Former Doctor Who star Christopher Eccleston will star as Number Six in a television remake of the cult favorite series, "The Prisoner". "The 1967 series, starring Patrick McGoohan as a former secret agent who was kidnapped and imprisoned in a mystery village, baffled millions of viewers around the world," says the Times. "The new version, made by Granada for Sky One, will incorporate the paranoia, conspiracy theories and hi-tech action sequences of modern-day spy dramas 24 and Spooks. ... Hollywood stars have also pitched for the role but discussions with Eccleston are at an advanced stage, according to production sources. However, the Welsh tourist 'village' of Portmeirion, where the original ATV show was filmed, will be replaced by a more exotic foreign location, probably outraging fans of the original. ... Damien Timmer, executive producer of The Prisoner, said: 'The series is like Pandora's box; it's the ultimate conspiracy thriller. Like 24, the new series will entrap you from the opening scene.' Granada hopes the series will tap into the show's cult following, while also appealing to younger viewers. It is expected to appear before a long-mooted Hollywood film remake, and Granada is expecting to sell the show internationally. McGoohan won a global fan base for the 17-episode series, which made regular use of his catchphrase: 'I am not a number; I'm a free man.' His nameless character -- Number Six -- was abducted after resigning from a top secret government position and relocated to a sinister village where nothing was as it seemed. However, Granada is promising a 'radical reinvention' and a plot that will make sense to viewers who watch the six-episode series." Meanwhile, according to the Mirror, "Director of programmes Richard Woolfe promised a 'thrilling reinvention' of the drama about an ex-secret agent trapped in an isolated village. 'If Doctor Who set the standard, The Prisoner raises the bar,' he said. ... 'This project has been subject to an unprecedented level of attention, attracting an array of A-list actors and writers,' said commissioning editor Elaine Pyke. The new series will be made by Granada from a script Bill Gallagher, writer of the award-winning series Clocking Off. 'The Prisoner is like Pandora's box - it's the ultimate conspiracy thriller,' said Damien Timmer, executive producer of the show. 'Like 24, the new series will entrap you from the opening scene. We hope it will tap into this iconic show's existing cult following, whilst creating a whole new generation of fans.'" Also reported at the Daily Record, The Stage, The Register, Zap2Itand various other Internet news sites.

June Hudson, noted costume design artist for the BBC's highly acclaimed 'Dr. Who' television series, will speak at the Speakers with Passion lecture series at 3 p.m. Sunday, May 7, in the Assembly Room of the A.K. Smiley Public Library at the University of Redlands in Southern California, in a program made possible by the Library's Endowment Fund. Says the press release, "As principle designer for 'Dr. Who,' Hudson created the look for the Doctor's new companion, played by Lalla Ward, and was asked to make over the wardrobe of the show's star, Tom Baker. Recently, Hudson entered into a new role as an affiliate of the University of Redlands as a teacher. This May, she will co-teach an experimental course on design for science fiction. Art professor Piers Britton said, 'I never met anyone more passionate about their vocation. She exudes delight and an iron-willed conviction.' Once called 'a walking history of the BBC,' Hudson was involved with some of the best-loved and prestigious television drama made in the years between 1965 and 1990 for the BBC. Her credits as a costume designer include the hit comedies 'Are You Being Served?,' 'Till Death Do Us Part' and 'The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin.' In addition to 'Doctor Who,' Hudson worked on the popular science fiction series 'Survivors' and 'Blake's 7.' A reception will follow the presentation. Seating for this event is limited and reservations can be made by calling the library director's office at the university." The university'swebsite has full contact information.

