Thursday morning's The Sun reveals a big spoiler about one of the characters in "School Reunion". Click on the spoiler tag to read it... or, if you don't want to know, don't!

The BBC Press Office has issued a press release detailing the BBC Radio Wales competition reported on Outpost Gallifrey on 11 September. "As part of this year's Children in Need, BBC Radio Wales is offering two lucky people the chance to be wined and dined in the company of the time-travelling lord Doctor Who and his companion Rose û aka David Tennant and Billie Piper. On Monday 12 September, Radio Wales will be launching the competition of all competitions û the chance to win tickets to the Doctor Who Galactic Dinner that's being held at the Holland House Hotel in Cardiff on Friday 14 October. David Tennant and Billie Piper will be materializing fresh from their time travels, along with the Doctor's arch-enemy the Dalek and maybe one or two other familiar faces. This amazing prize will consist of a pair of tickets to the dinner, overnight accommodation at the Holland House Hotel and the chance to mix with the cast of the hit drama Doctor Who. For a chance to win the hottest tickets in town, listeners will have to think of the question that they would like to ask either the Doctor, Rose, writer Russell T Davies or executive producer Julie Gardner. The two finalists will be selected on Roy Noble's programme on Friday 16 September 16 at 9.00am. They will then go head to head on The Afternoon Show (2.00pm) where one will be whisked off in the TARDIS and head for the dinner, and the other will be 'exterminated'. To find out how to enter, tune in to Radio Wales from Monday from 9.00am. If you're not lucky enough to get through then tune in to Radio Wales because tickets will be available to buy and Roy Noble will be announcing the all important number to call on Friday 16 September."

The official Doctor Who website features a report that states that John Barrowman will not have time to do a cameo in the second Doctor Who series currently in production.

Tuesday's edition of The Guardian carried an obituary for Michael Sheard. This makes special note of his appearances on Doctor Who: "Then there was Dr Who. He was proud to be one of that series' most prolific visiting actors, appearing alongside five Doctors in six stories between 1966 and 1988. His final association with the series is a studied performance opposite Paul McGann in an audio adventure to be broadcast on BBC7 shortly."

An article in last weekend's Sunday Mirror implied that the BBC archives, which hold Doctor Who episodes, were in danger. "Historic BBC shows are being destroyed - by rain. Many of the first year's episodes of EastEnders have been lost for ever, and some early Top of the Pops shows, Doctor Who episodes and landmark news and documentaries have also gone," said the article. "The rain has seeped through holes in the roof of the BBC's archive centre in Brentford, West London. The damage was discovered when researchers organising a 20th anniversary tribute to EastEnders asked staff for episodes starring Dirty Den and Angie Watts (Leslie Grantham and Anita Dobson). An embarrassed BBC source admitted that part of its stock of screen treasures is 'rotting away'. He said 'We get calls for programmes and go for them - only to discover they are damaged beyond repair. It is a terrible shame that household favourites are being lost forever. The archive is a national treasure and should be treated as such.' Other valuable footage has simply been lost in the huge warehouse stacked floor to roof with recordings."

The Stage has posted both interviews that Outpost Gallifrey reported on last week: with Big Finish producers Gary Russell and Jason Haigh-Ellery here and with Rob Shearman here. The Big Finish feature is an extended version of the one that was published in last week's print edition, and includes extra commentary from the producers about their working relationship with BBC Cardiff, editing Paul McGann's stories to fit the BBC7 schedule and the casting of both Doctor Who Unbound (including one potential casting for the Doctor that didn't quite come off) and Sapphire and Steel.

This Is London is running an online competition (from This Is London) to win one of two new 12" (though the article has made a typo - "12 ft"!) remote-controlled Dalek (with sonic screwdriver). The competition question: "Who is Dr Who's arch enemy?" The deadline date: 26 September 2005.

Doctor Who was praised at the TUC Conference in Brighton according to an article at BBC News. Says the item, "Writers have praised BBC One hit sci-fi series Doctor Who at the TUC annual conference in Brighton, in a call for more funding for UK TV productions. It showed there was 'still an audience for quality family entertainment', the Writers' Guild of Great Britain said. The union said there was no substitute for 'well-resourced, home-grown drama and comedy material written, performed and produced in the UK'. But member Hugh Stoddart criticised the BBC for what he called 'damaging cuts'. The writers' union ... which represents UK writers in TV, film, radio, theatre, animation and books - called for further BBC investment in programme-making to build upon the show's success. 'The popularity of the series demonstrates that there is still an audience for quality family entertainment, and that distinctive UK television productions can still provide a talking point for the nation,' Mr Stoddart said. He believed that 'while some imports and so-called 'reality' shows have their place in the schedules, they cost jobs and reduce opportunities for workers in our television industry'."

