Destination Three, BBC3's "new topical entertainment program" filmed in Manchester, will be broadcasting a Doctor Who Special on Friday, March 25, from 11.30pm - 1.30am. The program will tape next Tuesday.

BBC Radio Derby this morning (story here) featured an interview with several members of the Derby Whoovers regarding the new series; they had with them a life size Dalek in the studio, which then headed off to nearby Pickford's House Museum where it will be on display over the next week and Easter weekend until Monday 28th March.

Russell T Davies' latest production, "Casanova," is making waves. BBC Radio 4 on their Saturday Review program on March 12 said they didn't like it, but noted that they'd be paying attention to Davies' other production, Doctor Who, on March 19. But Alison Graham, TV column editor of Radio Times, praised Casanova in the newest edition: "Life seems to be going swimmingly as we rejoin Casanova in the second part of Russell T Davies's funny sumptuous romp ... Davies's script is littered with jokes and cheeky asides ... The look of the whole thing is absolutely gorgeous, with beautiful colours and costumes and some heady, lovely ballroom sequences."

BBC Wales has been running trailers on BBC Wales TV networks over the past few weeks advertising its programmes. In the most recent, the trail has ended with two people standing outside and open-doored TARDIS, inviting the viewers in, while the TARDIS materialisation noise can be heard.

This morning's GMTV aired a preview of the new show. There was apparently nothing new during the interviews with Chris Eccleston or Billie Piper other than - after filmed interviews - the programme returned to the studio and presenter Jenni Falconer said that a second series would begin filming in June or July, though clearly this may just be conjecture.

Newsround's website says that "Newsround will have more behind-the-scenes features and exclusive interviews when the new series starts on 26 March". As our correspondent says, since the new series is being aimed at children, expect such stories to appear on Newsround's sister show 'Newsround Showbiz'. This usually airs on the CBBC channel Saturday and Sunday at 15:50. Newsround earlier had a report from the launch party, shown last week.

Christopher Eccleston is interviewed in next week's print edition of The Stage, the newspaper for performing arts professionals; the issue will be available from Wednesday in some parts of Central London, and from Thursday UK-wide, and you may also be able to read the interview on their website.

Today's Weekend Australian says that the "Time Lord's allure proves tough to exterminate," as it sums up the comments made across the newspapers over the past week. It quotes many newspapers as well as online websites that discussed the leak of the new series like Wired and Dark Horizons.

Yesterday's Daily Post in Liverpool discusses the Daleks. "Since my item last week about the return of Dr Who, several people have informed me that the new-look Daleks are much deadlier than their predecessors," writes columnist Valerie Hill. "They now fly around on jet-powered platforms. You can no longer outwit these ruthless, inter-galactic, metal tyrants by simply running up a flight of stairs. Yet will children's happy cries of 'exterminate, exterminate, exterminate' be replaced by 'Elevate, elevate, elevate'? It doesn't really have quite the same threat."

In Yesterday's "Broadcast" online edition: "Quick! Get behind the sofa! Why, is the TV licence detector van outside again? It's much scarier than that - the return of Doctor Who. Doctor Who? I thought he died out long ago. That's where you're wrong. Doctors are never killed off - they regenerate. A bit like Angus Deayton. And this time he's come back in the shape of Christopher Eccleston." It also mentions that, this time, the Doctor is "up against his most fearsome opponents yet. The Master? The Cybermen? Blokes in outsized green rubber outfits waving coathangers? Even worse than that, Ant and Dec!" referring to the time slot competition on ITV, Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway. So who's going to win? "It won't be easy for the Doctor - younger viewers won't have heard of him, and those that have might recall his not entirely successful eighth [sic] incarnation, Sylvester McCoy." But he's got a secret weapon, says the article: Billie Piper.

Today's Daily Telegraph from Australia warns viewers that Daleks can now climb stairs! "It's the eyes. There's only one thing scarier than evil eyes -- and that's no eyes. That made Daleks the scariest of the Doctor Who villains by far. It meant there was no way of engaging with them. No way of seeing a glimpse of humanity. ... Of course like everybody else I had worked out a plan for what I would do if any daleks tried to kill me -- I'd run upstairs. But that won't work any longer. In the new series, apparently, Daleks can fly. So that's my last hope, gone." In a separate column in the same paper, a columnist notes that "Doctor Who has become Dr When -- with a dash of Dr Where and Why," noting there is still no announcement of a broadaster there. "The ABC, which has screened BBC shows since January 1965, is yet to buy the new series despite being offered the rights last year. At that stage they hadn't shown it to us and I wanted to see an episode before we bought it," says ABC's head of programming Marena Manzoufas. Says the article: "The delay in a decision -- though an agreement gives the ABC first right of refusal to BBC output -- led to industry speculation that a commercial network would move in for the new 13-part series. It is believed Channel 9 was keen on the show. 'We will be going into negotiations very shortly,' she said. 'Before we saw it a week-and-a-half ago we were concerned about whether it would work for a non-Who audience. But it's fabulous -- even if you're not a Doctor Who fan, you can come to it cold and be engrossed in it. If you are a Doctor Who fan there are all sorts of references to the past to enjoy." The article also mentions a few SPOILERS about the aliens the Doctor meets in the first several episodes (click on the spoiler tag.)

