The latest issue of Doctor Who Magazine, due out officially next week, carries a new free CD, The Veiled Leopard. The audio stars Nicola Bryant (Peri), Caroline Morris (Erimem), Philip Olivier (Hex) and Sophie Aldred (Ace). Says the blurb: "Monte Carlo, 1966: Four time travellers. Two missions. One costumed ball. The Doctor has sent Peri and Erimem to prevent the fabulous Veiled Leopard diamond from being stolen. Which is odd, seeing at the Doctor has sent Ace and Hex to steal the diamond. How will the two teams cope with this contradictory task? Will Peri's asp slip? Why does Ace have to pretend to be a French maid? How will Erimem cope with Pharaoh Rammalamadingdong? And can Hex really 'do posh'?"

The new issue of DWM has details of Big Finish's plans for the second half of 2006. The monthly Doctor Who releases continue with The Nowhere Placeby Nicholas Briggs (Sixth Doctor, July), followed by Red by Stewart Sheargold (Seventh Doctor, August); The Reaping (Sixth Doctor, September, formerly "Dead Man Walking"), which features a trip to Baltimore to meet Peri's mother, and The Gathering (Fifth Doctor, September), both by Joseph Lidster; Memory Lane by Eddie Robson (Eighth Doctor, October); We Are the Dead by Martin Day (Seventh Doctor, November); andCircular Time, featuring four "seasonal tales" by Paul Cornell and Mike Maddox (Fifth Doctor, December). There will also be a subscribers-only single-CD release at the end of the year, Return of the Daleks by Nicholas Briggs, which will be "a crossover of sorts" with Briggs's earlier Dalek Empire series.

A few notes also came up at the recent Gallifrey 2006 convention about the year's earlier items: The Kingmaker by Nev Fountain is "a comedy".Something Inside was altered to use that title instead of the original "The Cube" because Trevor Baxendale decided he didn't want to have any associations with the cult film "Cube," which he hadn't heard of when he wrote the story. The next series of Gallifrey will be the last one, for creative reasons (producer Gary Russell says it will have reached its logical conclusion). Down the road, there will be eventually a story set in the trenches of WW1, a story based around the assassination of Lincoln and a pseudo-historical set around the British occupation of India.

Big Finish has just recorded two Bernice Summerfield audios. There are eight Benny Summerfield audios planned for release this year. Series star Lisa Bowerman will be directing an installment of Big Finish's other series, "The Tomorrow People".

(Thanks to DWM, Big Finish and John Hutton)

A press releases from the BBC Press Office discusses a host of new Doctor Who releases from BBC Books and BBC Audio this year:

Confirmed for 18 May are the latest batch of novels, The Resurrection Casket by Justin Richards, The Feast of the Drowned by Stephen Cole and The Stone Rose by Jacqueline Rayner as well as Justin Richards' second large-format book Aliens and Enemies. Previously announced on Outpost Gallifrey, the covers for "Aliens and Enemies" and "The Stone Rose" can now be found below (click on each for a larger version) courtesy the official Doctor Who website and the Amazon.co.uk site, respectively. Also noted in the press release: the Quick Reads book I Am A Dalek by Gareth Roberts.

All three of the novels will be released in audio format, as we previously reported: "Fresh from his Christmas regeneration, the tenth Doctor himself David Tennant narrates three new Doctor Who novels for BBC Audiobooks. These abridged readings feature the escapades of the Doctor and Rose as they take the TARDIS on adventures not seen on TV. In a special ‘bonus' feature, the Doctor reveals all in an exclusive question and answer session with his fans. The Resurrection Casket, The Stone Rose, and The Feast of the Drowned are released on 3 July 2006."

BBC Audio has confirmed the release on 1 May of The Dalek Conquests, reported on Outpost Gallifrey on 29 January and listed on Amazon. According to the official Doctor Who website, "The Dalek Conquests covers every encounter the Doctor has had with his hate-filled nemeses. Through extracts from their many TV appearances, and linking narration by Nick [Briggs], The Dalek Conquests finds out where the Daleks come from, who was behind their original creation, and just why they are so bent on universal domination."

