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)

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.

While no official word has been released as to the content of 2004's list of DVD releases in the UK, except for the confirmation that Pyramids of Mars (the winner of the DWM poll) will be released at some point that year, a reporton the Sci-Fi Online page purports to reveal some titles under consideration, including "The Green Death" (for which Katy Manning recorded a commentary in 2002 since she was in the UK at the time) and "Ghost Light". The report also mentions a box set called "The Beginning" featuring the first three stories, "An Unearthly Child," "The Daleks" and "The Edge of Destruction" -- a report that curiously sounds like the aborted 2001 VHS release boxed set. The site also suggests that 2004 will see no Patrick Troughton story releases. We emphasize that this is ONLY a page of rumor and speculation and no confirmation of any of these titles (except "Pyramids") has been released. (Thansk to Carl Simpson)

William Hill, the UK-based bookmakers which we preivously announced had made Alan Davies their 8-to-1 favourite to play the Doctor, have now got their full book open on who will take the role; you can visit the site by going here. Alan Davies still has the 8-1 odds, with Richard E. Grant at 14-1, Sean Pertwee (son of the late actor) at 16-1, and even Ian McKellen, Michael Caine and Don Cheadle at the extremes. Says William Hill spokesperson Jennie Prest, "Amazingly it is 14 years since the last series, but everyone remembers who was Doctor Who when they were a kid! Every time the actor was replaced there was intense excitement about who would be the next one, and this time it is just the same!!

The following are links to the media coverage of the announcement of the new Doctor Who series:

Says the BBC's official press release, "No budget has been set for the new series; the number of episodes and their duration is under discussion. It will be a family show, but no details are available as to when it will be scheduled." Outpost Gallifrey has reason to believe that the six episode quote from the Telegraph article may be incorrect, and the number of episodes may even eventually be higher than that. We'll keep you posted.

BBC News confirms the story; see top of this article for details. The story confirms that BBC Wales Head of Drama Julie Gardner will executive produce with Davies and Mal Young. "Russell is one of Wales's leading TV writers. It will be a thrill for BBC Wales to work with him on such a landmark TV series," Gardner is quoted as saying. "This is very early days and it is unlikely anything will be on screen for at least two years but it is very exciting and I can't wait to get started."

The story broke in the Friday morning London Daily Telegraph newspaper, whose webservice featured a headline article (already released to their web service) entitled Doctor Who ready to come out of the Tardis for Saturday TV series by Tom Leonard, Media Editor - an article that hit shortly before midnight UK time Thursday evening. Outpost Gallifrey had received a few emails over the past week hinting that something "was soon to be announced" but waited until the news hit Thursday evening in North America as the Telegraph's article was released, and then we heard that numerous Doctor Who experts such as Mark Campbell ("Pocket Essentials: Doctor Who") and the editors of Doctor Who Magazine were contacted for comment. Shortly after 0400 GMT, BBC News confirmed the story, which has now been carried on most major UK, US and Australia news services (including CNN, MSNBC, ITN News, Associated Press and Reuters).
          The Telegraph article, which was first on the story, said that "in a move that heralds the most eagerly anticipated comeback in television history, BBC1 said yesterday that it is developing a new series of the sci-fi classic," which BBC News confirms will be produced by BBC Wales for BBC-1 Television. But, says the article, "in a development that may alarm purists, the new series is being written by Russell T Davies, the creator of Queer As Folk, the controversial Channel 4 drama about gay life in Manchester, and Bob and Rose, an ITV drama about a homosexual man falling for a straight woman," among his many other television credits, which also include "Second Coming," "Touching Evil," "Springhill" and "The House of Windsor"... and, of course, the Doctor Who: The New Adventures novel "Damaged Goods" for Virgin Publishing. (Davies was also mentioned several years ago as a possible bidder for a new series, a prospect that obviously stayed a possibility...) Davies says he wants to 'introduce the character to a modern audience'. It will also be limited, at this time, to one six-part series, says at least one report.
          Lorraine Heggessey, controller of BBC-1 and a recent champion of Doctor Who, is apparently completely supportive of the whole thing (though she makes note that the Doctor will not be gay, despite the subject matter of the writer's previous material, noting that Davies was chosen because of his knowledge of Doctor Who and experience in television. Heggessey also apparently says in the article that it is "too early to say which of the Doctor's most famous enemies, who include the Cybermen, the Master and the Sea Devils, would return, but insiders said it was unthinkable that the Daleks would not be trundling back into action." Casting has not been undertaken at press time but the article mentions Richard E. Grant, Paul McGann and Alan Davies as possible choices. Heggessey then discusses the rights issues. "Worldwide has now agreed," she says, "that, as they haven't made the film and I've been waiting for two years, it's only right that BBC1 should have a crack at making a series." The series is not likely be be broadcast before 2005. Says Davies: "The new series will be fun, exciting, contemporary and scary."
          The Daily Telegraph article can be read online by clicking here (you have to register, but it's free); the BBCi News report confirming the story is located here. Other news services have been picking up the story over the past few hours... only confirming what we've suspected since word first broke: that Doctor Who fans truly have cause for celebration today.

Ben Aris, who played Lieutenant Shears in part 1 of "Invasion of the Dinosaurs," the Jon Pertwee serial, passed away on September 4; he was 66. Aris found his greatest fame in the classic BBC sitcom Hi-De-Hi! as camp ballroom dancer Julian Dalrimple-Sykes. (Thanks to Steve Stratford and the Death Comes in Time site)

BBC Worldwide confirmed details of the extras for the forthcoming DVD release of The Curse of Fenric, previously reported here from the list of released extras originally confirmed by the BBFC. They include commentary 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 two-disc set will also, as previously announced, feature a special edition version of the story with additional footage not seen before, recut as a "movie format" story. (Thanks to BBCi)