UK Schedule Updates

Friday, 31 March 2006 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

There have been a couple of changes to BBC Three's schedules over the next fortnight, along with more details of the content of the Doctor Who Night on Sunday 9 April. The reruns of Series One will still begin with two double bills (episodes 1 to 4) from 7pm on Thursday 6 April and Friday 7 April, but 'World War Three' has now moved to Saturday 8 April at 7.10pm. The double bills resume with episodes 6 and 7 on Monday 10 April and conclude with episodes 13 and 14 on Thursday 13 April. (See list below.)

The Doctor Who Night on Sunday 9 April is comprised of Doctor Who Confidential: One Year On, a repeat of The Christmas Invasion, and another showing of 2003's documentary The Story of Doctor Who

There will also, as in 2005, be another airing of 1960s Peter Cushing movieDr. Who and the Daleks on BBC Two ahead of the new series; this year, the film is on Thursday 13 April at 11.10am.

Advance listings guides are also showing a CBBC repeat of the first Totally Doctor Who for 6.30pm on Friday 14 April. This contradicts the information given in the latest DWM (which suggested Saturday evenings as the likely time for a repeat), but may not reflect the final schedules. The premier of the new children's series is confirmed for BBC One at 5pm on Thursday 13 April.

The updated schedule, along with the US airings of Doctor Who on the Sci-Fi Channel, are now on the Outpost Gallifrey news page's TV schedule in the left-hand column; note that this includes the new series as assumed to be premiering on April 15 at 7pm like noted in Doctor Who Magazine, although as stated in the news story below, this seems to be a bit up in the air as of today. (Thanks to Steve Tribe for compiling this information)




FILTER: - DWM - Series 1/27 - Broadcasting

TARDISODES Details

Thursday, 30 March 2006 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

The BBC Press Office and the BBC's official Doctor Who website have both released further information today on the forthcoming TARDISODES, reported in the new DWM and on OG yesterday. Says the release, "In addition to watching 13 new, gripping and exciting adventures - with David Tennant as the Doctor and Billie Piper as Rose - viewers will be given the opportunity to download 13 60-second mini-episodes via their mobile phones, or stream them on broadband as part of the BBC's TV Plus trials. The TARDISODES, which are part of the BBC's trials exploring ways of broadening the output of leading brands, offer the audience an exclusive insight into what's going on in the Doctor Who universe that week. These individual and unique downloads will be available on Saturdays after the main show has gone out. They will include footage that won't be seen on TV, and back story about the characters and adventures coming up inthe next episode - from meeting the Cat Women who can cure all illnesses, joining Mickey as he discovers some alien activity in a local school, to witnessing the Cybermen upgrade process! Jana Bennett, BBC Director of Television, says: 'What better way of travelling with the Time Lord than to have a TARDISODE come to you on your phone or PC? The TARDISODES are an exciting development, delivering mini-episodes which will let viewers access the vortex and explore new worlds before the Doctor arrives himself. We know that there is a huge appetite for Doctor Who and we want to make the whole experience bigger and better for viewers. These TV Plus trials will continue to help us understand more about the different ways in which viewers want to enjoy Doctor Who.' Created by the team behind Attack of the Graske, the highly successful Christmas interactive mission, the mini-episodes will have the same high quality elements as the main show. TARDISODES co-producer Jo Pearce says: 'Our aim, when planning the development of all these projects, is to make the interactive content around Doctor Who series two compelling, exciting and intriguing as well as enticing a broader audience to Doctor Who by positioning it on different platforms.' The mini-episodes are written by Gareth Roberts and directed by Ashley Way. Executive Producers are Russell T Davies and Julie Gardner (Head of Drama, BBC Wales). Producers are Sophie Fante and Jo Pearce. Made in Cardiff, by New Media and BBC Wales, the TARDISODES are part of the BBC's TV Plus pilots, offering audiences a new way of engaging with BBC TV programmes to enhance their viewing experience."
This clarifies that after each episode is broadcast on Saturdays on BBC One, the TARDISODE for the next week's episode will be made available, to both mobile and broadband users. According to the press release, "From 1 April the audience can text the word TARDIS to 81010 to subscribe to the service. The user will then be sent a text message with a link to the download. They will then be asked to bookmark the link and to come back every Saturday at the end of the Doctor Who programme to see the new TARDISODE. If the user does not have a compatible handset they will be told before they download the content and asked to go to the Doctor Who website to watch the TARDISODE." There is no charge for BBC content for mobile phones, although regular service provider call charges will obviously still apply. The press release also notes: "Total audience for 'Attack of the Graske' via the red button was 496,000, with an average of 41,000 requests per week to play the game on the Doctor Who website."