On the classic series front, The Tomb of the Cybermen will be released on audio on 1 May. "Patrick Troughton stars in this digitally remastered soundtrack of a classic TV story , in which the dreaded Cybermen are released from their ice tombs on the planet Telos. The Doctor, Jamie and Victoria encounter a party of Earth archaeologists who are intent on uncovering the mythical 'Tomb of the Cybermen'. Only the Doctor seems aware of the folly of this venture, but suddenly it's too late - the tomb is open, and the Cybermen are coming back to life... Trapped in a confined place with the Cyber Controller and his acolytes, can the humans avoid being turned into Cyber fodder? What's more, can the Cyber menace be made dormant before it spreads out to the galaxy once again? The Cybermen return to Doctor Who in the latest TV series." This is interestingly an audio release of a story that exists on video and DVD.

Also noted are groups of toys including Five-inch Action figures ("See the characters come to life with the new range of 5" action figures. The Doctor is dressed in his new signature outfit with long overcoat and Sonic Screwdriver accessory, while Rose Tyler is teamed with canine hero, K-9. Evil intergalactic warlord, the Sycorax Warrior comes complete with two imposing weapons. The Cassandra action figure shows Lady Cassandra O'Brien, the last human, stretched out on her moving frame. Blue-skinned Moxx of Balhoon is featured on his travelling base while Slitheen stands tall with full joint articulation and extendable claws"); Twelve-inch Action figures ("The twelve-inch action figure range features the new, more deadly breed of Cybermen, as well as the Doctor himself, suited exactly as seen on the screen. Every detail in his pinstripe suit, plimsolls and overcoat has been incorporated into the figure to reflect, down to the very last pinstripe, the Doctor's classic look"); Radio Controlled Toys ("The new 5" radio controlled Dalek is set to be just as popular as the 12" debut model launched last year . Like its predecessor, it features 360-degree travel, flashing lights and utters the words: "Seek, locate, exterminate!" The 5" Doctor Who action figure appears again in a double pack that comprises radio controlled K-9 with authentic speech and sound effects. On command, K-9 can turn a full 360 degrees, his eyes light up and he also has a button-activated gun"); Cyberman novelty range ("The Cyberman Voice Changer Helmet is a must for anyone daring to deceive the Cybermen as they carry out their mission to convert humanity to their own deadly kind. It will change your voice into true Cyberman speak, leaving your real identity undetected. For added protection, the Cyberman Room Guard will help you ward off intruders attempting to trespass on forbidden territory"); and Playsets and games ("The TARDIS Electronic Playset features authentic light and sound effects and its console is a faithful reproduction of the one seen on screen. Its motorised 'time column' rises and falls (with lights) when the TARDIS is in 'flight' and it has 'lift out' access panels in the floor to reveal the mechanisms and circuitry hidden in the floor. The LCD Game has a smart stylised Dalek case front and comes with an LCD game display, authentic sounds and two levels of play that allows players to hunt out and fire at the Doctor's most feared adversary. The new additions join the existing Doctor Who toy range which includes the Talking TARDIS Money Box and Sonic Screwdriver. The TARDIS Money Box, a replica of the Doctor's Time Capsule, has an opening front door which reveals the Doctor, Rose and a money slot. As each coin is delivered, the Money Box plays phrases including, "Did I mention it travels in time?" A replica of one of the Doctor's most essential tool, the Sonic Screwdriver is an invisible writing pen featuring button activated lights and sounds.")

Finally, below we have three additional visual items, all fromamazon.co.uk: the revised final cover of Paul Parsons' book The Science of Doctor Who, and two TV tie-in books, the Intergalactic Activity Book (second volume) and the Regeneration Sticker Guide. Click on each for a larger version.

According to a press release from the BBC Press Office, and noted on the official Doctor Who website, the three Tenth Doctor novels expected in April will be published with audiobook versions, and that these will all be read by David Tennant. The CD releases will also feature more than just readings of the novels: the audiobook commissioning editor, Kate Walsh, says that "having David read means we can include some added extras for those interested in hearing more about him, on top of the terrifically exciting stories written by Stephen Cole, Jacqueline Rayner and Justin Richards. They will make fantastic publications!" It says, "Set for release in July, David will start recording next month. The three titles are new adventures for the Doctor and his companion Rose and is the first time David will feature in his role as the Doctor outside of the television series. The CDs will also include special bonus material featuring children from across the UK asking the Doctor everything they've ever wanted to know about life as the Time Lord." The new Doctor Who titles are "The Stone Rose," "The Resurrection Casket," and "The Feast of the Drowned"; Amazon.co.uk released two of the three novel covers last week (and they were subsequently added to our news page).