Tom Baker will no longer be the voice of BT's talking message service at the end of April, according to news reports. "The BT service which allows mobile phone users to have messages sent to landline telephones read out in the classic TV icon's voice will switch to two new voices," says the UK Press Association news feed. "The feature was introduced at the end of January allowing people to send their friends and family messages in the instantly recognisable actor's dulcet tones. But his voice is to be axed to allow the introduction of both male and female voices. The new voices will start being used from April 28 and will be rolled out nationally from May 1. Wendy McMillan, BT general manager, Consumer, said: 'Tom Baker has been a huge success and a great way to introduce a new audience to BT Text. 'As the technology develops we want to give people the option to have their texts delivered to landlines in a gender that is the same as their own or one they think will be more effective depending on the message they're sending. But if people haven't yet had their fill of Tom Baker they've still got more than a week to enjoy pretending to be The Doctor.' Research carried out by BT suggests male voices are appropriate for sending different messages to female voices. Seven out of ten people think male voices are better for telling jokes and were considered more powerful and better for disciplining children. Female voices were described as more comforting, truthful and persuasive than male voices." The story has also been reported today atYahoo News, The Guardian, The Sun, The Mirror, Manchester Evening News, The Scotsman.

Elisabeth Sladen appeared as the last feature of today's 'Blue Peter', joined by K9 and emerging from the TARDIS - which of course materialised in studio - carrying Socks the 'Blue Peter' cat! After the clips of 'School Reunion' from the 3-minute BBCi trailer were shown, Sladen talked to presenter Gethin - who apparently appears in the series himself as a Cyberman - about how she'd been reassured about re-appearing in the series after meeting with the people behind the new version and realising that they were on the same wavelength as her about where Sarah would be now. Sladen also talked about Sarah's past exploits with the Third and Fourth Doctors, and how she was left behind by the Fourth and perhaps always hoped he'd come back for her, but never did. As Sladen talked, clips were shown from 'The Time Warrior', 'Genesis of the Daleks' and 'The Hand of Fear'. Various clips of K9 in action were also shown when he was introduced, and the clip of K9 saying he was a present from the Doctor from 'K9 and Company' was used as Gethin explained how the Doctor had given the dog to Sarah as a present.

Sladen discussed how she thinks David Tennant has the qualities that make a good Doctor 'in spades' - the 'Girl in the Fireplace' clips from the BBCi trailer were shown as she talked about him. She alao said that Rose and Sarah do not initially get on as they are very proprietorial about the Doctor, both thinking he belongs to them, although Sladen noted that he doesn't really belong to either of them because he is an alien. Throughout, K9 chipped in with various comments, voiced as always by John Leeson. Towards the end of the feature he met the two 'Blue Peter' dogs - not getting attacked by either of them as he was by the incumbent dog on the show many years ago! - and when questioned by Gethin about his defensive capabilities, responded that he could not reveal them all and viewers would have to see for themselves on Saturday.

Gethin then introduced a competition for viewers to win one of fifty copies of the 'Genesis of the Daleks' DVD, signed by Sladen, before K9 reminded viewers to watch 'at 7.15' on Saturday (an error, as the show will be on at 7.20 this Saturday), and also to watch Tuesday's 'Blue Peter', a trailer for which was then shown. (Thanks to Paul Hayes)

Today's Media Guardian has two podcasts of interviews with David Tennant, Billie Piper, Russell T Davies and BBC drama head Jane Tranter, all conducted at Tuesday evening's press launch. The accompanying report concentrates on Davies' "anger" at the "snobbery" of the Royal Television Society and BAFTA for the relative lack of nominations for Doctor Who. "You watch a Charles Dickens adaptation and you're clapping [at] all those antique lace collars, but if you watch a bird woman from the 57th century you don't imagine that someone put two weeks' thought and work into it," Davies said. His criticism concerns the lack of recognition for the talents and efforts of the actors and the crew: "you always sounds a bit stupid raging about awards, they don't matter in the end - but if our design, costume, makeup and effects departments aren't nominated [in the Bafta Craft Awards] I will be furious." Jane Tranter comments that "there is something about Doctor Who that is so effortlessly entertaining that it just doesn't show its colours in terms of quite how brilliant a piece of drama it is ... [unlike] a classic adaptation ... Doctor Who hides the talent and the expertise that's put into it." The Tennant/Piper podcast on the Guardian is the whole of the open Q&A from the press launch; in it, "Mine's for three series." It's at that moment that Tennant observes that "Mine [his contract] is not as simple as that."

