It appears as though the new era of Doctor Who is about to begin; several correspondents have reported to Outpost Gallifrey that visible signs of production have been spotted in Cardiff, including the presence of Billie Piper at a local music store. There has been much speculation that a mid-July date was the start of filming, as hinted at in several recent newspaper reports that suggest that July was the target date. We're attempting to find out the exact date of the start of production and will bring it to you when we can.

As we previously reported, BBC Books will be issuing three (3) Doctor Who novels in March, April and July 2005 featuring the Ninth Doctor and Rose. The official Doctor Who site today revealed some story information and titles on these, and confirmed that the books would be hardcover releases. However, Outpost Gallifrey has learned that the story blurbs are only brief outlines and not final drafts, and that the books will be aimed toward young adult readers ("hardcover" books that, like the Lemony Snicket series, are smaller... hence the ú6.99 quoted price). One curious bit: the third book is released in July; we don't know if that is a typo, or if the schedule has been further adjusted. The titles and these outlines are below; more details as we get them.

Colin McCormack, who played the Commander in episodes 3 & 4 of "The Sun Makers" died on June 19, age 60. (Thanks to Trevor Dobbin)

Some press notes for today courtesy Paul Engelberg, Paul Hayes, Steve Tribe:

Today's The Sun features an article entitled "Extoiminate!" about New Yorkers "joining the fight" to get the Daleks back. "The Daleks hit New York yesterday as The Sun's campaign to save them went global," says the article. "Dr Who's arch enemy rumbled through aptly-named TIMES Square sporting a Sun hat and Cross of St George flag. And fans in the Big Apple -where repeats of Britain's most famous sci-fi show are still on TV -were horrified to hear that the Time Lord's arch villain will not be in the new BBC series. Fan Duke Morton, 47, of Jersey City, said: 'How can deez guys at da BBC dump da Daleks? Dat's ridiculous. Dey need extoiminating.' Brad Hamilton, 37, said: 'I grew up watching the Daleks. It's hard to believe a race hellbent on galactic domination will let a few suits at a TV company stop them.' And Liza Gonzales, 44, said: 'There are fans of the Daleks all around the world. We want to see them brought back.'" Um... yeah.

The Western Morning News today ran a story about West Country Doctor Who fans "joining the campaign" to reinstate the Daleks. "John Switinbank from Seaton... John has been keen on Daleks since, at the age of eight, he became a penfriend of original Dr Who actor William Hartnoll [sic]. He is the proud owner of an exact replica of the first Dalek to appear in Dr Who, which started in 1963 and went on for more than 20 years. It even has a microphone which changes his voice into the proper metallic tones of Dalek-speak."

Bob Russell, Colchester MP and Doctor Who fan, told the East Anglian Daily Times today that "Doctor Who without the Daleks is not going to be impossible, but it will be very difficult. After the Doctor himself and the police phone box, the Daleks are the most obvious part. I think it is very regrettable. You have to bear in mind that the Doctor Who series is a massive income earner - it's a very successful international export. So there is a serious side to this, alongside the enjoyment that's gained from the programme." Russell told the Daily Times said that he would phone Elizabeth Sladen (Sarah-Jane Smith) to see if she could help. "Perhaps she can bring some peace and tranquillity to these waters."

Billie Piper is currently working on "Spirit Trap," a new horror film written by British Fantasy Award-winner Paul Finch, according to The Alien Online. "The film stars Billie Piper, and it's a neat bit of casting, in my opinion, as she's very shortly to make a big splash as the new Doctor Who girl," Finch said. "Archangel Films are the production company - up-and-coming, cashed-up, British-based and seriously into horror. What more could we ask for?" Read the full article here.

