BBC Radio 2 will be presenting a new documentary special, Doctor Who: Regeneration this December, Outpost Gallifrey has learned. The new documentary from the radio channel, which earlier this year presented the two-part documentary "Project: WHO", "examines how this year's adventures of the Time Lord became the most talked about television event of 2005. Just how significant was the departure of Christopher Eccleston to the programme and its production team? Has the success of 'Doctor Who' changed the battleground of Saturday night television? And is the TARDIS safe in David Tennant's hands?" The documentary features new interviews, exclusive music by "Doctor Who" composer Murray Gold, and excerpts from the new series, and "tells a fascinating story of why it took forty-two years to become the nation's most popular drama series." Key interviewees include David Tennant, Billie Piper, Russell T. Davies, Julie Gardner, Phil Collinson, Murray Gold, Alison Graham of Radio Times, BBC1 Controller Peter Fincham, Jane Tranter, Camille Coduri (Jackie Tyler), Noel Clarke (Mickey), Penelope Wilton (Harriet Jones), directors James Hawes and Euros Lyn, and others. Written by Brian Sibley and produced by Malcolm Prince, the documentary airs on BBC Radio 2 on Tuesday 20 December at 8:33pm.

While recent indications have suggested otherwise, the new release of "Revelation of the Daleks" in Australia contains an advertisement for the Doctor Who Series One Boxed Set which includes, as one of the listed 'special features', "Doctor Who Confidential - 14 x 15 minute episodes behind the scenes of production of Series 1". This seems to suggest the inclusion of the thirteen "Doctor Who Confidential: Cut Down" documentaries, the shortened versions of the documentary which excludes clips and interviews reminiscing about the original series, which aired on select weekends on BBC3 during the initial run of the show and during recent rebroadcasts. Roadshow, the distributor of Doctor Who on DVD in Australia, creates its prints from the BBC's in the UK, so there's no reason to believe that they would be different than the UK version, but recent UK press has indicated that they weren't supposed to be part of the package... only a special for the DVD release produced by the same group. The rights issues were likely behind the use of the 'cut down' installments, if in fact they're on the discs; the reference to "fourteen 15-minute episodes" could indicate the thirteen episodes of the documentary and the special release, though there's no indication as yet as to whether this would also include the two specials, "A New Dimension" or "The Ultimate Guide" that bookended the series. (Thanks to "The13thDoctor" for letting us know about the advert flyer)

As previously reported, Doctor Who music was featured as part of the Blue Peter annual children's prom, focusing on the BBC's season of classical music concerts, at Royal Albert Hall in London, highlights of which comprised today's show. One of the pieces of music played by he orchestra was an arrangement of the "Doctor Who" theme, during which a Dalek appeared much to the delight of the children in the audience, wandering around the edge of the orchestra pit threatening to exterminate and so forth, before eagerly pursuing "Blue Peter" presenter Liz after she attempted to interview it. During the performance of the theme tune, there were also some clips shown from the recent David Tennant edition of the programme. (Thanks to Paul Hayes)

The BBC has issued at press release about the forthcoming third volume of Doctor Who At The BBC from BBC Audio. "Elisabeth Sladen presents another instalment of these hugely successful audio spin-offs featuring an eclectic mix of interviews, features, clips and behind-the-scenes extracts from the past and present worlds of Doctor Who. Researchers have combed the avenues of Time and Space, and the basements of Broadcasting House for this compilation of spin-off moments from the much-loved TV and radio series. In an exclusive coup, this third volume features a rarely heard, ten minute mini-drama starring Jon Pertwee and Elisabeth Sladen. Specially recorded for Glorious Goodwood in 1974, it has never been broadcast and features a host of familiar enemies û including the Daleks! Elsewhere on this two-disc volume, the radio programme Wavelength meets the cast and production team of The Two Doctors; Nationwide investigates the work of the Radiophonic Workshop in 1983; and a group of schoolchildren give their views on the series in Take Two from 1984. The Grumbleweeds enjoy their own exciting adventure in Dr Nobbut-Just; 'Ann Robinson' menaces the Doctor in Dead Ringers; and Jane Asher plays the Doctor's granddaughter in Whatever Happened to...Susan Foreman? Rare interview material includes Frank Bough's Nationwide encounter with fourth Doctor Tom Baker (plus Mary Tamm and Carole Ann Ford), Lalla Ward's appearance on Multi-coloured Swap Shop, and a mid-Eighties radio interview with Sarah Sutton. There are also features on the brand new Doctor Who, including comments from Russell T Davies and Christopher Eccleston, and even the seal of approval from Michael Grade..." The audio is released on September 5.

