The Mirror last night announced the casting of Roger Lloyd-Pack in Series Two as a new villain, John Lumic, a human who becomes the Doctor's opponent in several episodes with the Cybermen (likely episodes 5 and 6). The 61 year old actor plays Trigger in the classic BBC comedy "Only Fools and Horses" and Owen Newit in "The Vicar of Dibley" and can also be seen as Barty Crouch in the forthcoming "The Goblet of Fire"; ironically, David Tennant plays his son in the film, Barty Crouch Jr. "We're really thrilled to have signed Roger," a BBC insider told the Mirror. "It's a great coup for the show and the viewers will love him. The character is a million miles from Trigger."

The Mirror also noted the casting of Tracy Ann Oberman from "EastEnders," who plays a villain named Yvonne Hartman. "It's a great role," added the Mirror's 'insider'. "Yvonne is a sophisticated sort of baddie. In fact, I don't think she's really that bad - but then I didn't think Chrissie was either." Oberman goes before the cameras next week, as filming continues on the Cybermen two-parter. BBC News,CBBC and the official Doctor Who website also confirmed the information this morning. (Thanks to Steve Tribe, John Bowman, Lloyd Ellis)

Billie Piper, at the National Television Awards, made a few comments about the Christmas special coming up in December, as reported in today's Media Guardian. While a bit innocuous, they're nevertheless enclosed in the spoiler tag below.

Also, several media outlets, including ITV's This Morning and Radio Forth, have reported another casting for this season:Tracey Ann Oberman, who plays Chrissie in EastEnders. According to Radio Forth, "She won't reveal whether she's a goodie or a baddie, but says she can't wait to work with David Tennant. Chrissie's just filmed her last scenes in Albert Square and will leave our screens next month." (Thanks to Paul Hayes, Luke McCullough, Peter McCleary, Neil Marsh)

More coverage of yesterday's big win for Doctor Who at the National Television Awards:

Billie Piper featured on the cover of "Daily Mirror" (with the caption "Brillie!" and which was shown on the 25th October edition of BBC2's "Newsnight"), as well as the "Daily Star" and "The Sun" (with the title "Who Dunnit!"). "Doctor Who" was the main feature of the accompanying articles with "Daily Star" focussing on how Billie seemed to have 'dressed down' for the awards (in an item titled "Doctor Timelords It: Billie the scruff's night of triumph") while the item in "The Sun" was headlined "Hip Hip Who-Ray: TV gongs for Dr and Daleks".

Manchester Online reported that the reason Christopher Ecclestondid not attend was because he was suffering from the flu. The exact words of his note, read by Russell T Davies, were, "I am very sorry I can't be there tonight – a heartfelt thank you to the British public for their encouragement over the past 17 years. I’d like to dedicate this award to the memory of a little boy who loved Doctor Who and loved life, Kieran Wynne." As the Manchester Online reported, Eccleston's agent later explained that the star had met the boy before he died but could give no other details; it says that the actor had planned to attend the awards but was struck down with flu and also felt ill after having injections in advance of a forthcoming trip abroad.

Clips from the ceremony have been shown today on ITV news, including a very emotional Piper accepting her award, while clips from "Aliens of London" and "World War Three" were briefly played on the screens. Meanwhile, the websiteof ITV -- which lost its timeslot to Doctor Who earlier this year when the show beat their variety series "Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway" -- acknowledges its own winners, but doesn't note any of the BBC's! Says today's MediaGuardian Monkey column: "You can understand why ITV might be a bit miffed, after the BBC gate-crashed its National TV Awards last night and made off with the best actor, actress and drama awards for Doctor Who and the best soap gong for EastEnders. But still, it seems a tad churlish for ITV.com's report on the bash today not even to mention the BBC winners. Instead, ITV.com leads on 'X Factor cleans up at TV Awards' - although to be fair, the talent did win two gongs - and goes on to list all the other ITV winners. ITV.com - first with the news. As long as it's about ITV. "

BBC Wales Radio had quite a bit on the awards this morning, including an interview over the phone with producer Phil Collinson. He said how pleased he was and so on, and revealed that the prize will be kept in the BBC’s Drama Dept offices in Llandaff. He also mentioned that they were half way through filming the new series, and were looking for it to return to the screen at Easter time.

A run down of online press covering the event: BBC News, The Times, Media Guardian, The Mirror, Sky Showbiz, The Scotsman,The Guardian, The Sun, The Independent, CBBC News, Ananova,Digital Spy,Gay.com, GM.TV, Monsters and Critics, Hello Magazine, The Stage, In The News, ITN, Manchester Online,DeHavilland, Anorak.co.uk, This is London, Daily Record, IC Liverpool, MegaStar, RTE, IC Wales,Daily Mail, U.TV, ViewLondon,IC Liverpool, Contact Music, Unison.ie, Western Gazette,Virgin.net.