Doctor Who got a mention on last night's "Countdown with Keith Olberbmann" on the US cable news channel MSNBC. The story was related to a flugtag competition, where one contestant, dressed as a British bobby, climbed into a "flying machine designed like a police box." From the transcript: "The 25th annual Birdman Competition offering a prize of more than $45,000 to anybody who could fly in one of these, the 328 feet into the sea at Bognor Regis on the south coast of England. The guy in the Muttley plane, the man in the cow suit, and the guy who youæll see one wearing a version of Doctor Whoæs telephone booth, all placed behindùthereæs the TARDISùall placed well behind the guy who got closest, 270 feetùhe used a glider! Splash."

Some clarification on the Radio Times Top 40 list we reported on yesterday. Each of the four people we mentioned had some notes about them, as well as quotations. On Lorraine Heggessey, BBC1 controller: "As the awards continue to roll in for BBC shows (State of Play and Canterbury Tales have just won at the Banffs - big in Canada, apparently), the woman at the top of the BBC1 food chain can look back on a year of almost unprecedented success. Under Heggessey, BBC1 drama has emerged as a streetfighting mixture of award-winning fare like the above, with ratings scrappers such as Holby City, Casualty and Spooks guarding against charges of elitism." Actress Amanda Holden said of Heggessey: "A great woman, and very down to earth, I think she's turned BBC1 around and made it a much livelier channel." Radio Times says of Mal Young, head of drama: "Emblematic of BBC drama's leaner, meaner approach of recent times, Young has eschewed the traditional Oxbridge route to the top, having worked his way up from Brookside's shop floor to be the Beeb's soap tsar. He's been instrumental in ransforming Casualty and Holby City into year-round series, which has provided the major bulwark against ITV1's ratings domination. Says Lucy Gannon, 'He's enthusiastic, realistic and has brought a breath of fresh air to the Beeb. A can-do man.'" On new show creator Russell T Davies, "If, as numerous executives contributing to this poll suggest, TV is increasingly dominated by writers, Davies is sitting pretty. Queer as Folk placed him in an elite group of writers with Paul Abbott and Andrew Davies and, as the main writer of the new Doctor Who, his profile looks set to rise even further. 'He has a unique voice, can deal equally well with humour and tragedy, and all that he does is suffused with real compassion and humanity,' says Jane Tranter." And finally, on our new Doc Christopher Eccleston, "His work to date has been impressively eclectic - from messiah to modern-day Iago - but Eccleston's position in this list owes most to the kudos that will come with being the next Doctor Who." Mal Young says of him, "Very few actors can green-light a project but, because of the amazing response I've had from Doctor Who, I'd say he's now one that can." (Thanks to Rich Kirkpatrick)

Big Finish has more details on some upcoming stories, including a confirmation: Geoffrey Bayldon and Carole Ann Ford return for A Storm of Angels, the seventh (and presumably final) Big Finish Unbound story due out this November, written once again by Marc Platt ("Auld Mortality"). Also now available: a cast list for the first in the new series of Paul McGann audios, Faith Stealer and cast plus a story blurb for the second, The Last, due later this year. They are as follows. (Thanks to Big Finish)

According to the ABC Shop website, October 2004 is the tentative release date for The Leisure Hive on DVD in Australia. It's likely that a New Zealand release will follow within a few weeks as usual. It appears from recent releases that the Australia DVDs are following on about 3 months after the UK versions, in a one-every-two-month pattern. (Thanks to David Dungey)

Radio Times has compiled a list of the top 40 most powerful figures in UK television drama. BBC Controller Lorraine Heggessey, who gave the go-ahead to begin production on the new Doctor Who series, ranked in seventh place, whileMal Young, controller of continuing drama and an executive producer of the new show, ranks at #9. New series creator Russell T. Davies is at #17, while new Doc Christopher Eccleston rounds out the Who celeb list at #19. (Thanks to Paul Engelberg)

Despite reports elsewhere to the contrary, Product Enterprises is alive and well, and will be exhibiting with Alien Entertainment at the San Diego ComicCon in just a few short weeks.

UK Gold is currently featuring an advert starring Big Finish regular India Fisher ("Charley"), as an employee insulting her boss so she can get fired, to be able to spend more time at home watching the UK TV channels! (Thanks to Mark DuRose)