Note: This column originally started by covering press clips, but has now become a daily update on any and all developments in the world of the new series of Doctor Who, so read on. Updated 23 March 0320 GMT with more information...

Part one of the two part Project Who radio documentary aired on BBC2 today, featuring interviews and clips and lots of spoiler stuff. "This opening programme considers how the creator of 'Queer as Folk' and 'The Second Coming' approached the task of re-creating one of the most popular and enduring formats on television," says the official notice at the Project Who Website. Interviewed in the first chapter of the two-part documentary: actors Christopher Eccleston and Billie Piper; executive producers Russell T Davies, Julie Gardner and Mal Young; producer Phil Collinson; BBC1 controller Lorraine Heggessey; BBC Head of Drama Jane Tranter; director Joe Ahearne; writers Paul Cornell and Mark Gatiss; visual creative consultant Bryan Hitch; Doctor Who Magazine editor Clayton Hickman; Dalek actor/writer Nicholas Briggs; SFX editor Dave Golder; Heat magazine editor Boyd Hilton; Outpost Gallifrey editor Shaun Lyon; and Barry Letts, original series producer (1970-1975). Among the comments made: that Heggessey's claim of looking at Doctor Who and wondering why it wasn't on was met with a rousing "Get it sorted! We've been waiting for this movie that hasn't appeared... the viewing public should have it as its own" as rumored; that Russell T Davies loved the sonic screwdriver and the TARDIS blue police box and never once had any intention of changing them; and according to Julie Gardner, everyone knew Russell would be the "anchor" for this show, and was the only person anyone wanted to do it. You can listen to the broadcast now using RealPlayer from the site, as well as yesterday's Steve Wright Showinterview with Christopher Eccleston and other audio streams.

The BBC Press Office today revealed their second Press Pack which includes discussions of several topics related to the new series. The press pack includes discussion of The Mill, the visual effects house providing computer generated effects, including some facts and figures about their experiences on the first season: 800 special effects, a team of 21 people working 10 months, and some detail about the character Cassandra (voiced by Zoe Wanamaker) in "The End of the World": "...one computer-generated character needed four minutes of lip-synching, which is a huge undertaking in a TV project." Edward Thomas is profiled; he's the production designer on the new series: "I just waded in there because it's Doctor Who and it's a legend, and it was the thought that I might get the chance to help recreate and refresh what had gone before. Reality dawns on you when you realise there's a fanbase that's kept this series alive for 15 years, which is pressure enough, let alone making it visually-exciting and stimulating for a younger audience with little idea what Doctor Who is about." It notes some facts about Thomas and the production team, such as the fact that there have been approximately 650 sets created during the series from location builds to studio builds. Mike Tucker of the BBC Miniature Effects unit -- who also worked on the original series and has written several Doctor Who books since: "What [Davies has] brought back is Doctor Who, but Doctor Who re-invented for the mindset and viewing tastes of the 21st century viewing public. The kind of things we're doing now couldn't have been done 15 years ago when the show was last on. Computer technology in visual effects was in its infancy." And Neill Gorton of Millennium FX, the prosthetics and special make-up designer, is profiled: "I was delighted when I saw episode one because it's new, it's fresh but it's still recognisably Doctor Who. I grew up with the old series, and it's part of the reason I do this job. When it came back, I just had to be involved." There are several photos and spoiler notes about aliens in the first season, too.

According to the Radio Times website, Simon Day of "The Fast Show," and currently appearing on BBC3 in the Russell T Davies miniseries "Casanova," is appearing in episode two, "The End of the World". This is the only piece of casting so far announced other than the three guest players confirmed to date: Zoe Wanamaker (as the voice of Cassandra), Yasmin Bannerman (as Jabe) and Jimmy Vee (as the Moxx of Balhoon).

BBC Radio 1's Jo Whiley confirmed on her show today that Christopher Eccleston will be appearing with her on her show on Thursday. The Jo Whiley show airs on BBC Radio 1 on at 10am; you can visit the website here.

The new series of Doctor Who will be aired on television in the Netherlands on public channel Nederland 3 at some point later this year or early next year, according to the Dutch CEEFAX teletext service today. The message noted the day of the launch on the BBC this weekend. No word as yet on an official broadcast date.

The official site now has two new features: the Mastermind questions and answers from this weekend's "Doctor Who Night" extravaganza, and also an online "Launch the TARDIS" item that puts a Flash-based animation on your browser of the TARDIS moving around the screen.

icLiverpool "meets the two Merseysiders responsible for the new-look Doctor Who," interviewing Davy Jones andLinda Davie, "the award-winning make-up and design team who looked after the latest Doctor Who." The interviewer chats with the two, a husband and wife team who are integral parts of the first season. "Davy and Lin are still sworn to secrecy on what happens but are confident that the new Doctor will be a triumph. 'Chris and Billy [sic] have a great chemistry on screen,' says Davy. 'There's great strength with the pair of them and she makes for a good female assistant. By the end of the series she's shown to have changed and matured. She's not portrayed as a bimbo at all - she's a feisty streetwise girl from a local housing estate.' Lin agrees: 'This new series has got appeal for all from a teenage audience upwards. It's not really for young children which the old Dr Who was sometimes aimed at. It's very hip. Both characters are the type of people you'd want to hang out with.'"

News from Australia: in last Saturday's Sydney's Daily Telegraph, ABC head of programming Marena Manzoufas has said the network has now seen the first episode and they "hoped to buy" the new series. They were apparently concerned about whether it would work for a non-fan audience, but now having seen it, they think its "fabulous" and you can "come in cold and be engrossed." "It will be in the schedule this year, and we expect it will be in a prime-time timeslot," said Manzoufas. The article also mentions Channel 9's interest, and the first-refusal agreement between the ABC and BBC; there are also pics of three alien races from new series plus details of others.

Tomorrow morning's Telegraph features a recap of Andrew Marr's experience being part of the new series. "After a career whose high points include stumbling over my words outside Downing Street, being sacked, having my picture painted by Hockney because he was amazed by the shape of my head and cavorting on national television in fishnet tights, a fixed smile and little else, I have at last reached the acme, the summit, the final glistening pimple of worldly success. In short, I have a vanishingly small part in the new run of Doctor Who. Thanks to a small miracle of lateral thinking, I play a bat-eared political reporter. Filming this took a long time and a frightening quantity of technology, including a man with a tape measure interposing himself between a lens and my nose. But, hey, Doctor Who? I would have happily played a cactus on a windowsill or Billie Piper's missing sock. This obsession goes back, as most do, to childhood, much of which was spent behind the reassuringly bulky family sofa when the theme music started. I don't suppose I saw very much of Jon Pertwee and friends, but I heard a lot. (Social history is full of false memory. But the suggestion that most children spent the 1960s hiding behind sofas from silver teapots in kilts is true.) Many bad things have happened to me since. Indeed, I've done quite a lot of bad things since. But nothing was half as awful as being invited to my best friend's house across the road just after Christmas and having the door opened byà a Dalek! Other small boys might have asked themselves whether it was entirely likely that the Daleks would begin their assault on Earth in a small village outside Dundee. But I've never been entirely solid under fire. And anyway, it wasn't even a silver one. It was one of the really horrible black onesà Uughh."

Today's Variety mentions Doctor Who... "àbut can cult sci-fi classic save BBC again?" "BBC execs hope 'Doctor Who' will play a key role in combating ITV's 'Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway' in the Saturday evening ratings battle," says the article, "as well as highlighting the quality public service fare that will help the Beeb keep its license fee." The article goes through all the Doctor Who basics, including quotes reprinted from elsewhere.