The Daily Telegraph, meanwhile, is more concerned with kissing. The first UK newspaper to fret about the implications of Russell T Davies' sexuality for the series in 2003 is now worried that the Doctor and his companion "are being forced into silly roles". This "is the latest in a long line of ludicrous adjustments forced on our favourite characters by PC modernisers"; fans of the series must be feeling "betrayed by a kiss". The prospect of "an enforced sex change" for the Doctor, referring to Davies' comments at the press launch that he would consider casting a female lead, would be part of a trend to follow "political correctness" in "updating" popular characters for "modern sensibilities"; "bisexual" Captain Jack is also part of this trend. Towards the end of the article, DWM editor Clayton Hickman is quoted pointing out that "the time-travelling pair kiss only because one of them is possessed by an evil alien".

BBC Radio Wales has an interview with David Tennant and Billie Piper, recorded at the press launch on Tuesday evening. The interview previews the new series and the first episode in particular, and includes a few clips that have not been broadcast elsewhere so beware (minor) spoilers. The piece can be heard via a report on BBC Wales's Doctor Who mini-site. In the printed article, it states that "Tennant revealed he'd be battling foes old and new in this series, including the Cybermen and a race of cat-nun women, with guest stars including Peter Kay, Pauline Collins and Tony Head. But he said the strangest of all was starring with Elisabeth Sladen, who played one of the Doctor's companions in the 1970s. 'It's a bit surreal,' Tennant confessed. 'When I was a kid she was on the TV playing Sarah Jane Smith. When she's suddenly calling me Doctor, it's a bit of an out of body experience.' He was delighted with the reception the cast and crew had received on location in Wales. 'It's such a joy to be filming here - everybody here has been so enthusiastic and so indulgent of us that we have a really lovely time. So I'd like to thank the people of Cardiff for putting up with us blocking their roads and asking them to go round the long way while we film scenes!'"

Lifestyle Extra says taht "Many lifetimes of time travel and fighting Daleks seem to have finally taken it's toll on Dr Who - leaving him only five inches tall. The Time Lord, who crash-landed his Tardis back onto TV screens last year in a triumphant return has been turned into toy action figure. The figure of 10th Doctor, played by David Tennant, sports a distinctly modern look in his pinstriped suit and plimsolls. Male fans are also in for a treat as they can now own a poppet-sized figurine of the Doctor's helper Rose Tyler, played by the beautiful Billie Piper. The action figures have been developed by toy licensee, The Character Group plc in partnership with the BBC to mark Series 2 of the show going on air this spring. The wildly eccentric new Doctor and Rose are just two of twelve 5" figures that are either in stores now or being launched over the next few months. Also available will be the Doctor in his trademark long coat with sonic screwdriver, the Slitheen and the evil Sycorax Leader from the Christmas Invasion, teamed up with companion of past adventures K-9. Following on are the last human, Lady Cassandra O'Brien and the blue-skinned Moxx of Balhoon. just two of the new figures to be launched nearer the summer. Jerry Healy, from Character said: 'Last year Doctor Who products proved extremely popular with both young audiences and die hard enthusiasts. This new range of figures looks set to build on that. As well as the new-look Doctor, we're expecting huge interest in the new K-9 action figure, from fans of the series from the Seventies as well as the current day. A whole generation fondly remember K-9 as an ever-faithful companion to the Doctor.'"