Stuff.co.nz writes about the Box Set of Doctor Who DVDs being available "early next year" and that You can import all 24 episodes on a seven-disc set from Britain (where it aired months ago) for less than what earlier seasons cost here."

Drum Media magazine says that "...before David Tennant was announced as the BBC's new Doctor Who, replacing the outgoing Christopher Eccleston, a number of actors were linked with the role in the media, all of them white. Sure, there has been the odd black name in the frame for these parts in the past, but it has always been reported in the media as a semi-novelty item." It also notes that "...former Red Dwarf star Craig Charles has spoken of his dream of becoming the first black Doctor." The writer of the article: "...visited four of the Internet's most popular Doctor Who and James Bond fan-sites and left near identical messages on each of their discussion forums. Posing as a 'lifelong fan, but first-time poster', I very gently suggested that maybe it would be 'cool' to have a black Bond or Doctor, and proposed Dirty Pretty Things actor Chitiwel Eijofor as a potential candidate. ... Doctor Who fans seem to fall into the same pattern of debate û a majority who simply state that 'The Doctor is white' and generate any number of convoluted and impossibly obscure plot-related reasons why this is an unalterable fact, and a minority who support the idea and are able to respond using their equally encyclopaedic knowledge of the Doctor Who universe in their defence."

(Thanks to Steve Tribe, Peter Weaver, Martin Hearn, Paul Hayes, Paul Engelberg, Bill Albert, Richard Jordan)

An article in the Sunday Times interviews Andrew Marr, former BBC political editor, and discusses his appearance in Doctor Who this past season. "The cameo role on Dr Who, however, shed shade on Marr's often stated, old-school concern for the corrosive modern interplay of celebrity personality and journalistic propriety. ... 'I loved doing Dr Who. I was presenting a news report about an alien invasion. They took hours and hours to light it, which was bizarre, because they were mimicking something I normally do in five minutes with one cameraman.'" Also in today's Sunday Times, in the Biteback column: "Dr Who fans, while generally enthusiastic about the latest series, felt it had too many episodes set in the UK. I gather Stephen Fry has written one of the 13 episodes of the next series, and it is likely to be set in the 1930's England. To retain viewers' interest, he has been promised some of the series' best special effects."

BBC News interviews John Barrowman about "why he swapped Doctor Who for a role in West End play A Few Good Men alongside Hollywood star Rob Lowe." The article talks to Barrowman about gay rights, confirms that "I won't be in Season 2 but I will be back for Season 3... There was talk of me coming back for the next series, but because of the commitments I have it just wasn't going to work out" and talks about the new show "Simply Musicals" that he will soon take part in. "It's important to bring theatrical stuff back to television," says Barrowman. The article asks, "So what will the Whovians say when they see Captain Jack sing? Barrowman is sure they'll approve. 'Science-fiction is not that far from musical theatre,' he says. 'In the end, it's all just heightened reality.'"

Colin Baker opines on the new series in the newest issue of "Dreamwatch" magazine, where he praises the series in a two-page article that mentions "The Empty Child"/"The Doctor Dances" as his favorite story and Annette Badland and Florence Hoath as the season's best guest actors. "It was great to sit down and watch the new Doctor Who from the very first moment, knowing I was not in it," Baker wrote.

Peter Davison appeared this week on Look North, a BBC regional news programme. He was shown visiting The World of James Herriot, an exhibition in Thirsk in Yorkshire, which is dedicated to the author on whose books All Creatures Great and Small was based. Davison is also in the news at Yorkshire Today when he recently visited a set from the other series he's well known for. "One of the stars of All Creatures Great And Small said things had not changed all that much when he visited the vets' surgery that inspired the famous tales. Yesterday Peter Davison, who played Tristan Farnon in the long-running BBC series, called in at the World of James Herriot in Thirsk. The award-winning attraction opened in 1999 at 23 Kirkgate û the 'Skeldale House' of the Herriot books û and original surgery of Herriot creator and real-life vet Alf Wight. 'Last time I came it was still a working practice, when Alf was still working here,' said Mr Davison. 'Even then the waiting room was full of American tourists with copies of books to sign.' A global TV audience of 460 million is estimated to have seen All Creatures since the first of 88 episodes was broadcast in 1978, but Mr Davison said at the beginning the producers had no inkling of how popular the show would be. 'They did not know it would be so successful and zipped through the first books too quickly,' he said. 'Some stories could have made an entire episode but there were four or five stories in each episode.'" Davison is currently on location in Northumberland, filming a second series of Distant Shores, which will be broadcast on ITV in the New Year.

