Panini Magazines have released details of both the forthcoming DWM and the companion release for Series Three.

Doctor Who Magazine's latest official in-depth special features a step-by-step guide to the making of all 13 episodes, as well as the 2006 Christmas Special The Runaway Bride, the animated adventure The Infinite Quest, and last November's hugely successful Children in Need concert. Find out what was shot when and where; what was left on the cutting-room floor and why; even the truth behind a few of those rumours that hit the tabloids.

Plus, executive producer and head writer Russell T Davies unveils the genesis of each story. Discover why the Empress of the Racnoss never visited Stonehenge, how jazz changed the Daleks' plans for Manhattan, what Spider-Man and Professor Lazarus might have had in common, and why the TARDIS got kicked off the moon!

Packed with new photographs, anecdotes and comments from the men and women who make the programme, script extracts, deleted scenes and a full list of cast, crew, transmission times and ratings, the Doctor Who Companion Series Three is out on Thursday 16 August 2007.

And the following Thursday, the 23rd, sees the release of Doctor Who Magazine 386, in which Russell T Davies talks candidly about his plans for the forthcoming Christmas Special and Series Four.

"This year's Christmas Special was always going to have a one-off companion, little knowing that it would be Kylie! I like the Christmas-ness of a one-off. As you'll see, there's a whole new take – again – on what a companion can be."

Russell reveals secrets concerning the return of 'Runaway Bride' Donna... "She gives us the chance to be blunt about things, and be gobsmacked by things. Of course, she'll still be brave and heroic sometimes, and she'll save the Doctor's life, but equally... for example, there's one episode where they land on an alien planet, and the first thing she does is go back in the TARDIS to find the right coat!"

Also in the mag, Barry Newbery, Doctor Who designer during the 60s, 70s and 80s, is given a VIP tour of Upper Boat in Cardiff where the series is now filmed; the Fact of Fiction looks at Terror of the Autons; Edward Thomas gives an in-depth insight into production design; and the Doctor and Martha begin a new comic strip adventure, The First. Plus, the Time Team looks at Fifth Doctor's final stories, and Gareth Roberts pens Production Notes.

Plus, exclusive casting news from BBC Wales, an exclusive new pic of the Doctor and Donna, and a review of the three-part series finale.

The British Board of Film Classification have posted details on their website for the upcoming release of 1979 story Destiny of the Daleks, which introduces Lalla Ward in the role of Romana. This would be the first time that this story has been released on DVD. There is no release date, or special feature information at this time. Rumor has it that this release will be part of a forthcoming Davros box-set, but there is no confirmation of this from the BBC.


Thanks to Pierre Schramm.

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.

The British press has lots of stories rehashing the BBC's press release about Series Four: BBC News, ITN, The Sun,The Stage, the Manchester Evening News, the Evening Standard and the South Wales Echo all have stories.

Billie Piper recently suffered a bout of temporary blindness, possibly exacerbated by the flash bulbs of paparazzi cameras. The story is covered at The Daily Mirror, ITN and Digital Spy. With a stunning lack of self-awareness, The Sun accompanies the story with photographs taken the night Piper was taken ill.

And, in a story about the recent fire at Rome's Cinecitta Studios, Varietymentions in passing that "the BBC is on site preparing to shoot its revived sci-fier "Doctor Who" at Cinecitta in September." The report is taken up by The Sun, which includes a quote attributed to Julie Gardner about the potential shoot (see spoiler below, which includes speculation on the tenth Doctor). The Sun's story was in turn taken up by Digital Spy. If these reports are accurate, it will be the first time the revived series will see full filming outside of the UK (excluding the brief plate shots taken in New York for "Daleks in Manhattan").

Thanks to Nigel Ellis and David McIntee.
FILMING on Doctor Who was thrown into chaos after an Italian film set bosses planned to use, was hit by a fire. Crew on the BBC1 drama flew out to Rome’s Cinecitta studios — where the Beeb filmed their epic Rome series — earlier this week. They plan to make an Ancient Rome-themed episode for Doctor Who’s fourth series there later this year.