The Christian publication World Magazine says of the US broadcast that "Christopher Eccleston plays the ninth Doctor with the wit and manic energy of the 1970s' Tom Baker, though with shorter hair and a more restrained wardrobe than the other Doctors. (In the series, the Doctor "regenerates" whenever the character is killed or a new actor is hired.) The old series was beloved for its low-budget special effects. In the new episodes, the production values are much higher, but with some cheesiness for old time's sake. When a mysterious entity brings the world's plastic to life, the characters fight department store mannequins. When they pull an arm off of the plastic dummy, they then wrestle the arm. The Doctor defeats the menace with a vial of "Anti-Plastic." The show is simultaneously humorous and serious. One episode has the Doctor and his companion Rose go 5 billion years into the future to witness the explosion of the sun. Here they meet the last human being, evolved into a square of skin with eyes and a mouth stretched out on a frame, hooked to a brain in a jar. Worldviews are rather scrambled in Doctor Who, but there is no sex, bad language, or gore—just weird stuff that might scare or confuse a young viewer. Like Narnia's wardrobe, the Doctor's vehicle has an inside bigger than the outside. Just like the human mind."

Today's print edition of The Guardian asks "What is it with all these nicknames?" and then parodies "a leaked memo circulated among executive producers at the BBC" that it says "reveals some major concerns" about Doctor Who. "1 Girls can't do maths or read maps - surely insurmountable problems when applied to the calculations in 17 dimen sions that a Time Lord must habitually make. Also, cannot afford to spend entire pre-credits sequence waiting for her to park the Tardis. 2 Not keen on whole episodes set in Ikea watching her pick out perfect window treatments for her interplanetary home. Or fretting about ageing effects of time travel. Retinol A must remain name of satellite Gallifreyan moon, not anti-wrinkle cream. 3 Doctor must be eccentric. Can women be eccentric without being covered in cat hair and/or smelling of wee? Research how. 4 Cannot afford necessary pre-launch campaign explaining to Whovians what a woman is. 5 Hierarchical problems. Doctor needs mentally and physically inferior sidekick to be afraid of Cybermen/ stretchy-faced Penelope Wilton/glowy-headed fat people. If Who is female, will need to cast six-year-old boy (or rather 800 of them, because they can't work for more than 10 minutes at a time without some bleeding-heart waving child labour legislation at us - talk to Stephen Daldry if you don't believe me) or tin of Spam. Check whether there is Spam rights group. If so, investigate availability of Jimmy Krankie. Could be years before they sort out what we can and can't do with him. Her. God, this messes with your head. 6 Metaphysical problems. Doctor is same person, regeneration provides new body only. Reincarnating as female suggests feminine aspect has existed all along. Might mark series as camp? 7 Aesthetic problems. Doctor historically not been in any danger of being mistaken for Michaelangelo's David. Tom Baker nice chap but face like a bag of pork chops and Sylvester McCoy frankly disturbing. As ugly women now shot on sight at television auditions, how to cast? Go with Claire Goose and throw acid in her face? (Call her agent.) 8 Insurmountable problem - Time Lady just sounds wrong. 9 On the other hand, we've got to find something to do with Davina McCall."

There is currently a poll running at the US TV Guide magazine site for the favorite new mid-season drama. Doctor Who currently is in second place at 22%, following "The Unit" (42%) and trailed by NBC's "Heist" at 15%, ABC's "The Evidence" at 13% and "Thief" at 6%.

There's more coverage of the press launch (with nothing new added), the TARDISODES and the "kiss" stuff from last night and today at Now Playing Mag, TV Squad, News.com.au, Evening Times, The Stage, Sky Showbiz,Digital Spy, The Register, TechDigest, SyFyPortal,Starpulse, INS News, Indian Television, Contact Music.

