According to a press release from the BBC Press Office,John Leeson will reprise the role of the robotic sidekick K9, last seen during the original series in the twentieth anniversary story "The Five Doctors" in 1983, in the new series. The appearance of the robot dog was rumored on Outpost Gallifrey as far back as early July, but this is the first official confirmation of the appearance. "Today David Tennant, the Tenth Time Lord, will be reunited with two of his favourite and most iconic companions - Sarah Jane Smith and the faithful robot dog, K9," says the press release. "K9, who was the loyal friend to Tom Baker's Doctor between 1977 and 1981, joins Sarah Jane Smith, the Doctor, Rose and Mickey in a fight against the evil Krillitanes. John Leeson, the voice of K9, says: 'I am delighted to have been invited back on board the series - and a little gathered rust is no object to a fully functional K9!' Producer Phil Collinson adds: 'It is great to be welcoming K9 back to Doctor Who. A whole generation fondly remember him as an ever-faithful companion and best friend to Tom Baker's Doctor. I hope the new generation of viewers will fall in love with him in the same way. I'm sure he's going to prove an invaluable help to the Doctor in the fight against intergalactic evil.'" Leeson joins Elisabeth Sladen, previously confirmed returning to the role of Sarah Jane Smith from the original series. Says Sladen, "I am so thrilled to be back and I feel so empowered by the affection that [the whole team] have for Sarah Jane Smith and for the programme. Toby Whithouse's script is wonderful - it's an absolutely truthful progression of Sarah. I just hope I can live up to their expectation, and I hope I can still run as fast after 30 years!" The episode, "School Reunion," "sees the team investigate sinister events at a modern-day comprehensive school, and also stars Anthony Head (Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Little Britain)." Also reported at the official BBC Doctor Who website and at CBBC,BBC News, The Mirror.

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.

Note: Apparently, our link to the Wanamaker official site has overloaded their bandwidth allowance, so we've temporarily removed the link. You can still find her official site through a Google search, however.

One very small piece of casting news is hidden in the latest edition of Radio Times today (8û14 January). Tamsin Greighas 'a cameo appearance' in the new series, according to the magazine. She is the voice of Debbie Aldridge in The Archers on BBC Radio 4, and has starred in Green Room (Channel 4, 2004), Black Books (Channel 4, 2000û) and Neverwhere (1996 on BBC2), as well as the film "Shaun of the Dead" (starring fellow new series guest star Simon Pegg) last year. (Thanks to Steve Tribe)

While previous reports had him in the show, then not available due to scheduling issues, Outpost Gallifrey has learned that comic actor Simon Pegg of "Spaced" fame will be in the new series after all, according to a report today from the Spaced Out site. "And after a slight hiccup in time," Pegg wrote in an email to the Spaced Out administrators two days ago, "I am now confirmed to appear in Dr. Who. I travel to Cardiff to commence filming with Chris Ecclestone and Billie Piper this week." Later in the email, a wry comment: "I am not playing Young Davros." There is currently no word on the role Pegg will play (he was originally to take the role of a... relative of Rose Tyler) but it will likely be in either episode 7 or the two-parter episodes 9 and 10. (Thanks to Paul Blewett and the Spaced Out forums)

The new issue of Doctor Who Magazine reveals two directors instead of one for the next production block for the new series. Brian Grant, whose directoral credits include "Clocking Off," "Bugs," "Hex," "As If," "Love Bytes," "Highlander: The Raven" and "She-Wolf of London," will be directing episode 7, currently entitled "The Long Game" and written by Russell T Davies, which itself is noted as "block 4A". James Hawes, whose directing work includes "Sea of Souls," "Holby City," "The Mrs. Bradley Mysteries," "The Bill" and "Lawrence of Arabia: The Battle for the Arab World," is the director of "block 4B," which consists of Steven Moffat's two-part story "The Empty Child" set in the 1940's. We believe that this block of filming has already commenced. The reason for two separate directors for this block of filming has been reportedly due to an unusual length of special effects and production needed for episode 7.

Also in the new DWM, some brief updates on casting. American-born actor Corey Johnson (Agent Clay in "Hellboy" and part of the cast of the upcoming film adaptation of "A Sound of Thunder) plays the role of Henry in episode 6, which also stars Anna-Louise Plowman (best known to SF fans as Osiris, formerly Sarah Gardner, Daniel Jackson's ex-girlfriend on "Stargate SG-1") as Diana, while Shaun Dingwall ("Touching Evil," "Villa des roses," "Soldier, Soldier") is in episode 8 playing the role of Pete. More details as they're available.