FILTER: - Russell T Davies - Online - DWM - Press

Series Two DWM Update

Wednesday, 29 March 2006 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

The new issue of Doctor Who Magazine, #368, has now reached many subscribers and has a large amount of news from the forthcoming second Doctor Who series, including the new titles which we reported on yesterday, and the following items:
Promotion: Producer Phil Collinson confirms that the publicity campaign for Series Two will, like last year, include "posters at specially selected sites" and a "specially shot television campaign". These trailers will comprise exclusive footage of David Tennant and Billie Piper and was due to be shot on 18 March. Meanwhile, Blue Peter will continue its association with the show, beginning on Wednesday 19 April with a "make" and studio guests. Blue Peter editor Richard Marson also promises a film about the Cybermen; a report on a set visit by William Grantham, competition-winning designer of the Abzorbaloff; and a possible visit from K9. There will also be a 'Doctor Who Week' in The Sun, beginning on Monday 24 April, in which Sun readers who can operate a DVD player will be offered a series of specially produced DVDs; these will feature episodes already available from BBC DVD. TheRadio Times for 15–21 April will feature "another collector's special … [with] a really original and ambitious cover", interviews and behind-the-scenes material.
Production Updates: Collinson has told DWM that "production is now at full tilt", with 'The Satan Pit' and 'Love & Monsters' nearing completion. The final day of filming is scheduled for this Saturday, 1 April. Editing and dubbing of 'School Reunion' and 'Tooth and Claw' was almost complete as of the start of March, 'The Idiot's Lantern' and 'Fear Her' are "almost ready", and edits of 'Rise of the Cybermen' and 'The Age of Steel' "have been locked". Meanwhile, the production team is now turning to Series Three: "plans have been put in place" for this year's Christmas special and all of next year's scripts "have been commissioned". Russell T Davies' 'Production Notes' reveal that the series has its own new studio, "a dedicated space for both Doctor Who and Torchwood, with room for production, post-production and the actual filming." And they call it Camelot, Davies comparing its size to a Hollywood lot.
Casting: Actor Shaun Parkes joins the guest cast for 'The Impossible Planet' and 'The Satan Pit'; Parkes previously worked with David Tennant on "Casanova" and with Billie Piper in "Things To Do Before You're 30," and he has appeared in "Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased)." In the same episodes areClaire Rushbrook and Danny Webb; the latter's extensive credits include "Our Friends in the North" with Christopher Eccleston. The supporting cast will include Ronnie Jhutta and Myanna Buring. Collinson noted that the episodes featuring cameos from various UK television stars "are a bit cleverer than might first appear" from tabloid reports. "The TARDIS absolutely does not land in Albert Square, nor does the Doctor step onto the Trisha show to sort out his relationship with Rose."
Totally Doctor Who: The new children's magazine show now has a confirmed timeslot: from 13 April, it will transmit on BBC One at 5.00pm every Thursday. There will also be a weekly repeat on the digital channel CBBC, each Saturday at 6.30pm, immediately before the week's episode is broadcast. Its two presenters will interview studio guests from previous episodes and introduce "filmed inserts both from the Doctor Who set and the wider world of the series and the children who love it."
Doctor Who Confidential: The content of another hour of the three-hour Doctor Who Night on BBC Three on Sunday 9 April has now been revealed: the Doctor Who Confidential team has been commissioned to make a 60-minute special. Confidential will also soon have its own website. DWM interviews the series producers, Gillane Seaborne and Adam Page, who reveal that they have recorded "even more backstage footage and on-set interviews than last year". As a result, the programmes will rely much less on earlier Doctors and material on the history of the show. The first four editions have been completed. The first, 'New New Doctor', "follows David Tennant behind the scenes" on New Earth and "New New York"; 'Fear Factor' is the second and "looks back at 40 years of Doctor Who's creatures", including 'Tooth and Claw's werewolf and the Sycorax. 'Friend Reunited' concentrates on Sarah Jane Smith and K9, while the fourth, 'From Script to Screen', "follows every stage of the making of 'The Girl in the Fireplace'," from script and tone meetings to read-through and the start of recording.
"Tardisodes": One-minute mini-dramas, "like little prequels to the episode playing that week", these will be available for download to mobile phones "a few days" ahead of each Saturday's episode, and will also be made available on the official website. They share a production team with the interactive adventure 'Attack of the Graske', being written by Gareth Roberts, directed by Ashley Way, produced by Sophie Fante, script edited by Simon Winsone, design by Edward Thomas and with effects by The Mill. They will not feature David Tennant or Billie Piper, as the actors have been too busy; Gareth Roberts comments that the lack of the lead characters "works. You're creating different worlds every week, so it's good to show a bit of them." Roberts gives examples of "what Tardisodes might present": "a computer graphic of a Cyberman being formed, … Jackie talking to camera, or an excerpt from a TV show" and says that the Tardisode for 'The Girl in the Fireplace' will "follow suit" in being "very scary". Simon Winstone indicates that they will "show you something you wouldn't have seen otherwise … An element of back story. Some are live action… We didn't want these to be previews … They're part of the show's world" and Gareth Roberts suggests that they would "almost work as pre-credits sequences." Winstone also indicates that they will probably be included on a DVD release.
The Official Website: After each episode's transmission on BBC One, the official Doctor Who website will unveil two hours of extra material, including a full episode commentary for download, Tardisodes, trailers and video diaries by Doctor Who Confidential. The commentary for 'New Earth' is by Julie Gardner, James Hawes and Will Cohen, executive producer, director and visual effects supervisor respectively. The next game to be unveiled will feature K9, "pitting him against a whole host of the new series' most popular creations." A further game is also being prepared. The site will also be resuming its publication of ebooks of out-of-print novels, beginning with Mark Gatiss' New Adventures: Nightshade "later in the year". The interactive game, 'Attack of the Graske' is receiving about 42,000 requests per week on the website. DWM reports that there are plans to make the official website's commentary tracks available as an interactive extra to accompany the BBC Three repeats of each episode. They will also be for download from iTunes.
For additional news items and a lot of other feature articles, including previews of the first two episodes, an interview with Tom MacRae (writer of "Rise of the Cybermen/The Age of Steel"), the monthly comic, Russell T Davies' Production Notes column and more, pick up issue 368 of Doctor Who Magazine, due out on newsstands tomorrow!