(Thanks to Steve Tribe, Paul Engelberg, Peter Weaver, Scott Matthewman, Bill Albert)

Some of the press clips from the past few days from the UK are below (the bulk of the coverage this week has been in America):

Eclipse Magazine featured an exclusive interview this week with John Barrowman, last year's second Doctor Who companion and now star of the forthcoming "Torchwood" spinoff. "'It was like a childhood dream, because I'd grown up watching the show,' he says with obvious excitement. 'I've loved the show even from when I lived in Glasgow. My first actual episode that I recall was about the Autons, the shop dummies which were in the first episode of the new series. ... I think those fans who are my age and older will come immediately to 'Doctor Who' and I think they'll have a great love for it, as the 'Whovian' fans in the UK have. It has every element that speaks to the kids and also speaks to the adults. The kind of subliminal stuff goes over the kids' heads and hits the adults in the face - that's the only way I can describe it and that's why the series works so brilliantly.' ... What about the British humour? Barrowman is unconcerned about the specifically British references. It doesn't matter if the American audience doesn't get them, he says. 'But,' he continues firmly, 'I absolutely think they will get them because shows like 'Absolutely Fabulous' and 'The Office' have been great successes in America. So they do understand British humour, and that's why Americans love the Brits so much - it's something quirky and different from what they are used to.' The TV viewers aren't the only fans of the show; Barrowman says that the entire cast and crew have grown up with the various incarnations of 'Doctor Who' and have loved the show since they were children. And, it seems, everyone is trying to get in on this successful act. 'Special effects people are fighting to be involved,' Barrowman says. 'They are banging down the door. I have got people who write to me and send me treatment scripts to pass on to Russell [T Davies, writer] because they want to be involved with this show. It's a huge, huge, huge, huge, big deal!' ... Even though Jack has been brought back from the dead, he won't feature in the second season of the new 'Doctor Who'. The character made such an impression on both the audience and the producers that he will be heading up a spin-off show, 'Torchwood', due to start filming in April. The show will feature three other regular characters, including Gwen Cooper, played by Eve Myles, as Jack's female counterpart. Barrowman is thrilled about this project too. 'I am just totally so excited about it,' he says. 'The script is really good.' Described as a darker, sexier, more adult science fiction show, 'Torchwood' focuses on a renegade team investigating human and alien crime, and extraterrestrial technology that has fallen to Earth. After filming the spin-off, Barrowman will be returning to 'Doctor Who' for the third season, with David Tennant continuing to play The Doctor. The two met while Barrowman was appearing in the pantomime 'Cinderella' during the winter

Something we at Outpost Gallifrey missed last week... Bonnie Langfordwas voted out of ITV's "Dancing on Ice" shortly before its conclusion. Says the ITV site, "Whatever people say about Bonnie, one thing is for sure: she has provided us with some of the most spectacular performances we've seen on the ice. But tonight, those spectacular routines were brought to an unceremonious end when you decided that Gaynor and Stefan should go forward to dance Bolero. But despite coming up short so close to the finishing line, the judges favourite refused to be downheartened. 'I'm disappointed for Matt because we had a fabulous routine,' an upbeat Bonnie babbled after Phil delivered the bad news. 'It would have been beautiful and I would have done him proud.' But bendy Bonnie rightly refused to be downbeat about coming third in the competition. 'This has been so life changing for me,' she went on. 'I've touched so many people, which has been brilliant. 'And now I'm going to play Roxy Hart in Chicago!'" Langford was one of two Doctor Who actors (the other being John Barrowman) on the program this year.

The April issue of BBC Focus Magazine, the monthly magazine by the BBC on science and technology, has a large section devoted to the science of Dr. Who. From the blurb: "The Science of Doctor Who: As a new Doctor and a new series hit our screens, BBC Focus asks the questions that really matter: could we regenerate, have cybernetic implants, or get a robot dog?"

