Enlightenment 129

Monday, 24 October 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
The latest issue of Enlightenment, the Doctor Who Information Network's bi-monthly fanzine, includes "Tennant's Pride: What will David Tennant bring to the role of the Tenth Doctor? We try to find some clues from his career! Plus: More reviews of Season One, including a review by BBC Books author Lloyd Rose!; Shipping and the New Series; Who is the Emperor Dalek? We have a theory!; Should K9 Come Back?; Lance Parkin on why December 25th should be Doctor Who Eve!; and: reviews of all the latest books, audios and DVDs." The cover is at right; you can order it directly from the DWIN's website. ((Thanks to Mike Doran)




FILTER: - David Tennant

Tennant in Harry Potter

Thursday, 29 September 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
At right is a scan of a forthcoming Harry Potter calendar which shows a photo of David Tennant as Barty Crouch Jnr. in the new film "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire". Click on the thumbnail for a larger version of the image (which was originally revealed on the MuggleNet website). (Thanks to James Bagnall)




FILTER: - David Tennant

Dreamwatch 133

Tuesday, 30 August 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

David Tennant features on the cover on the latest issue ofDreamwatch magazine -- which is now on sale -- and is a featured interview inside the magazine. "It's not like any other acting job," Tennant tells Dreamwatch, "just with the amount of attention that it gets. I've done all sorts of different things. That's all been great fun, but suddenly I get cast as Doctor Who and it was on the news! [laughs] I was visiting my mum and dad, and we were sitting in the kitchen having breakfast, and it came on the news. That's just a whole other world of attention. It's great. It's fantastic to be involved with something that's loved and that people get excited about it. It's a privilege to be a part of that history, but it's kind of daunting as well." He says he was approached for the role because "I was working with Russell T. Davies, the main writer and creative head of it, on Casanova at the end of last year. I knew him through that. Unbeknownst to me, that was my audition. It came up after that, when they knew that Chris Eccleston was moving on. They just asked me to do it. I didn't have to [formally] audition because I had done Casanova. That became my audition because I'd been working so closely with Russell. I didn't know that Doctor Who was a possibility then, and it probably wasn't at that point." Was it true that he had to keep the news quiet? "I couldn't tell anyone. It was such a high voltage secret, I was just aware that there was really no choice. I wanted to tell everyone, of course, but it was pretty hard. My agent was the only person that I could talk to about it." How did it feel when Tom Baker endorsed you for the part? "I heard about this. I was completely thrilled. That's really lovely. I haven't actually confirmed it. I've only heard it third-hand, and of course I never believe anything I read in the papers. I hope it's true. I'm choosing to believe it's true. I'm a huge fan of his." The issue also features an interview with comic creator Bryan Hitch, who served as concept artist on the revival of Doctor Who, where he talks about revamping the TARDIS, the Daleks and offers tantalising clues about the new Cybermen. Visit the Dreamwatch website for more information.




