BBC Worldwide has released The Curse of Fenric on DVD in the UK. Among the highlights on this new disc are a new extended 'movie format' version of the story in addition to the original four-part episodic version, as well as commentaries by Sylvester McCoy, Sophie Aldred and Nicholas Parsons, an isolated music soundtrack, a cast & crew discussion at the 1990 Nebula convention, "Take Two" (a BBC1 children's programme), "Modeling the Dead" from BSB's Doctor Who weekend in 1990, "Claws and Effect" (a behind-the-scenes featurette), "Shattering the Chains" (an interview with author Ian Briggs), "Costume Design" (interview iwth costume designer Ken Trew), "Recutting the Runes" (interview with musician Mark Ayres), plus easter eggs and photo gallery. The disc is in wide release today all over Britain, though some stores have been selling it since last week.

BBC America and Warner Home Video have just released The Talons of Weng-Chiangand The Dalek Invasion of Earth on DVD. Both are two-disc sets and match their UK counterparts in features, except "Talons" includes more of the Howard DaSilva narrative introductions as an extra.
      Also just out: The End of the Universe Collection (seen at right). As Outpost Gallifrey previously reported, this eleven-story video collection is a set of the final VHS Doctor Who releases that will be issued in North America! Included in the package areThe Reign of Terror Collectors Edition (which includes "The Web of Fear" episode 1 and "The Faceless Ones" episodes 1 and 3), The Sensorites, The Time Meddler, The Gunfighters, The Ambassadors of Death, The Mutants, Invasion of the Dinosaurs, The Invisible Enemy, The Creature From the Pit, The Horns of Nimon and Meglos. This pricey set (but well worth it) will complete American and Canadian VHS video collections.

Today's Sunday Times weighs in on the debate over who the next Doctor is with a startling announcement: they say that it's Bill Nighy -- previously said to be Russell T Davies favourite -- to be the Doctor in the new series. Says the article by Arts Editor Richard Brooks, "The BBC is to approach Bill Nighy, one of BritainÆs most sought after character actors, to become the new Dr Who. Nighy, who played the crusading newspaper editor in the BBCÆs hit political thriller State of Play, is said by friends to be very interested in the role." The article does go on to mention other actors: "Other names mentioned include Alan Cumming, Jonathan Pryce, Paul McGann, the black actor Chiwetel Ejiofor ["Dirty Pretty Things"], Eddie Izzard and Mark Gatiss, from BBC2Æs The League of Gentlemen." You can read the full article by clicking here. Please note that we haven't heard whether this is the real thing or not, but apparently a lot of people read this article and let us know!

Australian journalist, writer and actor Chris Thomas has his sights on travelling through time in the TARDIS and taking on the Daleks, after launching a campaign to become the next Doctor Who, according to local papers in Australia. The eclectic Thomas, age 31, lives in Perth, Western Australia, and has a string of stage credits to his name; he says he is determined to be considered for the coveted role. "I know it's a long shot but when you get one chance to fulfil your ultimate ambition, then surely it's worth doing all you can to pursue it?" he says. "There are bound to be howls of protest from some quarters when they hear an Australian wants to take on the part but it's simply a matter of doing it with a British accent. Besides, Sylvester McCoy had a notable Scottish lilt when he played the role." Thomas is asking fans to write to the BBC to suggest his name. Innnnteresting.... (Thanks to Rick Hughes)

BBC-1 Controller Lorraine Heggessey earlier this week confirmed to various UK listings magazines that when Doctor Who returns to television, it'll be running in the traditional Saturday evening time slot. But, more interestingly, before the new series kicks-off, Heggessey is proposing to run polls in the UK TV listings magazines to find out which Doctor Who stories are the public's favourite (on a Doctor, by Doctor basis). The BBC will then run a repeat of each of the favourites in that Saturday night slot to drum up publicity for the new series. (Thanks to our friends at tv.cream.org)

Issue 68 of Time Space Visualizer, the journal of the New Zealand Doctor Who Fan Club (NZDWFC) has been released. TSV 68 features a rare interview with Janet Fielding (recorded during her New Zealand visit earlier this year) in which she talks about life before, during and after Doctor Who, provides a Snakedance commentary and tells how she was asked to do Big Finish and what her response was. The packed, 100 page issue also features Robert Shearman's views on Season 20, a history of Target Books distribution in New Zealand, Andrew Pixley's guide to script cuts from Day of the Daleks, reviews of the latest books, DVDs, CDs and more. TSV is available by mail order - details available atwww.doctorwho.org.nz. (Thanks to Paul Scoones)

BBC Worldwide has issued full press releases for two forthcoming, previously announced, releases: the UK DVD release of The Three Doctors and the UK VHS release of The Reign of Terror Boxed Set. The press releases are below.

Radio Times editor Gill Hudson on BBC Radio 4's "The Message" on October 3: discussing RT's 80th anniversary and the "Doctor Who is #1" poll, Hudson mentions she had no idea DW was coming back... she thinks the news leaked and the Beeb was forced to announce the return before they'd planned!

David Bishop's Doctor Who novel Who Killed Kennedy, which was originally published by Virgin Books as an "extra" for their line of Missing Adventures novels, will soon be revived as an e-book on the TSV New Zealand website. The book, out of print for six years, was given to TSV to make the text of the novel freely available for readers, as has been done by BBCi with their current run of Doctor Who electronic book reprints. "IÆm immensely fond of Who Killed Kennedy," the author says. "It was my first official Doctor Who novel and a true labour of love. Alas, Virgin losing the licence meant the book has been unavailable for years. But getting it republished online is the next best thing." The novel will be made available in weekly instalments, building up to a complete online novel. Bishop will also provide background information on the genesis of his novel and notes on each of the individual chapters, including explanations of the huge number of continuity references seeded throughout the text. "Fortunately IÆve got help from New ZealandÆs continuity guru Jon Preddle to annotate the many, many Who references in the story. IÆll also be writing about the genesis of the book and how it became a JFK tie-in." Additionally, Bishop plans to produce a rewritten æauthorÆs cutÆ that will appear alongside the original novel as an alternative version. This new version will remove the JFK elements of the story altogether, thus giving the novel a new climax. "I was never satisfied with the Kennedy aspects of the novel," David says. "They felt bolted on at the time and still donÆt sit well with the rest of the story, seven years later. So when the NZDWFC started talking with me about putting the book online, I suggested publishing two versions - the printed novel with the Kennedy elements and a special online version with a freshly written beginning and end. Anyone visiting the site can choose which version they prefer to read." The e-book is planned to launch on the TSV website at www.doctorwho.org.nz on 22 November 2003 - the 40th anniversary of the assassination of JFK, and of course just one day before Doctor WhoÆs own 40th anniversary. (Thanks to Paul Scoones and David Bishop)

Janet Fielding to TSV on why she's not doing Big Finish audios: "If you don't shut the door behind you at some point in your life, you'll never move on... I've been there, I've done it. On to adventures new."