Yesterday's LegalWeek seems to have discovered the Cybus Corporation fan site that has made the rounds in Doctor Who fandom. "Regular readers will know all about the utilitarian paradise that is the staff canteen at SJ Berwin, as well as the firm's recent move to flash new digs on the muddy banks of the Thames, where an increasing share of the City's most expensive suits -- sorry, finest minds -- have recently been gathering. Indeed, last week The Diary received an anonymous e-mail, titled ‘Reasons not to visit SJ Berwin's new office', drawing attention to the City firm's latest neighbours -- the shadowy Cybus Corporation, whose website appears to show the company's offices located pretty much next door. The Diary shuddered deep inside its anorak, however, when a closer look revealed Cybus to be home of the fearsome Cybermen, whose ruthless robot army lumbered across screens in the 1980s to bring their unique brand of unconvincing terror to Doctor Who viewers everywhere. It seems fans of the sci-fi classic put the website together ahead of the imminent new series -- which features updated Cybermen (albeit with the same silver-painted cricketer's batting gloves for hands) -- and settled on SJ Berwin as the ideal neighbour for the headquarters of the fictional business. The Diary realises that making an easy jibe about law firms converting people into mindless robots intent on world domination would be somewhat akin to shooting suicidal fish in a particularly restrictive barrel -- and will therefore resist, especially seeing as SJ Berwin is not even a magic circle firm at all."

Yesterday's Metro, the London free newspaper, has a short piece on Bob Baker, writer of the Wallace and Gromit films and co-creator, with Dave Martin, of K9 in 1977. According to the article, Baker "now plans to write a TV drama about K-9 -- the robot dog from Dr Who".

(Thanks to Paul Engelberg, Chuck Foster, Steve Tribe, Tony Bellows, and Carole Gordon)

Costume designer June Hudson, whose extensive repetoire of costume designs include many of Tom Baker's most famous accoutrements in later seasons of his tenure on "Doctor Who" as well as work on such series as "Eastenders," "The Rise and Fall of Reginald Perrin," "Survivors" and "Blake's 7," will be instructing a class on designing for SF film and television at the University of Redlands in southern California, which will include an exhibition of her work on Doctor Who from March 29 through May 2. Says the release from the university, "The culminating project of her class will be to design costumes for Shada, and both her own drawings and student work for this project will be featured on one of the university's web pages." Meanwhile, on May 20, the Armacost Library at the University of Redlands will be hosting a one-day exhibition, including a panel on science fiction design that will involve Hudson as well as designer Chrisi Karvonides (Carnivale, Birds of Prey), on May 20. The university will also be publishing a catalogue of the drawings in the show, with extensive new interview material with Hudson and many previously unpublished images. For further details on these events and the catalogue, contact Piers Britton at the University of Redlands viaemail. Outpost Gallifrey will also feature further information and visuals at a later date. (Thanks to Piers Britton and Mariko Chang)

The People says of "Kidulthood," Noel Clarke's new film, "I'm vexing, oh yes! Like a lot of smallscale features, Kidulthood has a pretty small, woolly storyline, and a pretty big cast - and most of them are first time actors. Essentially this is a look at the lives of a few lads and lasses, living in London and coping with sex, violence and bullying. It's hard not to feel you've seen something very similar before (say, Bullet Boy, which is quite a bit more accomplished). There are some nice bits though, and there's a fight at the end which looks as good as any I've ever seen in the cinema. Special mention to Noel Clarke, as the thuggish Sam, who seemed like a terrifying movie villain stuck in the middle of a long episode of Grange Hill. Kidulthood never quite gets you hooked, but I quite enjoyed it. Easy now, bruv, respect is due." Meanwhile, yesterday's Observer says that it's "a refreshing slice of urban life" and says, "Slicker and less worthy than last year's acclaimed Bullet Boy, Kidulthood has been described as London's City of God: it's not quite that, but it's a good sight closer to that kinetic portrait of street life than Love Actually. Kidulthood and its talented team of actors showcase what this country is really good at - anti-authoritarianism, music and lust. The fact that there's a mobile phone or two in there has led some (the Sun) to label Kidulthood the 'happy slapping movie' but, in fact, it examines every current teenage media cliche you'd care to name, from hoodies to unwanted pregnancy. ... Kidulthood has had some criticism, from those who accuse it of being unbelievably bleak or, weirdly, voyeuristic (as though we're only allowed to watch films that directly depict our own lives). But for Corrine, from Streatham, south London: 'The film definitely felt real to me. I mean, all that stuff wouldn't have happened in one day, they crammed it in. But the way everyone in that film is, that's how everyone I know is. And the talk is perfect, to be honest.' ... When I talk to Kidulthood's writer, Noel Clarke (Mickey in Doctor Who), who also plays Sam, the film's bullying bad guy, he agrees with Corrine. 'It seems like sex isn't a big deal these days. There's a weird hippy attitude, like all bodies are the same ... and everyone knows a girl like Becky, just dirty.' Clarke wrote the screenplay three years ago and based the trio of central male characters - Trife, Jay and Moony, played by Aml Ameen, Adam Deacon and Femi Oyeniran - on himself and his schoolfriends. He says that some of the film's action came from his own life (taxis refusing to stop for him, being falsely accused of shoplifting) and some from friends' experience or the media. ... It also captures another part of west London, the part the Japanese tourists have missed out on so far. 'Yeah, so far we've only seen one side of the road in films,' says Clarke. 'If you walk out of that nice house and cross that road, there's a council estate bang opposite.'" The film is released this Friday.