FILTER: - Magazines - David Tennant

Today on Blue Peter

Wednesday, 17 August 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

David Tennant appeared today on Blue Peter to promote Doctor Who, and here's what transpired:
The "design a monster" competition received 43,920 entries, apparently the best response to a Blue Peter competition since 1993. The top five hundred were shown on boards in the studio, with the presenters pointing out some of them to a visiting Dalek which cast its opinion on them, and footage was also shown of the team with Russell T Davies at his home judging the entries. Following this some close-ups of runner-up entries were shown accompanied by the series theme tune. Then following a clip from "The Parting of the Ways," David Tennant was introduced in the studio, interviewed by the three presenters. He said that he didn't want to give too much away, but promised some 'Christmassy elements' in the Christmas episode.
Questions from viewers were given to him from viewers. The first question was, did he watch as a youngster? Tennant replied that he did, and one of the presenters asked if he watched from behind the sofa. Tennant questioned whether anybody could do this as sofa are surely against walls. The next question was, did he watch the last series, and if so did he have a favourite part? He said that he had watched, and would have done so even had he not been taking on the part û although he did say his favourite moment was the regeneration when he took over! The third question was where would he go in time and space if he could choose... he said he'd like to go back and see the first performance of Hamlet and meet Shakespeare. He was then asked how his Doctor would be different from Christopher Eccleston's, to which Tennant replied that the clothes would obviously be different, but that they would have to watch and judge for themselves otherwise. He did use the phrase 'A bit down with the kids', however.
The live webchat after the show was then advertised. The Dalek then introduced the winners, clips from Davies' house shown again, and then the winning entries were announced for third, second and first places in the three different age groups. Tennant introduced first prize winners. Overall winner spoke on the phone about how he was inspired, asked Tennant who his favourite Doctor was. Tennant said Tom Baker, as he was the one he grew up with. Neill Gorton was then interviewed about how he was going to realise the design. The female presenter mentioned that it had been hinted there would be "evil teachers" in an upcoming episode, in reference to an evil school dinnerlady drawing! Some other monsters mentioned included a big green egg with a slurpy tongue protruding; the Indian god Shiva, except with more arms; a "broccoli" monster (which seemed to amuse Davies in the film clips); and Sad Tony, a pink and tearful version of the Ogron Monster from "Frontier in Space".
The winning monster from the competition, which will be used in the series, was called an Abzorbaloff and is described as a "hairy Sumo"... green, snarly, wild-eyed, with the faces of previous victims showing through its skin. William Grantham from Colchester was the winner of the competition.
Executive producer Russell T Davies was not present, despite pre-airing reports that he would join Tennant on stage; instead, he was shown judging the competition from his home, looking delighted with the entries.
Tennant then went to the CBBC Studios for a web chat which lasted approximately 15 minutes; many of the questions were in much the same vein as the ones asked of him on Blue Peter, with no additional information learned.
UPDATE: The Blue Peter BBC website now has a page of all winning entries; click here to see all of the finalists in all three age categories.
UPDATE: The BBC Press Office has issued a press release with full details about the contest, noting that the judges included Blue Peter editor Richard Marson, Blue Peter presenter Gethin Jones, Russell T Davies and David Tennant. There were also also a few brief answers from an interview conducted with David Tennant "during rehearsals" this afternoon posted here, and a transcript of this evening's webchat should be up soon at this site.
(Thanks to Paul Hayes, Andrew Duncan, Jon Melville, Steve Tribe, and to "WilX" for the image)




FILTER: - David Tennant - Competitions

Tennant Webchat Wednesday

Tuesday, 16 August 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

David Tennant will participate in a web chat on the CBBC website from 5.30 to 6.30pm on Wednesday 17 August; the site is currently taking questions from readers of the BBC sites for him to answer. Tennant is expected to appear soon after he visits the "Blue Peter" set on Wednesday.




FILTER: - David Tennant

Tennant on Blue Peter

Thursday, 11 August 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

David Tennant will be on the 17 August edition of Blue Peter, the daily BBC television series. From the website: "David Tennant from 'Doctor Who' will be on the show. Are you a 'Doctor Who' fan? Did you enter the 'Doctor Who' Monster competition? The new Doctor, David Tennant, will be in the studio on August 17th to announce the winner! If you'd like to ask David a question or send him a message, get in touch and your question or message could be read out on the show! If you'd prefer to text in your question or message from your mobile phone, text 'BP' and then start your message with 'Doctor'. Send to 62222. Operators' standard text rates apply. Ask permission before sending us a text message." Radio Times also confirmed that the results would be revealed by Tennant along with Russell T Davies. The show is on at 5pm on Wednesday 17 August on BBC One, with another showing on the digital CBBC channel at 6pm. (Thanks to John Leivers, Steve Tribe)




