The BBC has begun running a trailer for next Friday's Children in Needtelethon. Included are various clips from the evening's attractions, with two very brief excerpts from the "Doctor Who" scene. Says our correspondent, "The first shows the Doctor, evidently right after the regeneration still standing in the same position as we last saw him, assuring Rose that 'I'm the Doctor!'. The second, later in the trailer, has Rose leaning over the console as an alarm bell sounds. She asks what it is, and the Doctor leans in next to her and exclaims in delight: 'We're going to crash land!' before laughing manically. Tennant is, as expected, using an English accent as heard at the end of 'The Parting of the Ways' rather than his native Scottish one." (Thanks to Paul Hayes)

Outpost Gallifrey has learned the specifics of the Children in Need Doctor Who special airing next week. The special mini-episode is actually 3 and 1/2 minutes long, and will begin at exactly 9:06pm during the telethon (though of course there is always room for slight variation in the timing). Additionally, we've learned that K9 will be in the studio joining the presenters for the evening. As always, this information is subject to change up to air time!

BBC Radio Jersey recently interviewed the director of the special, who said it's set immediately after the end of The Parting of the Ways, is set in the TARDIS, and is "a real episode that links the last series to the new one and is part of Series Two." The interviewer on Radio Jersey said they filmed it only in the last two weeks in Cardiff: "So I don't know what’s in it, I don't know how long it is but I do know it's a scene between Billie Piper in the TARDIS and it's the moment David Tennant materialised at the end of the last series."

It should be noted that the schedule for Children in Need is very fluid, so that timeslot should not be taken as guaranteed - it could change right up to the night itself.

Says the official Doctor Who site, David Tennant and Billie Piper will switch on the Christmas lights in Cardiff this year. "Santa has an early present for Cardiff-based Doctor Who fans this year. 17 November sees the Welsh capital's own Christmas Invasion as Billie Piper and David Tennant arrive to turn on the festive lights. Seasonal celebrations begin at 5.45, with the Red Hot Santas taking to the stage to play some Christmas favourites. The big switch on by the Doctor and Rose happens at 6.45, after which visitors can move on to the City Centre and shop until 8pm. Or they can get their skates on and head to the open-air ice rink at Cardiff's Winter Wonderland, which opens its doors to the public at 7.45pm."

According to the BBC Press Office, executive producer Russell T Davies will pen a special "Doctor Who" mini-episode to air during the BBC's Children in Need 2005 Appeal. According to the schedule, this mini-episode is slated to be part of the event on Friday, 18 November. There is currently no word on what it is comprised of, but rumors have already suggested it might be set between "The Parting of the Ways" and "The Christmas Invasion" and will feature David Tennant and Billie Piper. This would be the second standalone "Children in Need" Doctor Who segment to be broadcast, the first being 1993's "Dimensions in Time". We'll keep you posted with further details.

A seven-minute reworking of the Doctor Who theme commissioned by the BBC and recorded by The Orb is to get its first public performance in Portsmouth (Hampshire, England) on Saturday 16 April. It is to be played at a gig by Portsmouth-based band The Autons, who took their name from the Doctor Who monsters. The three-piece band (website), who are well-known Doctor Who enthusiasts, will be performing at the Third Floor Arts Centre, in the city's Central Library, at 8pm (BST), using The Orb's rendition of the theme as their walk-on music. According to Autons band member Tony Rollinson,The Orbwere granted access to the original tapes from the BBC Radiophonic Workshop. He added that The Autons were offered the debut airing through cult Portsmouth band Ronaldo And The Loaf, who are friends of Orb member Alex Paterson. He added that the Orb track was being biked down especially - and that security measures would be in place to stop anyone recording it. Tickets to the gig apparently cost ú4 (with eyeliner) and ú5 (without eyeliner). Call the box office on 023 9268 8070 (website). Portsmouth (plus the Isle of Wight and the Solent) was used extensively for the location filming of The Sea Devils in October 1971. (Thanks to John Bowman)

UK viewers, tune into quiz show Mastermind this Tuesday at 9pm on BBC2 - according to MyDigiGuide one of the contestants is taking Doctor Who as his specialist subject.

Artist Jeff Cummins, whose many covers for the Target Doctor Who novelisation range includes "The Talons of Weng-Chiang," "Horror of Fang Rock," "The Three Doctors" and the exquisite painting for the cover of "The Face of Evil," has a new website in which he showcases his Target covers and other pieces of illustration including the sleeves for out of print records he designed. Visit the site at www.jeffcummins.com. (Thanks to Jeff Cummins)