Elisabeth Sladen has spoken to The Daily Telegraph newspaper about her role in the forthcoming Doctor Who spin-off series The Sarah Jane Adventures, which begins its run on BBC One on Monday 24th September.

She tells journalist Simon Swift: "I did that episode, School Reunion, and I thought what a lovely end for my character... Then, as Torchwood was coming out, I got a call saying Russell [T Davies - Doctor Who's executive producer] would like to take me out for lunch to talk about something else. I thought, 'I'm going to be in Torchwood.' And he said: 'We want to do a series called The Sarah Jane Adventures.' I absolutely didn't see it coming."

Sladen also tells Swift that she would have been irritated had the spin-off project been given to any other former companion. "I would be p***** off to my socks. I would have said, 'Well, they know what they're doing,' but I would have secretly thought, 'Oh, what a mistake they've made'."

Doctor Who star Catherine Tate is taking action against a Christian group which used catchphrases from her BBC Two sketch show without permission, reports BBC News. Tate is one of a number of British comedy stars, including Matt Lucas and Big Finish / Doctor Who Night actor David Walliams of "Little Britain" fame, taking action against the organisation.

Christian Publishing Outreach (CPO) employed slogans used by Tate's characters, such as "Am I bovvered?" and "How very dare you!", alongside excerpts from the Bible on a series of posters made commercially available to church groups for twenty-five pounds per set. The posters were aimed at attracting the attention of younger people.

Tiger Aspect Productions, the company which produces Tate's award-winning sketch show The Catherine Tate Showfor BBC Two, confirmed to BBC News that they had sought legal proceedings on her behalf. CPO has withdrawn its posters from sale.

Whatsonstage.com has posted a 20 question interview with Peter Davison, who is seen below in his role as King Arthur in Spamalot. Davison had the following to say about his time with Doctor Who.

The BBC has hit back at claims of racism by citing Freema Agyeman as an example of how it is nurturing ethnic talent.

TV writer Jimmy McGovern made the accusation during an interview on BBC Five Live to promote his new stage play King Cotton, which is among commemorations marking the bicentenary of Britain abolishing the slave trade.

BBC News says interviewer Simon Mayo asked him if the country was less racist than it once was, to which McGovern replied: "I have got to say this, you will not like this. But I've worked a lot in the BBC, you know.

"I love the BBC as an institution and as an organisation and you do see lots of black faces in the BBC. But you see them in the canteen. You do not see them in positions of power.

"It would appear to me that one of the most racist institutions in England is in fact the BBC."

Mayo called it "a very serious allegation", saying the BBC would respond, and later read out a statement in which the corporation said: "What really matters is that we reflect our audiences through our programmes.

"The BBC's ambition is to reflect the ethnic and social mix of people around the country. We're actively seeking and nurturing ethnic talents both on and off the air.

"This has been coming through in our output with a range of presenters and reporters across our peak-time programmes, for example Freema Agyeman in Doctor Who, the forthcoming Omid Djalili show, Dance X, and dramas such asWaterloo Road.

"It is something we are always looking to improve on."

Last year in an interview, showrunner Russell T Davies refuted McGovern's claim that there was little decent drama on ITV at 9pm and disagreed with him over how drama could portray world truths.

(Thanks to Dazzler42.)

In the latest issue of Doctor Who Magazine, series producer Phil Collinson has announced that Bernard Cribbinswill be making a guest appearance in the 2007 Doctor Who Christmas special, Voyage of the Damned.

It's the third time Cribbins has appeared in Doctor Who, but the first time he's appeared in the TV series! He's probably best known to fans through his appearance as a companion to Peter Cushing's Doctor, the bumbling policeman Tom Campbell, in the 1966 film Daleks: Invasion Earth 2150 AD. He also appeared, earlier this year, as Arnold Lane alongside Paul McGann in the Big Finish/BBC7 eighth Doctor story Horror of Glam Rock.

"This is the icing on the cake, a wonderful addition to an already phenomenal cast," Phil Collinson told Doctor Who Magazine. "It's a wonderful cameo, which kept the entire cast and crew entertained."