Canada's National Post says of the DVD release of the first season of the new series there that "The box set of the newest season of Doctor Who missed a great advertising opportunity: It could have been labelled 'Official purveyors of DVDs to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.' The story is that the first set of discs was ordered last summer by Her Royal Highness, a fan of the Doctor since the series premiered on the BBC in 1963. She thought her vacation at Balmoral in Scotland would be a good time to catch up with the Time Lord's latest adventures. The news appeared in Britain's Daily Mirror under the headline "Ext-EIIR-minate!", which is pretty funny if you're up on royal nomenclature as well as Doctor Who bad guys. In any case, every peasant and colonial can now enjoy the first new season of Doctor Who in 17 years; the five-disc set was released last week." The article then reviews the first season.

This past weekend's Daily Express said of Bonnie Langford, currently a finalist on ITV1's "Dancing on Ice", "For 30 years she has had to live down the legacy of her child star image and come to terms with the death of her best friend. Now Bonnie Langford is skating back to the big time as hot favourite in Dancing On Ice. Page-boy petite, eyes and teeth as bright as fog lamps, showbiz trouper Bonnie Langford gets her skates on tonight as hot favourite to win ITV1's Dancing On Ice. At 41, she is eerily reminiscent of the precocious child actress who, as lisping Violet Elizabeth Bott, used to shriek at poor Just William ... One source said: "Bonnie's every inch the professional. She was born to act, smile and dazzle. But this is all about her great comeback. She's had some terrible knocks. Bonnie may giggle and swoon like a schoolgirl and, even at 41, she still looks like one. But there's damage there – she's had more than her fair share of tough breaks." .. She may be a wee slip of a thing but in a catfight I'd back her over anybody, even Pete Burns." She has already seen off her Dancing On Ice arch rival Dame Kelly Holmes and Dr Who's John Barrowman. Olympic gold medallist Kelly, 35, was so incensed to lose to Bonnie that she stormed offstage without a word." The article discusses Langford's history in film and television including her role as Mel on Doctor Who during the 1980's.

Saturday's Financial Times - oddly - uses the fact that David Tennant's Doctor will not be wearing a scarf to introduce an article about scarves; more oddly, the article is headlined 'The scarf-clad Dr Who era dawns again'.

Nicola Bryant is interviewed at the Rainbow Network regarding her new role in the play "Taboo". Some of the questions regarding Doctor Who: "You're perhaps best known for your role in Doctor Who as Peri Brown, the companion of two Doctors (Colin Baker and Peter Davison). What do you think of the new series of the show? 'I love it.' ... So, Colin Baker or Peter Davison? 'As if I'd say!' ... Which of the Doctor's enemies would you secretly most like to have seen succeed? 'Probably the Rani. I loved Kate O'Mara in the role and I like the idea of a female adversary for the Doctor.' ... There's a rumour that in the new series of Doctor Who we'll get to meet one of the Doctor's past companions. Would you go back into the show if you were offered the chance? 'Just try and stop me.'"