FILTER: - Russell T Davies - Magazines - DWM - Series 2/28 - Radio Times

Torchwood Update

Wednesday, 29 March 2006 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

Russell T Davies has given some details of the writers for Series One ofTorchwood, the Doctor Who spin-off, in the new issue of Doctor Who Magazine. Episode 1 is by Davies and is called Flotsam and Jetsam; Davies will also write one other script. Episode 2 and at least three more scripts are by Chris Chibnall. Doctor Who script editor Helen Raynor is writing a script which Davies describes as "one of the best I've ever read - it's gone straight into the shooting schedule!" Actor Noel Clarke, who plays Mickey Smith in the Doctor Who series and who also penned the recent groundbreaking UK film "Kidulthood", is confirmed as writing one script for the first season of Torchwood, as is Toby Whithouse, writer of 'School Reunion' for the main series. Already announced, PJ Hammond has delivered the second draft of his script, while Si Spencer has been commissioned for one episode. The first block of episodes, which starts filming in May, will be directed by Brian Kelly. Davies reveals that there are several "over-commission" scripts, which are "not necessarily part" of the first 13 episodes but are a way "of trying a new writer or an experimental idea" - in fact, Helen Raynor's script was initially one of these. And producerRichard Stokes is also interviewed by DWM, and says that "if all goes to plan and the audience enjoy it," there will be more than one series.