But on Thursday night a huge blaze ripped through the studio — destroying masses of expensive BBC equipment. An insider said: "It was a huge blaze. At one point, it looked like the whole studio was a goner. It threw a real spanner in the works for the Doctor Who team. They’re planning an episode where the Doctor goes back in time to Ancient Rome and thought it would be perfect to use the set."

Who bosses still plan to use the set once fire damage has been cleared up, with insiders suggesting crucial parts were still intact. Doctor Who executive producer Julie Gardner said: "Some of the production team have been looking at locations in Italy for the new series. The Doctor will have a Roman adventure.”

Meanwhile, TV Biz can reveal that show star David Tennant is set to take a starring role in a stage version of Hamlet. The Royal Shakespeare Company is set to announce next month that the actor will play the Danish prince in 2008.

Taking the role is likely to mean David is forced to quit Doctor Who before the end of series four — as we predicted.

According to The Sun and repeated in various other outlets such asdigitalspy, darkhorizons.com and G4's Attack of the Show, actor Ben Kingsley has been reported to be appearing in the upcoming Series Four ofDoctor Who. Sir Ben, famous for his Oscar-winning portrayal of Gandhi in the 1982 film of the same name, is the latest actor to be rumoured to have a role in the new series. However, we would like to point out that the BBC has neither confirmed nor denied this story.

For more information about Kingsley's supposed role, click the spoiler tag below.

This Christmas, the Theatre Royal in Newcastle will pit Aladdin against the Daleks in their seasonal pantomime. The theatre's website says, "...making their first ever appearance in pantomime, The Daleks, from TV's Dr Who, threaten to exterminate Aladdin's plans to marry Princess Jasmine and live happily ever after..." Aladdin is scheduled to run from December 3, 2007 to January 19, 2008.

Thanks to Brian Taylor.

The official Doctor Who website has revealed further information about the fourth series of Doctor Who, which has recently entered production. They have announced that in addition to the previously-confirmed return of the Ood, one episode of the fourth series will feature the Doctor and new companion Donna Noble, played by Catherine Tate, encountering well-known thriller writer Agatha Christie.

Christie will be played by Fenella Woolgar, who recently appeared in Doctor Who writer Steven Moffat's BBC One drama serial Jekyll, as Min, one half of the show's lesbian private detective pairing. Also announced is the casting of Felicity Kendal, very well known in the UK for her leading role in the 1970s sitcom The Good Life. Kendal will be playing Lady Clemency Eddison. It has also been announced that Tim McInnerny(Blackadder, Notting Hill) will guest-star in an episode later in the series.

Matthew Prichard, Agatha Christie's grandson, is quoted as saying: "As far as I know my grandmother, never saw Doctor Who, but I am sure she would have been intrigued, excited and above all flattered by all this attention in 2007." Showrunner Russell T Davies adds that: "Visiting Agatha Christie has been on my wish-list for ages now, and for the Doctor, it's a real meeting of minds. Viewers can expect many more ambitious storylines and a whole host of guest stars in 2008."

Some further information about how the character of Donna is reunited with the Doctor has also been released, and is reproduced in spoiler tags below.

Torchwood is slated to begin airing in Brazil this month. The premiere will be on August 28th on the People and Arts channel.

Since the 9th of July Torchwood has also been available in Mexico, viaCanal22. The programme is shown in a half hour slot on Mondays and Wednesdays at 2230.

Thank you to Karla and Carlos Santillan

The UK computer game developer Ironstone Partners is working on a Doctor Who title for the Nintendo DS, Sony PlayStation2 and Windows PC platforms, according to Eurogamer.

As reported by Outpost Gallifrey last month, Top Trumps revealed plans for a video game that would be released for Christmas 2007.

Ironstone Partners has previously worked on other games based around the Top Trumps brand.

(Thanks to Zygma Experiment.)

While the tour of his very successful current play Bedroom Farce(also starring Leela actress Louise Jameson) made a stop in Cardiff, Sixth Doctor Colin Baker was invited to visit the location filming on the 2007 Christmas Special Voyage of the Damned.

Mr. Baker writes about the experience in his Bucks Free Press column. An excerpt is below; please visit here to read the entire article.