The BBC Press Office has announced that Alex Kingston and Colin Salmon will appear as guest stars in writerSteven Moffat's two-part story for the fourth series of Doctor Who, which is currently filming.

Kingston, who will play a character named in the press release as River Song, is best known for her regular role in the American television drama series ER. In the UK, she starred in the one-off dramas Moll Flanders and Boudecia for the ITV network. Salmon has been seen in a variety of roles in British film and television, including as the supporting character Charles Robinson in the James Bond films Tomorrow Never Dies, The World Is Not Enough and Die Another Day. His character in Doctor Who has not yet been named.

BBC News and The Sun have stories about the casting announcement.

The script for the 2007 Doctor Who episode "Blink" by Steven Moffat has been placed on the preliminary ballot for the Nebula Awards. The Nebula Awards are awarded yearly by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) for the best science fiction written in the previous two years, using a system of "rolling eligibility". Moffat was nominated last year for his script for "The Girl in the Fireplace", but lost to the Hayao Miyazakianimated film "Howl's Moving Castle".

This year, the other entries for Best Script are the screenplays for the films "Children of Men", "The Prestige", "Pan's Labrynth" and "V for Vendetta"; an episode of the television anthology "Masters of Science Fiction" written by Harlan Ellison; and an episode of the fan-produced Internet series "Star Trek: The New Voyages".

CLARIFICATION: "Blink" is on the preliminary ballot, which is the first part of a two-stage voting process. The final ballot will be released in March.

(Thanks to Alex Frazer-Harrison.)

Gallifrey 2008, North America's nineteenth annual Doctor Who convention, has published the first tentative schedule of events for the convention. Also confirmed are a host of new guests including Moya Brady (Bridget in the new series episode "Love and Monsters"), Derek Riddell (Sir Robert in the episode "Tooth and Claw" and also a star of the new "Blake's 7" audio series), Carrie Dobro ("Crusade" and the "Blake's 7" audio series), Dr. Jerry Pournelle (science fiction novelist and space sciences consultant), Curtis Rivers, Tom Lucy & Jason Hunjan (stunt performers from Doctor Who and Torchwood), Andy Lane (Doctor Who and Torchwood novelist), Arne Starr (illustrator) and several others, with more guests to be announced soon. Also available on the website is the current membership list, forms for the convention art show and much more. Gallifrey 2008 takes place February 15-17 at the Los Angeles Airport Marriott Hotel with guests of honor Sylvester McCoy (the Seventh Doctor), Sophie Aldred (Ace), Andrew Cartmel(Seventh Doctor era script editor), Daphne Ashbrook (Grace Holloway), Lisa Bowerman (Bernice Summerfield),Jason Haigh-Ellery (Big Finish Productions), new series writers Paul Cornell & Steven Moffat, Doctor Who Restoration Team members Steve Roberts & Mark Ayres and many more. Full details available on the conventionwebsite.

Broadcast magazine, the weekly magazine of the UK's television and radio industry, has released its "Hot 100 of 2007" list, and several Doctor Who people are on the list.

In the Talent category, Billie Piper comes in at #6 (the highest-ranking woman on the list). The magazine mentions her forthcoming return to Doctor Who, as well as her roles in "The Diary of a Call Girl", "Mansfield Park" and "The Shadow of the North".

In the Writers" category, Steven Moffat gets a nod at #11. Broadcast praises his "ingeniously playful" series "Jekyll" and his Doctor Who scripts, and notes his upcoming work on the Stephen Spielberg/Peter Jackson film adaptation of "Tintin". Moffat is also quoted about his first series, "Press Gang": "I'd love to do a return visit to the characters," he says. "They'll all be sad and fat, decaying in middle age."

Russell T. Davies has previously appeared in the Writers section of the Hot 100, but this year Broadcast recognizes his contributions as a producer, listing him at #1 in that category. The magazine notes Davies' hands-on involvement in every stage of Doctor Who and its spin-offs, and credits him with turning Doctor Who into one of the BBC's biggest brands. Jane Tranter says that Davies is "brilliant, totally rooted, extremely wise, irreverent and great fun to be with. And he's incredibly kind. His non-judgmental understanding of the nature of the human condition is written large in every piece of work he's ever done." (Tranter, who as Head of Drama at the BBC in 2003 was responsible for commissioning the return of Doctor Who to BBC television, is also in Broadcast's Hot 100. Now the BBC's Head of Fiction, she's the #1 entry in the Commissioners category.)