FILTER: - Torchwood - Russell T Davies - Production - DWM

Series Two Date, Titles and More News

Tuesday, 28 March 2006 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

The new issue of Doctor Who Magazine, reaching subscribers today, has confirmed rumors that Series Two will debut on Saturday, April 15 at 7:00pm. Widely rumored as the target date by fans and even the press as early as last November, this is the first official confirmation anywhere of the date of transmission of the first new episode, "New Earth".
Also revealed in the issue are the final three titles for the season. The Impossible Planet is the name of episode 8, the first half of the two-part story taking place on an alien world which is followed up by episode 9, "The Satan Pit". Fear Her is the title for episode 11, written by "Life on Mars" writer Matthew Graham. Finally, the magazine confirms the titleLove & Monsters (using the ampersand, in fact, not the word "and"), which was reported last week in various newspapers during the episode's filming. (Other sites reported different titles for episodes 8 and 11, despite our earlier reports here that they were false.)
Additionally, DWM has revealed that, following each broadcast, Doctor Who Confidential - the documentary series about the making of the program - will air on BBC with writer Mark Gatiss ("The Unquiet Dead," "The Idiot's Lantern") narrating the documentary series, replacing last year's narrator Simon Pegg.
Finally, a few miscellaneous items of note about series two: writer Marc Platt, who wrote the Big Finish audio "Spare Parts" which inspired the Cyberman two-parter being seen this year, will receive a fee but the producers stress the story is not a rewrite. Also, "In the interview with Julie Gardner and Phill Collinson, they state that they are in their busiest period now, and that the script for the final episode is awesome. There is also a quote in the news section that allays the fears of the Barbara Windsor and Trisha Goddard cameos stating they are 'clever.'"
(Please note: Outpost Gallifrey held off reporting this information from DWM, which leaked earlier this week onto the Internet -- out of respect to the magazine's editors -- until the magazine began being received by paid subscribers today.) (Thanks to Steve Barnet, Daniel Hirsch, Michael Noth)




FILTER: - Magazines - DWM - Series 2/28

Doctor Who Magazine 368

Friday, 24 March 2006 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

The preview for issue 368 of Doctor Who Magazine has been released; the issue boasts two cover illustrations instead of one (click on the thumbnail for each for a larger version). (Thanks to Tom Spilsbury at DWM)
Celebrate Doctor Who's imminent return to BBC One with a special edition of DWM. There are two exclusive covers to pick from featuring the Tenth Doctor or Rose Tyler. Which will you choose...?

This issue DWM speaks to Doctor Who producers Julie Gardner and Phil Collinson. Find out their hopes for the new series, whether they ever really worked out the whole 'Bad Wolf' thing, and how the decided to bring back the Cybermen...

"The redesign was, in many ways, so much more difficult than the Daleks," says Phil. "Russell, Julie and I were constantly saying 'Are the handles the right shape? Is the chest unit in the right place? Do they feel iconic enough?' I think we could have gone on forever, tweaking and refining, but I'm thrilled that we didn't, because I do think they're beautiful..."

Also this issue, there are exclusive previews of the first two episodes of the new series, New Earth and Tooth and Claw, and a chat with Rise of the Cybermen/Age of Steel writer Tom MacRae. Russell T Davies tells us about getting in the removal men in an unmissable double-length Production Notes column, plus there's a preview of the new 'Tardisodes' for your mobile phone. There's also a trip back to medieval England in a fascinating Fact of Fiction article on Sarah Jane Smith's first story The Time Warrior. Meanwhile, young Mickey Smith takes centre-stage in a brand new comic strip adventure The Lodger, by Gareth Roberts and Mike Collins.