According to the latest DWM, Big Finish will soon embark on a new four-part miniseries, beginning this September: actorTerry Molloy, who played Dalek creator Davros on television and in several audios for the company, "will star in I, Davros, the definitive chronicle of the journey from man to monster to Creator of the Daleks and then Nemesis of the Doctor". The four plays will be written by Gary Hopkins ('The Last', 'Other Lives'), James Parsons and Andrew Stirling-Brown ('Live 34'), Lance Parkin('Davros', 'Primeval', 'The Gallifrey Chronicles', etc. etc.) and Scott Alan Woodard ('The Juggernauts'). DWM reports that elements of [the 2003 release] 'Davros' will be woven into this new mini-series, which is directed by Gary Russell and covers Davros's life from teenager to Dalek creator in 'Genesis of the Daleks' on television.

Also coming with the March issue of DWM (#367) will be another Big Finish-produced CD release, "a complete new audio adventure starring Sophie Aldred as Ace, Nicola Bryant as Peri, Caroline Morris as Erimem andPhilip Olivier as Hex."

Amazon UK is listing a May 1 release this year of Tomb of the Cybermen from BBC Audio. It is not known exactly what this release is comprised of, but it is possible that it's a re-release of the audio soundtrack of the serial that was prepared shortly before the episodes from the story were located and returned to the BBC archives over a decade ago (and subsequently released immediately thereafter). However, there might be additional material; we'll keep you posted. (Thanks to Kieran Seymour, Jason Rhoden)

Big Finish has just released two new hardcover books featuring the further adventures of Bernice Summerfield, the character originally created as a Doctor Who companion for the Virgin New Adventures books during the 1990's.Something Changed is a new anthology featuring original stories by Ben Aaronovitch, Simon Guerrier, James Swallow, Joseph Lidster, Pete Kempshall, Eddie Robson, John Isles, Ben Woodhams, Dave Hoskin, David Cromarty, Ian Farrington, Dave Stone, Sin Deniz, Jonathan Clements and Ian Mond. Also, Parallel Lives is a trilogy of novellas written by Rebecca Levene, Stewart Sheargold & Dave Stone, featuring the character and other original characters created for the series.

Meanwhile, Magic Bullet Productions has released the cover illustration for The True History of Faction Paradox, Volume Two: The Ship of a Billion Years, the new audio CD by Lawrence Miles featuring the further adventures of Faction Paradox, the time travelling voodoo cult originally created for the BBC Eighth Doctor novel series. The audio is released in early 2006 and stars Gabriel Woolf, who reprises his role as Sutekh from "Pyramids of Mars", with Julian Glover ("City of Death"), Isla Blair ("The King's Demons"), Wanda Opalinska, Jane Lesley and Peter Miles ("Genesis of the Daleks").

Cover illustrations for all three are below; click on each for a larger version.

The latest issue of Doctor Who Magazine announces several changes at Big Finish, publishers of the official Doctor Who audio series. Alan Barnes("Neverland") will become the Doctor Who range's new story editor, both in the audios as well as the company's short fiction collections; Gary Russell will continue as producer, but with Ian Farrington (who has edited several of the company's anthologies) serving as assistant producer. Producer/directorNigel Fairs has also taken over several of the company's other ranges, including their "Sapphire and Steel" and "The Tomorrow People" series. Big Finish is currently licensed to continue their Doctor Who output until 2008 at the earliest.

Tenth Planet have sent us the cover illustration for the final BBC Audio Doctor Who soundtrack release, The Reign of Terror, due out next year. "The Reign of Terror," the final story of the series' first season back in 1964, is missing two episodes and was released on VHS only two years ago; this soundtrack recording is narrated by series star Carole Ann Ford. Click on the thumbnail for a larger version.

The BBC Press Office today posted a press release officially announcing the audio releases of the classic Doctor Who stories "The Invasion" and "The Tenth Planet", which we previously reported as being in release in January 2006. The press release also mentions the February release of "The Reign of Terror," what it says is "the last of the lost television soundtracks restored for release on BBC Audiobooks." The press release is below. (Thanks to Steve Tribe)