Actor John Barrowman will be honoured this coming July by the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow - Scotland's national conservatoire for the Arts.

Barrowman, who was born in the city, is to be awarded with an honorary degree for his contribution to drama by the Academy in their annual graduation ceremony. He will become a "Doctor of Drama", alongside actor/writer/producer David MacLennan; other honorary degrees in "Doctor of Music" will be awarded to singers Moira Anderson and Judith Howarth.

The ceremony takes place on Tuesday 5th July at the Academy Concert Hall.


The actor also returns to the city this winter in Robinson Crusoe and the Caribbean Pirates at the SECC; he will appear alongside the Krankies, who also performed with him last year in Aladdin.


Media Coverage: BBC News; STV(1); STV(2); The Glaswegian; Glasgow Evening Times; Contact Music

John Barrowman will be having another busy year after recent announcements were made about his involvement in various projects.

He will be flying out with Bill Pullman to France for the MIPTV Media Market in Cannes on Monday 4th April 2011, where he will be promoting Torchwood: Miracle Day.

His show Tonight's The Night, which "combines show-stopping acts from world-class artists with once-in-a-lifetime performances that make people's dreams come true", has been recommissioned for a third series which will comprise of six studio-based episodes and two compilation shows. [See full BBC Press Release]

Other future TV appearances include being a guest judge on talent show, So You Think You Can Dance, 9 April 2011 at 6.30pm on BBC1. He'll also be giving his giving his expert opinion on Eurovision – Your Country Needs Blue. Date to be announced.

Barrowman will be playing the title role of Robinson Crusoe in the pantomime, Robinson Crusoe and the Caribbean Pirates along with The Krankies at the SECC Clyde Auditorium in Scotland from Saturday, 17 December 2011 to Saturday, 7 January 2012. Michael Harrison, executive producer of the show said: Finally; he will be releasing a CD, The Best Of John Barrowman, in September 2011, shortly before embarking on his concert tour. The CD will feature songs from his previous albums, Another Side, Music Music Music and John Barrowman.

John Barrowman has announced a new Tour this Autumn, visiting cities across the UK and Ireland.

Tickets go on sale next Friday for the series of concerts that bring Barrowman's unique style of entertainment to a number of venues, starting in Northampton on 19 October through to Glasgow on 24 November.

Barrowman is currently filming Torchwood - Miracle Day, due to be shown around the world this Summer.

David Tennant talks about taking up the role of Jimmy Murphy in the BBC film United: "I am famously not that much of a football fan at all, so when the script arrived I didn't think that it was going to be for me. However, it really knocked me back and the emotional power of the story is what hooked me. The way I saw it was if it was affecting me, then it's one that is going to get to everyone." [Sunday Mail]

John Barrowman commented on how he feels the need to get back in shape: "I know I'm good-looking but I'm not egotistical, I have flaws. I have to dye my hair twice a month to get rid of all the grey, Scott doesn't like it grey. I also have these eye-flaps and bags. I have let myself go in the waist area; when I see myself naked, I know I'm heavy and out of shape - I need a hot personal trainer!" [Now Magazine]

Guardian critic Vicky Frost writes of high expectations for Steven Moffat: "As the successor to Russell T Davies at the helm of Doctor Who, Moffat had already become one of the few British TV writers to acquire the kind of recognition usually reserved for those on screen. But last summer's Sherlock, which Moffat co-wrote with Mark Gatiss, propelled him to a whole new level. "I've found myself in this situation and, let's be honest, I won't be in it for that long," Moffat says. "Nobody in their right minds could have expected this. It's ridiculous. I can't think of anyone having this much fun in TV at the moment."" [Guardian]

Moffat's Sherlock stablemate Mark Gatiss will be appearing at the Mill Arts Centre in Banbury on 7th January in aid of the Banbury and District Samaritans; described as an informal evening hosted by John Arthur, enabling the audience to meet and chat with the actor/writer. [with thanks to Steven Moffat]

Alex Kingston is due to be a guest on the Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson on CBS on 6th January. Kingston recently filmed in the UK and US for the next series of Doctor Who (and Matt Smith appeared on the show when shooting in the States in November). [with thanks to Dominic May]