Plus there's a stack of unseen and exclusive photos, and the biggest Gallifrey Guardian ever - including news of the titles for Episodes 8, 10 and 11, the launch date for Series Two, cast members revealed for The Satan Pit, a new narrator for Doctor Who Confidential, the writers for spin-off series Torchwood, and some exciting news from the Doctor Who website team! And we haven't even mentioned a trip to the planet Argolis for The Time Team, your questions answered by Sorvad in Matrix Data Bank, and previews of all the latest CD and DVD releases.

DWM 368 - literally the most packed issue ever! - goes on sale from Thursday 30 March 2006. Phew!




FILTER: - Russell T Davies - Magazines - DWM

Doctor Who Magazine 367

Thursday, 23 February 2006 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

Issue 367 of Doctor Who Magazine will be out on 2 March and the press release and cover are below; click on the thumbnail for a larger version. (Thanks to Tom Spilsbury/DWM)
Meet the Doctor's latest travelling companion in the new issue of Doctor Who Magazine!

Actor Noel Clarke drops by the DWM offices for an exclusive photoshoot, and chats about some of the changes in store for Mickey Smith...

"Mickey has a lot more to do this year, besides being the new companion. I can only say to the fans, 'You just wait and see what's going to happen!' Mickey gets sexy in this series! I'm not in every episode, but there's so much for me to do as an actor, there's so much for the character to do, and I really think the fans are going to like it. By the last time you see him in this series, he's a completely different person from the Mickey that got stuck to the wheelie bin in Episode 1..."

Also this issue, there's a complete new Doctor Who audio adventure on a free CD, starring Sophie Aldred, Nicola Bryant, Philip Olivier and Caroline Morris. Plus there's a beginner's guide to the world of Doctor Who on audio, in a special 9-page feature all about Big Finish Productions!

Meanwhile, in an exclusive interview, writer Toby Whithouse chats about bringing back Sarah Jane Smith and K9, in the eagerly anticipated School Reunion; there's a look at the reasons for the massive success of the return of the series in a special article, Scheduled for Success; and the Doctor and Rose reach the climax of their latest exciting comic strip adventure, The Betrothal of Sontar.

Plus, of course, there's all the latest casting news from the new series in Gallifrey Guardian; website producer James Goss tells the magazine about some special new projects for the Doctor Who website in Production Notes; and Sorvad returns to answer all those unanswerable questions that readers have been putting to him.

Along with all your other favourite regular features, Doctor Who Magazine 367 goes on sale on Thursday 2 March 2006, priced 3.99.




FILTER: - Magazines - DWM

Big Finish Update

Thursday, 23 February 2006 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

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)




FILTER: - Audio - DWM

Series Two Update

Thursday, 23 February 2006 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

Issue 367 of Doctor Who Magazine has started to reach subscribers - ten days early - and has more news of Series Two, as well as some extra content for mobile users:

According to DWM, mobile phone users will be able to download exclusive additional content before each episode of Series Two airs on BBC One. With scripts by Gareth Roberts, the thirteen instalments of 'Vortext' (the working title) will contain "exclusive footage, state-of-the-art special effects and new material directly linked to the following episode". Russell T Davies reveals that "new material is being shot alongside the regular crew" for each episode, while Gareth Roberts says, "These are proper, full-on productions", which are being made by the team responsible for 'Attack of the Graske' at Christmas.

The new issue suggests that April is the most likely start date for Series 2 and, although the magazine has no news yet of a more definite date, its next issue (368) will carry previews of the first two episodes and is published on 30 March. DWM also reports that Ron Cook (as Mr Magpie), Debra Gillett (Rita), Rory Jennings (Tommy), Marie Lewis (Mrs Gallagher),Sam Cox (Bishop), Jean Challis (Betty) and Jamie Foreman (Eddie) will all be guest starring in 'The Idiot's Lantern'. The guest cast for Episode 11 will include Erica Eirian (as Neighbour), Tim Faraday (Dad), Stephen Marzella (Policeman) and Richard Nichols (Driver).

The director for Episode 10 has also been announced: Dan Zeff, who has previously worked on Linda Green with Phil Collinson.

The title of Episode 6 is confirmed as The Age of Steel.