Finally, leading the field in Craft and Post-Production is Will Cohen of The Mill. The Mill contributed 2,897 effects shots to Doctor Who in 2007, and Cohen ensured that each of them was "better than good". Cohen says, "You've got to compete with computer games, the internet and DVDs. Viewers don't care whether effects are made for the cinema or TV - the work either stands up and holds its own or it doesn't."

Broadcast also listed Doctor Who as one of the top-rated dramas of 2007, excluding soaps. Based on overnight figures, the 31 March broadcast of "Smith and Jones", with 8.2 million viewers and a 39.5% share of the audience, was the eighth most viewed television drama of 2007, and the third highest ranking for a BBC program (surpassed by "Waking the Dead" and "New Tricks").

Broadcast requires detailed but free registration to read articles.

The BBC's Doctor Who website has announced that the writers of Doctor Who Series 3have won the Writers' Guild of Great Britain Award for Best Soap or Series (TV). (The other nominated series were New Tricks Series 4 and Life on Mars Series 2.)

All the writers of Series 3 (Chris Chibnall, Paul Cornell, Russell T. Davies, Stephen Greenhorn, Steven Moffat, Helen Raynor and Gareth Roberts) were honored. Cornell, Greenhorn, Moffat and Roberts were in attendance at the ceremony, which was held at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA).

Further details of the award ceremony are available at the Writers' Guild blog.

The Doctor Who News Page would like to remind its readers about "Time Crash", the special Doctor Who scene which will air Friday night as part of theChildren in Need telethon. The telethon airs on BBC One starting at 7:00. TheRadio Times indicates that Time Crash will air between 8:00 and 8:30, but the Children in Need schedule is always fluid, so this may or may not be accurate.

"Time Crash" stars David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor and Peter Davison as the Fifth Doctor. It is written by Steven Moffat and directed byGraeme Harper, who previously directed Peter Davison in his final Doctor Who story, The Caves of Androzani. The scene is expected to be between five and seven minutes long.

The BBC's Doctor Who website has announced that fans in the UK will be able to view "Time Crash" online for seven days after its broadcast, as well as a special Doctor Who Confidential featurette.

In addition to "Time Crash", the Children in Need telethon will include a singing appearance by John Barrowman, which is also scheduled by Radio Times in the 8:00-to-8:30 slot. Christmas special guest star Kylie Minogue will also be singing her new single, "2 Hearts", sometime during the evening's events.

On Thursday, Mark Shift of Clitheroe, Lancashire won a Children in Need auction for a day on the Doctor Who set. Shift entered the bidding for his five-year-old son Joshua (whom he describes as a "Doctor Who fanatic"), and won with a bid of 37,000 UK pounds. Shift is interviewed in The Clitheroe Advertiser, his local newspaper.

The Doctor Who News Page would like to remind its readers that the Doctor Who production team have contributed their time and talent freely, for the benefit of Children in Need. Children in Need funds are given to charity organizations which aid children in the UK. Readers can give to Children in Need online by following this link. Please give generously.

The BBC has confirmed that Fifth Doctor Peter Davison, who played the part in the classic series from 1981 until 1984, will reprise his role alongside current DoctorDavid Tennant in the forthcoming Children in Need telethon.

The mini episode, entitled Time Crash, was written by award-winning Doctor Who writer Steven Moffat and will be transmitted as part of the Children in Need fundraising evening on Friday 16 November 2007.

"It is an honour for me to be able to make the connection between the Fifth Doctor and the Tenth Doctor," noted Peter Davison. "However, now is not the time for sound-bites. I can feel the hand of history on my shoulder, even if I can't do the buttons up!"

This story has also been picked up by The Sun, with another photo of the duo.