December 1's icWales published an interview with Noel Clarke (Mickey), called "This time it is Auf Wiedersehen" discussing the end of that series (which Clarke stars in as Wyman) and his next job, the new Doctor Who series. "It seems to be that whenever they're rehashing a show from 20 years ago, I get a call!" he tells icWales. "Actually, I wish it was like that because I'm sure there'll be more old stuff coming up. ... I watched both of the series when I was young and to grow up and then be in them is really rare. It's fun and just what you imagine it would be like, especially with Dr Who. When I was little I dreamed about running from monsters and Daleks and 20 years later here I am doing just that. I got really excited when I went inside the Tardis for the first time." He notes that his relationship with Rose (Billie Piper) will be "a Ross and Rachel thing. You want them to get together but you're not sure if they're going to." (Thanks to Paul Engelberg)

Billie Piper (Rose) was interviewed for the January issue of the "Marie Claire" women's fashion magazine. "My Life After Chris - Her first Interview since the split" is the title of the article, in which she talks about her life and relationship, auditioning for parts, why she wanted to begin acting... and then the interview turns to Doctor Who. When asked what it's like working with Eccleston: "He's so brilliant. What a top bloke." Piper is told that lot of actresses must have wanted the job of Doctor Who's assistant: "Yeah, apparently they saw a sh*tload of people and then, I don't know, it just worked straight away, it really did." About the unspoken sexual frisson between the characters of Doctor Who and his assistant: "Yeah ... absolutely. I think in the past, though, it's been played differently to how it's being played now. The great thing about this Doctor Who is that as much as it's sci-fi, it's so much about the Doctor's and Rose's dynamic and their journey and about educating each other. About him expanding and challenging her ideas and, you know, just showing her stuff that she would have never seen. And it's her teaching him to be more human and be sympathetic towards things. So they're kind of like a good friendship or a good marriage or whatever. Of course, you desperately want them to get together." The interview then continues on about her time with Chris Evans and her new found singleness, along with photos. (Thanks to Danny Lamb)

New series guest star Simon Callow was on The Frank Skinner Show on ITV1 on December 2 talking about Phantom of the Opera and the new series of Doctor Who. He said that Doctor Who fans were "weird" and that he was aware that "once you're in the series you're part of Doctor Who forever." He claimed that fans would turn up during the filming in Cardiff at 3am dressed in Doctor Who costumes amid the paparazzi who were climbing on things to take pictures (though we know that the only people in costume were actually working on the series!) Callow noted that his character Charles Dickens "teams up with the Doctor to save the Earth from alien infestation." (Thanks to Gavin Rymill)

Outpost Gallifrey has seen several articles noting that BBC employees have been "inundated" with death threats from crazed Doctor Who fans who are making changes to their beloved series. Fear not - these are actually massively overhyped tabloid articles based on rumors and hyperbole (including comments picked up right on our very own forums!) These same papers are reporting that Billie Piper has a new "boyfriend". The lack of journalistic credibility and integrity on the part of these reporters stuns us. (That's sarcasm! - Ed.)

A press release today from the BBC (which has been covered in several media outlets today) mentions the new Doctor Who series as part of the "Winter Highlights," noting the forthcoming series as being targeted for debut in 2005. "Acclaimed actor Christopher Eccleston hits our screens this winter as Doctor Who with Billie Piper as the Doctor's companion Rose Tyler. More details will be released early next year," says the press release. An expanded version of the release is also online from the Drama department, with more details: "Acclaimed actor Christopher Eccleston plays Doctor Who in a new series for BBC One next year," says the press release. "Billie Piper, who made her acting debut in the critically acclaimed Canterbury Tales - The Miller's Tale, stars alongside Eccleston as the Doctor's companion, Rose Tyler. Travelling through time and space, the Doctor and Rose come face to face with a number of new and exciting monsters - as well as battling with the Doctor's arch-enemy, the Daleks. The series, which promises to surprise and entertain a new generation, also features Penelope Wilton, Noel Clarke, Annette Badland, Camille Coduri and John Barrowman, Bruno Langley and celebrated theatre, film and television actor Simon Callow. Filming in Cardiff until 2005 for transmission on BBC One, Doctor Who is written by Russell T Davies, Steven Moffat, Mark Gatiss, Paul Cornell and Robert Shearman." It is important to note that, while the appearance of the item intimates an early 2005 time frame -- noting the show "hits... screens this winter," there is still no guarantee whatsoever that the show will appear during that time, as the show is currently around the halfway point in filming, with at least six episodes of 13 that have not as yet gone before the cameras, and will depend on how quickly the show is completed before an actual debut is set. (Thanks to everyone who passed along the press release and media links...)

Reports in today's Mirror that Zoe Wanamaker -- the esteemed character actress best known for her roles in the sitcom "My Family," as broom instructor Madame Hooch in "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," and as Clarice Groan in the BBC adaptation of "Gormenghast" -- has been cast in the new Doctor Who series. Read the spoiler-tagged section as the report in the Mirror also includes spoilers about the episode she's in...