This month's 'Production Notes' column in DWM is by James Goss, who is in charge of the BBC's official Doctor Who site. He reveals that there will be "dozens" of fictional tie-in sites this year, "not an enormous in-joke for fans - it's a game. Each week you've got a mission. Perhaps it's Mickey needing help after he's accidentally switched off the Earth's satellite defence system..." Goss also states that there will be more content available for video, mobiles and iPod, as well as more commentary tracks (as for 'The Christmas Invasion'); there will also be more video diaries, this time provided by the Doctor Who Confidential team.




FILTER: - Russell T Davies - Magazines - DWM

TARDIS Report: Mid-Week

Wednesday, 1 February 2006 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

Broadcasting

According to Radio Times, The Christmas Invasion will be repeated in the UK on BBC Three at 9pm on Friday 10 February.

Meanwhile, more from ABC Australia on its series two plans, or lack thereof: according to an email sent to a fan, ABC Audience and Consumer Affairs said, "The ABC is currently negotiating the rights for the 'The Christmas Invasion' 2005 special and Series 2 of the new Doctor Who, both starring David Tennant as the 10th Doctor. We anticipate that the Christmas special and the new series will be broadcast later in 2006. At this stage, I cannot be more specific about when this may occur."

There are rumors currently circulating that the BBC has supposedly 'confirmed' April 15 as the date of transmission of Series Two in the UK. In fact, Outpost Gallifrey reported in December that there were rumors of an Easter weekend debut, based on news reports including a press release about the Tenth Doctor novels mentioning Easter weekend; these reports are nothing new. We have been informed that, in fact, no final decision has yet been made on transmission, and in fact the date last year was in flux until approximately six weeks prior. When the BBC makes its final determination and announces it, that is when it will be official.

Doctor Who Magazine Specials

The DWM Special Edition #13 will be The Ninth Doctor Collected Comics,according to the latest issue, with all four comic strips from last year's DWM, as well as 'Mr Nobody' from "The Doctor Who Annual 2006." Also, already listed on Amazon, the early autumn publication of The Doctor Who Storybook 2007 is also confirmed in the new DWM. Comprising a jacket by Alister Pearson, 84 pages, seven illustrated stories and a 15-page comic strip by Scott Gray, this will be a 7.99 hardback.

Press Coverage

Manchester Online has a new article about the series "Dancing On Ice" on ITV1 on Saturdays. It notes the high prospects of two Doctor Who celebrities when it says "Current odds-on favourite is actor John Barrowman, who was born in Scotland but raised in America. The Broadway and West End stage star is best known for his role as Captain Jack in Doctor Who. 'I was fortunate growing up,' he says. 'My family had a lake, which our neighbourhood all shared, and the parents used to clear off part of the lake and we would ice skate and play hockey. We got a little adventurous when the ice was hard enough and we'd go in a swamp area where the lake froze - all the trees froze out of the lake and we had all these obstacles to go around.' John - who also co-presented one series of former BBC1 Saturday morning show Live And Kicking - has made no secret of his desire to win alongside partner Olga Sharutenko. 'I'm going for broke. It's a competition and I'm probably one of the most competitive people you'll meet.' Aiming to stop him is second favouriteBonnie Langford, who also knows a thing or two about dancing. But the former child star says there's a big difference when ice is involved. 'I'd never, ever, skated in my life before. I never put skates anywhere near my foot because being a dancer, you never did. It's a very late venture in my life.'"

The Guardian has published a Dalek-themed cartoon commenting on the
British government's new incapacity benefit rules.

The Sun features a new interview with Tom Baker. "Dr Who legend Tom Baker says he would consider a shock return to the hit sci-fi show - despite never having watched it in his life. The veteran actor is one of the most-famous Timelords ever, having spent a record seven-year stint in the role. But the 72-year-old, who quit the show in 1981, told us he'd now think about a comeback. He said: 'If they could come up with a good enough part I would consider it. It would depend what the proposition was. But I wouldn't want to make an entrance just for a cheap laugh. I've got nothing against cheap laughs but I just don't need to do that now. I'd rather have an interesting part... for a few minutes at least.' Amazingly, Tom has never seen an episode of the show, which returned to screens last year starring Christopher Eccleston and later David Tennant in the lead role. He laughed: 'I haven't even seen it. I didn't watch the show when I was in it so I'm not about to watch it with someone else in it. They send me all the DVDs but I never watch them. I usually give them away. It isn't some big principle - I just can't be bothered.'" Read more of the interview, which also discusses his appearances in "Little Britain" and mentions his BT voiceover job.

