The next issue of SFX Magazine, due out April 14, will contain interviews about the new series with producers Russell T. Davies and Julie Gardner as well as writers Mark Gatiss, Rob Shearman, Steven Moffat and Paul Cornell. They'll be going into depth on the casting of the new Doctor, Christopher Eccleston. "When Mal Young, Julie Gardner and I first got into the same room together in September, he was the very first name mentioned," explained Davies. "And that's a fact. Of course, there were other names, there had to be, but he was first. Who'd have thought we'd actually get him?ö Said Julie Gardner: "Christopher is, first and foremost, a wonderful actor. He's energetic, passionate, professional and instinctive. And he's got a great sense of humour. He loved the first episode, did an amazing audition, and here we are. I couldnÆt be more delightedà" Gardner also gives SFX some details about productions. "We start filming in the Summer with principal locations and studio work being done in South Wales. Being based in Cardiff offers endless possibilities - urban landscapes, countryside, beaches, historical houses are all within easy reach. There are many decisions to be made before that first camera rolls. We are currently receiving pitches from SFX companies and CGI specialists and we're still in the early stages of meetings with heads of departments." (Thanks to Steve O'Brien)

The new issue of TV Zone Magazine is due out on April 1 and features a look at Christopher Eccleston's career and the casting of the new Doctor; there's also a feature on Russell T Davies and the new series writers, examining what qualities they bring to the series; Colin Baker contributes an article with his thoughts on the casting and the new series; Terrance Dicks is interviewed, drawing on his considerable experience to offer some words of advice for the new production team; and there's a feature on the Telos novellas, and a run-through of "Doctor Who's 20 best cliffhangers." The cover of the new issue is at right. (Thanks to Stephen Graves)

DWM's Complete First Doctor was released late last week; it includes essays on each story, photos and an afterword by original producer Verity Lambert.

Issue #342 of Doctor Who Magazine will be out April 1. Included in the next issue are comments from Christopher Eccleston on winning the role of the Doctor as well as notes from Russell T. Davies and producer Phil Collinson; the first part of the "Marco Polo" telesnap archive; Alan Barnes writes about "The Evil of the Daleks" in The Fact of Fiction; the Time Team revisits the newly discovered episode of "The Daleks' Master Plan" with commentary by Andrew Pixley; part three of Pixley's "Scheduled for Success" column; the climax of the comic strip "Bad Blood"; plus the usual reviews and previews. (Thanks to Clayton Hickman)

The official press release has now been published by the BBC Press Office, but we've reproduced it at the end of this article for your reading pleasure.

Outpost Gallifrey has revealed the cover for issue #342 of Doctor Who Magazine, which features Eccleston on the cover... obviously a rushed job over the weekend by amazing editor Clayton Hickman just in time to get it to the printers! "Christopher Eccleston is the Doctor!" cries the cover... you can check it out on the main News Page.

Mentions of the Eccleston casting today hit two large American news networks, both CNN and the Fox News Channel.

No More Props for "Darker" Doctor is the headline on BBC News today. "Enthusiasts think he may portray a darker character than many of the previous doctors, who were often quirky, offbeat and replete with props," says the article, which features quotes from the DWAS' Antony Wainer and Boyd Hilton, TV editor of Heat magazine. "I think it's quite exciting," said Hilton. "He's one of the best actors of our time, and rather than going for a colourful character actor as they've done in the past, they've gone for a brilliant actor." Said Wainer: "It's about the quality of the writing and the audience expectation, and things that just catch on."

Doctor Who Fans Endorse Eccleston was another article at BBC News, which includes comments from fans around the world.

The Daily Express reports that "NEW Dr Who Christopher Eccleston has shot to number two in this weeks OK! Celebrity Chart..." How the chart is compiled and who decides who (no pun intended!) comes where is anyone's guess! Meanwhile, the Western Morning News wonders why nostalgia has "such compelling appeal" (the article mentions the new series of Doctor Who but in no great detail.) The Guardian features an article on "Why I Love William Hartnell" (also mentioned here on our main news page); that particular item can also be read online here. All three can be also seen at theCuttings Archive.

Our comprehensive list of press links has been updated three times today and is seen in the separate story below.