Billie Piper is currently working on a new drama series for ITV2 called The Secret Diary Of A Call Girl.

The woman known as Belle de Jour published her diaries in 2005 and, despite many attempts to discover her true identity, remains anonymous. Her no-holds-barred account of her experiences as a prostitute is frank, funny and highly compelling.

The Secret Diary Of A Call Girl is the story of a 21st-century Moll Flanders (played by Billie Piper), an illuminating glimpse behind the scenes of the high-class sex trade. It is an insight into the secret life of an extraordinary young woman whose conventional family have no idea that she is leading a double life.

Actress Billie Piper has been socialising with real-life prostitutes to help develop her character. An ITV spokeswoman said: “They do have a dominatrix on set to advise. It's about prostitution and they want to get it right."

The Secret Diary of a Call Girl will air on ITV2 at 10pm on Thursday, September 27.

Barry Letts, writer, director, and producer of the Classic Series, has published the first volume in his autobiography. The book, entitled Who and Me, is available exclusively online here. The second volume is currently slated for release next year.

The BBC Press Office has released more information about the character of Martha Jones appearing onTorchwood, along with a photograph of Freema Agyeman with the rest of the Torchwood cast.

Agyeman is quoted as saying: "Martha has grown up a lot since Doctor Who. She's now a fully qualified doctor and a bit hardened by life experiences. When she finds out that Captain Jack needs her help, she joins Torchwood for a while. She continues to develop her knowledge of alien intelligence, but this time keeping her feet on the ground.

"These will be invaluable skills to take back with her on future adventures with the Doctor. She outgrew the Doctor, in a sense, and so the next time they meet it will be in a more professional capacity. I'm so proud of her journey and who she has become.

"And for me as an actress, it's a great new challenge to be able to broaden and expand Martha as she develops in other directions for this more adult series. The Torchwood team are fabulous to work with and have made me very welcome."

Agyeman will appear in three episodes of Torchwood, which will air early in 2008. The press release also mentions guest stars James Marsters, Alan Dale and Richard Briers; Briers' character is described as "Parker, a reclusive millionaire who is the keeper of alien secrets, much later in the series."

Thanks to Ryan Love.

Philip Olivier, the actor who plays Seventh Doctor companion Hex forBig Finish Productions, has been fined 20,000 pounds after being caught breaching housing regulations.

According to Digital Spy, Olivier was also made to pay 250 pounds in costs after being convicted under new laws which require landlords of three storey houses, or houses with five or more unrelated people living in them, to register with the local authority.

Olivier didn't attend the hearing at Liverpool Magistrates Court and had nobody represent him.

A council spokesman told the Yorkshire Post: "The legislation was introduced following recent Government research that showed people living in these types of property are 16 times more likely to die or be injured in fire than people living in a single occupancy house.

"In some areas in Liverpool this risk increases to 30 times and the law is designed to raise standards."

The court was told that Olivier did not own the property but that he was the landlord and received rent payments. The house has reportedly since been sold.

Anneke Wills and The Hirst Group have confirmed the release of the first volume of Anneke's long awaited Autobiography. Self Portrait will be officially launched at Regenerations - the Doctor Who convention taking place in Swansea on the 29th and 30th of September.

Anneke, who played popular companion Polly alongside the first two Doctors, decided to write her autobiography in September 2006. She says, "I was reluctant at first, but once I'd agreed, I lit up with excitement, and kept all my friends awake till 5am, telling stories!" The book promises to be a real treat for fans of cult television, as Anneke recalls her time in The Avengers, The Saint, Strange Report and a whole range of classic TV and cult films. There is of course, comprehensive coverage of Anneke's time on Doctor Who, and one or two revelations...

In the book, Anneke talks fondly of her friendships with the leading lights of the 1960s and gives an insiders view of life at the heart of the swinging sixties.

The book is illustrated throughout with previously unseen photos, and Anneke's own drawings and paintings.

Self Portrait by Anneke Wills, the first part of a two-part autobiography, is published by The Hirst Group and will be available from mid-September.