The latest issue of Doctor Who Magazine has further details of January'sThe Beginning UK DVD boxed set, in addition to the information already reported on Outpost Gallifrey. The pilot episode will appear in 25-minute form, as well as the complete and unedited 36 minutes of footage, retakes and all. There will be a feature ('The Theme Music Video') allowing viewers to experience the original theme arrangement in mono, stereo and 5.1 surround sound. There are commentaries by Verity Lambert, Carole Ann Ford and William Russell on 'An Unearthly Child' (episode 1) and by Waris Hussein, Carole Ann Ford and William Russell on 'The Firemaker' (An Unearthly Child episode 4). Christopher Barry and Verity Lambert do the commentary on 'The Survivors' (The Daleks 2), Barry, Russell and Ford on 'The Ambush' (The Daleks 4), and Russell, Ford and Richard Martin on 'The Rescue' (The Daleks 7). All five commentaries are moderated by Gary Russell. The 'Marco Polo' feature listed at the BBFC is a 30-minute reconstruction using soundtrack and telesnaps. There will also be PDFs of Radio Times listings and an Arabic soundtrack option for 'The Brink of Disaster' (The Edge of Destruction 2).

It should be noted that the schedule for Children in Need is very fluid, so that timeslot should not be taken as guaranteed - it could change right up to the night itself.

Tracy Ann Oberman, soon to be seen in episodes 5 and 6 of the new series, will be a guest on ITV1's Paul O'Grady show on Thursday 3 November (starting at 5pm).

According to reports at Channel 4 and ITN, "Billie Piper is apparently putting herself in the frame to become the next Bond girl. The Dr Who star is said to be taking a few days off filming to meet producers, currently gearing up to shoot Casino Royale. If Billie can persuade them to let her have a role, she will be lining up next to the new 007 Daniel Craig. A source told a newspaper: 'She's very excited about making it to the big screen.'" Yahoo News UK has also reported the story.

Billie Piper is one of the cover stars of the new edition of the "Radio Times", out this week. She is the centrepiece of a cover highlighting the leading ladies of BBC One's new series of modern Shakespeare adaptations, which begin with "Much Ado About Nothing" on Monday, in which Piper co-stars as Hero. A version is available online on the Radio Timeswebsite. Inside the magazine, there is a further photospread of the female stars on pages 12 and 13. In the accompanying feature, they all talk about their characters, and Piper says: "I was thrilled to find out that Hero, in this version, makes such a liberating choice in the end... She starts out very green, very young, but in the course of the play, she becomes more certain of who she is. The original Hero just wouldn't sit happily in the 21st century, for the simple reason that it's acceptable and expected now for young girls to be their own people." "Much Ado About Nothing" is one of Monday's main choices on the TV page, with TV editor Alison Graham saying that: "It doesn't matter if you're unfamiliar with the original play, as this version stands up well in its own right, and fizzes along with plenty of humour and sexual tension". TheGuardian also features a story about the BBC's Shakespeare updates coming this year, including mentioning Billie Piper's role in them.

BBC News notes Chris Evans "is suing a national newspaper for libel over a story about his split with wife Billie Piper. The BBC Radio 2 DJ's solicitor has begun proceedings against the Daily Star newspaper. It claimed Mr Evans gave it an exclusive interview where he blamed the BBC series Doctor Who - in which Ms Piper stars - for the break-up. Mr Evans said the story was 'completely fabricated'. The Daily Star has not responded to his allegation."

The 29 Oct - 4 Nov issue of Heat magazine has a preview of Christmas tv shows and reports that 'The BBC will have a festive Doctor Who on Christmas night,' though it's unclear if this is just a guess or based on inside info. (Outpost Gallifrey still believes the episode will show on Christmas Day.)