Kylie Minogue (Astrid, Voyage of the Damned) has celebrated reaching five years since beating breast cancer. "I had a lot of support from around the world. A lot of it I didn’t see or hear, but I felt it. That might sound a little bit cosmic but in that kind of ­situation you need to reach for any positive feeling that you can. I really felt people’s good ­wishes. Sometimes you don’t want to be mollycoddled, you don’t want people treating you like you’re so ill. But what I found helpful is you have to let them help you. They are grieving as well. You have those moments when you’re down and so ­horribly, ­horribly low, but you still come up again, so believe in that." [Mirror]

Matt Smith tells Now Magazine that he isn't worried about being type-cast: "playing the Doctor hasn't prevented Christopher Eccleston or David Tennant from taking on other parts." He also commented on the length of Karen's Gillan skirts in the series: "I know those short skirts caused a furore but I say bring them on. I see nothing wrong with celebrating women and their sexiness. There's absolutely nothing exploitative or demeaning about it."

Karen Gillan made a special appearance on Monday at her old haunt the Eden Court Theatre in Inverness, where she was called onto the stage to help clean it and then get gunked in goo as part of the show's "grotty totty". Says theatre marketing manager Laurie Piper: "all the way through the show the writer, Iain Laughlan, incorporated 23 Dr Who jokes, so some audience members might have had an idea what was going on. When Karen was called on to the stage, the kids loved it and everyone was delighted. She did it in great spirit." The actress recently became Arts Education Ambassador at the theatre. [Aberdeen Press and Journal]

John Barrowman has had to pull out of his pantomime Aladdin (SECC, Glasgow); the theatre reports: "In terms of future performances, as time goes on it is a case of evaluating his health prior to a performance to see if he is match-fit. John is genuinely disappointed at not being able to make the performances he has missed due to the flu virus – he is a professional who will always perform should he be able to. He is doing everything he can to make a full recovery." Meanwhile, his role is being played by his cousin Greg Barrowman. [Glasgow Evening Times, Herald Scotland]

Former Doctor David Tennant came fourth in a poll of the "most sexy celebrity in glasses", carried out by the College of Optometrists. He was beaten by fashion designer Gok Wan, actor Johnny Depp and comedian Alan Carr.

Finally, the New Years Honours list sees a couple of Doctor Who guest stars honoured: Burt Kwouk (Lin Futu, Four to Doomsday) is to be awarded an OBE and actress Sheila Hancock (Helen A, The Happiness Patrol) will receive a CBE for services to drama. [more details and video for Hancock at BBC News]

John Barrowman (Captain Jack Harkness) has won the Christmas edition of Strictly Come Dancing. He told the Daily Mail that on the possibility of hosting the dance show: "If [Bruce Forsyth, current host] were to offer those dancing shoes to me, I would gladly take them. It would be an incredible gig.".

Katherine Jenkins (Abigail Pettigrew, A Christmas Carol) was due to sing for the troops with James Blunt in Afghanistan but because of the snowy weather hitting the UK the plane was unable to take off. She posted to her Twitter account: "Am so gutted - words can't describe how disappointed we all are." The BBC have a video of Katherine singing for the troops on board the plane.

Jane Espenson (Writer, Torchwood: The New World) has indicated via her Twitter page that she'll be producing the episodes that she writes for The New World.

David Harewood (Joshua Naismith, The End of Time) has joined the cast of forthcoming US Showtime drama pilot Homeland. Deadline has more information about his role.

Carey Mulligan (Sally Sparrow, Blink) is on the front cover of ELLE UK for January 2011 which features an interview with her. There is a behind the scenes video of the photo shoot for the magazine. Click here for more details about the issue.

Daphne Ashbrook (Grace Holloway, TV Movie) has released her first music CD entitled Grace Notes. It is available to download from iTunes and other online stores. Daphne was talking about her new CD and musical career with The Happiness Patrol podcast.

David Tennant has narrated Polar Bear: Spy on the Ice. The BBC YouTube channel has uploaded 3 preview clips. 1, 2 and 3.

John Barrowman appeared on tonight's Friday Night with Jonathan Ross, during which he discussed how Torchwood was responsible for him gaining his forthcoming role in the US series Desperate Housewives. When asked about for future of Captain Jack himself:
He went on to speak about meeting Matt Smith:
Jonathan Ross also confirmed that Matt Smith would be appearing on his show in a few weeks time.

The show is available on the BBC iplayer for the next seven days.