Pauline Collins is featured in a mini-interview in this month's edition of BBCGood Food magazine. It states she's back in Doctor Who after nearly forty years (having appeared both in "The Faceless Ones" in the original series and as Queen Victoria in the forthcoming second season's "Tooth and Claw") and that, if she had a TARDIS, she'd travel forward 2000 years and have dinner with H G Wells, eating stardust sundaes.

UK supermarket chain Sainsbury's has started selling a Doctor Who celebration cake with soundchip. Priced at 7.99, it is a Genoese sponge coated with sugarpaste and filled with buttercream and strawberry jam. The cake is in the very rough shape of a Dalek and has a (presumably edible) image of a new-series Dalek on it. To the side of the cake, inside the box, is the (presumably inedible) soundchip. The box has the phrase "Exterminate" emblazoned across it, which may or may not be a clue as to what the soundchip emits. On the reverse of the box is a simple dice game a la ludo called Race To The Tardis and featuring counters depicting a Slitheen, the Moxx of Balhoon, Cassandra and a Dalek. It is unknown if Sainsbury's has the sole concession for the cake.

This months edition of the UK Model and Collectors Mart magazine features a full four-page feature on the new Doctor Who merchendise, as well as a full color cover dedicated to it, depicting several items from the range such as the foot tall David Tennant figure, and the Slitheen and Sycorax figures.

BBC Focus Magazine is offering a free copy of Paul Parsons' book "The Science of Doctor Who" to new subscribers; click here for details.

(Thanks to Paul Engelberg, John Bowman, Steve Tribe, Paul Armstrong, Peter Weaver, Chris Winwood)

The magazine section of the BBC News website has a Doctor Who-related rarity - Jon Pertwee's appearance in the Splink road safety public information film, which aired on TV. It is one of a series of shorts being shown to mark the 60th anniversary of the Central Office of Information. You can reach the Splink feature at the BBC News website where there is also the opportunity to watch the 30-second film. The site says: "It's got everything you could want from a public information film - a slogan, dated costumes, a bit of nostalgia - but is also unintentionally amusing. It's an attempt at improving road safety for children, and came a year after Dave Prowse (later Darth Vader) had first played the Green Cross Man. The film dates from 1976 and stars the late Jon Pertwee, then just two years after having left the role of Doctor Who. He is essentially playing the same part, though - a curious uncle figure who is explaining the world to his young charges. Unfortunately the message of this film seems so complicated one almost needs the Tardis's translation software to understand what he's going on about. Where the Green Cross Man's approach was simple ("look and listen all the way across"), it must have been decided that children needed the rules of safe crossing spelling out for them more precisely. Which is where the problems start." Accompanied by screen grabs, the site features a transcript of Pertwee's spot and continues, "In fact, of course, what people were more likely to remember was the last second of this film, when Pertwee shouts Splink. It's a remarkable shot, not least for his outfit. But his expression is absolutely bizarre, presumably by design. It is very funny. Well, it would be funny, if the subject wasn't so serious. The Green Cross Code was introduced in 1971, with 'splink' as a supposedly handy mnemonic. But surprise, surprise children found it too complicated. The Times of 10 July, 1974 (before this Pertwee film was released) reported that in a survey of 595 children aged between seven and 15, precisely none could remember the drill in full. Furthermore, only 18% of children chose the safest place to cross the road." More general information and statistics then follow. Dave Prowse also played the Minotaur in the 1972 Jon Pertwee story The Time Monster. (Thanks to John Bowman, Andrew Holmes, Chris Winwood)