December's edition of Empire magazine lists "The Top 50 DVD Box Sets You Must Own", in which Dr Who Season 1 comes in at a respectable 18 - behind Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, James Bond and Harry Potter, but ahead of Blackadder, Back to the Future, Little Britain and The West Wing. Its 3-out-5-star rating is a little disappointing, but also apparently arbitrary given that it bears no relation to its place in the top 50, and that some of the same box-sets are reviewed elsewhere in the same magazine with different ratings.

The official Doctor Who website has solicited pictures of kids' Halloween costumes based on Doctor Who, and has also printed BBC Worldwide's current Doctor Who catalog.

People and Planet reports that Christopher Eccleston is supporting a pledge to help reduce Manchester's greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per cent before 2010, as part of a city-wide campaign on climate change, entitled "Manchester is my Planet (MIMP)". "Campaign organisers have estimated the amount of carbon dioxide savings pledged by Mancunians so far equals around 22,400 tonnes per year - that's enough CO2 to fill more than 20,000 hot air balloons, or 15 billion empty wine bottles. With support from a host of universities, large companies, radio stations and major sports clubs, eco-friendly citizens have taken the MIMP pledge via the campaign's website, www.manchesterismyplanet.com or by text message, through postcards and at street-level events that have taken place during September and October."Manchester Online also notes that Eccleston is "backing a campaign for wind turbines to be placed around the M60."

icWales talks about the recent Russell T Davies signing of the "Shooting Scripts" book in Cardiff. "TV Studies student Ross Garner, 22, of Eclipse Street, Adamsdown, was one of those in the queue outside Waterstones, in The Hayes, hoping to get some advice from the award-winning scriptwriter. 'I'd like to get into writing in one shape or form, maybe even on Dr Who itself,' he said. 'I have a few ideas and want to ask Russell for a few tips.' Ross was at a recent BBC Wales Children In Need event, where he met Dr Who stars Billie Piper and David Tennant. Also at the party was fan Jonathan Burnside, who travelled from Bristol for Saturday's signing. 'He's produced such terrific scripts and updated the programme to make it an enormous success,' he said. 'He has created fantastic characters, like Rose and her mum. I've been a fan of the show since I was eight and hope to still be when I'm 80.' Fans Sarah Williams and Paul Spiteri, both 27, of Tonteg, Pontypridd, were delighted to be at the front of the queue to get their copies of The Shooting Scripts signed. He was very nice and signed two books for us, as my brother can't be here today,' said Paul."

BBC News reports that Stephen Fry (who is writing one of the episodes for the forthcoming second season) is to write the libretto for a new film version of Mozart's "The Magic Flute", to be directed by his friend Kenneth Branagh.

The Norfolk Eastern Daily Press covers Roger Lloyd Pack's casting in the new series, mentioning other actors who have appeared in both "Doctor Who" and "Only Fools and Horses" including John Challis.

The Derby Evening Telegraph on 27 October noted that "A Dalek has been spotted in Chaddesden - but residents need not panic because local Time Lord Steve Warby is the force behind it. Mr Warby, a lifelong Dr Who fan, spent five months building a scaled-down copy of the Tardis using everyday items to house a limited edition Dalek he bought from a collector. At the flick of a switch, the light on the top of the Tardis comes on, fog pours out from under the machine, and the talking Dalek walks out of the door. ... Mr Warby, of Spring Gardens, experimented with various materials and designs in his spare room-turned-workshop before completing his creation. He says he has always enjoyed making unusual things, such as a water feature in his garden built from a 1970s disco ball and an upturned aluminium lampshade. But with the Tardis, thanks to his innovation and attention to detail, Mr Warby has taken his hobby to another level." Meanwhile theGloucestershire Echo on the same day noted that "now the Daleks have a new stalking ground - a greenhouse at The Cotswold School in Bourton-on-the-Water. The menacing monsters are the creation of site manager Gareth Davies. But he's not plotting to exterminate enemies - the idea is to raise money for charity. The sci-fi fan will auction his prototype, called Daisy, on an internet auction site to help his daughter Kiri raise cash for the Joshua Foundation."