The Independent also has an interview wih Tom, which it calls "Tom Baker: The 5 Minute Interview". "Being the voice of text appeals to me because ... Everybody wants to give good news. All my life I wanted to. And text is largely good news and making people happy. If I wasn't talking to you right now I'd be ... Telling lies to someone else. A phrase I use far too often is ... 'Grow old along with me, the best is yet to be.' I say it often to my wife who is a good deal younger than me, but she doesn't often see the joke." The full interview is available at their website.

The Independent today features the obituary of John Woodnutt who last month we reported passed away. "John Woodnutt was one of the most prolific character actors from the golden age of television drama, his long, thin face well suited to expressing disapproval, particularly as cold officials or implacable villains. ... He appeared in four Doctor Who stories, beginning with Jon Pertwee's debut 'Spearhead From Space' (1970), also the first in colour, later playing scaly, pointy-headed aliens in 'Frontier in Space' (1973) and 'Terror of the Zygons' (1975), before being cast as an elder in Tom Baker's penultimate story, 'The Keeper of Traken' (1981). In the same vein, he did the extremely silly The Tomorrow People (1973), and was a villainous Thin Man in The Boy from Space (1971)." The full obit is at the site.

The Norfolk Eastern Daily Press says that "Dozens of Daleks are heading to Holt in June - but their invasion has a mission to entertain rather than exterminate. The mechanised monsters will join in fun events such as trolley dashes and themed breakfasts. They are among the stars of a Dr Who weekend which will see the town's Georgian streets replete with a range of science-fiction and comic-book characters. Organiser Nigel Pearce said they aimed to attract 100 Daleks to 'roam the town'. There will be sci-fi breakfasts at Byford's cafe and the trolley dash, as well as a parade with other Dr Who enemies like Cybermen. It was hoped ex-Doctor Colin Baker would appear during the weekend, with the East Anglian Air Ambulance the main benefactor. Co-promoter Andy Argyle said the event would also feature characters from Star Wars, Star Trek and comic books like Spiderman. The carnival day and parade has been cancelled, but a treasure hunt, quiz and family disco will go ahead, linked to the Dr Who festival. The country park is holding an orienteering competition on June 24 at 2pm. A buffet at the Feathers Hotel will feature actors such as Terry Molloy, who played the Daleks' evil creator Davros. Sunday events will be centred on the market place."

Several websites have new reviews of the Beginning Boxed Set DVD release including VideoBusiness, Computer CrowsNest.

Radio 4's current Book of the Week is "Tete a Tete", Hazel Rowley's biography of Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir, read by Eleanor Bron ("City of Death," "Revelation of the Daleks"). Meanwhile you can hearChristopher Eccleston pitching in on reading duty for the network's interminable history series This Sceptred Isle: Empire. Both are available for up to seven days via the bbc's Listen Again service, here for Book of the Week and here for This Sceptred Isle: Empire.

In brief... there's more coverage of the announcement of Tom Baker as the new voice of BT mobile at BBC News, The Register, The Guardian,Reuters, Computing, WhatPC, Engadget, Channel Four, ITN,ComputerActive,Stuff NZ, Infomatics Online, Funny.co.uk, IT Week, Hecklerspray, Cellular News, Special Broadcasting Service. Plus, there is a new press release from BT.

Meanwhile, there's more coverage of Billie Piper's award at the official Doctor Who website as well as The Stage,RTE; and more mentions ofMaureen Lipman in Series Two at FemaleFirst, DigitalSpy.

(Thanks to Paul Engelberg, Steve Tribe, Faiz Rehman, Dave Masters, Robert Davis, Matt Kimpton and Murray Harper)




FILTER: - Specials - DWM - Press - Radio Times - Australia