FILTER: - David Tennant - Radio Times

Tennant and Piper on Newsround

Monday, 1 August 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

David Tennant and Billie Piper spoke to BBC One's Newsround at 5.25pm on Monday (1 August), at slightly greater length than the interviews that appeared on the main BBC News programmes. It's about five minutes into the eight-minute programme, which is available on the CBBC website to view in Real Player for twenty-four hours until about 5.25pm BST Tuesday. The following is a brief transcript (with thanks to Steve Tribe).
Presenter: And finally to our first glimpse behind the scenes of the new series of Doctor Who. Filming has started in Wales with the new Doctor, who's played by actor David Tennant. We visited Cardiff to meet him.
Reporter (over clip from Parting of the Ways): Our first glimpse of the new Doctor at the end of the last series - goodbye Christopher Eccleston, hello David Tennant.
Tennant: Morphing out of Christopher Eccleston, I don't think it's possible to get a stranger entrance than that. It's a very unusual way to begin a job, but fantastic! I mean, you know, you couldn't ask for a finer entrance really.
Interviewer: How daunting is it, playing a character like this?
Tennant: It's pretty daunting because it's kind of everywhere, you know, Doctor Who as a concept and also just the show itself is... so big!
Reporter: The programme's very important to the BBC, the last series sometimes got figures of around ten million viewers, so this time around they've kept the formula exactly the same, except of course for one thing - the Doctor himself. And the new man in the role says that, if things don't go successfully this time around, only one person will get the blame.
Tennant: It's my fault! I'm the only new guy! Everything else is the same as it was last year, so if it goes wrong it's my fault. Which, er, you know, just adds to the scary factor from my point of view.
Reporter (over recording footage): Billie Piper is back playing Rose, and is still getting to know her new onscreen partner.
Piper: I've only been working with him for about a few weeks now, but he's absolutely adorable and just perfect as the Doctor.
Tennant: It's been great so far, yes. I mean, it's kind of surreal finding myself on set with a TARDIS and with Rose Tyler and all these things that, you know, I was watching on the TV just a few months ago, and suddenly I'm in it. It's kind of odd, but it's great fun.
Reporter (over opening titles): You'll get your chance to make up your own mind about the new Doctor this Christmas.




FILTER: - Billie Piper - David Tennant - Press

Tennant Speaks

Monday, 18 July 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

David Tennant spoke at a BBC America fall press preview event in Los Angeles over the weekend, according to the Scifi.com website. "It's very exciting and fantastically daunting that you come to L.A. and everyone here knows about it as well, because there's a lot of attention," Tennant said. "It's very scary right now, because I haven't started." The article notes that Tennant "grew up watching it... as everyone in Britain did," and his girlfriend, Sarah Parish, noted, "He knew about it? He was obsessed!" Tennant smirked and added: "I was a bit of a fan. So, yeah, I was very, very aware of it." The article discusses Tennant's reported pay cut due to budget slashing, and also mentions his role in "Casanova," likely the reason why he was appearing at the event (as BBC America has not announced any broadcast plans.)