(Thanks to Paul Engelberg, John Bowman, Jamie Austin, Paul Hayes, Simon Mapp and Chuck Foster. Photo of Billie Piper is copyright to Ian West/Press Association)

In a sign that the show's fortunes have now changed from what they were a mere two years ago, Doctor Who became the big winner on Tuesday night at the National Television Awards as the show was given the Most Popular Drama award, Christopher Eccleston won Most Popular Actor, and Billie Piper won Most Popular Actress, according to a report from the UK Press Association. The BBC1 drama series beat such competitors as "Desperate Housewives," "The Bill" and "Bad Girls," while Eccleston and Piper beat such competitors as Martin Clunes and Sally Lindsay.

While PA's report suggests that Piper did not thank Eccleston stage, a later release notes that Piper thanked her "lovely boyfriend Mr E" and her co-star Eccleston "for being a fantastic Doctor and teaching me so much." She ended her acceptance speech by saying, "Thank you so much. This means so much to me, I can't even begin to tell you"; she then thanked show bosses for taking what she called a huge gamble. Eccleston was not present at the ceremony, which Piper noted later to reporters, "Chris is not here this evening, I don't know why." She said of Tennant, "He's a lot lighter on his feet and I am sure you will all be thrilled."

Russell T Davies later appeared on stage on Eccleston's behalf, reading a note of thanks from the actor: "I'm very sorry that I can't be there tonight. Thank you to everybody who voted for me, and to the British public for their encouragement over the last 17 years. They have always been honest with me and I'm very grateful." Eccleston stated in his note that he would dedicate the award "to a little boy who loves Dr Who and loves life."

Meanwhile, BBC Radio 5 covered the results from the National Television Awards this evening with presenter Dalya Raphael. The 10.30pm report carried a story on Conservative Party leadership contenders David Davis and David Cameron, who were booed when they went up on stage to present the Most Popular Drama award. Following the news and sport, at 10.38pm they went onto the actual coverage of the awards from their reported there Colin Paterson. Raphael described "Doctor Who" as "sweeping the board". Both said they liked "Doctor Who", and were pleased to be able to present the trophy to Piper. Both said Jon Pertwee was their favourite Doctor (although this was related by Paterson rather than being a direct clip.) Eventually discussion went to the actual Awards, Piper described as seeming "genuinely quite touched". Again the show was described as "the big winner on the night," and Eccleston's non-appearance was described as "maybe not surprising." Piper was said to be "almost crying" when he interviewed her by Paterson, and an interview clip was played where she said she "didn't even think I had a shot". She remarked how it was the first thing she'd won since Most Fanciable Female in Pop at the Smash Hits Poll Winners' Party many years ago. The report then moved on to talking about the other award winners.

The awards were taped this evening and will air on ITV at 8.00pm on Wednesday, 26 October.

The news coverage in the press has begun; among the online articles include BBC News, The Sun, The Independent, The Mirror(with a second article here, The Scotsman, GM.TV, the Daily Record. The photograph is from the BBC News story and features Billie Piper, Noel Clarke and Camille Coduri (photo copyright to BBC News).

(Thanks to Paul Hayes, Simon Bishop and everyone in the Outpost's Forum)

This week's UK Gold rebroadcast of the first season of the new Doctor Who series also includes additional rebroadcasts a day later on the UK Gold+1 channel and early morning broadcasts; we've updated the Outpost Gallifrey broadcast calendar with full details on times. Also, we've learned that the show will also be repeated as part of the Big Night in campaign on Saturdays from Week 44; trails have been made to promote the Doctor Who week.

Meanwhile, below are two photos of the UKTV Gold billboard and the UKTV Gold phone box ad for the broadcasts of the current series on the channel, which are noted by our correspondent as "reasonably rare relative to the ads for the new series back in March." Click on each for a larger version. (Thanks to Anthony Forth for the photos)

At the Stamp Centre signing last Thursday, Tom Baker noted that he had recorded commentaries for two DVD releases, "Genesis of the Daleks" alongside David Maloney and "The Hand of Fear" with actress Judith Parris, the day before, while Nick Courtneymentioned that he had recorded one for "Inferno". As has been noted before, these recordings are not indications that DVD releases are imminent, but merely take advantage of the actors' presence in London and their schedules. However, this fits in with rumors Outpost Gallifrey has heard about potential releases for 2006.