(Thanks to Steve Tribe, Paul Engelberg, Andy Thompson, Dean Braithwaite, Scott Wortley, John Leivers, Scott Matthewman, David Rafer)

A lot of developments today on both the broadcasting and press coverage fronts, so I've combined everything into one column:

The BBC's Radio Times listings magazine website has been updated with details for Saturday 26th. It's now got some Doctor Who details up, but also details of another programme that may pull viewers over to BBC1. Doctor Who is to follow the new series 'Strictly Dance Fever'; it's the first major BBC vehicle for popular entertainer (and expensive BBC signing) Graham Norton, and the context is that last year's new big BBC hit was 'Strictly Come Dancing', to which this is the follow-up. Like Doctor Who, it's being very heavily trailed, i.e. is designed to be a big ratings-puller too; in its tone, it's a similar sort of programme to 'The Generation Game', which used to follow Doctor Who as part of the BBC's 1970s 'unbeatable' Saturday line-up.

Also, according to Radio Times, the new Doctor Who series will be repeated every Sunday (the day after the Saturday broadcast) on BBC3 at 7.00pm.

GMTV will be carrying a report from the recent Cardiff launch, featuring interviews with Christopher Eccleston and Billie Piper, on their Entertainment Today strand on Friday 18th March 2005 at 8.35-9.30am. This was mentioned by GMTV last week after a similar feature.

Today's issue of The Stage features an interview with actress Penelope Wilton (who will be in the two-part "Aliens of London" story.) "In the revival she plays an MP called Harriet Jones," the article says, "but won't be drawn into giving too much else away. 'I really have been sworn to secrecy on that project,' she says, 'and the director would kill me if I gave away any of the plotlines. But let's just say that I will be using that famous black door at No 10 Downing Street. I've just finished some post-production work and I can tell you that the special effects are just brilliant.' It also says that she has a 'reoccuring role'."

Design Week, a UK design industry magazine covering all forms of 2D and 3D work, has a feature on the new series on the back page under their 'The Week Ahead' strand. Titled 'The Doctor goes space age', reporter Yolanda Zappaterra focuses on the 'look' of the series and features production designer Edward Thomas talking about the various design challenges on the new series, including the use of colour and shape. He also comments on the redesign of the TARDIS interior and the Daleks and also highlights his keeness to use digital effects to bolster, rather than dominate, the overall look of the series. Finally, The Mill effects house is also mentioned at the end of the article where Thomas comments: 'From an art and design point of view, I think we achieved a huge amount...and lots of scary animatronic monsters too!' The article is illustrated with the new logo, a still of the Moxx of Balhoon, a BBC publicity shot of Billie and Chris used on the billboards and a shot of the exterior of the TARDIS. However, only subscribers can access the website.

Today's The Journal calls Doctor Who its "Programme of the Week". "We need to cover this one because very shortly it will no longer be TV nostalgia but TV current affairs," it says. "It's no wonder the show was so popular. It was the science fiction equivalent of a soap opera, airing every week for 42 weeks in its first season and hovering around that number until season seven in 1970 when it dropped to 25 or more usually 26. ... The BBC, in a moment of madness, gave the show up for dead in 1989. After 16 years of hard campaigning from true fans, it"s about to get a new lease of life. Things may have moved on, but you can bet the Daleks will be there. But will they be able to go upstairs?"

The BBC Bradford and West Yorkshire site has posted a nice Doctor Who mini-site in celebration of the launch of the new series by returning to its past; check it out!

In Today's Metro, in "The Green Room" section: "Graham Norton hankered after a role in the new Doctor Who series. 'I did train as an actor so why don't you want me?' he flounced."

An article at Scarborough Today notes that a Sixth Form College student "will be comparing Dalek notes when the old TV favourite Dr Who returns to our screens next weekend." The Dalek she built was on show at the recent Doctor Who Experience at The Green Man Hotel in Malton.

The April 2005 edition of Starburst, on sale now, includes a five-page interview with Mark Cossey, the executive producer of Doctor Who Confidential. There's also a feature on the new Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy movie, a review of the DVD of The Mind Robber and the announcement of an imminent Starburst "Time Travel Special", with Hartnell and Eccleston on the cover.