FILTER: - David Tennant

Monday-Tuesday Series News

Tuesday, 7 June 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

Doctor Who û What's he doing with Anne Robinson and Trinny and Susannah? asks the cover of the new Radio Times, published today (Tuesday). As always, this weekend's episode features in "RT recommendsà the week's best television" (page 4): "There's plenty of fun poked at TV, including Jack getting a What Not to Wear makeover from a robotic version of Trinny and Susannah." The weekly "Doctor Who Watch" is a double-page spread entitled "Reality can be a killer" (pages 16û17), with five photos from Bad Wolf, the next new series episode, that concentrate on Captain Jack and the various TV show parodies in the episode. The article itself comprises another interview with Russell T Davies, looking at his vision of reality television in 200,000 years from now and how the show has secured the rights to use authentic sets and logos from Big Brother, The Weakest Link and other programmes, as well as the guest contributions of the likes of Anne Robinson: "The new Doctor Who series has a pretty good record in guest names [à] Not one C-lister among them." Davies comments that "There is something about Doctor Who that opens doors," referring both to guest stars and to the availability of various locations, some of which have previously refused other television programmes. He is also asked whether he has included any Simpsons-style lines about Anne Robinson: "No, there's nothing quite like that. Although the fact that she is killing off the contestants is a bit of a comment." This week's films on television are detailed from page 47, this week including Shaun of the Dead on Sky One (starring new series stars Simon Pegg and Penelope Wilton alongside the Daily Mail's Ninth Doctor, Bill Nighy) and Carry On Sergeant with William Hartnell on Channel 4. "Bad Wolf" is Pick of the Day in "Saturday's Choices" (page 64), a photograph of the Doctor with the Game Station Controller accompanying a write-up that again focuses on Anne Robinson and comments that "there's a corker of a cliffhanger as the most deadly enemy of all marshals its forces." There's another Eccleston photo at the head of Saturday night's listings (page 66), the episode listing reading, "The entire human race has been blinded to a threat on its doorstep. With Armageddon fast approaching, the Doctor must act immediately. The star-studded episode û and series û concludes next Saturday." The listing also promotes the first two DVD volumes and the three new novels, as well as an appearance by Christopher Eccleston's on BBC2's Top Gear at 8pm on Sunday evening. The listing for Doctor Who Confidential says "As the series prepares for its climax next week, has the Doctor got what it takes to prevail in his showdown with the ultimate foe? As well as Christopher Eccleston and Billie Piper, there are contributions from Russell T Davies and Noel Clarke, who plays Mickey." The Radio section (page 121) includes comment from David Tennant on his role in Dixon of Dock Green next Wednesday morning on Radio 4. Also of note in the television listings: BBC3's Saturday midnight repeat of "Bad Wolf" will this week be at 10.55pm, with a second showing for Confidential immediately afterwards; while the Sunday showings are as usual at 7pm and 7.45pm, there is also a third repeat for the episode on BBC3 on Friday 17 June at 9pm, with another outing for Sunday's Confidential Cut Down edition following at 9.45pm, in preparation for Episode 13 on Saturday 18 Juneà

The official BBC Doctor Who website has been updated with a theme previewing "Bad Wolf". There may be a few spoilers present, as usual. (Also, note that the 'bison' password no longer works to access the whoisdoctorwho website there.)

Heat magazine says of "Bad Wolf," "Conclusive evidence that Doctor Who fan, chief writer and exec producer Russell T Davies is quite rightly behaving like a sweet-toothed kid in the world's best candy shop, comes with this two-part story that ends the first series. ... If you have hairs on the back of your neck, prepare for them to stand erect." The article (which has spoilers, removed from this report) gives the episode 5 out of 5 stars. Also, the Daily Telegraphsays of the episode, "Bad wolf is, ultimately, proof that the writers of Dr Who have really thought about what they are doing; have worked to give a real, satisfying and complex shape to Saturday-night schlock. They're ambitious. As Clive James once remarked: good schlock is always better than bad art. The new Dr Who - ahead of any possible expectations - is a triumph. Funny, scary, moving, silly and above all really, really well crafted, it is as good a piece of popular entertainment as television has lately produced. It serves - and for this we must surely thank it - as a standing rebuke to the notion that the unplanned formats of reality TV and docudrama are the way forward." And says today's Media Guardian, "Close watchers of Doctor Who will have noticed the numerous unexplained references to "Bad Wolf" - sprayed on the side of the Tardis, that kind of thing. The web is abuzz with what it all means. One theory - spoiler alert! - is that the Doctor has been the unwitting star of a Big Brother-style reality show. Is nothing sacred? No word yet, though, on whether the climactic episode features the scariest Doctor Who monster yet - the Bazalgette." Also, about last week's episode, says the Herald, "BBC Wales is having some fun with Doctor Who. ... All of a sudden, it's alive, and telepathic to boot. Stare into its heart and you cease instantly to be a satirical symbol of New Labour. It could only happen in science-fiction."