Media Guardian reports that Jane Tranter, BBC Head of Fiction, is keeping the possibility of a Doctor Who film open. Tranter is quoted as saying, "I would not rule out a film version of Doctor Who, no." The article also discusses the future of the television series for the next several years, as previously revealed; however, Tranter suggests that David Tennantmay remain in the role for Series Five in 2010.

The final two episodes of series 3 of Doctor Who have received glowing reviews in the Australian media. RespectedSydney Morning Herald TV critic, Ruth Ritchie writes 'David Tennant has no trouble carrying the magnificent Dr Who . . . In these last two episodes, brilliantly written by Russell T. Davies, the Best Dr Ever has the good grace, sense and brows to let equally charismatic John Simm hog the limelight.

It never occurred to me that Tony Blair could have been a disgruntled time lord determined to involve America in the destruction of the planet. But once you see Simm portray just such a slimy, sexy PM, it really makes sense . . . Dr Who is built on rock-solid science fiction, reassuringly familiar elements such as the Tardis, great characterisation and really superior coats that move when the characters run.

There are many layers to Dr Who, as well as sexy men in flowing coats, and some of the wittiest writing on television. Tennant's ability to carry an audience on often impossibly silly journeys seals his CV as serious TV star . . . Tennant has a wide-eyed, inclusive appeal. More importantly, his famous character, the doctor, is charming, brilliant but ultimately flawed. He can sense and solve cataclysmic problems in the universe yet he is oblivious to the most obvious human emotions of all those around him. He's Superman with Asperger's. Now you don't see that every day.'

Bronwyn Thompson of the Sydney tabloid The Daily Telegraph also writes, in a review of 'The Sound of Drums', that 'it's no easy feat drawing swords against the comical melodrama of David Tennant, but the casting of John Simm . . . is genius. He's easily one of the best young actors on British TV and plays the conniving and crazy Master almost too convincingly.' Melinda Houston of the Melbourne Sunday Age also writes of the 'Last of the Time Lords', that 'another blindingly good series draws to a close . . . (Boo!) in a riotous episode that leaves us both satisfied and longing for more. (Yay!)'. Jen Rosenberg, of the Sydney Morning Herald, also gives the series final a thumbs up, writing that it 'has all the markings of a great epic, like a weird hybrid of 'Lord of the Rings', Big Brother (the George Orwell variety) and 'Star Trek', with shades of the Bible thrown in', while Jim Schembri, of The Age, says this episode is 'loads of fun, as usual'. Meanwhile, Ian Cuthbertsonof The Weekend Australian says that 'this season finale is not called 'Last of the Time Lords' for nothing. Miss it and you may regret it forever.'

Torchwood has also received some good Aussie press. Michael Idato, of the Sydney Morning Herald, writes of 'Captain Jack Harkness' that 'Catherine Tregenna's script was the best of this series, ranking alongside Steven Moffatt's 'The Girl in the Fireplace' and 'Blink' . . . for its clever and inventive handling of time travel, with both the past and present storylines playing out simultaneously, the former shaping the latter as the plots unfolded.' In other Torchwood news, Imparja Television, an Aboriginal owned television company which broadcasts over huge parts of remote Australia, has begun broadcasting the spin-off on Wednesday nights at 10.30pm.

Finally, in the ratings, Doctor Who has remained competitive during the Australian footy finals season: while 'Utopia' dipped to 740,000 viewers in the 5 major capitals, 'The Sound of Drums' rallied to 878,000 viewers. The season final, the full 51 minute version of the 'Last of the Time Lords', received 889,000 viewers and was theABC's top programme outside the news. Meanwhile, Torchwood's 'End of Days' received 160,000 viewers, its best performance in the midnight timeslot for Channel Ten. For more ratings details see the Sydney Morning Herald’s Tribal Mind.

The results of the 2007 Hugo Awards have been announced at Nippon 2007, the 65th World Science Fiction Convention, in Yokohama, Japan. The Hugo for Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form went toThe Girl in the Fireplace by Steven Moffat.

This is Moffat's second Hugo win, following from last year's win for The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances. Other Doctor Who nominees in the category this year included Army of Ghosts/Doomsday by Russell T Davies and School Reunion by Toby Whithouse.