The Tussaud’s Dalek is up for auction from Bonham's, according to theirwebsite: "Lot No: 630 To be sold to benefit The Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity: The Dalek Supreme (aka The Tussaud’s Dalek), 1970's the painted wooden body applied with plastic hemispheres and mounted with exterminator gun and suction arm at the front, the swivelling dome section with flashing lights and articulated eye stalk 160cm(63in) high"

The Leaky Cauldron reports on a recent interview Daniel Radcliffe ("Harry Potter") did with SFX. Radcliffe mentions Tennant: "I'll tell you what - I wish there was more of David Tennant in Goblet of Fire. He plays Barty Crouch Jnr. He's only got a few scenes and he's brilliant in all of them. He so absolutely, fantastically watchable. I think he'll be a good Doctor Who. I'll tell you the truth, I only saw the first episode. I thought Chris Eccleston was great, actually. Very, very good. I don't watch a lot of TV. I just watch The Simpsons and that's about it. But I did see David Tennant in Casanova. He's absolutely fantastic in it. I would love to work with him again. He's also the nicest person."

Various gossip: Mirror, David Tennant was accompanied to a recent show by Sophia Myles (who appears in the next season) (also reported atAnanova); various websites are reporting that Tennant will be attending the world premiere of "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" this Sunday at the Odeon Leicester Square; the Mirror has a report on Billie Piper's former marriage; the Daily Record says "Billie Piper admits glamour doesn't come naturally - because of her huge hands and feet," as she posed for a set in December's issue of Glamour magazine: "I have extremely wide feet, which means all those stilettos are a no-no"; the Mirror also mentions the Glamour shoot, and notes that "the 23-year-old ditched her trademark trainers and baggy combat trousers and slipped into the elegant outfits for a look that is out if this world... Billie posed in a revealing purple number and a backless cocktail dress... It is a far cry from the long coat, boots and glasses she was spotted wearing in London a few days ago after winning her best actress gong at the National TV Awards"; the Daily Mail says that "Billie Piper was spotted this week with lips that looked, how shall we say, fuller than usual. Natural or not, though, it's a look that all the stars seem to crave..."; and the Sun wondered "Where the ecc was he? ... I hope Christopher Eccleston had a bloody good excuse for not showing up at the National TV Awards to pick up his gong as Best Actor. ... I accept that he has quit the role, but he played a huge part in the success of the series and it would have been gracious of him to turn up and thank his fans."

(Thanks to Paul Engelberg, Paul Hayes, Robert Booth, Peter Weaver, Julian Smith, Ian Wheeler, Paul Webb, Matt Kimpton)

BBC Radio 2 will be presenting a new documentary special, Doctor Who: Regeneration this December, Outpost Gallifrey has learned. The new documentary from the radio channel, which earlier this year presented the two-part documentary "Project: WHO", "examines how this year's adventures of the Time Lord became the most talked about television event of 2005. Just how significant was the departure of Christopher Eccleston to the programme and its production team? Has the success of 'Doctor Who' changed the battleground of Saturday night television? And is the TARDIS safe in David Tennant's hands?" The documentary features new interviews, exclusive music by "Doctor Who" composer Murray Gold, and excerpts from the new series, and "tells a fascinating story of why it took forty-two years to become the nation's most popular drama series." Key interviewees include David Tennant, Billie Piper, Russell T. Davies, Julie Gardner, Phil Collinson, Murray Gold, Alison Graham of Radio Times, BBC1 Controller Peter Fincham, Jane Tranter, Camille Coduri (Jackie Tyler), Noel Clarke (Mickey), Penelope Wilton (Harriet Jones), directors James Hawes and Euros Lyn, and others. Written by Brian Sibley and produced by Malcolm Prince, the documentary airs on BBC Radio 2 on Tuesday 20 December at 8:33pm.

