The latest issue of Doctor Who Magazine has some new casting information about the forthcoming season. Previously confirmed actor Adam Garcia will appear in "The Christmas Invasion" as Alex Klein, along with Daniel Evans (Danny Llewellyn), Sean Gilder, Anita Breim (Sally) and Chu Ornambala as Major Blake. In "School Reunion," additional cast members include Eugene Washington (Mr Wagner), Caroline Berry and Rod Arthur. Newly confirmed crewmembers on block one of series two includeLlinos Wyn Jones (script supervisor), Jon Older (first assistant director), Julian Barber (camera operator) and Simon Fraser(sound recordist). The issue says that work began on 18 July with rehearsals, which included David Tennant, Billie Piper, Anthony Stewart Head and Elisabeth Sladen, with filming starting on 22 July as we previously reported here.

Below are a collection of photos taken one week ago in Cardiff by correspondent John Williams as preparation began for the filming of "The Christmas Invasion" there, including shots of the department store being converted to Henrik's (complete with holiday angels); there are no actors present (although Billie Piper is seen from behind in one), as they are mostly shots of the production crew, but also an interesting look at the setup (with director James Hawes checking a shot angle on a tri-ladder, and the Confidential crew seen doing interviewing.) Also included below are Williams' reports from that location from last week; click on the spoiler tag for further details.

Monday 8 August

Having got word of the filming at the intersection of Wharton and Trinity Streets in Cardiff on Monday and Tuesday night this week through fellow Timelessö (Cardiff DWAS-LG) members, I successfully persuaded my wife to join me for a night of Whospotting. Arriving at around 7pm on Monday night, we found that a 30 ft Christmas tree was in the process of being decorated. Several Christmas market stalls were already in position, and both Howells and Waterstones bookstore window displays had jumped back in time to last Christmas (the sale offer dates on the display posters ended 12/04!). Oh, and you can get 3 for 2 Who novels, though itÆs unlikely that either of these elements will show up on screen.

After an hour or so of not a lot really, we decided to quench our thirst at the æis it?Æ bar next door. From our pavement table vantage point we watched more set dressing, before kindly being asked to move to allow for the arrival of a double-decker bus. Billy then arrived with Noel Clarke, and we watched several minutes of rehearsals. This comprised of them both running from something behind the market stalls. Apart from setting up the camera tracks and lighting rigs, it went quiet for a long time and we called it a night at 11pm.

Tuesday 9 August

This evening we were treated to a lot more action, as filming began at around 10.30pm. The first shot involved many extras dressed in heavy winter clothes, carrying Christmas shopping bags and presents. Before shooting, we were warned that the scene involved a series of explosions, and the police were asked to call HQ to warn them. Action had already occurred next to us in the crowd, where two less than appreciative drunken ônon-fansö had been cautioned by the police for the language they were using, which unfortunately including obscenities towards Billy.

Blocked mainly by the Christmas tree, the scene began shooting. Extras ran in terror with Rose and Mickey running through the stalls hand-in-hand, explosions going off around them. One of our less than courteous drunken neighbours shouted during the scene and was promptly marched away by the police once æcutÆ was called. Both Phil Collinson and James Hawes seemed more than happy with the result though, and the scene wasn't reshot.

We watched several more scenes being shot, most of which involved explosions from different camera angles. During one shot, an explosion went off just as Noel Clarke ran past it. He was thrown to the ground and the crew rushed over to him. Fortunately he seemed only to have sustained a ringing in his right ear, although it continued to aggravate him for some time afterwards.

As we called it a night again at 12.30, the next scene was to include 4 largely built Santas brandishing deadly brass instruments!

According to Amazon, BBC Audio will release the complete soundtrack of the classic story The Reign of Terror on February 6, 2006. "The Reign of Terror" is the final story of the first season, and will join the other serials already released on CD, with linking narration (likely provided by William Russell, who has voiced others in the series). (Thanks to Gareth Jelley)