David Tennant has picked up the Best Actor Award at the Critics Awards for Theatre in a Scotland ceremony. Tennant was honoured for his outstanding performance as Jimmy Porter in the revival by the Royal Lyceum Theatre Company, Edinburgh, of John Osborne's Look Back in Anger. Accepting the honour from Vicky Featherstone, the new National Theatre of Scotland artistic director, the actor said his remarkable rise in film and television did not mean he would be abandoning the stage. He said: "I'm supremely chuffed to win this award. It's a part I've wanted to play for such a long time. Theatre work is part of what I do and I don't see it as something you leave behind." The story has been covered atTimes OnlineScotsmanDaily RecordDundee CourierThe HeraldicNews.

Christopher Eccleston will appear on this Sunday's "Top Gear," June 12 at 8.00pm on BBC2, in their "Star in a Reasonably Priced Car" feature, where celebrities do one circuit of a track in as fast a time as possible in a Suzuki Liana.

SFX Magazine has an online treat: the first visualization of the TARDIS interior (requires QuickTime to view)! "Travel with us, readers, back through the mists of time, to the Spring of 2004, long before filming started on the new series of Doctor Who. Acclaimed comics artist and chum of SFX Bryan Hitch was desperate to work on the series. When he told us as much, we put him touch with Russell T Davies - who turned out to be a huge fan of Bryan's work. A few weeks later, contracts were signed, and Bryan was the concept artist for the series. Hurray! But before Bryan even had any meetings with the BBC, he'd already started sketching out his ideas for the TARDIS interior. Bryan recalls his thinking as follows: 'The simple up front determination was that it needed to be big. Huge. From the earliest sketch I did, before I was even offered a job of the series, I was going for the big dome shape. The central section changed as we went and adapted to comments and requirements and we were constantly reworking it in the finish. My friend Niel Bushnell, who has a vibrant young graphic and CG company up North, kindly rendered an animated 3D turnaround of that initial thought, which I took along to my first meeting. It helped show the space as it could be used, and even though it underwent massive changes as we went through months of work, that basic idea remained intact.'" You can visit the website and see the visualization for yourself.

Meanwhile, the latest issue of SFX contains a ten-page feature on the new Doctor Who series, which includes an interview with Executive Producer Russell T. Davies, who is already making plans for Series 2, and is determined to hold onto the Saturday night audience that have made the series a weekend ratings hit for the BBC: "I can't yet see us doing a hard sci-fi episode. The essence of [an early Saturday slot] is to keep it simple. Which doesn't mean dumb. Look at [æDalek'] û it's completely pure and simple, and because of that, massively strong, and then underneath that simplicity is a whole storm of complex emotions and ideas. But the important thing on Saturdays is to shout the headline. Dalek! Dickens! Blitz! Big Brother! A headline shouting 'Interesting Exploration of Temporal Physics!' isn't gonna work the same way. We need to hold on to that new audience and not take them for granted. Let's face it, if [Terrestrial TV broadcaster ITV] introduce a Saturday [episode of the popular soap, Coronation Street], and that's not such a mad idea, then were in trouble. So we've got to keep it strong and clean, emphasise the drama above the sci-fi. Feel free to disagree, of course. Feel free to disagree and yet get these viewing figures, ha ha! Expect the 'same old mix' of stories for Series 2, 'some darker, some lighter. Some traditional û although if anything, the traditional stories are BBC Drama's least favourite, but I love them, so I'm gonna keep them in there. We're keeping the same mix of singles and two-parters, that seems to work.' To be blunt, this show is a success, and it's our job to maintain that success, not wander away from it. Fans might study each episode 20 times, and therefore demand something different, but ordinary viewers are still getting used to this concept û not just the show, but its slot, its feel, its place in their viewing habits û and there is a genuine strength in consolidating that...[there's one story in Series 2] that could be pure horror....and there's one episode which could be very, very funny. And a brand new Doctor will automatically make it a brand new show." Speaking of the new Doctor, "[David Tennant] can do anything! And he will! This is the wonderful legacy of Chris Ecclestion, he's made the part available for and desirable to our finest actors....the clothes [for the new Doc] will be different, because it'll be David's preferences." Thanks to The Great Link website for posting the quotes; you can pick up the issue on the stands now.