Greetings from your editor... BBC Radio listeners (if you're so inclined) can tune into the following radio programs over the next two days to hear about the Back to the Vortex book, my unofficial and unauthorized guide to the first season of the new Doctor Who series, as I'll be doing interviews with local BBC Radio stations for the next two days on the book from the London studios. The schedule is as follows (all times are half-hours and the interviews will appear at some point during the period):

Monday, 19 September
• 10.30-11am: BBC Radio Bristol, with Richard Lewis
• 11.30am-12pm: BBC Radio Oxford, with Danny Cox
• 12pm-12.30pm: BBC Radio Hereford and Worcester
  
  Tuesday, 20 September
• 9:30-10am: The Tony and Julie Show, BBC Radio Leicester
• 10am-10:30am: BBC Radio Northampton, with Bernie Keith
• 11am-11.30am: BBC Radio Kent, with Julie Maddocks
• 2.10-2.30pm: BBC Radio Swindon/Wiltshire with Mark Seaman
• 3.30-4pm: BBC Radio Midlands with Danny Kelly

The South Wales Evening Post today reported that the BBC Wales film crew will descend on the Gower coast in Swansea this weekend for new series filming. It is also said that the filming will be for episode 1 of the new series, although it is not confirmed if David Tennant or Billie Piper will be present, they also say that the actual location is a secret and do not want this info to get out to the general public.

Sylvester McCoy will be appearing at the Hollywood Cinema on 2nd October for an interview, which will then be followed by showings of Battlefield and Remembrance of the Daleks, all as part of the Yarmouth Film Festival; more details atEDP24.

Annette Badland, better known to Season One fans as Margaret Blaine, is currently appearing in Radio Four's "The Archers" as the ever-so-slightly machiavellian Hazel Woolley. A long-running but irregular character (played in past appearances by Hilary Armstrong, Jan Cox and Hilary Newcombe), Hazel seems set to feature for some time, as she vies against her increasingly senile father's wife for control over his businesses. Nno incidents yet of suspicious farting or oddly placed zips, though, so Ambridge may yet prove safe.

John Barrowman and Richard Wilson will be appearing in Cinderella over Christmas at the New Wimbledon Theatre from 9th December; they're currently doing auditions for it for children, details at IC South London (and theatre info at The Ambassadors).

Paul Abbott, recently revealed to have been the fifth potential writer for the first season of "Doctor Who" this past year, is quoted by The Guardian and The Times as saying that "too much television drama is under-ambitious, predictable and needlessly boring" but that producer Russell T Davies' series "Second Coming" was "a television masterpiece. It grappled with the most colossal subject matter in the return of a Messiah to earth. Not in a Robert Powell way. Modern earth. Manchester, actually. And mainly the scruffy end."

In a feature on the Brighton Pier Doctor Who exhibition in the latest DWM, it is said that there is uncertainty about the exhibition's future after its seasonal closure in November. Vicki Whitmore of Brighton Pier says that there will be other exhibitions in the dome but if there were another Who exhibition available, "we would obviously consider taking it back on". Lorne Martin, of Experience Design, says that they are "looking at other ventures in other areas, whereby the exhibitions can grow [...] The fact that the show is already signed up for Series Three [means that] we can go and talk to more venues about making an even more thrilling experience."

(Thanks to Steve Tribe, Chuck Foster, Paul Engelberg, Matt Kimpton, Paul Hayes and "facethemusic")

Today's (Wednesday) edition of Blue Peter demonstrated how to make Doctor Who pen pots! The recent appearance by David Tennant and results of the monster design competition continue to lead the viewers' poll (details), currently having 58% support with 891 votes.

The BBC7 website now features three of the series trailers recorded for the Paul McGann series, including the 'What is the TARDIS?' one (not so far available on the offcial Doctor Who site). It also has all four episode trailers for Sword of Orion, with a spoiler warning attached to the trailers for parts three and four.