The Daily Telegraph today features an interview with Mark Gatiss on his contribution to the new series, his views on Gothic Who and his forthcoming role in BBC3's Quatermass on Saturday 19th March (in the Art and Books supplement). There's also an A-Z of Doctor Who and feature on the links between Quatermass and Doctor Who.

"Doctor Who - In; American Sci-Fi - Out" will be the subject of a report on the Tommy Boyd show on BBC Southern Counties Radio on Saturday, March 26 from 10pm GMT. "In the wake of the predictable death of Star Trek, and the decline of original and compelling American science fiction, Mr Boyd will be celebrating the resurrection of mainstream British sci-fi series Doctor Who," says the report. "Mr. Boyd will argue that now American science fiction is as good as buried, the British have perfected the formula, and will definitely take over the mantel with the new Doctor Who show." You can listen live on the internet via BBC website here.

Today's Newsquest Digital Media feed says that "Little Hulton born actor Christopher Eccleston was always going to be a good Dr Who. The Time Lord's latest reincarnation has former pop songstress Billie Piper as his pretty companion, Rose. And, as a preview of the first episode apparently reveals, has managed to maintain that fun blend of imagination-stretching science fiction perfectly. There are even some genuinely scary villainous types - no mean feat in today's climate of computer-generated horror. Eccleston's acting consistently impresses, but he has one other vital attribute to play the good Doctor: wild eyes and a slightly dangerous air."

Today's Carmarthen Journal discusses a local TARDIS prop in Wales. "Fans of Dr Who are flocking to Carmarthen to have their picture taken with the time lord's Tardis. The world-famous time machine has found its way into the garden of a home in Idole. Some motorists driving through Upland Arms have been so struck by the site of the Tardis they have stopped by Stephen Edwards' home to have their picture taken with it. Mr Edwards, aged 47, has already had more than a dozen visitors, from as far afield as America. ... It is one of only two time machines in Wales; the other is believed to be based in Welshpool. He said: 'I found the Tardis on the internet. There is a site that can make them for you. ... There is a big fan base in America. It takes their breath away. Quite a few people have asked to take photos of it.' The security guard said he decided to buy the Tardis because of his interest in street furniture. 'Our neighbour down the road at the petrol station could not believe his eyes. He thought Dr Who had landed here.'"

The new series is featured on the 'welcome' page of AOL (in the UK), which features the billboard shot of the Doctor and Rose, and the caption "Doctor Who. Time Lord Returns: Meet the baddies!". Clicking on the link takes you to a short photo gallery - the 'blue' publicity photo of the Doctor and Rose released some time ago, the second is a great close-up shot of enemies in action during 'Rose', and the other four are the familiar publicity photos of creatures from the second episode, 'The End of The World'. The article seems to be aimed very much at the young audience.

The Express today notes that several MP's have already had a sneak preview of the new series. "Some were granted a private screening of the new show, starring Christopher Eccleston, in Westminster this week. 'It's another good example of the perks on offer,' says one parliamentary colleague. 'The Doctor has quite a few fans here.' Well, at least he knows he'll get a warm welcome if he ever chooses to park his Tardis on the House of Commons terrace."

(Thanks to John Ryan, Mark Campbell, Stuart Flanagan, Frank Collins, Paul Engelberg, Steve Tribe, Alex Wilcock, Chuck Foster, Matthew Carr, and Roger and Jason at the Tommy Boyd Shrine site)

Some new updates on broadcasting over the next two weeks (see the Calendar section at right for more details):

Several Outpost Gallifrey correspondents were present for the taping of the Mastermind Doctor Who special that airs this Saturday as part of the "Doctor Who Night" on BBC2. While we won't tell you who won, the prize, a glass trophy, was presented by Christopher Eccleston himself. Eccleston commented that he has taken the role very seriously, that there will be plenty of humour, but not the nostalgia/self referential type of thing that sends the show up. "Mastermind" airs at 8.40pm on BBC2 on Saturday, March 19, as part of the "Doctor Who Night" hosted by Jon Culshaw, which includes "The Story of Doctor Who" at 7.30pm and a new documentary, "Some Things You Need to Know about Dr Who" at 8.30pm.

UK Gold are showing "The Story Of Doctor Who" all day on Saturday the 26th finishing at 7pm. This will feature 5 original series stories -- "The Time Meddler," "The Daemons," "Pyramids of Mars," "Attack of the Cybermen" and "Dragonfire" -- as well as interstitials featuring interviews with cast members. In essence these will be a re-edit of those produced for the Doctor Who@40 weekend shown in 2003, however, some new footage has been added to reflect the changes since the anniversary, according to a source at UKTV.

BBC Radio Wales will be airing "Back in Time", a documentary series which according to Radio Times is as follows: "Julian Carey looks at the links between the Time Lord and Wales, including giant maggots in Brynmawr and Dalek road signs in Llangollen." The first broadcast is scheduled for thirty minutes, although the duration of the repeat is listed as only 27 minutes, which is likely to be more accurate. Parts two and three will presumably air in the same slots on 2/3 April and 9/10 April.