BBC1's Points of View this past weekend featured a short piece about the new series, including a couple of letters praising the show, especially Chris Eccleston's portrayal, and a couple of letters complaining about the level of scariness (in particular, "The Empty Child"), and also complaining about the imminent departure of both the leads. This was followed by a short interview with Julie Gardner, featuring clips from "Dalek," "The Empty Child" and "The Doctor Dances". Gardner defended the show against the usual complaints of too much violence, stressing that they were always careful not to show gratuitous violence or too much blood, especially bearing in mind the 9.00pm watershed. She also said that the Moffat two-parter would be about as far as they would be prepared to go in terms of scariness. Gardner was coy on the subject of Billie Piper's departure, saying only that she was coming back for season two, and stressing that there were exciting storylines still left to tie up season one (including a few spoilers we won't reprint for the final episode.) Points of View host Terry Wogan ended the piece by mentioning the Christmas special.

The JoongAng Daily of South Korea writes "Sci-fi reigns at the Queen's birthday ball," noting that the celebration of Queen Elizabeth II's birthday at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Seoul last Saturday featured a TARDIS, which served as an entrance to the ballroom, a six-foot-tall "Dalek" and black-and-white footage of the series... all to celebrate the start of the new series in that country. Sue Hollands, the president of the British Association of Seoul, said in her opening address that Doctor Who was not only "quintessentially British" but also "familiar to expatriates." Dai Billington, the first secretary and head of the commercial section of the British Embassy, the evening's master of ceremonies, appeared on stage the Doctor himself, complete with wig and costume, saying he remembered as a four-year-old child being scared by the Daleks. Read the full story for further details.

Several news sources are now (finally) reporting on the return to the series next year of another famous group of Doctor Who monsters... the Cybermen. The Sun quotes Doctor Who Magazine, which in turn quotes producer Phil Collinson: "The Cybermen exist in that category of classics, as monsters just about everyone of a certain age knows. They were a work of genius back in the 1960s. It will be a loving recreation [sic] of an old foe." Among the online locations mentioning it are Female FirstContact Music. (Note: we can't keep this a spoiler/surprise any longer, considering DWM printed it as a major news story and it's now making the rounds in all the media, as well as other websites)

In Germany, the TV and Film Festival Cologne will include screenings of two episodes of the new series, likely "Rose" and "The End of the World". The festival will be held from June 30 to July 6; more information is available at theirwebsite.

The Sun yesterday stated in the parliamentary gossip column The Whip that its Westminster mole was near Lambeth Bridge in London "and bumped into about half a dozen of those classic, evil Doctor Who villains the Daleks. The police blocked off the road so the little fellows could be filmed in peace". No word on what the filming was for.

Other items: I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue (Radio 4, 6th June) featured a brief "Doctor Who" sketch involving the Daleks and computers, revolving around the proverb "An apple a day keeps the Doctor away"; BBC NewsCBBC,Police.uk all cover the theft of a Dalek stolen from storage near Wookey Hole, which had been stored in preparation for a forthcoming convention; and the Western Mail talks about the appearance of the newspaper in "Boom Town" last weekend.

(Thanks to Steve Tribe, Paul Engelberg, Chuck Foster, Jamie Austin, Peter Weaver, John Bowman, Andrew Norris, Cameron Yarde Jnr, Andrew Frueh, Harald Gehlen, David Traynier, Paul Blewett, Kendal Mills, Stephen Dray, Steve Manfred, Matthew Kilburn, Chris Howell/The Great Link and Ian Berriman/SFX)




FILTER: - DWM - David Tennant - Press - Radio Times

Weekend Series Wrapup

Monday, 18 April 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

News items from Saturday through Monday. (Note: we're still awaiting ratings news for Saturday night's "Confidential" and yesterday's BBC3 repeats...)

