Confirming long-standing rumors in the British tabloid press, Australian pop princess Kylie Minogue will join the Doctor in the 2007 Christmas Special,Voyage of the Damned, according to a press release issued this evening on Minogue's official website and now corroborated by the official Doctor Who website.

The 39-year-old actress and singer will have a "major lead role" in the hour-long special, says Minogue's website, which Tuesday morning's edition of The Sun identifies as a waitress aboard the RMS Titanic. Minogue's official site notes that "The production team has also confirmed that the storyline will follow on directly from the ending of series three where viewers witnessed The Titanic crash through the Tardis walls..."

Minogue has one of the longest and most successful careers as a performer in contemporary pop music, and in Europe and Australia she has become one of her generation's most recognisable celebrities and sex symbols. Says Minogue, "It is an incredible thrill to be joining David and the entire Dr Who production for this year's Christmas special. Dr Who enjoys a unique history and it is going to be very exciting to be a part of that."

The episode has been written by Doctor Who's executive producer and head writer Russell T Davies, who noted that "We are delighted and excited to announce that Kylie Minogue will be joining the Doctor. Doctor Who Christmas specials are always a joy and we feel very confident that this will be the most ambitious and best Christmas episode yet."

The news was originally embargoed by BBC press until midnight Monday night; such sites as Digital Spy and the Daily Mail reported the story before pulling it off their feeds later. Sites later began reprinting the article as of the embargo deadline.

Update: BBC News are now reporting the news as the main story in its entertainment section. There is also a video report by arts correspondent David Sillito.

Photo at right: David Tennant with Kylie Minogue, released by BBC Pictures. Photo copyright © Darenote Ltd., used solely for publicity purposes.

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation is gearing up to broadcast the 2007 series ofDoctor Who as well the 2006 Christmas Special The Runaway Bride. Doctor Who will continue to be aired on Monday nights at 8:00pm (8:30pm in Newfoundland).

There are tentative plans to air The Runaway Bride from 8:00pm to 9:30pm on Monday June 11th, 2007. This can happen because the NHL Stanley Cup Final playoff series between the Ottawa Senators and the Anaheim Ducks ended in five games on Wednesday June 6th.

Broadcast of the 2007 series on the CBC will commence on Monday June 18th, 2007 at 8:00pm with Smith and Jones.

Doctor Who executive producer and chief writer Russell T Davies has dismissed the rumour spread by several media sources this week that Australian pop singer and actress Kylie Minogue was to appear in the 2007 Christmas special of the show.

The rumour originally appeared in last Sunday's edition of the News of the World newspaper, as reported at the time by Outpost Gallifrey, and was subsequently picked up by several websites and other newspapers. However, speaking to the BBC's weekly in-house magazine Ariel, Davies has rubbished the suggestion.

"Don't be stupid," he told the publication. "I haven't even written the script yet, and a woman like that is booked up two years in advance."

Outpost Gallifrey has received the cover illustration for the forthcoming UK DVD release of The Runaway Bride, the no-extras DVD release featuring this past December's Doctor Who special. Also included on the disc is the special installment of Doctor Who Confidential, "Music and Monsters," which was not previously announced. Click on the thumbnail for a larger version of the cover.

POSTSCRIPT (6 MAR): The official Doctor Who website has put on a story about the release.