Doctor Who again featured heavily on CBBC's "Blue Peter" (22nd July) as further promotion for the 'Design A Monster' competition. Along with an array of clips a Slitheen, Auton Bride and "Genesis" Dalek prop were in the studio. The team were also joined by series monster designer Neil Gorton who gave some tips to those entering the competition, with attention focussing on the Slitheen. In addition, as the show progressed, he gave presenter Liz Barker a 'monster makeover'. Promotion was also given to the Brighton "Doctor Who" exhibition which apparently runs to October and where "Blue Peter" badge winners can get in free!

Last weekend saw the "Blue Peter Prom" (subtitled "Out Of This World") at the Royal Albert Hall, London and this includes "plenty more Doctor Who...". The Prom included an arrangement of the "Doctor Who" theme by Christopher Austin and was also broadcast on Radio 3 last Monday afternoon.

The Very Best of Billie Piper is a new 15-track album coming out on 8 August from EMI Gold, featuring 15 of her songs including "Because We Want To".

The new Disney film "Sky High" features a scene where Kevin McDonald's super-brain character "Mr. Medulla" is seen reading a Doctor Who paperback novel.

(Thanks to Mike Humphreys, Cody Schell, Jamie Austin)

The CBBC show Blue Peter is running a 'vote for the scariest monster' poll on its website where viewers can choose from Dalek, Autons, The Empty Child, The Slitheen or The Moxx Of Balhoon; the result will be discussed on the show, likely 20 July as "Radio Times" notes the show containing a "Doctor Who competition".

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)

According to the web page for the Doctor Who Confidential series on the official site, the producers of the BBC3 series are also producing a half hour special, Doctor Who - A New Dimension which will air on BBC 1 at 5.00pm on Saturday 26th March, before the first episode of the new series.

The BBC Radio Collection has released the cover and details for the CD release of Project: Who, the two-part radio drama narrated by Anthony Stewart Head. "Project: Who? discovers how the exciting new BBC1 series has been made, with award-winning writer and producer Russell T. Davies at the helm. Featuring new and exclusive interviews with the cast and creative team, the programme examines why the BBC decided to launch a new television series, nearly a decade after the Doctor's last small screen adventure. It also explores how the format of the show has been developed for a new audience, how the character of the Doctor was cast, and how his adventures will be launched and marketed around the globe. Christopher Eccleston and Billie Piper, a.k.a. the Doctor and Rose, are amongst those talking about the new series, along with executive producers Julie Gardner and Mal Young, writer and executive producer Russell T. Davies, writer Mark Gatiss, director Joe Ahearne, producer Phil Collinson and many others." The cover illustration is at right; click for a larger version.

Outpost Gallifrey has learned that Anthony Stewart Head has taken over as the narrator for the forthcoming two-part radio documentary "Project: Who," airing on Radio 2 on March 22 and 29, after original narrator Patrick Stewart (Star Trek: The Next Generation) had to pull out due to schedule difficulties. Head, best known to science fiction fans as Rupert Giles on "Buffy, the Vampire Slayer," previously starred in Big Finish's "Excelis" audio series, and is familiar to (and with) fans of the Doctor Who genre.