Today's edition of Radio Times (19-25 March) has several items on the new series, including the second of three consecutive cover mentions. This week's cover features the Chris/Billie billboard poster photo as an inset and announces, "Doctor Who - The countdown to the new series has begun!" Inside the magazine, BBC2's Doctor Who Night is one of the recommended television highlights for this Saturday (page 4), illustrated with a shot of Davison in the TARDIS, and Eccleston's appearance on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross is one of Friday's picks, again with a photo, while Project: Who? also features in the week's radio choices (page 5). The second of the series of "Doctor Who Watch" articles (page 19) has a montage of all nine Doctors accompanying a quick run-down of each Doctor's first words in the series and comments given by the leading actors to Radio Times as they started out in the role; according to the same article, the 16-page supplement covering "the characters, monsters and special effects of the new series" will appear in next week's Radio Times.

Television listings: The 19 March showing of Dr Who and the Daleks is confirmed (review p.57, listing p.71) from 3.50 to 5.10pm (i.e. 80 not 70 minutes as previously listed), while an outing for Daleks - Invasion Earth 2150AD on Channel 4 is confirmed for Friday 25 March at 12.40-2.15pm (review p.64, listing p.119). Doctor Who Night is also highlighted with a short piece in Saturday's choices (page 70) and the regular listing is illustrated with a shot of Tom Baker (page 72). [Of peripheral interest: while ITV1 is now halfway through the Ant and Dec series that will be Who's main competition, Five has scheduled Charmed Season 4 repeats followed by Buffy Season 1 repeats in its early evening Saturday slots. Meanwhile, UKGold's weekend morning omnibus editions are confirmed as The Pirate Planet and City of Death.] Blue Peter's Monday 21 edition has guest appearances by Christopher Eccleston and Billie Piper confirmed at 4.55pm. The "On This Day" piece for Tuesday 22 March recalls Colin Baker's first story in 1984, noting that, until Paul McGann, his tenure was the shortest in the show's history, and Jonathan Ross's interview with Eccleston is listed on page 120.

Radio listings: page 129 features "Pick of the Week" Project: Who?, with a three-quarter-page article on why we love Who and one of the Chris/Billie publicity pictures, and the lengthy programme listing for 22 March on page 136 also promotes the CD release on 2 May, "which includes unbroadcast material", as well as the recent Daleks MP3 and a reader offer for the Cybermen tin.

Finally, on page 154, "Next week in RT... It's the return of Doctor Who! Don't miss our exclusive 16-page special and collector's cover... On sale Tuesday 22 March." Once again, there's a small Chris/Billie publicity shot. (Thanks to Steve Tribe, Paul Hayes)

BBC Radio Wales will be broadcasting a three-part documentary on Doctor Who, and in particular it's connections with Wales, beginning on March 26. The documentary will feature interviews with Katy Manning (Jo), Philip Madoc ("The Brain of Morbius") and Richard Bignell ("Doctor Who on Location") and will discuss the success of the Daleks and much more. Here's the press information: "The program looks at the various Welsh connections with Dr. Who over the past 40 or so years, tying in with the new series which has been built almost entirely in Wales (Welsh writers, production team, directors and made by BBC Wales.)... We'll look at the story of Terry Nation, the Cardiff born writer who invented the Daleks and we'll also revisit all the old Welsh locations - the parts of Snowden that doubled for Tibet and was populated (briefly) with Yetis, the holiday camp that turned up in another series and the coal mine filled with giant maggots for the Green Death. Also we want to speak to the creative Welsh talents that played their part in making the series a success. As well as this we will be speaking to the key people in the new production (writer Russell T Davies and new Doctor, Christopher Eccleston for example) and going behind the scenes and visiting the set to give a tantalising glimpse of the new series. We talk to people about getting a sense of what it was like working on those series, particularly the Troughton years, the demands of the series, the esteem it was held in and the fun of making this ground breaking but bizarre sci-fi series. We have some fantastic anecdotes from other actors who have worked on Who and even some lost interview footage with Jon Pertwee! It will compare the new computer generated, effect-heavy show, with a million pound an episode budget to earlier productions, and to get a sense of how it was made back in the 70s. We will look at what made it special and what the new one has to do to capture the spirit and magic of the original. Also the hard work that goes into keeping the fantasy "real" to an audience." Fans will be able to listen to the Radio Wales documentary via the Radio Wales website. (Thanks to Richard Bignell)

Last Friday, BBC1 began showing a new Doctor Who series teaser trailer in which the TARDIS was shown dematerialising in some kind of underground pedestrian walkway slowly filling with a fire ball. It was first shown mid-day during afternoon programs, and then again before the news that evening prior to the Comic Relief telethon (before which they also showed one of the existing teasers of Billie in the control room.) The trailer has been added to the official site, on this page.