Corey Johnson, who appeared as Van Statten in "Dalek," will be appearing in next week's season-opening two-parter of "Spooks", playing the part of 'Richard Boyd'. The episodes, which kick off the fourth series of the spy drama, are being shown on Monday 12 September and Tuesday 13 September at 9pm on BBC One.

An article at BBC News from Ssaturday notes that Russell T Davies will take part in this weekend's annual gay and lesbian Mardi Gras on Saturday in Cardiff, alongside such notables as singer Charlotte Church. Also noted at .

The BBC Press Office has put online a small press pack for the new Verity Lambert-produced comedy/drama "Love Soup", due to start this autumn on BBC One. The series is also notable for starring Tamsin Greig, the Nurse from "The Long Game".

An article at IC Wales discusses the various lines of toys coming soon including the "12-inch radio-controlled Dalek, a sonic screwdriver with a built in UV light to reveal secret handwriting and walkie talkies in the shape of Doctor Who characters. And, according to retailers, demand for the toys is so high they're worried they won't be able to keep up. Alan Vaughan, assistant manager of Cardiff's Comic Guru Presents, a shop that specialises in Doctor Who merchandise, said, 'We have people coming in two to three times a day asking about when the new toys are going to come out, everyone's waiting for them. When they come in we expect them to start flying out the door. In between now and Christmas that's what everyone will be wanting. ... It's a nostalgia thing. Everyone remembers it and, even if you haven't watched it, you know what a Dalek looks like.' The toys, which will be the first official merchandise to accompany the new BBC series, were supposed to have arrived in the shops at the beginning of this month. But the toy's manufacturers, Character Options, said although they are now being distributed there were a lot of delays partly due to massive demand. They are now expected to arrive by the middle of September. Managing partner of Galaxy4, one of the UK's leading suppliers of Doctor Who merchandise, said demand for Doctor Who products has increased by 15% over the past year. But he said the brand is unique in being able to attract new fans without alienating older ones. He said, 'Doctor Who is unlike anything else. The new series has attracted a new fan base. But they've also managed to retain their older fan base, people who have been fans for over 20 years. That's a remarkable achievement. We've already had thousands of preorders for the new range. The most popular toy so far seems to be the sonic screwdriver, because it's something kids can keep in their pocket, and they can play the role of the Doctor, or Rose. But there's also lots of collectors, people in their 60s who will be buying them as well.' One such collector is John Campbell Rees, member of Timeless, a Doctor Who appreciation society based in Wales. The assistant librarian from Treherbert said his earliest memory is of watching Doctor Who and he has been collecting memorabilia for more than 30 years. His collection includes more than 300 books, DVDs and toys and he said he can't wait to see the new range."

In reaction to the new 'police boxes' used in Glasgow, BBC News says that the boxes aren't amenable to blind people. Says a correspondent, "The centre of Glasgow has seen the the arrival of the new Strathclyde Police information system in the style of an old police box. But instead of a policeman inside, it is just electronics. As a totally blind person, I went down to see what all the fuss was about following the press coverage the 'Tardis' received. Sorry, I am visually impaired, there is no emergency. As it was recently designed, I was hoping that it might talk, after all it was there to provide information to the public. I walked from St. Enoch underground station with my cane and finally bumped into the large steel structure. I felt my way around the object, touching the screens and buttons. They were sunk into the casing, so were quite difficult to feel."

The new edition of "emagazine", a UK publication for teachers of English Literature and Language, has David Tennant as its cover star. He is pictured in a scene from the recent production of John Osbourne's 'Look Back In Anger'. An article inside the magazine contains two other pictures of Tennant in the role of Jimmy Porter.

Additional links: more coverage of Barrowman's appearance on "Simply Musicals" at The Stage, Whats On Stage,PlayBill; more on Barrowman in "A Few Good Men" at PlayBill, The Evening Standard; additional coverage of Eccleston's win of the TV Quick/TV Choice awards at DeHavilland, In The News, Hello Magazine, Monsters and Critics.