Louth Today today said that "the lid has been lifted on Doctor Who's latest frightening enemy, man-eating wheelie bins," referring to a plot point in the first episode. "But while they note the irony, objectors to the introduction of wheelie bins in Louth say the subject is no laughing matter," it continues, with a few minor notes about current Louth area affairs!

"Everyone's talking about...The Return of Dr Who" according to icCoventry, which says that "Saturday telly will take a nostalgic turn this coming weekend." The writer talks about the 'classic' days of the series and ends with a bright note: "So clear behind the sofa, get in some crumpets, and pile in front of the telly this Saturday for a chance to relive your childhood, and, of course, to see if the Daleks have finally worked out how to negotiate stairs."

New program listing: the Peter Cushing film "Dr. Who and the Daleks" will be broadcast in Wales on S4C (Welsh version of Channel 4) on Saturday 26 March at 12.15pm. (It's not technically new series-related but it is because of the new show, no doubt...)

Today's South Wales Evening Post notes the original success of the series: "The BBC's head of drama told Doctor Who's original production team that he wanted no 'bug-eyed monsters' in the show, but they ignored him and created the Daleks, whose design was based on a canteen cruet set." It then discusses the new series: "Now Christopher Eccleston has taken control of the Tardis. Will another series follow? We'll have to wait and see."

"Who's That Girl?" asks today's Daily Star: "Sexy Billie Piper bursts back into the spotlight this weekend when the BBC finally unveils its revamped version of the cult series Dr Who. ... It also heralds a whole new beginning for former pop babe Billie." It quotes several recent interviews, but also makes a few statements not previously seen: "She says: 'In the past, the girls have been fairly weak characters, screaming and running away. And I always thought The Doctor was chauvinistic and patronising to women. But this has all changed. Rose is on a par with him. She even saves his life in episode one. As the series progresses, people will see how the two educate each other. They show each other new things - they're perfect for one another.'"

"Who is this Doctor?" asks today's Evening Standard, written by Matthew Sweet (the host of last week's Culture Show story on BBC2.) "When Christopher Eccleston grins at you, it is hard to know whether to smile back at him, or to jump on a chair and scream," says Sweet. "It is the eyes. Hypnotic, glittery things that make you ponder two questions: is this a nice man - or is he about to go for my neck? You may feel the same when you tune into the new series of Doctor Who on BBC1 on Saturday and watch the scene in which he first meets his new companion..." The installment biographies Eccleston and makes several positive comments about the future of the series.

Eccleston's praises are also sung today on Manchester Online, today, which mentions a second series is already in the planning stages. "But can Doctor Who defeat his greatest enemy - ITV1 rivals Ant and Dec? Even in an age where we can all time travel via video, DVD and hard disc drive recorders, that remains to be seen. Davies believes viewers are simply being offered a very good alternative. 'Those lovely boys will outlast me,' he concedes." Also, today's AOL's UK news coverage says that "Christopher is modern day Time Lord". The article basically repeats many comments made in previous press articles.

Some of today's other articles include an interview in the Manchester Evening News, the Mirror, the Sun and Alien Online.

Some of the other mentions in the press today including "Total TV Guide" 26th March-1st April 2005 (front cover and one and a half page article); "TV and Satellite Week" 26th March-1st April 2005 (front cover and two page article); "Heat" 26th March-1st April 2005 (half page article, picture and review on Saturday TV page); "What's On TV" 26th March-1st April 2005 (small photo on cover plus half-page article); "TV Choice" 26th March-1st April 2005 (small picture on front cover and half page article); "Closer" 26th March-1st April 2005 (picture on TV page and Saturday picks); "TV Quick" 26th March-1st April 2005 (two page article, plus picture in this week TV "quick loves" and on Saturday TV page).

(Thanks to Paul Engelberg, Steve Tribe, Chuck Foster, Jeroen Nieuwenhuis, Rajiv Awasti, Benjamin Elliott, Mark Murphy, Daniel O'Malley, Lorna Mitchellk, Jamie Finlayson)

Radio updates: Billie Piper will be on The Chris Moyles Show on BBC Radio 1 show this Wednesday morning, March 23, at 7.00am. And BBC Radio 5 Live presenter Simon Mayo announced this afternoon that Christopher Eccleston will be the guest on his show on Thursday 24th March, just after 2:00pm GMT. The show can be heard at the Five Live site.

BBC Birmingham, in association with local fans, have organised a small display in the public area of their new studios in The Mailbox, Birmingham City Centre, to publicise the return of "Doctor Who". The display comprises replicas of the TARDIS, a Dalek and an Auton, and it commenced today (March 21).

BBC Ouch (yes, you read that right) has a Doctor Who feature today celebrating the new series and a serious topic: "As Doctor Who returns to BBC ONE on Saturday nights, disabled comedian Laurence Clark takes a humorous look at how the series has portrayed disability over the years."

The latest issue of Radio Times has the TARDIS on the cover - which, opened, reveals the Doctor and Rose standing inside. The 16-page collectors special features interviews with Russell T Davies, Christopher Eccleston, Billie Piper and Ed Thomas (production designer) and a look at the effects and make-up of the series. There are also really nice photos of various creatures from "Rose" and "The End of the World" - including Lady Cassandra, the Tree people from The Forest of Cheem and the Moxx himself. Also noted on the back of the special it says that the title for episode 8 is Father's Day(though this wasn't the actual title a few weeks ago, but could have recently changed...)

In today's issue of The Sun, Christopher Eccleston is interviewed... and it says that he is "not completely sure" he wants to do a second series, citing the fear of typecasting. "I need to think about it," he tells the paper. "It's more than a huge responsibility to shoulder. And no, I don't want to be thought of as The Doctor to the exclusion of everything else I've done or may do in the future. So I'll have to think long and hard about it before I make the final decision to say yes or no. I am keenly aware that the whole thing could be a poisoned chalice." He says that Davies will write six episodes of the second series and he calls the new show "amazing". It also says he did watch some old episodes when he was offered the role, contradicting what he told DWM. This story is also reported by ContactMusic and icWales. Meanwhile, the internet version of the Sun quotes Eccleston: "The first scene had me as the Doctor chasing this very brilliant, very famous actor down a street while he was dressed as an alien pig. I thought, æIt doesnÆt get much bonkers than this!Æ It was such fun to do.ö

Eccleston told the Manchester Evening News, however, that is is "proud" to be the latest Doctor. "I didn't even think about it," says Christopher of his surprise move. "I approached writer and executive producer Russell T Davies. I read that he was going to do it and emailed him and said, 'When you draw up an audition list put my name on it'. It was just because I'm a fan of his writing and worked with him on The Second Coming. I loved his other stuff as well, Queer As Folk most of all I think, because it changed television in a way. So it was easy. Which is a great in a way because it is a big deal. I now realise," he laughs. The article says the experience was "a gruelling and often surreal shoot for the actor who had to deal with new experiences such as paparazzi hounding the set for snaps of his co-star Billie. 'We just looked after Billie and ignored it,' says
Christopher. But what was more galling for the actor was the first episode of their work being leaked onto the internet. 'It's kind of sick,' he says. 'It saddens me because we've all worked really hard on it and we want it to be seen as it's intended to be seen.'" On a second series, he does hedge a bit: "I won't allow myself to be absorbed completely. . . . I've been in the game 18 years so there's a certain amount of knowledge of how this business works and how you should conduct yourself with the public and things. But I've met a number of Whovians, real serious Doctor Who fans, and they've been so kind and generous to me and excited about the series. They're not interested in gossip about me or the set, but interested in the myth of the Doctor. I think I can handle that."