The official site has an online RealMedia interview with Christopher Eccleston, taken at last week's press launch of the new series.

This morning (14 March)'s Media Guardian has a report on bbc.co.uk's plans for the official Doctor Who site and its importance for the success of the new series. The relaunched site is described as "one of the BBC's most ambitious online projects to date [...] the series will depend on its official online companion to hook a new generation of viewers." As well as noting plans to include the various elements of online viewing already reported here and in DWM, the piece notes that "['Rose'] features a conspiracy theorist who has been following the Doctor's exploits through time [...] the lines between fantasy and reality are blurred further by making his site available to fans on the BBC website." The print version is illustrated with a photograph of the Moxx of Balhoon, and the story is available online here.

The Culture programme on BBC2 on March 17 at 7:00pm will be running a feature on the return of Doctor Who (advertised with the standard promo shot of Eccleston lounging against the TARDIS in this week's Radio Times). The program will be repeated at 11:20pm. Details available at the Culture website.

BBC7 has some audio teasers going out this week, a taster for the new series, though there will also be a full-length radio trailer with Christopher Eccleston himself next week. The current run of the teasers begin today, Monady March 14, and run through next Sunday, March 20; non-listeners may be able to catch them at the BBC7 website.

Today's Times ran a piece about Cardiff Millennium Stadium, including a few side mentions of its use in a future new Doctor Who series episode.

(Thanks to Paul Engelberg, Steve Tribe, John Bowman, Andrew Harvey, Dave Tanner, John Leivers, Alistair Moore, Matthew Godley, Martin Montague)

Latest Update: 12 March 0930 GMT (I've left today's items on the list temporarily...)

Chris Eccleston will be on GMTV on March 11 on the Lorraine Kelly section at approximately 8.35am. (Roy Barton, Doug Inman)

BBC Radio Leeds will be re-running a six minute report on "one Yorkshire fan's reaction to the new series hype, and details of his own Doctor Who influenced amateur films" which will run at 0210 GMT (or thereabouts) in the early hours of Friday 11 March. BBC Radio Leeds can be heard live online at bbc.co.uk/radioleeds.

BBC Breakfast News stated that Russell T Davies will be on the program being interviewed on Friday morning 11th March.

Doctor Who will once again be the subject on "Newsnight" on BBC2, March 17 at 11pm.

Chris and Billie will be on "Blue Peter" on March 21 from 4:55pm to 5:20pm on BBC1; the episode will probably be repeated the same evening at 18:00 on the CBBC channel. The Radio Times confirms the listing.

On the electronic Radio Times it states that Billie Piper will be a guest on Parkinson (ITV1, 10.10-11.15 on 19 March) where she will discuss her new role in Dr Who.

According to Radio Times, Saturday, March 19 will feature showings of "Doctor Who and the Daleks" (1965 film) at 3:50pm, "The Story of Doctor Who" (2003 documentary) at 7:30pm, Some Things You Need to Know about Dr Who" (a new documentary short) at 8:30pm, "Dr Who Mastermind" at 8:40pm, and "Parkinson" featuring an interview with Billie Piper at 10:15pm.

On the "On Show" program on BBC1 Wales on March 20, Sian Williams talks to Russell T Davies about his past work and his reinvention of Doctor Who. There's also a listing for BBC2W (the Welsh BBC digital service opt-out), of this "On Show" on Thursday 17th March 9-9:30pm with Russell Davies. (Not having this available to me, I can't get more detailed, sorry! -editor)

The Radio 2 Doctor Who site has just added an unconfirmed interview with Billie Piper on his show on Thursday 24 March. As usual, that's 2pm.

Christopher Eccleston will be on "Friday Night with Jonathan Ross" on 25 March, alongside Julian Clary and Sally Lindsay (Coronation Street actress).

The Times ran a front page story on Thursday morning on Doctor Who, mostly the same information as in our previous report quoting Christopher Eccleston about his Doctor's accent. Eccleston said of the original series that he "found the character of the Doctor 'too authoritarian' and tried to avoid watching it." On the cover of the Times is an image marked in our spoilers tag below.

BBC Breakfast featured a very lengthy series of installments on the show, including some footage from the press launch (in which DWM editor Clayton Hickman was quoted as saying, "If the kids don't like that, then the kids don't deserve to have any television ever shown to them again!") and extended interviews with Eccleston and Billie Piper. BBC News' Newsnight program this evening (Wednesday 9 March) featured a report on the return of the series. Host Stephen Smith arrived in a TARDIS, sat behind the sofa and introduced a montage of clips, including scenes from the show, interview clips with news media people and children who haven't a clue what "Doctor Who" actually is. The new series also appeared on an edition of Newsround with several clips from the first episode of the new series and brief interview clips with Eccleston and Piper.