The press release is as follows:

The new issue of SFX Magazine (issue #116), out today, features a brief interview with Russell T. Davies. Asked about the length of the season, Davies comments that "until all the money's in place, we can't be certain. This is normal stuff, happens on every show. You never hear about them juggling the Frost schedule and budget, do you? But it happens. The Doctor Who Magnifying Glass makes this normal process seem so much more significant, turning pores into caverns." He discusses the inability of the production team to set firm dates for the start of production until they know who the actor is... but he does dismiss recent rumors about Paul Daniels being up for the role. "Not in a million years!" Davies told SFX. "All this bollocks is just loony agents desperately getting their clients into the papers." He mentions the "self-loathing" of some of Who's biggest fans, who have demanded he throw out everything from the first run, and then discusses how despite being Doctor Who, it still feels like an evolution from his other programmes. And how several bands have been in touch to offer to do the theme music, but he says that they have hardly even spoke about it yet... that they need a programme first. The article also mentions that science fiction writer Christopher Priest was sounded out about writing an episode. You can read the entire article in the latest SFX. (Thanks to "Rolnikov")

Today's new edition of the Radio Times has a news item on page 10 - illustrated with the TARDIS - on the new writers. The article strangely omits Paul Cornell and Rob Shearman... but includes a firmer date for the start of filming. The article is as follows (thanks to Steve Tribe & Roger Anderson):

The next issue of Dreamwatch magazine will feature a story in which Doctor Who fans will be asked to help out with a mystery, according to Brian Robb, managing editor of Titan Magazines (publishers of Dreamwatch). Says the article, "The Doctor Who Restoration Team have just turned up Sylvester McCoy's audition tape which features not only Sylvester but two other actors who were up for the role. The first actor is Dermot Crowley, best known for his role of General Crix Madine in Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi, but who is the mystery man, all teeth and curls... And 'tache! The tape features lengthy auditions by three actors (including Sylvester McCoy) with Janet Fielding providing the role of companion Mel and other foils to test the actors' talents. It's also interesting in that it features Mel's leaving scene almost as it was screened in Dragonfire, which indicates it was written well before Bonnie Langford actually left the show. Steve Roberts at the Restoration Team says it may never appear on DVD if actors don't give permission for use. Can you help identify the mystery actor who once auditioned for the role of the seventh Doctor?" Below are thumbnails of three photos, two of the actor by himself, the other with Janet Fielding; click on each for a larger version. If you believe you know who the actor is, email Outpost Gallifrey and we'll forward your email to Brian (but please only do so if you know who it is, not if you're being speculative or jokey!) (Thanks to Brian Robb)

Issue #341 of Doctor Who Magazine is out and features news on an important discovery (one we've been waiting for the issue's release to report on): a full set of telesnaps from six of seven episodes of the lost Doctor Who serialMarco Polo have been recovered. "Marco Polo" is the only story from the show's first season that is missing completely from the archives, other than extensive behind-the-scenes photographic evidence... but not visuals from the actual broadcast itself. Fan Derek Handley was instrumental in the recovery, having contacted serial director Waris Hussein recently and discovered that Hussein did indeed have telesnaps from the six episodes he was responsible for directing in his possession (Hussein did not direct episode 4, "The Wall of Lies," and therefore does not possess telesnaps from the story.) The prints themselves are beautiful, and include such lost treasures as the legendary moving map that Mark Eden (as Marco Polo) narrated over during the story. The telesnaps - originally shot by John Cura as photographic evidence for the story's director, in the days far before VCRs - were arranged to be returned to the BBC and Hussein negotiated directly with Doctor Who Magazine to be able to run them; DWM will run all six episodes' telesnaps in sequence, one per issue, starting with #342. Hussein also possessed old videotapes of other items he directed for the BBC (but none of them are Doctor Who.) Further details on the recovery of the Marco Polo telesnaps can be found in this month's issue of DWM.

The new issue of Doctor Who Magazine confirms the forthcoming releases of Tales From the TARDIS, Volumes 1 & 2, which are both "MP3-CD" releases (not standard issue CD's, but instead featuring MP3 computer files on them) and are due out on July 5. As previously noted, the first volume includes "The Curse of Peladon" read by Jon Pertwee, "Kinda" read by Peter Davison, "Attack of the Cybermen" read by Colin Baker, the "Out of the Darkness" short story collection read by Colin Baker and Nicola Bryant, and the "Short Trips" anthology collection read by Nick Courtney and Sophie Aldred. Volume 2 features "Planet of the Daleks" read by Jon Pertwee, "Warriors of the Deep" read by Peter Davison, "Vengeance on Varos" read by Colin Baker, and two readings by Paul McGann, "Earth and Beyond" and the 1996 TV movie novelization. A small thumbnail of the cover is at right. DWM also confirms June 7 for the release of the MP3-CD version of Death Comes to Time and August 2 for the regular BBC Radio Collection audio soundtrack release The Crusade. (Thanks to Galaxy 4)