Lots of Billie Piper coverage today. The Daily Star says that Billie "will NOT be tuning in to see the re-launch of the classic sci-fi series - because she'll be out getting blitzed. The former pop singer ... confessed: 'I won't be watching on Saturday. I'll do what I always do on transmission dates . . . I'll go to the pub and get lashed! ... I'm too close to Dr Who at the moment because we only recently stopped filming. If I watch when it starts I'll be too critical and I'll be looking for all the things I could have done better. I'll wish I could have changed things. It's better for me to see the show in a few months' time when I know there is absolutely nothing I can do about it all.'" The Mirror also reported this online. Also, according to the Newsquest Media Group, Piper "has admitted she didn't enjoy her singing career." She also discusses her foreknowledge of the show: "I am too young to be a Doctor Who fan but I knew the music, it's like a track at a wedding reception. You know what the song is but can't place it." And today's Times says that "Doctor Who's assistant is by tradition a bit of a bimbo, so the role might do Billie Piper no favours." The article discusses some of her personal life issues over the past several years in the music industry before it turns to Doctor Who: "I worry about the Who gig. Everyone presumes that the role will finally airlift her out of her previous life and on to the A-list, but I think it's quite a long shot. First, the career track record for former assistants of the Doctor is poor. It was, after all, the only thing strong enough to kill off Bonnie Langford's television career. And secondly, in the first episode of the new Who at least, Billie underwhelms." (Ironically, most of the comments made about her is that her performance in the first episode is one of the best things about it...)

BBC Norwich has posted a feature interview with Karen Davies, winner of this weekend's Doctor Who Mastermind, aired during BBC2's "Doctor Who Night" special. The EDP24 website has also reported this.

BBC Radio Leicester are running a series of interviews to find Leicestershire's biggest Doctor Who fan this week; they are interviewing fans from the county about the programme including pitting fans against one of their presenters in a light hearted quiz (which our correspondent, Del Shorley, was the first one, and won!) You can listen to the rest of the week's interviews at the site.

More coverage of the story we reported yesterday on Welsh minister Rhodri Morgan can be found at the BBC News Ireland site, icWales, the Sun, Ananova, and a new version in the Scotsman; it was also mentioned in the Metro newspaper.

(Thanks to Martin Barber, Chuck Foster, Steve Tribe, Huw Turberville, Steve Hatcher, Paul Engelberg, "NellyM", Lee Thacker, Del Shorley, Mark Murphy, and Laurence Clark)

According to Planet Who, "BBC2's Doctor Who Night pulled in a high of 10.73% of the audience share last night, dropping to 7.56% during the special Doctor Who Mastermind edition at 8.40pm. Approximately 2.4m tuned in to watch The Story of Doctor Who between 7.30-8.30pm."

The repeat of "The Story of Doctor Who" was an edited repeat, featuring absolutely no new material but removing a few segments. Lost was the original pre title intro from Jon Culshaw (aka Tom Baker) also lost was a small section towards the beginning of the programme about Hartnell and a longer section of Terrance Dicks and Barry Letts discussing their era.

Welsh assembly first minister Rhodri Morgan faced a rather interesting moment recently, according to several press accounts. Says BBC News: "First Minister Rhodri Morgan almost became a tree-like monster in an episode of Dr Who after being mistaken for an actor, it has been confirmed. Mr Morgan arrived at BBC Wales' Cardiff studios to appear on the political show Dragon's Eye at the same time as a group of extras on the sci-fi series. The mix-up was noticed as he was ushered into a make-up room to become a tree-like sidekick of new monster Jabe. An employee from London has been blamed for the case of mistaken identity. A spokesman for the First Minister confirmed the accident and said: 'They were filming Doctor Who at the time and there were loads of extras at the BBC Wales studios. A meet-and-greet guy from London obviously did not recognise him. A young make-up artist then came in and said to Rhodri: 'Oh are you one of the trees?'. Rhodri then twigged and had a good chuckle about it. He thought it was really funny. Viewers will have to watch Doctor Who to see if Rhodri is in it.'" The story has been reported by BBC News, in the Guardian, This is London, theScotsman, Wales on Sunday, the Express, UTV Internet.

Most of the UK's Sunday press had some coverage, largely in the form of previews in their weekly TV listings. Amongst others, the cover of the Sunday Telegraph's TV and radio listings magazine section features the Doctor and Rose, and previews Project: Who?, Confidential and the first episode ("a winner"). The Observer has a full-page interview with Christopher Eccleston in its review section and also previews next week's programmes and episode (although it's not very complimentary about the episode). And the Independent on Sunday has a fairly lengthy interview with Billie Piper in its reviews magazine, as well as the usual (this time positive) previews in its listings.

The Mail on Sunday featured an extensive two page spread on Delia Derbyshire, the lade that put the "wooo ooo" into one of television's greatest signature tunes, illustrated with images of the TARDIS, Delia in the Radiophonic Worskhop as she composed the theme, how she appeares shortly before her death and the billboard poster image of the Doctor and Rose. Doctor Who was also on the opening page of the television guide section of the "Night and Day" magazine, and was their "SWITCH ON!" choice for Saturday 26 March, illustrated by the picture of the Doctor performing his card trick.

Also in the Sunday Mail today: a list of the Doctor's "special friends," reviewing many years of assistants and their take on romance in the TARDIS. "I haven't the foggiest who Billie Piper is but I'd tell her to be careful of turning her role into a romantic one. It may not work out," says Lalla Ward. "I think actors can get muddled up in their heads, until they don't know the difference between themselves and their characters. You spend two years prancing around with somebody on TV and you end up thinking it's really you. It would be hard to go back once you crossed that line." Says Louise Jameson: "Everything has to change, obviously, but part of Doctor Who's charm is its innocence. It's very important the girl has sex appeal to keep the male viewers interested but it would be a shame to make the story itself sexy. It brings a whole other connotation." Jameson also notes the danger of being typecast: "Doctor Who is for life - not just for the short duration you're acting in it. If Billie plays her cards right and keeps the fans happy, that's what she will face. When she leaves the series, she should try to do a lot of work in the theatre until people have forgotten her role." Debbie Watling has some different ideas: "To me, the relationship was always more fatherly. It kept the children interested and made the fathers think they were in with a chance. It's got to have an innocence or you're lost. ... The fact there were little men inside the Daleks made them hard to appear menacing. I'd tell Billie to get all of her giggles out in the rehearsals. When the cameras come on, no matter how ridiculous the monsters are, you've got to keep a straight face."

The Sunday Express featured a two page spread as well, this time on the female companions of Doctor Who. Listed were Susan (with an interview with Carole Ann Ford), Vicki (with an interview with Maureen O' Brien), Polly, Zoe, Liz (with an interview with Caroline John), Sarah (with an interview with Elisabeth Sladen), Leela, Romana I, Nyssa, Tegan, Peri (illustrated with a photo of Janet Fielding), Mel and Ace.