BBC Three continues to revise the running for its Who repeats. Sunday nights now start with a full-length Confidential, which is followed by a double bill (this week featuring the idiosyncratic pairing of episodes 11 and 12 with the 10th instalment of Confidential. The Wednesday Cut Downs seem to have been dropped entirely. The Friday evening repeats do not follow this double-bill format, and have therefore immediately fallen several weeks behind. The Saturday evening Confidential, meanwhile, returns in a slightly later timeslot, showing the full-length version of the previous night's Cut Down. The radio and television schedules are adjusted on our schedule here on the News Page. (Note that Friday night's DW Confidential is actually the first ever showing of a "Cut Down" version of that episode, "Special Effects".

An article in the Sunday Times interviews Andrew Marr, former BBC political editor, and discusses his appearance in Doctor Who this past season. "The cameo role on Dr Who, however, shed shade on Marr's often stated, old-school concern for the corrosive modern interplay of celebrity personality and journalistic propriety. ... 'I loved doing Dr Who. I was presenting a news report about an alien invasion. They took hours and hours to light it, which was bizarre, because they were mimicking something I normally do in five minutes with one cameraman.'" Also in today's Sunday Times, in the Biteback column: "Dr Who fans, while generally enthusiastic about the latest series, felt it had too many episodes set in the UK. I gather Stephen Fry has written one of the 13 episodes of the next series, and it is likely to be set in the 1930's England. To retain viewers' interest, he has been promised some of the series' best special effects."

BBC News interviews John Barrowman about "why he swapped Doctor Who for a role in West End play A Few Good Men alongside Hollywood star Rob Lowe." The article talks to Barrowman about gay rights, confirms that "I won't be in Season 2 but I will be back for Season 3... There was talk of me coming back for the next series, but because of the commitments I have it just wasn't going to work out" and talks about the new show "Simply Musicals" that he will soon take part in. "It's important to bring theatrical stuff back to television," says Barrowman. The article asks, "So what will the Whovians say when they see Captain Jack sing? Barrowman is sure they'll approve. 'Science-fiction is not that far from musical theatre,' he says. 'In the end, it's all just heightened reality.'"

Colin Baker opines on the new series in the newest issue of "Dreamwatch" magazine, where he praises the series in a two-page article that mentions "The Empty Child"/"The Doctor Dances" as his favorite story and Annette Badland and Florence Hoath as the season's best guest actors. "It was great to sit down and watch the new Doctor Who from the very first moment, knowing I was not in it," Baker wrote.

Peter Davison appeared this week on Look North, a BBC regional news programme. He was shown visiting The World of James Herriot, an exhibition in Thirsk in Yorkshire, which is dedicated to the author on whose books All Creatures Great and Small was based. Davison is also in the news at Yorkshire Today when he recently visited a set from the other series he's well known for. "One of the stars of All Creatures Great And Small said things had not changed all that much when he visited the vets' surgery that inspired the famous tales. Yesterday Peter Davison, who played Tristan Farnon in the long-running BBC series, called in at the World of James Herriot in Thirsk. The award-winning attraction opened in 1999 at 23 Kirkgate û the 'Skeldale House' of the Herriot books û and original surgery of Herriot creator and real-life vet Alf Wight. 'Last time I came it was still a working practice, when Alf was still working here,' said Mr Davison. 'Even then the waiting room was full of American tourists with copies of books to sign.' A global TV audience of 460 million is estimated to have seen All Creatures since the first of 88 episodes was broadcast in 1978, but Mr Davison said at the beginning the producers had no inkling of how popular the show would be. 'They did not know it would be so successful and zipped through the first books too quickly,' he said. 'Some stories could have made an entire episode but there were four or five stories in each episode.'" Davison is currently on location in Northumberland, filming a second series of Distant Shores, which will be broadcast on ITV in the New Year.

Corey Johnson, who appeared as Van Statten in "Dalek," will be appearing in next week's season-opening two-parter of "Spooks", playing the part of 'Richard Boyd'. The episodes, which kick off the fourth series of the spy drama, are being shown on Monday 12 September and Tuesday 13 September at 9pm on BBC One.

