The start time of Series Four of Doctor Who is likely to return to 7.00pm around Episode Five or Six according to the BBC's internal magazine Ariel.

The show's Executive Producer, Russell T. Davies, interviewed at the Series Four Press launch, admitted he would have preferred a later time slot, but was diplomatic about the scheduling decision which he said last week could lose the show a million viewers.

"It's not a time slot I agree with, but I know that no one wants to damage the brand", he said calmly. "In the past we’ve got higher figures when it went later, but it will shift later on in the run, around episode five or six, which the BBC was going to do anyway."

Also at the launch Ariel spoke to Jane Tranter, BBC controller BBC Fiction who thanked the "loyal, professional and all round excellent team" in Cardiff, most of whom have worked on all 56 episodes. "The success of Doctor Who is to a great extent theirs," she said. Tranter described new companionCatherine Tate as "the most empathetic, big hearted and extraordinary of the Doctor's companions", praising her "versatility, bravura and humanity as an actress".

Meanwhile David Tennant promised the series four finale would be the "biggest, boldest, maddest, saddest, most exciting story we've ever done".

BBC Internal magazine Ariel has reported that Executive Producer Russell T Davies is unhappy with the news series time slot.

The 6.20pm position is the earliest the series has been placed since it returned in 2005. In previous years earlier time slots have resulted in a decrease in viewing figures for the programme.

Update

This is now also being reported by Broadcast.

The BBC Press Office have released details of Episode Two of Series Four, The Fires Of Pompeii.

The episode will be broadcast on Saturday 12th April on BBC1, and features guest stars Peter Capaldi, Phil Davis and Tracey Childs.

In advance of the new series launching on BBC One on Saturday 5th April, the digital channel BBC Three is giving viewers a chance to see all three of the Christmas Specials.

David Tennant's debut in the 2005 special, The Christmas Invasion, is being shown on Tuesday April 1st. The following day there is a chance to see the first meeting between The Doctor and Donna Noble when The Runaway Bride is shown. Finally the 2007 special, Voyage of the Damned will be shown on Thursday 3rd.

This Friday David Tennant will be the special guest star on Channel4's The Friday Night Project.

The BBC has confirmed that Episode One of Series Four, Partners in Crime, will be broadcast at 6.20pm on Saturday 5th April. The episode will be followed by an edition of Confidential on BBC3 at 7.05pm and will be repeated on BBC3 on Sunday 6th.

Saturday 5th is also when BBC Four will be screening a tribute night to Doctor Who's first producer, Verity Lambert. The evening will include three episodes of classic Doctor Who.

The BBC has confirmed that Series Four of Doctor Who will launch on BBC One in the week beginning 5th April 2008.

The day and time slot for the programme are still to be confirmed but it will almost certainly be shown around 7pm on Saturday 5th April.

Episode One, Partners In Crime, reunites the Doctor with Donna Noble, played by Catherine Tate. It also stars Sarah Lancashire as Miss Foster.

The BBC has confirmed that the Season Four cinema trailer will make its debut on British Television on Saturday 22nd March 2008. As well as being shown on BBC One around 7pm, the preview will be available on the official BBC Website.

With David Tennant and Catherine Tate now confirmed as guests on the BBC1Jonathan Ross show on Friday 4th April, it is looking likely that the series will return to BBC1 on Saturday 5th April 2008.

18th March Update: The new edition of the Radio Times has the trailer listed asDoctor Who Series Four Preview, between the film Toy Story and casting showI'll Do Anything at about 7:05pm.

(note: the BBC website have corrected a previous broadcast date of 29th March as reported yesterday)

Following next week's showing of Torchwood Episode 10, From Out Of The Rain, the series moves to a new slot of Fridays at 9pm with the showing of Episode 11, Adrift, on Good Friday, 21 March 2008. The following week sees Episode 12, Fragments, with the season finale, Exit Wounds, showing on BBC Two on Friday, 4 April 2008 at 9pm. Each episode will still receive its premier on BBC Three.

The SciFi Channel now has a webpage for The Sarah Jane Adventures, which premiers in the United States on Friday, 11 April 2008 with Invasion of the Bane. This pilot episode will be shown at 7.30pm ET with the series moving to a regular slot of 8pm the following week.

April 18th also sees the arrival of Doctor Who Season Four to the Sci-Fi channel, with the showing of the Christmas special, Voyage of the Damned. No date has yet been confirmed for the UK premiere of Series Four, but the series is expected to launch in the first half of April.

SABC2 in South Africa has picked up The Sarah Jane Adventures. The 10 half-hour episodes from Series 1 air weekly beginning this Saturday at 3:30PM Central African Time (CAT).