Many articles this weekend also featured reviews. Today's Guardian says that "The rule in adapting much-loved properties - whether an old TV show or a Jane Austen novel - is that you're in trouble if aficionados of the original story absolutely hate it but equally doomed if they completely love it. Like a political party, a television series needs to reach beyond the obvious fan-base. ... The first story suggests that Davies has found the right balance between respect and renovation. The internet and the London Eye play significant roles but the Tardis retains its 50s exterior and an interior representing a 60s idea of the future. And - despite the possibilities of computer generation available to this revival - the opening episode rather encouragingly uses monsters who look as if they could have been knocked up by BBC props 40 years ago. ... The risk was always that this: 'Who' would lead to the question: 'Why?' but there's a strong chance that another generation of children will, each Saturday, be asking: 'When?'"

Today's Independent on Sunday ABC magazine - the Arts Books Culture section of the quality broadsheet - had Billie Piper as its cover feature. Also flagged up on the front page of the main paper as part of the promo strap underneath the masthead, the three-page piece - including a full-page BBC portrait photo of Piper - looked at her life and career to date and asked if she could handle the superstardom that seemed certain to be hers. Craig McLean, who met her five days before the press launch in Cardiff, reported favourably on Piper and the series, incorporating the opinions of Canterbury Tales co-star James Nesbitt, Tales update writer Pete Bowker, Brian Hill, who directed her in last year's BBC2 drama Bella and the Boys, Russell T Davies, former Smash Hits pop magazine editor Gavin Reeve (she was chosen to star in a promotional campaign for the magazine at the age of 14, which started her pop career rolling), and Innocent Records label boss Hugh Goldsmith (Piper was signed to Innocent). The piece, which also carried a photo of Piper with Chris Evans, a BBC promo photo of Piper as Rose with Christopher Eccleston as the Doctor, and one of her while she was a singer, finished with Piper saying she wouldnÆt be watching Doctor Who this coming Saturday - instead, she'd be down the pub! McLean's conclusion? Piper is someone "we underestimate . . . at our peril". The magazine's front-page illustration of Piper was a caricature by Andr? Carrilho. In addition, the show was TV choice of the week in the preview section, while Doctor Who Confidential was also marked as one of the TV choices for next Saturday (26 Mar).

Several reports covered the Doctor Who: Mastermind event from last evening that aired on BBC2's Doctor Who Night. "A Norwich woman has helped break the sci-fi buff stereotype after beating thousands to win a Dr Who Mastermind special," says Norwich Evening News's report. "Karen Davies, of Nelson Street, said she was astounded at winning the TV contest after going on it for a bet to prove a woman 'with a life' could win. Ms Davies was picked along with three others from 7000 applicants to go on Saturday's show. 'I wanted to show Dr Who fans are not all nerdy boys and some of us do have a life,' she said. She put on her application form that she wanted to dispel the anorak image, something which Mastermind quiz master John Humphrys asked her about. But the 39-year-old health club manager said: 'It's no different to going to Carrow Road every weekend.'"

The Daily Record asks, "Who's Sexiest in a TARDIS?" "Billie Piper has already lost her first battle as Doctor Who's new assistant," it says. "The 22-year-old former pop star has been beaten in a poll to find the sexiest Doctor Who assistant by former EastEnders actress Louise Jameson. Jameson proved a hit with fans, who remembered her as the scantily clad Leela, who was companion to Tom Baker as the Doctor in the late 70s. ... In fact Piper, who will be seen as new Doctor Christopher Eccleston's sidekick Tyler Rose for the first time on Saturday, was beaten into fourth place in the poll by two more actresses old enough to be her mum. Wendy Padbury, 57, who was assistant Zoe in the late 60s, proved a hit with her leather catsuits to claim third place. And little--known Nicola Bryant, 43, who played American college student Peri 'Perpugilliam' Brown opposite Tom Baker, took third place. She caused outrage during the mid-80s with several scenes in just a bikini." The report quotes an "internet poll" but we haven't found it...

The Sunday Herald (Scotland) has a new series preview with some spoilers, but there's a nice comment about Christopher Eccleston. "Ah, yes, the Doctor. He's Christopher Eccleston, of course, casting as inspired as making Vincent D'Onofrio a cop. We first encounter him planting a bomb, like a distracted terrorist. Except this guerrilla is fighting to keep us safe. Dressing down for a Doctor - where the dandy of old plumped for crushed velvet and scarves, he sports a battered black leather jacket - Eccleston nevertheless has other trademarks in place. He's feeling his way into the role, just as the Doctor is feeling his way into his new body. But there's already an odd, intense, Tom Bakerish charm, grins flashing at inopportune moments. Then he's irritable, unknowable, cold, with the sudden snappy bitterness the best Doctors always had. More than once, he refers to humans as "apes". There's melancholy, too. The episode ends with Rose agreeing to accompany him on his adventures; but the important thing is the half-hidden yearning with which Eccleston asks her along, more for himself than for her. He's patient, but cosmically lonely."

Today's Sunday Independent (Ireland) says "we should all be grateful for Billie's involvement. Among those tipped for a starring role alongside the Doc during the 15-year gap since the last series was Pamela Anderson. But kick-ass Pam wouldn't have been right as one of the Doc's sidekicks." And how! "There are those who'll want to compare and contrast Christopher Eccleston's performance as the ninth doctor with all those who've gone before; but for many, it's enough to know that the Daleks are on their way back."

What makes Doctor Who special? The Scotsman asks that today. "Last year, the BBC ran a competition to select the best on-screen boffin. More than 40,000 people voted but it was still a fix. The winners were Honeydew and Beaker from The Muppets. Doctor Who came a poor third (after Mr Spock) with only 13 per cent of the vote. That can't be right. ... Forget American puppets who need wires to make themselves animated. And definitely forget Spock, whose character is actually the epitome of an eastern seaboard, Ivy League intellectual of the Kennedy era, busy getting the Federation into some galactic Vietnam War. Give me British sci-fi heroes every time - Dan Dare, Jeff Hawke, Jet Morgan, with the eponymous Doctor high on the list. Why? The answer gets to the heart of the enduring appeal of the Doctor (and of Quatermass, who is also about to be reincarnated, on BBC4)." The article goes into the heroic aspects of Doctor Who: "Like the ancient Greek heroes, Doctor Who was always at the mercy of the Gods and a wayward navigation device in the TARDIS. That's the whole point of heroes - they show you how to deal with an indifferent, even perverse, universe with wit, courage and a stiff upper lip. There was indeed a definite alien quality about the Doctor: he was still archetypally British in an era when being British was an embarrassment. Pretending to be from Gallifrey and having two hearts was an elegant ruse. Audiences could indulge in following a great British hero without feeling the cringe factor. The fascinating thing about British heroes is that they are quintessentially anti-establishment, like Doctor Who. They draw their courage from their own individuality. Nelson gleefully put the telescope to his blind eye. In similar circumstances Captain Kirk might defy Star Fleet Command, but he'd have a moral fit doing so." But the author, George Kerevan, also waxes on the future: "In this era of I'm a Celebrity and Pop Idol, the temptation will be to dumb down the Doctor or eviscerate his character. The Americans did it in 1996, when the impostor Paul McGann pretended to be Doctor Who in the one-off TV movie. McGann used violence and fell in love with an Earth girl. This was Captain Kirk, not the true hero from Gallifrey. ... But if all else fails, there's still the cerebral Professor Quatermass to save us from ourselves."