David Tennant was at last night's BAFTA awards ceremony, though he was not nominated. He did, however, speak briefly about his role, noting that "The expectations are fierce." Asked how long he had signed up for, he said: "Let's get through one at a time. I'd love to do 100 years but they might sack me". He also noted that Tom Baker wore a long scarf but they havenÆt worn one since so I donÆt know if I will wear one." Asked if he was going to play the part in a Scottish accent he said: "All of that is up for grabs at the moment but Dr Who is the best show ever and I canÆt wait." Tennant also noted that he was delighted that Billie Piper would continue in the role as his assistant Rose: "SheÆs not going to get away from me, I think sheÆs a very good actress." You can view news stories at the following sites: BBC News,Hello MagazineVogueEvening TimesScotsman.

Lots of coverage of the David Tennant casting news the past two days. Here's an updated list of everywhere we know of with links, although no new information in any of them: Times Online (updated link), FilmForceABC AustraliaDark HorizonsCNNNineMSNContact Music,InTheNewsTV New ZealandThe Herald,Sydney Morning Herald,Evening StandardRTECBC NewsTV SquadStuff.co.nzNZ HeraldBBC Radio 1Zap2ITThe StageRegional Film and Video IrelandAnanova (with second story here),icNetworkMegaStar,MyTelusYabedo.

The official site's parody site Who Is Doctor Who? (glimpsed in the first episode, "Rose"), now has at least two companions. The BBC has opened theunit.org.uk UNIT website and has registered the site badwolf.co.uk. Keen-eyed viewers may start recognizing clues as to what that last site will entail...

The BBC has begun to trail Saturday's episode in tandem with "Strictly Dance Fever". Starting with "Strictly Dance Fever" the voice-over runs: "An entire nation desperately trying to stay in time...and a Time Lord who's biggest problem is just staying alive! Saturday from six on BBC1." The "Doctor Who" segment contains a mix of the specially shot trailer (Eccleston walking to the TARDIS console and Rose and the Doctor standing facing the camera) along with clips from the upcoming episode: the Doctor's "Oi! You want aliens? You've got 'em!", a Slitheen smashing through a door and chasing Rose and Harriet Jones through another door, two Slitheen and the Doctor running through a corridor, and Rose/Harriet Jones hiding behind furniture as a Slitheen crows "Where are you?". The whole trailer runs to 20 seconds and was transmitted this evening at 10pm straight after "Casanova" (Strange that...!).

Christopher Eccleston is to star as "an albino killer monk" alongside Tom Hanks in the movie version of "The Da Vinci Code," according to news reports. "Insiders say he will play brainwashed monk Silas whose life is controlled by the Opus Dei religious sect in the best-selling novel about the Holy Grail," says theMirror. "A movie insider said: 'As soon as film producers spotted Chris on Doctor Who they knew they had to go for him - he has everything they want. He is a very serious and respected actor who always gives a great performance. He would be brilliant as Silas. Some big names have already signed up for the film. Chris has now been sent a script and is mulling it over - but he has been told he may have to wear a long white wig.' Oscar winner Hanks plays the book's hero, American academic Robert Langdon, while French beauty Audrey Tatou will be codebreaker Sophie Neveu. British film veterans Sir Anthony Hopkins and Michael Caine are tipped for the role of eccentric Holy Grail hunter Sir Leigh Teabing and craggy French star Jean Reno has been cast as police chief Bezu Fache. The movie will be directed by American Ron Howard and is due to be released in May next year. Shooting is about to begin in Paris and will also include locations in London and Scotland." Sites covering this includeMovieHoleDark HorizonsDigital Spy,FilmForceThe Hollywood News.

One of the telephone numbers from the episode "Aliens of London" turns out to have been real. Says the Behind the Sofa Again site, "As well as the episode being set in a year's time, there are a couple of other things I noticed (and I don't think anyone else has mentioned) on watching it again: The housing project in which Rose lives is called The Powell Estate. Could this be a reference to the controller of the BBC who actually cancelled the show in the late eighties? Although neither of the telephone numbers for the Alien Helpline on the Rose posters work, there is another one on the doors of the army vehicle which are block The Doctor's sight of the craft and what's happening. If you call it, there is an answering machine which thanks people for calling what sounds like the Freephone Army Driving line (whatever that might be)." Of course, we'd rather you don't call it...