An article at BBC News from Ssaturday notes that Russell T Davies will take part in this weekend's annual gay and lesbian Mardi Gras on Saturday in Cardiff, alongside such notables as singer Charlotte Church. Also noted at .

The BBC Press Office has put online a small press pack for the new Verity Lambert-produced comedy/drama "Love Soup", due to start this autumn on BBC One. The series is also notable for starring Tamsin Greig, the Nurse from "The Long Game".

An article at IC Wales discusses the various lines of toys coming soon including the "12-inch radio-controlled Dalek, a sonic screwdriver with a built in UV light to reveal secret handwriting and walkie talkies in the shape of Doctor Who characters. And, according to retailers, demand for the toys is so high they're worried they won't be able to keep up. Alan Vaughan, assistant manager of Cardiff's Comic Guru Presents, a shop that specialises in Doctor Who merchandise, said, 'We have people coming in two to three times a day asking about when the new toys are going to come out, everyone's waiting for them. When they come in we expect them to start flying out the door. In between now and Christmas that's what everyone will be wanting. ... It's a nostalgia thing. Everyone remembers it and, even if you haven't watched it, you know what a Dalek looks like.' The toys, which will be the first official merchandise to accompany the new BBC series, were supposed to have arrived in the shops at the beginning of this month. But the toy's manufacturers, Character Options, said although they are now being distributed there were a lot of delays partly due to massive demand. They are now expected to arrive by the middle of September. Managing partner of Galaxy4, one of the UK's leading suppliers of Doctor Who merchandise, said demand for Doctor Who products has increased by 15% over the past year. But he said the brand is unique in being able to attract new fans without alienating older ones. He said, 'Doctor Who is unlike anything else. The new series has attracted a new fan base. But they've also managed to retain their older fan base, people who have been fans for over 20 years. That's a remarkable achievement. We've already had thousands of preorders for the new range. The most popular toy so far seems to be the sonic screwdriver, because it's something kids can keep in their pocket, and they can play the role of the Doctor, or Rose. But there's also lots of collectors, people in their 60s who will be buying them as well.' One such collector is John Campbell Rees, member of Timeless, a Doctor Who appreciation society based in Wales. The assistant librarian from Treherbert said his earliest memory is of watching Doctor Who and he has been collecting memorabilia for more than 30 years. His collection includes more than 300 books, DVDs and toys and he said he can't wait to see the new range."

In reaction to the new 'police boxes' used in Glasgow, BBC News says that the boxes aren't amenable to blind people. Says a correspondent, "The centre of Glasgow has seen the the arrival of the new Strathclyde Police information system in the style of an old police box. But instead of a policeman inside, it is just electronics. As a totally blind person, I went down to see what all the fuss was about following the press coverage the 'Tardis' received. Sorry, I am visually impaired, there is no emergency. As it was recently designed, I was hoping that it might talk, after all it was there to provide information to the public. I walked from St. Enoch underground station with my cane and finally bumped into the large steel structure. I felt my way around the object, touching the screens and buttons. They were sunk into the casing, so were quite difficult to feel."

The new edition of "emagazine", a UK publication for teachers of English Literature and Language, has David Tennant as its cover star. He is pictured in a scene from the recent production of John Osbourne's 'Look Back In Anger'. An article inside the magazine contains two other pictures of Tennant in the role of Jimmy Porter.

Additional links: more coverage of Barrowman's appearance on "Simply Musicals" at The Stage, Whats On Stage,PlayBill; more on Barrowman in "A Few Good Men" at PlayBill, The Evening Standard; additional coverage of Eccleston's win of the TV Quick/TV Choice awards at DeHavilland, In The News, Hello Magazine, Monsters and Critics.