Today's Observer discusses Doctor Who collectibles. Writer Guy Clapperton interviews David Howe and Jeremy Bentham to discuss collectibility: "[Howe] says: 'Standard collecting terms apply - anything that's in the box is going to be worth more than any thing that isn't.' Anything complete with instructions and factory sealed is probably going to be in demand, 'but if all you've got is one Louis Marx Dalek out of the box, that's still probably worth ú50 or so: anything from the 1960s is rare.' ... [Bentham] points to the first Dalek playsuit as particularly desirable. Made by Scorpion Automotives in 1964, it was well made for a kids' toy. The factory shipped a few out and then burnt down, with the rest of the stock inside. 'You can pay anything from ú1,000 to ú2,000.' It was replaced by others from other manufacturers, but if yours says Scorpion Automotives on it, it's worth as much as a second-hand car."

The Wanadoo portal site has some coverage of the new series, including photos and a list of the eight former Doctors rated.

Finally, a word from Russell T Davies himself in today's Sunday Telegraph. "I remember shop-window dummies coming to life. I remember maggots. I remember devils coming out of the sea, an evil plant bigger than a house and a Frankenstein's monster with a goldfish bowl for a head. And if you're somewhere over 35, you might remember the same things. That's Doctor Who, the show that burned its way into children's heads and stayed there for ever, as beautiful and vivid as a folk tale. Now the good and constant Doctor is coming back, and I'm one of those in charge of it. This week, I'm trapped in the tornado of the BBC publicity machine as the launch, on Easter Saturday, approaches. I'll do anything to sell this lovely show." Davies tells the reader what he thinks is so special: "I think the gaps in production made the viewing experience interactive long before digital television was invented. The gaps in the finished product allowed your mind inside, whereas Star Trek, so glossy and perfect and shining, seemed closed: it made you watch, not participate. With Doctor Who, we watched what was, and imagined what could be. ... Meanwhile, back in the real world, the years passed and Doctor Who's reputation declined, and sometimes it felt as though I was the only one still watching. Those lovely gaps in the production became the only thing that we remembered." Davies obviously writes with a lot of passion for what the show means tto him: "As for me, I had one perfect opportunity to close the circle, to link my childhood fantasies with the modern image. The shop-window dummies are back, by virtue of the fact that they are, as The Simpsons' Comic Book Guy would say, the Best Idea Ever. And this time, they jerk to life. They step forward. They raise their hands; they chop down. And after 35 years of waiting, finally, the glass shatters. And the screaming starts

(Thanks to Paul Engelberg, Steve Tribe, Chuck Foster, Martyn Hunn, Paul Hayes, Paul Gordon, Kenneth Smith, Steve Chapman, Scott Wortley, Daniel Hirsch, Alan Darlington, Hugh J. Cregan)

A new edit has been made to the 'Trip of a Lifetime' trailer, which was shown during late night BBC1 programming on Friday night. They have removed all but the specially recorded Doctor scenes in the Console room and him running from the fireball and have inserted his opening sentence, "Do you want to come with me?" at the very end. It's around 10-15 seconds long. The show was also trailed in a DVE squeezed box during the end credits of the first film's showing on BBC2 this afternoon, though this was just a couple of clips from the beginning of Rose with a voice over from the continuity announcer spoken over the top, who went on to announce the evening's DW night and then following the credits trailed the first part of Project: Who over a Radio 2 slide.

The BBC has moved the Tommy Boyd hour on March 26 to an earlier time slot, 9:00pm, in anticipation of their coverage of the new Doctor Who series debut earlier in the evening.

There's an article about the new series in the Times Educational Supplement this week (published March 18); you can have a look at the cover at their website website, and follow the link bottom left that says "TES Teacher" although the article apparently cannot be read on the site.

BBC Radio 7 will play their radio comedy show, Dead Ringers, at 8:30AM, 10PM and 3AM on Friday 25th March: "The team with queries for You and Yours and who is the next Dr Who. From October 2003". This is a best-of repeat broadcast from October 2003. Dead Ringers is the show that spawned Jon Culshaw and his well-known impersonation of Tom Baker's Doctor.

Today Radio 2 comedy programme "The Day the Music Died" included a "Vision On" Gallery sequence with descriptions of pictures of new Doctor Who aliens supposedly sent in by musicians. It's about 18 and a half minutes in, but the programme as a whole is well worth a listen here.

The Saturday 19 March edition of the Daily Telegraph carries two Doctor Who articles, one an A to Z of the show by Matthew Sweet (who presented the Culture Show piece on Thursday evening), the second an interview with Mark Gatiss. The A to Z includes a few choice morsels - Q is for Quillam (from Vengeance on Varos), F is for Fanboys ("approach with caution") and O is for Outing Doctor Who fans. Read the A to Z here and the Gatiss interview here.

Today's The Express wonders "Why Billie has Fallen For A Dalek." "You'd never guess it in a million light years. But new Doctor Who star Billie Piper has admitted to a growing attachment with a Dalek. Talking about her role in the BBC1 revival of the classic series, she revealed: 'I had this quite emotional scene with a Dalek. "I'm sat there the night before the take thinking, how am I going to tap into my emotions? This is a hunk of junk! And then, I think because it is so beautifully written with human emotion, I am stood there and I am actually feeling for this thing.'" It also mentions her appearance on tonight's Parkinson.

An article in today's Telegraph, primarily about Quatermass, mentions Doctor Who serveral times. "The low-budget but endlessly inventive Doctor Who owes its existence to an even more pioneering television creation, Quatermass. ... That charisma and anti-Establishment mind-set were transferred in 1963 to Doctor Who, his spiritual successor. Though pitched at children, this series bore many of the same characteristics, infusing sci-fi with a gothic aspect. Both these shows were often less Isaac Asimov and more Mary Shelley. In Quatermass, the fate of Victor Caroon - Quatermass's astronaut, brought back to Earth with an alien infection, who soon becomes a haunted wasteland-dwelling fugitive - has very strong echoes of Frankenstein. At the climax of Quatermass and the Pit, a vast flickering image of a horned demon hovers in the night sky over London. In the second serial of Doctor Who, the doctor's companion, Barbara, is pursued through a weird, deserted alien citadel by something unseen by us but clearly so appalling that her scream echoes over the closing music. It is, of course, a Dalek. ... The notion that sci-fi could be low-key and unsettling ensured the doctor's longevity. But the rebellious spirit of Quatermass reached out further. In 1978, the crew of Blake's Seven took off into space, taking a stand against proto-fascist aliens across the galaxy, in what sounded like a spaceship with wooden floors. This was the golden age of the quarry location, when actors in spangled costumes ran around pretending to fire space weapons at each other just outside of Reigate. But the anti-Establishment theme prevailed. In those days, when you could get a convincing laser beam for neither love nor money, the only alternative was robust and gaudy scripting."