SFX Magazine now has a review of the first episode to go along with the spoilers we mentioned to you that were on their site in the last press clips report. Check out the review, and read that article about their coverage of the press launch. Meanwhile, you can find those spoilers under our spoilers tag below.

Today's The Sun has an article with huge SPOILERS from what we believe is the second episode (called "The End of the World") about several new aliens. We've listed them in the spoilers tag below; note that this is pretty extensive and the article features photos (which we haven't reproduced but you can see them on the Sun site.)

BellaOnline today ran an article "Doctor Who 101ùA Newbie Viewing Guide to the Classic Series" which takes a lighthearted look at the original series in preparation for the new. A very amusing line in its Trivia section: "The special effects were bad even in their own day, thanks to a virtually non-existent budget. Imagine, if you will, creating a green lumpy monster by wrapping someone with green-painted bubble wrap. They did that. Yes, this show was famous for its cheesy effects."

The Guardian features a story, "Why can't Daleks go up stairs?" which discusses the peril of the classic monsters and how they've been updated for the new series. "As terrifying as Dr Who's arch enemies might have seemed, the fact that they could be outwitted by a simple staircase made them a shade less menacing. It's a design fault that has been rectified in the new BBC television series, due to begin at Easter."

The leak of the first episode was mentioned on American public radio network NPR's show Talk of the Nation hosted by Neal Conan, during a story called "Movies, Technology and the Future of Viewing". Conan mentioned the first episode and that downloaders "must feel that it's pretty cool to see the new Doctor Who three weeks before the BBC airs it," although the story itself was about the transformation of media and the new digital age. Also, a Reuters story on the Rose leak was on the front page of Yahoo (USA Yahoo, not UK Yahoo) for a while today... obviously, though America doesn't yet have a broadcast deal, it's still in the American consciousness.

The CBC Television network in Canada now has its own website for its broadcast of the new series. Meanwhile, on Thursday March 10th at 9:15am (EST) CBC Newsworld will be airing a feature on the leaking of the first episode of the new Doctor Who series. CBC's Allison Smith will be interviewing Canadian fan and DWIN member Rod Mammitzsch about the new series of Doctor Who, and the recent leak of the first episode onto the internet.

Today's Daily Record features an interview with Jimmy Vee, the 3'8" actor who plays a role in the new series. We've fully protected this information with our spoilers tag; read it below.

AND FINALLY... Over the past several days it's been a whirlwind keeping up with all the press clips, so I'd like to thank and credit the following people who have been providing updates, news and information: the incomparable Paul Engelberg and Steve Tribe, without whom this couldn't possibly happen; plus Paul Hayes, Malcolm Prince, John Ryan, John Molyneux, Steve Roberts, Paul Vanezis, Chuck Foster, Graeme Burk, Mike Doran, Rowan Bridge, Matt Chayt, David Baker, Darin Patea, Andrew Harvey, Richard Dinnick, Matthew Godley, Nick Johnson, Shannon Patrick Sullivan, Assad Khaishgi, Ian Beard, Richard Carletta, Michael S. Lucart, Kevin Elhart, James Crout, Simon Howe, Kenny Davidson, Ryan Piekenbrock, and Benjamin Elliott.

Interestingly, the Guardian has posted a second and far more upbeat review of the new series, perhaps suddenly realizing theirs was the only negative review... and including quotes from some of the people who attended the press launch. "They've kept the feeling of the show. It's still Doctor Who and I think Christopher Eccleston is very good," former script editor Terrance Dicks is quoted as saying. "I'm so pleased. The last Who, I hated it. It was aimed at the mid-Atlantic; I've always said it should be made in England. They've kept the feeling of the show. I think Christopher Eccleston is very good. There's a gap in the market for something both good and popular. There's stuff that's critically acclaimed and stuff that's popular, like reality TV. But this does both." Says Barry Letts, the producer of the series during the Jon Pertwee era, "I was desperate for it to work and it has. Russell T Davies said what he was doing was carrying on the torch from our time. He's a big fan. It's a relay race, you stagger on for so many years, then pass the baton on when you're exhausted. They've managed to give a few nods to the past, which the old Doctor Who fans will appreciate, without making it confusing for anybody coming to it fresh. They've done a brilliant job of updating it." And Tom Spilsbury, deputy editor of DWM, notes that he "really enjoyed it. Chris and Billie were great. It was great to see everyone else enjoying it. They laughed at the funny bits and were scared by the scary bits. It bodes very well for the series. I think kids will love it. It's exactly the sort of thing I fell in love with as a child. Christopher Eccleston still feels like a Doctor Who. He'll be looked back on by kids in 20 years' time as their doctor."