The BBC Kids advance online schedule shows a promotion for Doctor Who in the lineup effective Monday 29 August. On weeknights, Doctor Who will now air twice - Midnight and 5AM EDT, replacing the previous 2AM EDT only broadcast. 2 episodes per day as before. First story in the new time periods - Snakedance. On weekends, Doctor Who will continue being shown in complete stories one time at 2AM EDT. With this change, the weeknight showings will be easier for Canadian viewers to tune in and watch. Not easy, but the best it has been since at least 2003. For the various Canadian time zones: Newfoundland: Weeknights 1:30AM and 6:30AM (2 episodes), Weekends 3:30AM (complete stories). Atlantic (ADT or AST): Weeknights 1AM and 6AM (2 episodes), Weekends 3AM (complete stories). Eastern (EDT or EST): Weeknights Midnight and 5AM (2 episodes), Weekends 2AM (complete stories). Central (CDT or CST): Weeknights 11PM and 4AM (2 episodes), Weekends 1AM (complete stories). Mountain (MDT or MST): Weeknights 10PM and 3AM (2 episodes), Weekends Midnight (complete stories). Pacific (PDT or PST): Weeknights 9PM and 2AM (2 episodes), Weekends 11PM (complete stories). (Thanks to Benjamin Elliott / This Week in Doctor Who)

At long last, the UK's City of Death DVD release has some official information attached to it. The release will be two discs, as mentioned in an article at the Restoration Team website which discusses the restoration of the footage, including audio repairs, and notes the large number of extras being included on it (hence the double disc set). Unfortunately neither Tom Baker or Lalla Ward were able to take part in the commentary or featurettes, it says, but the commentary is done by two of the story's main guest stars, Julian Glover (Count Scarlioni/Scaroth) and Tom Chadbon (Duggan), along with the story's director, Michael Hayes. The 45-minute featurette "Paris in the Springtime", written by Jonathan Morris and produced by Ed Stradling, and narrated by Toby Longworth, "goes behind the scenes on the production of the story, with a particular emphasis on the contribution of Douglas Adams" and features interview clips with Adams, Glover, Chadbon, Hayes, Catherine Schell, script editor Anthony Read, writer David Fisher, director Pennant Roberts, and writers Steven Moffat and Rob Shearman. The documentary also includes illustration by Jason Lythgoe-Hay to reproduce the original storyline, "A Gamble With Time." A 20-minute featurette, "Paris, W12" is also included, with extracts from the recording sessions; "Prehistoric Landscapes," a montage of landscape and effects for the story; "Eye on... Blatchford," a regional-interest program; plus the 1980 Doctor Who Annual in PDF format, photo gallery, floorplans, easter eggs and production notes. The story is due out on DVD in November in the UK.

BBC America's webshop have announced the final two Doctor Who DVD releases this year: City of Death starring Tom Baker and Lalla Ward, and The Claws of Axos starring Jon Pertwee and Katy Manning. Both discs will be out on November 1. More details and cover illustrations when available.

Outpost Gallifrey has two collections of photographs today from filming: one batch of six photos from this week's production in Cardiff (Monday and Tuesday nights) courtesy Mark Davies, the other a collection of shots from the filming at the Brandon Estate in London early this month from our "Cosmic Correspondent". Click on each image below for a larger version. Also included, in the spoilertag, is a very brief set report by Matthew Spencer from the filming in Cardiff on Monday night.

Radio Times has been running a new advertising campaign on UK television. "Basically it has loads of fed-up people stuck in their cars at roadworks. They start honking their horns, a dog starts barking and a baby starts crying - all of which adds up to a recognisable rendition of the 'Doctor Who' theme tune!" says our report. "Near the end, the passenger in one of the cars turns to the driver and says (approximately) 'Did you know that there have been ten Doctor Who's, The Daleks was originally called The Mutants and that TARDIS stands for Time and Relative Dimensions in Space?'"

Paul Cornell ("Father's Day") will be writing another audio play for Big Finish for 2006, due out next September, according to an announcement by Big Finish at the recent 2005 World Science Fiction Convention in Glasgow. "Circular Time" will likely feature the Fifth Doctor and Nyssa.

There's a rebuttal in today's Scotsman by David Bickerstaff, reacting to the earlier comments about David Tennant's forthcoming tenure in the TARDIS. "I should ask him, politely, to reserve any form of judgment until David Tennant makes his debut as Doctor Who at Christmas in The Christmas Invasion," he writes. "Having been a lifelong devotee of Doctor Who, I am absolutely thrilled that an actor of his standing has accepted the role. He has a real passion for the character and will, I am sure, give it 101 per cent commitment. As for the costume, perhaps George Kerevan should look around at the dress sense of today and see that the Doctor mirrors the fashion sense of society. Patrick Troughton mirrored the style of the Beatles, Jon Pertwee had the smoking jacket of Bob Dylan in the Seventies and Tom Baker reflected the Bohemian style of students in the mid-Seventies. Mr Tennant's costume is a mish-mash of all that is smart in our fashion-conscious male."

(Thanks to Kieran Seymour, Peter Sneddon, Jonathan Melville, David Bickerstaff)