Today's Scotsman features a commentary called "Who says I'm a geek?" about a viewer who remembers back when he was 12 and still feels the excitement of the new series. "I am abuzz with anticipation, fizzing with excitement. All my adult worries and responsibilities have receded, replaced by an obsessive childish concentration on just one thing: next week, after nine years in televisual limbo, Dr Who is returning to our screens. Yes, it's true, Dr Who, my childhood hero, my two-hearted intergalactic friend, will be dematerialising in the corner of my living room in just a few days' time. ... "Of course, Doctor Who has never really been cool. The Who-niverse is the province of the geek, a socially shunned sub-culture which sees sweaty men in wash-shrunk jumpers weeping in quarries at the discovery of some discarded Cyberman hosing from 1974. Critics still harp tiresomely about wobbly sets (they were never that wobbly) and shoddy special effects (errrm ...), as if the show was some sort of slapdash pantomime rather than the incredibly imaginative and original slice of televisual manna which, at its best, it actually was. Doctor Who fans always get enormously defensive when discussing their beloved obsession, usually shooting themselves in the foot with arguments like, 'Pah! If it's rubbish TV sci-fi you're talking about, just look at Blake's 7!" which just make you look twice as insane. But I don't care. I'm not ashamed to admit my allegiance. It's geeky and silly and about as likely to impress women as a trip to an oil refinery, but I'm so irrefutably fond of the series, it would be an act of pitiful self-denial to claim otherwise."

Today's Times Online has an article called "Billie the kid" which biographies Billie Piper, including comments about her marriage and her other performances in preparation for the new series. She also makes note of some of her favorite moments from filming the new series.

(Thanks to Will Hadcroft, James Armstrong, "C Kent", Tom Boon, Steve Tribe, Faiz Rehman, Paul Engelberg, Dan Harris, Steve Chapman)

Destination Three, BBC3's "new topical entertainment program" filmed in Manchester, will be broadcasting a Doctor Who Special on Friday, March 25, from 11.30pm - 1.30am. The program will tape next Tuesday.

BBC Radio Derby this morning (story here) featured an interview with several members of the Derby Whoovers regarding the new series; they had with them a life size Dalek in the studio, which then headed off to nearby Pickford's House Museum where it will be on display over the next week and Easter weekend until Monday 28th March.

Russell T Davies' latest production, "Casanova," is making waves. BBC Radio 4 on their Saturday Review program on March 12 said they didn't like it, but noted that they'd be paying attention to Davies' other production, Doctor Who, on March 19. But Alison Graham, TV column editor of Radio Times, praised Casanova in the newest edition: "Life seems to be going swimmingly as we rejoin Casanova in the second part of Russell T Davies's funny sumptuous romp ... Davies's script is littered with jokes and cheeky asides ... The look of the whole thing is absolutely gorgeous, with beautiful colours and costumes and some heady, lovely ballroom sequences."

BBC Wales has been running trailers on BBC Wales TV networks over the past few weeks advertising its programmes. In the most recent, the trail has ended with two people standing outside and open-doored TARDIS, inviting the viewers in, while the TARDIS materialisation noise can be heard.

This morning's GMTV aired a preview of the new show. There was apparently nothing new during the interviews with Chris Eccleston or Billie Piper other than - after filmed interviews - the programme returned to the studio and presenter Jenni Falconer said that a second series would begin filming in June or July, though clearly this may just be conjecture.

Newsround's website says that "Newsround will have more behind-the-scenes features and exclusive interviews when the new series starts on 26 March". As our correspondent says, since the new series is being aimed at children, expect such stories to appear on Newsround's sister show 'Newsround Showbiz'. This usually airs on the CBBC channel Saturday and Sunday at 15:50. Newsround earlier had a report from the launch party, shown last week.

Christopher Eccleston is interviewed in next week's print edition of The Stage, the newspaper for performing arts professionals; the issue will be available from Wednesday in some parts of Central London, and from Thursday UK-wide, and you may also be able to read the interview on their website.

Today's Weekend Australian says that the "Time Lord's allure proves tough to exterminate," as it sums up the comments made across the newspapers over the past week. It quotes many newspapers as well as online websites that discussed the leak of the new series like Wired and Dark Horizons.

Yesterday's Daily Post in Liverpool discusses the Daleks. "Since my item last week about the return of Dr Who, several people have informed me that the new-look Daleks are much deadlier than their predecessors," writes columnist Valerie Hill. "They now fly around on jet-powered platforms. You can no longer outwit these ruthless, inter-galactic, metal tyrants by simply running up a flight of stairs. Yet will children's happy cries of 'exterminate, exterminate, exterminate' be replaced by 'Elevate, elevate, elevate'? It doesn't really have quite the same threat."

In Yesterday's "Broadcast" online edition: "Quick! Get behind the sofa! Why, is the TV licence detector van outside again? It's much scarier than that - the return of Doctor Who. Doctor Who? I thought he died out long ago. That's where you're wrong. Doctors are never killed off - they regenerate. A bit like Angus Deayton. And this time he's come back in the shape of Christopher Eccleston." It also mentions that, this time, the Doctor is "up against his most fearsome opponents yet. The Master? The Cybermen? Blokes in outsized green rubber outfits waving coathangers? Even worse than that, Ant and Dec!" referring to the time slot competition on ITV, Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway. So who's going to win? "It won't be easy for the Doctor - younger viewers won't have heard of him, and those that have might recall his not entirely successful eighth [sic] incarnation, Sylvester McCoy." But he's got a secret weapon, says the article: Billie Piper.

Today's Daily Telegraph from Australia warns viewers that Daleks can now climb stairs! "It's the eyes. There's only one thing scarier than evil eyes -- and that's no eyes. That made Daleks the scariest of the Doctor Who villains by far. It meant there was no way of engaging with them. No way of seeing a glimpse of humanity. ... Of course like everybody else I had worked out a plan for what I would do if any daleks tried to kill me -- I'd run upstairs. But that won't work any longer. In the new series, apparently, Daleks can fly. So that's my last hope, gone." In a separate column in the same paper, a columnist notes that "Doctor Who has become Dr When -- with a dash of Dr Where and Why," noting there is still no announcement of a broadaster there. "The ABC, which has screened BBC shows since January 1965, is yet to buy the new series despite being offered the rights last year. At that stage they hadn't shown it to us and I wanted to see an episode before we bought it," says ABC's head of programming Marena Manzoufas. Says the article: "The delay in a decision -- though an agreement gives the ABC first right of refusal to BBC output -- led to industry speculation that a commercial network would move in for the new 13-part series. It is believed Channel 9 was keen on the show. 'We will be going into negotiations very shortly,' she said. 'Before we saw it a week-and-a-half ago we were concerned about whether it would work for a non-Who audience. But it's fabulous -- even if you're not a Doctor Who fan, you can come to it cold and be engrossed in it. If you are a Doctor Who fan there are all sorts of references to the past to enjoy." The article also mentions a few SPOILERS about the aliens the Doctor meets in the first several episodes (click on the spoiler tag.)

(Thanks to Steve Tribe, Paul Engelberg, Andy Thompson, Dean Braithwaite, Scott Wortley, John Leivers, Scott Matthewman, David Rafer)

A lot of developments today on both the broadcasting and press coverage fronts, so I've combined everything into one column:

The BBC's Radio Times listings magazine website has been updated with details for Saturday 26th. It's now got some Doctor Who details up, but also details of another programme that may pull viewers over to BBC1. Doctor Who is to follow the new series 'Strictly Dance Fever'; it's the first major BBC vehicle for popular entertainer (and expensive BBC signing) Graham Norton, and the context is that last year's new big BBC hit was 'Strictly Come Dancing', to which this is the follow-up. Like Doctor Who, it's being very heavily trailed, i.e. is designed to be a big ratings-puller too; in its tone, it's a similar sort of programme to 'The Generation Game', which used to follow Doctor Who as part of the BBC's 1970s 'unbeatable' Saturday line-up.

Also, according to Radio Times, the new Doctor Who series will be repeated every Sunday (the day after the Saturday broadcast) on BBC3 at 7.00pm.

