Tenth Planet has sent us the cover illustration for the exterior packaging of the forthcoming UK DVD release of The Beginning, due out in January. As previously reported, this boxed set will contain "An Unearthly Child," "The Daleks" and "The Edge of Destruction". Click on the thumbnail for a larger version of the cover. (Thanks to Paul at Tenth Planet)

Nicholas Briggs is interviewed by BBC Wiltshire on audio, in which he announces that he will return to the series for its second year to voice the Cybermen. Says the website, "The recent revival of cult BBC1 sci-fi series Doctor Who was a huge hit with viewers when the 13-part series starring Christopher Eccleston as The Doctor was shown earlier this year. One of the most popular aspects of the new version of the show was the return of The Doctor's most fearsome foes - the dreaded Daleks whose terrifying catchphrase 'EXTERMINATE' sent an whole new generation of young viewers scurrying behind the sofa. The man who provided the voices for The Daleks in the new series is life-long Doctor Who fan Nick Briggs who is not only a Dalek expert but an actor and producer of Doctor Who audio stories. On the day of the launch of the DVD box-set of the recent series of Doctor Who, Nick spoke to BBC Radio Wiltshire's Afternoon Show presenter Mark Seaman about what it was like to work on the new series. He also demonstrated a piece of equipment called a ring modulator which is used to distort his voice into that of a Dalek. And Nick exclusively revealed he is to appear as the voice of another old enemy of The Doctor's when the series returns in the New Year." (Thanks to Daniel Garrett)

There are several rumors making the rounds that Don Warrington has been cast in the role of "The President" in the two-part Cybermen story in the new season, though this has not been confirmed. Warrington has previously played the role of Rassilon, founder of Time Lord society, for Big Finish's audio plays and has been seen in numerous films and television series. More details soon...

The following is a set report from an Outpost Gallifrey fan correspondent, Melanie Hill, from filming done yesterday, 15 November, on episodes 5 and 6 which are being filmed now. Click on the spoiler tag to read it. (With thanks to Melanie Hill and the TIMELESS group...)

A couple of press outlets have reported the names of episodes 5 and 6 as being "Nine Lives" and "School's Out". This is actually a confusion based on the fact that the writer, Tom MacRae, has written these series in the past; they are not episodes of this show, but television series in their own right.

The South Wales Echo reports on filming for episodes 5 and 6, taking place along the banks of the River Usk near the Riverfronts Arts Centre. A BBC spokeswoman said: "We wanted a location that looked like a stretch of the Thames in London."

There's been a ton of press coverage over the past day regarding the revelation of the designs of the Cybermen, most of which has been directly from the BBC press release. News coverage online includes the Daily Record, CBBC News, The Register, 4RFV, WaveGuide, Herts Essex News, Entertainmentwise, Ananova, Sky Showbiz,This is London,RTE, Digital Spy, The Mirror, The Daily Mail. Says the Times about the return: "Viewers, while terrified, could not help noticing in the past that the low tech Cybermen appeared to be 70 per cent Bacofoil with a car lamp stuck on their helmets. They have been redesigned by the same experts who reinvented the Daleks and previously worked on films including Hellraiser II."

The Scottish TV/Scotland Today site has an interview with Stephen Fry, who's writing an episode of the series this year. "I've done a strange thing," he tells the site, "I've never done anything quite like it, I've written an episode of Dr Who. We are bound by all kinds of secrecy, I can tell you that it deals with a well-known British legend which has alien origins rather than just folklore origins. And that one of the most exciting moments of my life was starting the first page and writing 'Exterior - The Tardis. The Tardis materialises on the surface of a strange planet.' You write that and you think 'I can't believe I have just written that.' As one of the absolutely original Dr Who generation - I can remember the very first episode - and being hooked from that moment on."

According to Media Guardian today, 'Little Britain star David Walliams wants to ditch his "laydee" clothes and step into the Tardis once David Tennant has finished his tenure. "I'd like to take over as Doctor Who. I promise not to make it camp," he promises. Daily Express P19'.

Says the week's Metro Green Room, p9: "New Dr Who star David Tennant is hoping to have the same love god status as his predecessor Christopher Eccleston. He said: 'I hear he had a huge gay following. It had better happen to me too.'" Meanwhile on page 13, they report on the Cybermen return...

According to BBC News, Sophie Okonedo (who played Alison in "The Scream of the Shalka") has been named best female performer at the Screen Nation Film and Television Awards. The 36-year-old star received the award at the ceremony in London honouring Black British artists for her Oscar nominated role in Hotel Rwanda.

(Thanks to Paul Engelberg, Steve Tribe, Chuck Foster, John Bowman, Peter Weaver, John Kilbride)