The Guardian's Media Monkey column posted some quips regarding the press launch, including the following. "BBC1 controller Lorraine Heggessey was very much the regal Time Lady at the launch of Doctor Who - and deservedly so. Monkey is sure the series will be a huge smash for a Saturday teatime audience, and probably be the crowning glory of Heggessey's reign at BBC1 - she certainly had to battle for years to get it on air. Heggessey showed she could mix it with rabid Whovians in an impeccably pitched speech to the audience gathered in a Cardiff hotel last night. After a little bit of Welsh, she won over fans by quoting from no less than the good Doctor in an episode from way back in 1964 after he had defeated the dalek invasion of London. ... As many know, Lorraine Heggessey is shortly to give up her BBC1 post and regenerate into the chief executive of Talkback Thames. But will one of her last BBC1 acts be to recommission Doctor Who for a second series? Many in the commercial arm of the BBC certainly hope so and executive producer Russell T Davies attested last night that he had already worked out the storylines. When Monkey put the question, all the great lady could offer was a enigmatic, Gallifreyan-style smile." Regarding any possible unflattering articles or reviews: "it may well be due to the fact that many hacks were exhausted after returning to London via an uncomfortable coach that took three hours to reach London from Cardiff. One reporter was overheard asking if it had really been worth it as he hunted for a cab in the vicinity of Baker Street station at 2am." Also noted were some of the guests that turned up: "Matt Lucas, from Little Britain, Charlotte Church and Robson Green. But one unexpected attendee was Beryl Vertue, the stately executive producer of the sitcom Men Behaving Badly. Vertue told Monkey that her son in law, Steven Moffat, had written two episodes of the new Doctor Who series and was currently in Australia and desperate for a report about the launch and first episode. Vertue then revealed that in the 1960s she has been the agent of Who legend and daleks' creator Terry Nation when he had negotiated his copyright agreement with the BBC, the one that caused the BBC all that trouble last year when Nation's estate refused to allow the metallic monsters into the new series. Everyone was all smiles last night, but there must have been times over the last year when the BBC wished it had driven a harder bargain back in 1963."

BBC News today collected several of the various news stories seen in today's papers in an article entitled "Papers feature Dr Who's monsters". (We spend all this time collecting and collating a couple of hundred stories in a couple of days, and then BBC News goes and does the job for us!)

Richard Wilson, who plays the role of Dr. Constantine in the two-parter written by Steven Moffat, was interviewed byManchester Online regarding the upcoming Red Nose Day charity event. Says the article: "During the launch, he spent a morning chatting with a group of teenagers there who suffer from a variety of stress and anxiety disorders, and gave them an insight into his imminent appearance on our screens again - this time in Dr Who. 'I play a doctor in an episode set in the Second World War and am in two episodes. I was excited when I was approached to play a part and as soon as I read the script for the episodes they wanted me to feature in I made my mind up that I wanted the role. As well as the kudos of starring in Dr Who, it was also good to play alongside Christopher Eccleston, because although I know him socially I'd never had the opportunity to work with him until now. He's made a very good Dr Who and has brought a fresh touch to the role.'"

Also in today's Manchester Online: a feature with several new comments. "I'd like to see an episode set in Salford in the sixties," Christopher Eccleston says, referring to his home town, and noting his northern accent. "It's good that we say to kids: `Actually people who sound like this can also be heroic and very intelligent.' It's a good message to send." On whether he's prepared for the role and to be identified with it: "The death scene in Cracker has been that for me. But I intend to keep busy and keep doing very different things. If people remember me just for this - I'd be happy to be remembered." Bruno Langley, who plays Adam in at least one episode (the reprot notes he's in two, as Outpost Gallifrey has always maintained), notes that he had nightmares about being chased by Daleks. But he says it was a price worth paying: "It's probably one of the biggest gags in the series. I was very privileged to be given that line," referring to the term "Elevate!" when the Daleks fly. The report also suggests that "a second series is already in development, although Eccleston is undecided about whether he'll return to the role."

Sky Showbiz today quotes Billie Piper, in terms of how co-star Christopher Eccleston helped her "get over her broken marriage." "Christopher and I have shared a lot during the past eight months. We had heavy schedules and personal lives and we're joined at the hip. ... We get on famously. It was instant - it just worked straight away. ... Me and Chris had a great time while we were together and that's all that concerns me. We're best buddies and always will be." The story was also picked up on Ananova

Today's Steve Wright show on Radio 2 at 3:25pm featured a radio trailer for the series, which starts "Coming soon..." and uses the "I'm the Doctor, by the way" exchange; Wright reckons Eccleston looks like a really cool Doctor - "he might go to gigs"; and a Dalek voice (Nicholas Briggs, perhaps?) proclaiming "Doc-tor Who-oo on BBC Radio 2!"