GMTV will be carrying a report from the recent Cardiff launch, featuring interviews with Christopher Eccleston and Billie Piper, on their Entertainment Today strand on Friday 18th March 2005 at 8.35-9.30am. This was mentioned by GMTV last week after a similar feature.

Today's issue of The Stage features an interview with actress Penelope Wilton (who will be in the two-part "Aliens of London" story.) "In the revival she plays an MP called Harriet Jones," the article says, "but won't be drawn into giving too much else away. 'I really have been sworn to secrecy on that project,' she says, 'and the director would kill me if I gave away any of the plotlines. But let's just say that I will be using that famous black door at No 10 Downing Street. I've just finished some post-production work and I can tell you that the special effects are just brilliant.' It also says that she has a 'reoccuring role'."

Design Week, a UK design industry magazine covering all forms of 2D and 3D work, has a feature on the new series on the back page under their 'The Week Ahead' strand. Titled 'The Doctor goes space age', reporter Yolanda Zappaterra focuses on the 'look' of the series and features production designer Edward Thomas talking about the various design challenges on the new series, including the use of colour and shape. He also comments on the redesign of the TARDIS interior and the Daleks and also highlights his keeness to use digital effects to bolster, rather than dominate, the overall look of the series. Finally, The Mill effects house is also mentioned at the end of the article where Thomas comments: 'From an art and design point of view, I think we achieved a huge amount...and lots of scary animatronic monsters too!' The article is illustrated with the new logo, a still of the Moxx of Balhoon, a BBC publicity shot of Billie and Chris used on the billboards and a shot of the exterior of the TARDIS. However, only subscribers can access the website.

Today's The Journal calls Doctor Who its "Programme of the Week". "We need to cover this one because very shortly it will no longer be TV nostalgia but TV current affairs," it says. "It's no wonder the show was so popular. It was the science fiction equivalent of a soap opera, airing every week for 42 weeks in its first season and hovering around that number until season seven in 1970 when it dropped to 25 or more usually 26. ... The BBC, in a moment of madness, gave the show up for dead in 1989. After 16 years of hard campaigning from true fans, it"s about to get a new lease of life. Things may have moved on, but you can bet the Daleks will be there. But will they be able to go upstairs?"

The BBC Bradford and West Yorkshire site has posted a nice Doctor Who mini-site in celebration of the launch of the new series by returning to its past; check it out!

In Today's Metro, in "The Green Room" section: "Graham Norton hankered after a role in the new Doctor Who series. 'I did train as an actor so why don't you want me?' he flounced."

An article at Scarborough Today notes that a Sixth Form College student "will be comparing Dalek notes when the old TV favourite Dr Who returns to our screens next weekend." The Dalek she built was on show at the recent Doctor Who Experience at The Green Man Hotel in Malton.

The April 2005 edition of Starburst, on sale now, includes a five-page interview with Mark Cossey, the executive producer of Doctor Who Confidential. There's also a feature on the new Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy movie, a review of the DVD of The Mind Robber and the announcement of an imminent Starburst "Time Travel Special", with Hartnell and Eccleston on the cover.

The Daily Telegraph today features an interview with Mark Gatiss on his contribution to the new series, his views on Gothic Who and his forthcoming role in BBC3's Quatermass on Saturday 19th March (in the Art and Books supplement). There's also an A-Z of Doctor Who and feature on the links between Quatermass and Doctor Who.

"Doctor Who - In; American Sci-Fi - Out" will be the subject of a report on the Tommy Boyd show on BBC Southern Counties Radio on Saturday, March 26 from 10pm GMT. "In the wake of the predictable death of Star Trek, and the decline of original and compelling American science fiction, Mr Boyd will be celebrating the resurrection of mainstream British sci-fi series Doctor Who," says the report. "Mr. Boyd will argue that now American science fiction is as good as buried, the British have perfected the formula, and will definitely take over the mantel with the new Doctor Who show." You can listen live on the internet via BBC website here.

Today's Newsquest Digital Media feed says that "Little Hulton born actor Christopher Eccleston was always going to be a good Dr Who. The Time Lord's latest reincarnation has former pop songstress Billie Piper as his pretty companion, Rose. And, as a preview of the first episode apparently reveals, has managed to maintain that fun blend of imagination-stretching science fiction perfectly. There are even some genuinely scary villainous types - no mean feat in today's climate of computer-generated horror. Eccleston's acting consistently impresses, but he has one other vital attribute to play the good Doctor: wild eyes and a slightly dangerous air."

Today's Carmarthen Journal discusses a local TARDIS prop in Wales. "Fans of Dr Who are flocking to Carmarthen to have their picture taken with the time lord's Tardis. The world-famous time machine has found its way into the garden of a home in Idole. Some motorists driving through Upland Arms have been so struck by the site of the Tardis they have stopped by Stephen Edwards' home to have their picture taken with it. Mr Edwards, aged 47, has already had more than a dozen visitors, from as far afield as America. ... It is one of only two time machines in Wales; the other is believed to be based in Welshpool. He said: 'I found the Tardis on the internet. There is a site that can make them for you. ... There is a big fan base in America. It takes their breath away. Quite a few people have asked to take photos of it.' The security guard said he decided to buy the Tardis because of his interest in street furniture. 'Our neighbour down the road at the petrol station could not believe his eyes. He thought Dr Who had landed here.'"

The new series is featured on the 'welcome' page of AOL (in the UK), which features the billboard shot of the Doctor and Rose, and the caption "Doctor Who. Time Lord Returns: Meet the baddies!". Clicking on the link takes you to a short photo gallery - the 'blue' publicity photo of the Doctor and Rose released some time ago, the second is a great close-up shot of enemies in action during 'Rose', and the other four are the familiar publicity photos of creatures from the second episode, 'The End of The World'. The article seems to be aimed very much at the young audience.

The Express today notes that several MP's have already had a sneak preview of the new series. "Some were granted a private screening of the new show, starring Christopher Eccleston, in Westminster this week. 'It's another good example of the perks on offer,' says one parliamentary colleague. 'The Doctor has quite a few fans here.' Well, at least he knows he'll get a warm welcome if he ever chooses to park his Tardis on the House of Commons terrace."

(Thanks to John Ryan, Mark Campbell, Stuart Flanagan, Frank Collins, Paul Engelberg, Steve Tribe, Alex Wilcock, Chuck Foster, Matthew Carr, and Roger and Jason at the Tommy Boyd Shrine site)

Some new updates on broadcasting over the next two weeks (see the Calendar section at right for more details):

Several Outpost Gallifrey correspondents were present for the taping of the Mastermind Doctor Who special that airs this Saturday as part of the "Doctor Who Night" on BBC2. While we won't tell you who won, the prize, a glass trophy, was presented by Christopher Eccleston himself. Eccleston commented that he has taken the role very seriously, that there will be plenty of humour, but not the nostalgia/self referential type of thing that sends the show up. "Mastermind" airs at 8.40pm on BBC2 on Saturday, March 19, as part of the "Doctor Who Night" hosted by Jon Culshaw, which includes "The Story of Doctor Who" at 7.30pm and a new documentary, "Some Things You Need to Know about Dr Who" at 8.30pm.