(Thanks to Steve Tribe, Paul Engelberg, Paul Hayes, John Bowman, Joe McKee)

A brief update for the second series of Doctor Who: various of our sources have been reporting the past few days (and we think, quite believably) that the title of the fourth episode of the new series, written by Steven Moffat, is The Girl in the Fireplace. While it's not official (like "New Earth," the rumored title of the first episode), we think that it's likely the current working title for the episode.

Memorial services for Michael Sheard have been announced; a public memorial/funeral will be held at the Isle of Wight Crematorium this Wednesday 7 September at 3pm, and all are welcome. (There is a private wake afterwards for family and close friends only.) The family has requested that any donations in place of floral tributes be sent to the Earl Mountbatten Hospice, Halberry Lane, Newport, Isle of Wight PO30 2ER. Sheard passed away last week as we previously reported.

John Barrowman can be seen on the ITV chat show "Loose Women" hosted by Kaye Adams on Tuesday 13 September at 1.30pm.

Doctor Who is now available on the NTL On Demand Service. Says our correspondent, this means "you can catch the week's BBC3 episode whenever you want to, the week after transmission. If you have digital NTL, select channel 106 and press the red button. You should (eventually) get a menu bar down the side of the page. If you select 'TV Pick of the Week', Doctor Who should be listed alongside episodes of Eastenders, Casualty and the like. Select it and you can watch the week's episode, as well as being able to fast forward, rewind and pause."

An article in The Independent says "Stand up for the man who made the BBC's golden age possible"... "As the television industry celebrates the 50th anniversary of the arrival of multi-channel television - Britain went from one channel to two with the arrival of ITV in 1955 - there has been a lot of speculation about who has had the most influence over British television in the years since the BBC launched the world's first television service in 1936. ... My vote for top slot wouldn't have gone to Murdoch, but instead to Hugh Carleton Greene, who was director general of the BBC from 1960 until 1969. He was also the man responsible for the creation of British television, as we know it today." The article notes that Greene was the man who set about "home-grown programmes that were both challenging and accessible; programmes like Play for Today, Z Cars, The Forsyte Saga, That Was the Week That Was, Dr Who and dozens of others." The full article is available at the link.

This week's print issue of The Stage will feature an interview with Rob Shearman, who talks about his new play "Toward the End of the Morning" (see update September 2) as well as his other radio, TV and theatre projects -- and there's a little mention of his time writing "Dalek"; plus a feature on Big Finish audios and their transition to broadcast on BBC7; and an obituary for Michael Sheard. The articles will only be available in the print edition for a short time, but will soon follow up on the web, with the Big Finish article much expanded (probably); we'll let you know the links when we get them.

According to Yahoo News, stars from Emmerdale - including Frazer Hines - will be appearing in a variety of pantomimes this year, as usual. Hines will appear in "Peter Pan" at the Palace Theatre in Newark.

TV Fodder covers 'The Regeneration of "Doctor Who"' today. "The key to the success of 'Who' lay in the clever invention of the main character's ability to regenerate. William Hartnell was the first actor to play the Doctor, and when he left the program it easily could have been curtains for the whole shebang. But it wasn't, of course. Three years after his initial appearance, the Doctor regenerated into a new body and was suddenly portrayed by a different actor: the inimitable Patrick Troughton. Five more thespians would step into the enviable role for the original series. There would be a couple of highly regarded films starring Peter Cushing (hunting daleks rather than vampires for a change) and an American television movie starring Paul McGann and Eric Roberts. Outside of novelizations and radio broadcasts, that was about it. Until 2005, that is. Enter Christopher Eccleston as the Doctor and Billie Piper as his assistant, Rose: the two main ingredients in the resurrected 'Doctor Who' series that recently finished airing its first season. The special effects are a lot better than in the classic program, and the episodes tend to move along at a more accelerated clip (there was actually a six-hour story back in the '80s!), but Doctor Who fans can breathe a collective sigh of relief, as the new series is every inch a chip off the old block. Season one is over now, and so is Eccleston's stint as the renegade Time Lord. But there's no sign that the program is in any danger of fading out. Great writing and a sky-high production value have formed a solid foundation for the new incarnation of 'Who.' If producer and writer Russell T. Davies is smart--and he seems to be--he'll build on that foundation to take the program into even more daring waters for its second season." Read more of the article at the website.

