Annette Badland (Margaret Blaine) will star as Queen Elizabeth 1 in "The Elizabethan Beauty Law," a play written by Lizzie Hopley (Gemma Griffin from Big Finish's "Terror Firma"). It also features Amanda Root, Tom Burke, Toby Longworth and Alan Cox. The audio play airs on BBC Radio 4 this Friday, 9 December at 14.15, according to the Radio 4 website: "During Elizabeth I's reign, the Embellishment Law ruled that any woman trapping a man into marriage through self-adornment could be tried as a witch. Florence Buckley is a plain woman of 39 and very much in love - until her new husband removes her carefully constructed clothes on her wedding night."

Tracey Ann Oberman (soon to be seen as Yvonne Hartman in series two) was on the Richard And Judy show on Channel 4 on 6 December. Oberman mainly discussed her departure this week from "Eastenders" but also mentioned "Doctor Who," where she noted that the production is "more secretive than the 'Eastenders' team." She noted that she plays a baddie and that her character is in charge of a large organisation, and that she has great dress sense. (She also used an American accent, but this might not be related to the series.) She noted that David Tennant is "doing well" as the Doctor and that he brings and "intelligence" to the role.

David Tennant - as well as his father - will be guests on a future episode of Ready Steady Cook, being recorded on Friday 16 December, according to the ticket agency booking the audience, Applause Store. There is no word as to when this episode will air.

Tennant is also profiled today's The Independent, including the first fresh interview with him since the widely carried press release material of last week, although there are signs that the interview was conducted some time ago ("I don't know how I'm going to play [the Doctor] yet"). Asked about his accent in Doctor Who, Tennant says, "There'll be a bit of a story behind my English accent - it's not that straightforward. But anyway, I'm used to doing English accents ... I don't feel any great nationalistic need to be Scottish." He describes on-set nerves as "a regular visitor ... Everyone else on set always seems much more relaxed and confident than me." He doesn't mind people coming up to him in the street – "as long as people aren't unpleasant or violent or rude" – and confides he's "done nothing with the money yet. Maybe I'll store it up for the future when I'm back working in Dundee rep."

The Daily Mirror featured a story called "Who's In Da Hood?" on Tuesday: "She might be trying her hardest to remain incognito, but there is no disguising Who this actress is... Dr Who star Billie Piper was clearly in no mood to be spotted yesterday. She emerged from a North London branch of Waterstones with her face hidden deep inside a fur-lined hoodie and obscured by a big pair of specs. Clutching a bag of books and talking into her mobile, 22-year-old Billie seemed determined to avoid being seen or engage in any eye contact. 'She looked like she was in a really bad mood,' said an onlooker. 'Billie obviously didn't want to be recognised. Still, what did she expect wearing such a conspicuous jacket?' Never a hood idea, love." Of course, the Mirror's online version forgot to include the photo...

Manchester Online features a preview of David Tennant's new two-part drama series, "Secret Smile". "Parts in Casanova, the live broadcast of The Quatermass Experiment and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire have helped turn him into a major heart-throb. ... Fans of the Scottish thespian can catch him in action in this two-part drama based on Nicci French's novel. But, rather than play a likeable soul, the actor for once goes against type by portraying a charmer without a heart of gold. He heads the cast as Brendan Block, an entrepreneur who enjoys a 10-day fling with Miranda Cotton, played by Shaun of the Dead star Kate Ashfield. His creepy behaviour makes her end their relationship, but it seems he won't let her go easily, and plots revenge by seducing her sister Kerry. Five weeks later, the new couple announce their engagement."

There's more coverage of the BBC's Winter/Spring press release at The Stage, BBC News, EntertainmentWise,Brand Republic.

(Thanks to Steve Tribe, Paul Engelberg, Peter Weaver, Rob Edwards, Bob Grist, Faiz Rehman and Joseph Lidster)

Outpost Gallifrey has had confirmation from BBC Radio 7 that their broadcast of Shada, originally produced by Big Finish for bbc.co.uk starring Paul McGann, Lalla Ward and John Leeson, will be transmitted only once, this Saturday 10 December at 8.00pm. We'd originally listed this as also occuring at 9.00am but that time slot will be a different (non Doctor Who-related) item.

Tenth Planet has posted images of several new official merchandise items based around the current series of Doctor Who, including two new posters(one of the Dalek Emperor, the other of the TARDIS in space) and several T-shirtswith the TARDIS or a Dalek on them. Click on these links to view the items.

Robert Sloman, who wrote four classic Doctor Who episodes during the Jon Pertwee era of the series -- "The Green Death," "The Time Monster," Pertwee's final story "Planet of the Spiders" and, under the pseudonym Guy Leopold (together with Barry Letts), "The Daemons" -- has died, according to an obituary in today's Guardian written by Letts. Born in Oldham, he became an actor and playwright as well as an employee of the Sunday Times before writing for television. As Letts states in his obit, "As producer, I asked Bob, a friend, to join me in developing an idea I'd had. His exuberant imagination made our story sessions a delight. The resulting serial, The Daemons (under the nom de plume of Guy Leopold), was for several years voted the best ever Dr Who story. ... Bob left the Sunday Times in 1974 and took over as wholesale distributor of all the Sunday papers, based in Burgess Hill, Sussex. Sailing now became a major part of his life, and when he retired, a second home in Spain meant a share in a boat in summer. His wife and children survive him."

Issue #364 of Doctor Who Magazine is due out this week, on Thursday 8 December. The press blurb and cover illustration is below; click on the thumbnail for a larger version. (With thanks to Tom Spilsbury at DWM)

David Tennant will be interviewed on BBC Radio 4's 'Front Row' programme on Thursday 8 December; it will either feature in the same day's programme, or the one on the following Monday (12th). Front Row is on Radio 4 at 19:15 - 19:45.

Sunday's Mirror noted that "It clearly takes a while to get the hang of piloting the Tardis. But a regenerated Dr Who still looks a bit embarrassed in the flying police box after his crash-bang-wallop landing on Earth. David Tennant makes his Time Lord debut in the Christmas Day special of BBC''s sci-fi series. It could have gone smoother, though - because after his out-of-control spiral near the estate home of sidekick Rose (Billie Piper) the dippy Doc collapses muttering: 'Oh, I know! Merry Christmas!' And when he doesn't wake for days, Rose has to go solo to save the world from some sinister Santas." There are thumbnail photos in the issue of the TARDIS crash-landing. (This is the text of the image we posted on the news page yesterday, in fact...)

The Norwich Evening News says that shoppers "have been fighting tooth and nail to get their hands on this year's must-have Christmas gifts." Says a merchant in the article, "Anything related to Dr Who has been really big this year, especially the remote control Daleks. We sold out but we have just had a new delivery of them and we are putting them on the shelves today and tomorrow." The Daily Express today also noted that "Christmas toy shoppers could miss out due to a shortage of daleks. Customers have been snapping up the radio-controlled Dr Who models as soon as they hit stores, with '00,000 of the goldcoloured gadgets already sold. This weekend the £39.99 foot-high toy was out of stock at nearly all major outlets and profiteers were selling them on internet auction site eBay."

An article in today's Telegraph reports on the boom in 'posh pantos' this holiday season, mentioning such notables as Sir Ian McKellen as well as Doctor Who guest stars Christopher Biggins (in Big Finish's "The One Doctor") and Simon Callow (special guest star of last season's episode "The Unquiet Dead").