Also, we have been told that the release of the first series boxed set has now been confirmed for 8 December in Australia. (Thanks to David Brider, Tony Keywood)

In an article at the NewsQuest Media Group service said late last week, "A year after shooting snowy scenes in the centre of Monmouth, BBC's Dr Who has returned in the Tardis to film another episode in the Wye Valley," noting production for the second episode, "Tooth and Claw". Says the article: "[Tennant] and actress Billie Piper, who returns as Rose Tyler, were among the cast and crew spending a day at Treowen House in Dingestow last week to film for the new series to be screened next year. The episode is set in a Victorian castle in the Scottish Highlands. Film-makers said Treowen House, a 17th century Grade I Listed building owned by brothers John and Dick Wheelock, had been chosen as one of several South Wales locations in South Wales perfect to fulfil the role. Location Manger Gareth Lloyd said: 'We specifically required an ornate staircase to film a chase sequence and our designer Ed Thomas suggested Treowen after a colleague got married there. I went down to take some photographs and the director loved them. After that we looked to see what else we could use. We filmed scenes in the entrance hallway and one of John's reception rooms, which doubled as the corner of a study.' The crew's huge en-tourage arrived on Tuesday October 4 ahead of filming on Wednesday, parking their equipment at The Bridge Caravan Park in the village. Park owner Steve Holmes said: 'The site was rather full. They had at least seven lorries including the changing rooms and Winnebago-type motor caravans, as well as a double-decker bus which they used as a cafe and another catering truck, plus more than 30 cars. 'We met the cast, they were very pleasant, and my wife had her picture taken with the two main characters. 'It was all very nice, this sort of thing doesn't happen down here very much.' A BBC Wales spokesman on the set said: 'We are very proud of this project and are also very pleased to say that we have used a predominately Welsh crew. It's a great project for them to be involved in.'"

Regarding recent production, principal photography on Block 1 was finished on Saturday, October 8 (except for a second unit night-shoot in London happening in November), which included an "extended action sequence from 'New Earth'... [and] a couple of missing shots from 'The Christmas Invasion'." Block 2 production is said to be going well (it started on or around October 1) and it's confined almost entirely to the studio until the end of October, while there will be more location work going on in Block 3 starting in early November.

Some new casting according to the latest issue of Doctor Who Magazine: "Tooth and Claw" features Ian Hanmore as Father Angelo, Michelle Duncan as Isobel, Jamie Sives as Reynolds, Ron Donachie as the Steward, Tom Smith as the Host, Ruth Milne as Flora and Derek Riddell as Robert. (Phil Collinson comments that the Steward here "is a very different Steward from the one seen in 'The End of the World' [... ] no doubt we're creating a tradition where every episode will have a Steward!") Also, "The Girl in the Fireplace" features Ben Turner as Louis (likely King Louis XV) and Jessica Atkins as Young Girl. DWM confirms both of those titles. As of DWM's press time, the production team were, according to Collinson, "editing the first episodes, filming Block Two, and prepping Block Three".

A few items from the charity dinner late last week: producer Phil Collinson was said to have said, "If you thought Simon Callow was good, wait till you see Pauline Collins," while Camille Coduri and Noel Clarke both said they were really excited about their respective character's direction this season. While auctioning off the model robot spider from "The End of the World," Russell T Davies commented that the spiders would be back in 'New Earth' and that the name 'Arthur Dent' is actually used in context in "The Christmas Invasion".

The Aint It Cool website purports to have an article with "inside information" about the new series; however, all this is, is a regurgitation of news that's been available for some time on Outpost Gallifrey (and in one case, making an altogether incorrect statement about episodes in a particular block).

Also, the Sun has a spoiler-laden rumor posted about the final episodes of the new season, which we've enclosed in thespoilertags. Naturally, we think that this likely comes from Internet sources (and the tabloids have taken rumors in discussion forums as gospel before); read at your own risk.

Outpost Gallifrey has obtained the ratings information for Prime TV New Zealand's recent broadcast of the first series of Doctor Who. The series screened on Prime Television 7.30 Thursdays from July 7th to September 29th (mid-winter); this is the same timeslot as Coronation Street (on TVOne), consistently the highest rating programme on NZ television. The ratings are as follows:

Note: the figures are an aggregate across 4 quarters. 'Viewers' are in 1000s; 'share' is the percentage of viewing audience. The total potential audience noted in New Zealand is currently 3,779,000.

The dip for episode 11 was caused by the fact that there was a General Election in New Zealand on September 17th, and that night the other networks carried political debates. While the numbers may look very small, Doctor Who has been a huge success for Prime TV, its second most watched programme; more importantly, its share in the 25-54 demographic equalled and surpassed that of TV3, which was forced to make several programming changes in response. Prime management apparently stated a target of 7%+, and Doctor Who has well surpassed this figure. Also, during this period, no other free-to-air networks screened sci-fi shows in prime time (TV3 played Firefly in a graveyard slot, and a pay TV network has Enterprise on Fridays).