(Thanks to Steve Tribe, Paul Engelberg, Paul Hayes, John Bowman, Joe McKee)

BBC News reports that musicals are the inspiration for a new BBC One entertainment programme which will see celebrities performing songs from Broadway and West End shows, and John Barrowman will take part. Stars "will be among those taking on numbers from Cats, Guys and Dolls, Billy Elliot and Chicago. The four-part show will be broadcast on Saturday nights early next year. The BBC has enjoyed success over the past year with song-and-dance programmes like Strictly Come Dancing. The show, which is being filmed at London's TV Centre in September and October under the working title of Simply Musicals, will take on the same live feel of those hits. Audience members will be asked to come dressed for a night out in the West End in an attempt to give the show the atmosphere of a real theatre." The report notes that the program was commissioned by former BBC One controller Lorraine Heggessey, who also commissioned Doctor Who. Also reported in the Mirror and Media Guardian.

The official Doctor Who website has reported on the Big Finish "Cyberman" series we reported on a few days ago, and the police box in Glasgow news story (see our story on August 30).

Round Table, a current affairs discussion programme in which two local celebrities take a humorous look at the week's news, will air on BBC Radio York on September 9th, and Doctor Who will be the subject. The programme will be part of the 'Jules and Julia' slot and will be broadcast between 1 and 2 pm. DWAS Coordinator Ian Wheeler will take part in the roundtable discussion.

Exec producer Russell T Davies' forthcoming appearance at the Mardi Gras Fringe Benefit at the Sherman Theatre in Cardiff next month is noted in a press release. "Russell will be in conversation with arts writer Mike Smith about the new series of Dr Who now been filmed in South Wales. As well as discussing the new Time Lord, David Tennant, and maybe revealing a few secrets of the forthcoming Christmas special, the Swansea-born writer will also be answering questions from the audience at the Sherman Theatre, Cardiff on Tuesday September 6. ... Joining Russell on the Sherman stage will be top comedienne Clare Summerskill and West End actor Dave Benson, who received plaudits for his one man Kenneth Williams show, Think No Evil, and live music from Swansea singer Scotty. Mike Smith said, 'I am looking forward enormously to interviewing Russell and opening up the conversation to the audience as I know Dr Who is one of the big conversation topics everywhere I go. This evening will be great for Dr Who fans who can get to ask about the new series û not that I can guarantee Russell will be giving anything away! With comedy and music also on the bill this will be a great evening. Who knows we might get the Lord Mayor of Cardiff along û real or the Slitheen!'" For more details visit the Sherman Theatre website.

Kingswood Warren, home of the BBC's Research and Development Department, will open its doors to the public on September 10-11 as part of the Heritage Open Days. "Visitors will not only be able to look round the impressive reception rooms and the beautiful grounds and croquet lawn," says the press release, "but will also be able to experience some of the technical broadcasting wizardry of the BBC, making the impossible appear to happen before their eyes. Young visitors can participate in a show of the BBC's virtual reality Production Magic in the TV studio and (for a small charge) take away a videotape or DVD recording their exploits. Demonstrations will range from some of the electronic trickery behind BBC television coverage to the material that made Harry Potter's invisibility cloak. There will also be exhibitions on the achievements of BBC R&D û including demonstrations of some current projects and on the history of the Kingswood Warren house." Full details are available at the BBC's R&D website or the Heritage Open Days website.

New Zealand's Prime network has experienced a "dramatic increase" in audience levels for the new Doctor Who series in their target demographic of ages 25-54. Says the report, "Taking into consideration the previous programme in this timeslot was Wife Swap USA, it appears Prime's audience was crying out for a change." The high ratings have continued across the first six weeks of the series, with audience share being won from rival station TV3.

The Avalard/Hammer Horror website features an interview with Colin Baker, who at the time of the interview was appearing in previews for a new adaptation of "Dracula" on stage. Baker mentions Doctor Who in several instances, including his at-the-time forthcoming Australia tour and also his enjoyment of taping new Doctor Who audios for Big Finish.

Additional stories on the recent announcements about this year's batch of toys at The Sun, Manchester Online.

(Thanks to Steve Tribe, Paul Engelberg, Alan Daulby, Paul Hayes, Martin Hoscik, Chuck Foster)