The Independent noted that the BBC invited several MPs to the press launch, and it was a "hot ticket - until, that is, the Government decided to hold yet another debate on its draconian anti-terror Bill." "Several guests are reported to be gutted, not least the Tory education spokesman, Tim Collins, a lifelong fan who has appeared on TV documentaries about the Time Lord. 'Terror debate or not, I'll be very surprised if Tim misses the screening,' reckons a colleague. 'As for the rest of us, we'll have to decide which is more important: the invasion of the Daleks, or the invasion of al-Qa'ida.' Best leave it to your consciences, chaps."

The latest edition of the BBC's in-house magazine / paper Ariel ( Week 9, dated 8.3.05 ) has a two page feature spread on the return of Doctor Who by Clare Bolt. There's precious little material that's new, although there's a little bit about the filming of "The Empty Child / The Doctor Dances," as well as mentions of 'a sub-aquatic monster' and 'a multi-tentacled Victorian submarine'. There are also a handful of behind-the-scenes photos, including the TARDIS prop being erected at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium and a rooftop being blasted with fake snow.

There were various inconsequential reports (but still fascinating due to the number) popping up all over the internet about the impending return of Doctor Who, including the New York Times, Waveguide and a variety of papers such as the Aberdeen Press and Journal, Fort McMurray Today (Alberta) and the Liverpool Daily Echo. There's also a two page interview with Billie Piper in "Now magazine", the March 16 issue. Lots of press coverage today!

Finally, the photos below are all press release photos, some from the second episode, including a larger version of one of the Tree People (Yasmin Bannerman), a group of alien monks, the Moxx of Balhoon (Jimmy Vee), the Face of Poe, an attack by Autons, and Eccleston's card trick.

(Thanks for submissions today to Paul Engelberg, Steve Tribe, Andrew Harvey, Chuck Foster, Paul Hayes, Daniel Northover, Andrew Farmer, Lorna Mitchell, Tom Beck, Andrew Foxley, John Bowman)

Updated 9 March, 0635 GMT

Tonight's press call has already made headlines on BBC television, including behind-the-scenes moments and clips from the trailer. The official site now has several of today's new trailers online; check them out! (You need RealPlayer installed on your machine.)

BBC News features an article today about the press launch. They quote Christopher Eccleston as saying it was an "easy" decision to become the ninth Doctor Who. "I just wanted to work with Russell T Davies. It's a fantastic series and I am proud to be a part of it." Also covered in the press this evening: articles in The Sun and the Telegraph (which calls its article "Ailing BBC pins revival on Doctor Who").

The date for Christopher Eccleston's interview with Steve Wright was announced today on the Radio 2 website - it takes place on Monday, 21 March. The show runs from 2:00pm GMT and you can catch it at the Radio 2 website.

According to today's The Sun, the newspaper sent a Dalek along with singer Charlotte Church to the press launch this evening. "Our baddie ù who led a successful campaign to reinstate the Daleks after problems with their contracts ù rolled up to the bash in Cardiff. But security guards refused to let him in to the screening with stars Christopher Eccleston, Billie Piper and Charlotte, 19. A BBC spokesman said: 'I'm sorry, but there is no room for your Dalek.'" It also notes that Eccleston has warned fans against watching the downloaded episode: "It's a rough cut without special effects. Wait to see it in all its glory." The article was accompanied by a photo of Church with the Sun's Dalek, as the newspaper once again boasts that it somehow affected the Daleks' return to the program.

Christopher Eccleston is not very pleased with the early online reactions to the leaked episode, likely brought on by the largely negative reviews posted on AICN which have been widely publicized in news reports covering the leak of the episode. (Outpost Gallifrey invites members of the production team reading to go into our Forum, where the reviews in the "Rose" spoiler section have been overwhelmingly positive!)

More coverage today in UK and international press of the leak of the first episode, "Rose," onto the Internet, including articles in the Herald Sun (Australia), New Kerala (India), Sydney Morning Herald, The Mercury (Australia),BigNewsNetwork, ContactMusic, CNet News, Washington Times, CBBC Newsround, Morons.org,Silicon.com, AfterDawn, TV NZ, Daily Record, RTE, Australian IT, Media Life Magazine, Stuff.co.nz, CJAD(Canada) and Canoe (Canada), as well as an article in the Times Online today which mentions a couple of very minor spoilers, as noted in the spoilers tag at the bottom of this news report. Meanwhile, today's Daily Record had this subtle quip: "THE BBC are rightly furious that their new episode of Dr Who was prematurely leaked on the internet. Especially since it featured a new monster, the Not-Yeti."

Finally, a screen image news coverage tonight (thanks to "Bazzerbill"):