New Zealand Broadcaster Paul Holmes talked to UK correspondent Malcolm Stuart on Holmes' weekday morning Breakfast show on 15/04/05 on NZ Radio Station Newstalk ZB. Amongst the topics discussed was of the reaction from the New Series amongst many parents who believe that it is too scary for their children to watch. An audio link can be foundhere; scroll down the page and look for the heading marked 'Dr Who spooks kids'.

From our correspondent Prakash Bakrania regarding our report about televised announcements (or, a lack thereof) of the Tennant casting: "I just read the following about News 24 not covering the Tennant announcement much. Admittedly there wasn't much because of Rover but I did leave the DVD Recorder running from 3am to 9am and it did record about five news instances of Tennant's arrival as the Tenth Doctor."

Additional discussion of the ratings report from yesterday at Sky News, theMirror, the Guardian and the Daily Record.

The Guardian reviewed the latest episode: "Doctor Who (Saturday, BBC1) has picked up a lot of publicity in the last week for terrifying the nation's tots - just in time to promote the best episode yet. It was called Aliens in London, and it actually lived up to that marvellous title. A spaceship crashed into Big Ben, and this was such an audacious opening, fraught with echoes of 9/11, that we watched the rest in delighted disbelief. A pig in a spacesuit ran down a corridor into a hail of bullets, sinister farting fat people took over 10 Downing Street, and, best of all, some horrible baby-faced aliens were unleashed to terrify yet more kiddies. Now that's what I call entertainment." "Aliens of London" was also the Pick of the Day yesterday in the Times: "Davies's cartoonish sense of humour is one of the main obstacles standing in the way of the current series improving on the Pertwee and Baker eras. His reliance on noisy bodily functions (the burping bin in the first episode, the farting lizards here) might appeal to the eight-year-old in him that he aims the new show at, as will the Benny Hill style chases through No10 that really require a Yakety Sax soundtrack (and somebody who is able to run and can stand in for Billie Piper). He also seems overly proud of one of the best lines from the pilot episode ('Lots of planets have a north'), so that gets wheeled out again. Fortunately, however, there is something for an adult audience, too, including political satire -naughtily smuggled into a normally escapist drama shortly before a general election. As the Doctor tries to prevent nuclear destruction, aided by Rose and an earnest MP (Penelope Wilton), the PM's grounds for making war mockingly echo Tony Blair's: somewhere in space there are 'massive weapons of destruction' that can be 'deployed in 45 minutes'. Fortunately, the Doctor remembers how Hannibal managed to cross the Alps with his elephants, so the world may yet be saved."

Today's edition of Blue Peter contained a report on the Wray Village Scarecrow Festival and began with presenter Simon Thomas' introduction: "Now, today the Blue Peter garden has been invaded by some very strange things. Not aliens from the brand-new Doctor Who series...". However, despite Simon's promise, a small mock-up of a Black Dalek could clearly be seen throughout most of the item on scarecrow building...

In today's edition of The Sun TV critic Sara Nathan chooses "Casanova" as one of her TV Picks, ending her preview with: "Fans of David Tennant, fear not, pretty boy will return...in a Tardis." Also, in today's edition of News Of The World is an article in which it is claimed that Christopher Eccleston is splitting from his Cardiff-based girlfriend as he "needs more space". It is also reported that the Labour Party is attempting to recruit Eccleston, with his 'working class' background, for their General Election campaign.

(Thanks to Paul Engelberg, Steve Tribe, Chuck Foster, Jamie Austin, Prakash Bakrania, Paul Hayes, Faiz Rehman, Jamie Austin, Stuart Ian Burns, David French, Alistair Moore, Ben Goudie, Mark Oliver, Rich Kirkpatrick, John Bowman, Chris Wischer, Matt Kimpton, Mustafa Hirji, and Jon Preddle)




FILTER: - Production - David Tennant - Christopher Eccleston - Radio Times