Also in the Sunday Mail, a note about "Tennant's cheeky chat-up line." While most of it is fairly innocuous, it does feature quotes by former Casualty star Claire Goose, who says "He's going to be a fantastic Doctor Who. I can't wait to see it. He is so thrilled and excited to be doing it in the first place. He is one of those people who loves his job. He's really enthusiastic." Goose stars with Tennant in the upcoming ITV drama, Secret Smile, in which he plays her psycho boyfriend.

Playbill notes that Broadway and West End singer/actress Elaine Paige's upcoming concert at the Birmingham Symphony Hall will be broadcast on BBC Radio 2; Paige will be joined by John Barrowman, her former co-star in "Sunset Boulevard". Also covered at BroadwayWorld.

Manchester Online notes that David Tennant lost out on an award in Manchester: "New Dr Who David Tennant was getting the female hearts-a-fluttering at the awards, looking stylish in pinstripe suit and laughing and joking with fans. David was nominated in the best performance in a comedy or drama category for his role as Casanova in the BBC production, which was part-filmed in Manchester, but lost out to David Threlfall for Shameless. Scottish heartthrob David has taken over from Salfordian Christopher Eccleston as the popular time-traveller, and admits he is a little in awe of his predecessor and his success as Dr Who. 'They are incredibly big boots to fill, but I'm going to do my best,' he told me. 'It's great to be back in Manchester tonight and, of course, it didn't really matter that I didn't win. It's just been a fantastic night.'"

Series two writer Stephen Fry received a degree from Anglia Ruskin University and spoke of the "ridiculous sense of elitism" at Cambridge in a BBC Newsarticle;

(Thanks to Paul Engelberg, Steve Tribe, Peter Weaver, Matt Dale, Andy Roberts, Rich Kirkpatrick)