UK Gold are showing "The Story Of Doctor Who" all day on Saturday the 26th finishing at 7pm. This will feature 5 original series stories -- "The Time Meddler," "The Daemons," "Pyramids of Mars," "Attack of the Cybermen" and "Dragonfire" -- as well as interstitials featuring interviews with cast members. In essence these will be a re-edit of those produced for the Doctor Who@40 weekend shown in 2003, however, some new footage has been added to reflect the changes since the anniversary, according to a source at UKTV.

BBC Radio Wales will be airing "Back in Time", a documentary series which according to Radio Times is as follows: "Julian Carey looks at the links between the Time Lord and Wales, including giant maggots in Brynmawr and Dalek road signs in Llangollen." The first broadcast is scheduled for thirty minutes, although the duration of the repeat is listed as only 27 minutes, which is likely to be more accurate. Parts two and three will presumably air in the same slots on 2/3 April and 9/10 April.

Today's edition of Radio Times (19-25 March) has several items on the new series, including the second of three consecutive cover mentions. This week's cover features the Chris/Billie billboard poster photo as an inset and announces, "Doctor Who - The countdown to the new series has begun!" Inside the magazine, BBC2's Doctor Who Night is one of the recommended television highlights for this Saturday (page 4), illustrated with a shot of Davison in the TARDIS, and Eccleston's appearance on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross is one of Friday's picks, again with a photo, while Project: Who? also features in the week's radio choices (page 5). The second of the series of "Doctor Who Watch" articles (page 19) has a montage of all nine Doctors accompanying a quick run-down of each Doctor's first words in the series and comments given by the leading actors to Radio Times as they started out in the role; according to the same article, the 16-page supplement covering "the characters, monsters and special effects of the new series" will appear in next week's Radio Times.

Television listings: The 19 March showing of Dr Who and the Daleks is confirmed (review p.57, listing p.71) from 3.50 to 5.10pm (i.e. 80 not 70 minutes as previously listed), while an outing for Daleks - Invasion Earth 2150AD on Channel 4 is confirmed for Friday 25 March at 12.40-2.15pm (review p.64, listing p.119). Doctor Who Night is also highlighted with a short piece in Saturday's choices (page 70) and the regular listing is illustrated with a shot of Tom Baker (page 72). [Of peripheral interest: while ITV1 is now halfway through the Ant and Dec series that will be Who's main competition, Five has scheduled Charmed Season 4 repeats followed by Buffy Season 1 repeats in its early evening Saturday slots. Meanwhile, UKGold's weekend morning omnibus editions are confirmed as The Pirate Planet and City of Death.] Blue Peter's Monday 21 edition has guest appearances by Christopher Eccleston and Billie Piper confirmed at 4.55pm. The "On This Day" piece for Tuesday 22 March recalls Colin Baker's first story in 1984, noting that, until Paul McGann, his tenure was the shortest in the show's history, and Jonathan Ross's interview with Eccleston is listed on page 120.

Radio listings: page 129 features "Pick of the Week" Project: Who?, with a three-quarter-page article on why we love Who and one of the Chris/Billie publicity pictures, and the lengthy programme listing for 22 March on page 136 also promotes the CD release on 2 May, "which includes unbroadcast material", as well as the recent Daleks MP3 and a reader offer for the Cybermen tin.

Finally, on page 154, "Next week in RT... It's the return of Doctor Who! Don't miss our exclusive 16-page special and collector's cover... On sale Tuesday 22 March." Once again, there's a small Chris/Billie publicity shot. (Thanks to Steve Tribe, Paul Hayes)

Last Friday, BBC1 began showing a new Doctor Who series teaser trailer in which the TARDIS was shown dematerialising in some kind of underground pedestrian walkway slowly filling with a fire ball. It was first shown mid-day during afternoon programs, and then again before the news that evening prior to the Comic Relief telethon (before which they also showed one of the existing teasers of Billie in the control room.) The trailer has been added to the official site, on this page.

The official site has an online RealMedia interview with Christopher Eccleston, taken at last week's press launch of the new series.

This morning (14 March)'s Media Guardian has a report on bbc.co.uk's plans for the official Doctor Who site and its importance for the success of the new series. The relaunched site is described as "one of the BBC's most ambitious online projects to date [...] the series will depend on its official online companion to hook a new generation of viewers." As well as noting plans to include the various elements of online viewing already reported here and in DWM, the piece notes that "['Rose'] features a conspiracy theorist who has been following the Doctor's exploits through time [...] the lines between fantasy and reality are blurred further by making his site available to fans on the BBC website." The print version is illustrated with a photograph of the Moxx of Balhoon, and the story is available online here.

The Culture programme on BBC2 on March 17 at 7:00pm will be running a feature on the return of Doctor Who (advertised with the standard promo shot of Eccleston lounging against the TARDIS in this week's Radio Times). The program will be repeated at 11:20pm. Details available at the Culture website.

BBC7 has some audio teasers going out this week, a taster for the new series, though there will also be a full-length radio trailer with Christopher Eccleston himself next week. The current run of the teasers begin today, Monady March 14, and run through next Sunday, March 20; non-listeners may be able to catch them at the BBC7 website.

Today's Times ran a piece about Cardiff Millennium Stadium, including a few side mentions of its use in a future new Doctor Who series episode.

(Thanks to Paul Engelberg, Steve Tribe, John Bowman, Andrew Harvey, Dave Tanner, John Leivers, Alistair Moore, Matthew Godley, Martin Montague)

Latest Update: 12 March 0930 GMT (I've left today's items on the list temporarily...)

Chris Eccleston will be on GMTV on March 11 on the Lorraine Kelly section at approximately 8.35am. (Roy Barton, Doug Inman)

BBC Radio Leeds will be re-running a six minute report on "one Yorkshire fan's reaction to the new series hype, and details of his own Doctor Who influenced amateur films" which will run at 0210 GMT (or thereabouts) in the early hours of Friday 11 March. BBC Radio Leeds can be heard live online at bbc.co.uk/radioleeds.

BBC Breakfast News stated that Russell T Davies will be on the program being interviewed on Friday morning 11th March.

Doctor Who will once again be the subject on "Newsnight" on BBC2, March 17 at 11pm.

Chris and Billie will be on "Blue Peter" on March 21 from 4:55pm to 5:20pm on BBC1; the episode will probably be repeated the same evening at 18:00 on the CBBC channel. The Radio Times confirms the listing.

On the electronic Radio Times it states that Billie Piper will be a guest on Parkinson (ITV1, 10.10-11.15 on 19 March) where she will discuss her new role in Dr Who.

According to Radio Times, Saturday, March 19 will feature showings of "Doctor Who and the Daleks" (1965 film) at 3:50pm, "The Story of Doctor Who" (2003 documentary) at 7:30pm, Some Things You Need to Know about Dr Who" (a new documentary short) at 8:30pm, "Dr Who Mastermind" at 8:40pm, and "Parkinson" featuring an interview with Billie Piper at 10:15pm.

On the "On Show" program on BBC1 Wales on March 20, Sian Williams talks to Russell T Davies about his past work and his reinvention of Doctor Who. There's also a listing for BBC2W (the Welsh BBC digital service opt-out), of this "On Show" on Thursday 17th March 9-9:30pm with Russell Davies. (Not having this available to me, I can't get more detailed, sorry! -editor)

The Radio 2 Doctor Who site has just added an unconfirmed interview with Billie Piper on his show on Thursday 24 March. As usual, that's 2pm.

Christopher Eccleston will be on "Friday Night with Jonathan Ross" on 25 March, alongside Julian Clary and Sally Lindsay (Coronation Street actress).