The Telegraph discusses the plummet of BBC1 ratings this summer toward an all time low. "Figures produced by Barb, the Broadcast Audience Research Bureau, for the week ending August 14 show that the channel had only six programmes in the national top 20 - four of which were editions of its ailing soap, EastEnders. Even this flagship programme is struggling to maintain its position. The highest rating edition of the show, which was actually the channel's most popular programme, peaked at number six in the national chart. [BBC Controller] Peter Fincham said that although ratings were important they were not the sole measure of a channel's success - and insisted that a total eradication of repeats from the channel could be counter-productive. 'The use of ratings as the only way of measuring programmes is old-fashioned,' he said. 'We have so many different ways of measuring the impact of programmes. Let's take a programme like A Picture of Britain, which was accompanied by A Digital Picture of Britain on BBC4. More than 85,000 people sent in pictures to that programme. Hits on websites, which we can now measure, have also produced some extraordinary figures. Dr Who, for instance, gets millions of hits.'"

Billie Piper was mentioned in the "Evening Gazette" in which she discusses her health regimen. "It's hard to believe that she was called Billie Bunter at school. 'I was always struggling with my weight,' says the 5ft 5in singer-turned-actress. You won"t find her in the gym working out, but she does visit a health farm occasionally and goes for long walks. She is also keen on yoga exercise and swimming. 'I was brought up on bread and butter as a kid and have at least two slices every meal - no wonder I had weight trouble at school,' she says. She made an effort to keep trim in her pop star days, but after marriage to Chris Evans in 2001, she piled on the pounds because she says she ate and drank the wrong things. When she was offered the role as Doctor Who"s assistant Rose in the TV remake, she went on a strict diet. 'The pounds rolled off and I actually dropped a dress size.' Now she is very careful what she eats. 'And if ever I relent and succumb to something I shouldn't have, then I make up for it by watching my intake afterwards.'"

Other notes: coverage of Russell T Davies' appearance at the Mardi Gras Fringe Benefit in Cardiff next week aticWales; the DeHavilland site and Digital Spy talk about Barrowman in the "Simply Musicals" series on BBC1.

(Thanks to Paul Engelberg, Steve Tribe, David McIntee, Paul Hayes, Joey Reynolds, Paul Phipps, Scott Matthewman, Peter Weaver)

BBC News reports that musicals are the inspiration for a new BBC One entertainment programme which will see celebrities performing songs from Broadway and West End shows, and John Barrowman will take part. Stars "will be among those taking on numbers from Cats, Guys and Dolls, Billy Elliot and Chicago. The four-part show will be broadcast on Saturday nights early next year. The BBC has enjoyed success over the past year with song-and-dance programmes like Strictly Come Dancing. The show, which is being filmed at London's TV Centre in September and October under the working title of Simply Musicals, will take on the same live feel of those hits. Audience members will be asked to come dressed for a night out in the West End in an attempt to give the show the atmosphere of a real theatre." The report notes that the program was commissioned by former BBC One controller Lorraine Heggessey, who also commissioned Doctor Who. Also reported in the Mirror and Media Guardian.

The official Doctor Who website has reported on the Big Finish "Cyberman" series we reported on a few days ago, and the police box in Glasgow news story (see our story on August 30).

Round Table, a current affairs discussion programme in which two local celebrities take a humorous look at the week's news, will air on BBC Radio York on September 9th, and Doctor Who will be the subject. The programme will be part of the 'Jules and Julia' slot and will be broadcast between 1 and 2 pm. DWAS Coordinator Ian Wheeler will take part in the roundtable discussion.

Exec producer Russell T Davies' forthcoming appearance at the Mardi Gras Fringe Benefit at the Sherman Theatre in Cardiff next month is noted in a press release. "Russell will be in conversation with arts writer Mike Smith about the new series of Dr Who now been filmed in South Wales. As well as discussing the new Time Lord, David Tennant, and maybe revealing a few secrets of the forthcoming Christmas special, the Swansea-born writer will also be answering questions from the audience at the Sherman Theatre, Cardiff on Tuesday September 6. ... Joining Russell on the Sherman stage will be top comedienne Clare Summerskill and West End actor Dave Benson, who received plaudits for his one man Kenneth Williams show, Think No Evil, and live music from Swansea singer Scotty. Mike Smith said, 'I am looking forward enormously to interviewing Russell and opening up the conversation to the audience as I know Dr Who is one of the big conversation topics everywhere I go. This evening will be great for Dr Who fans who can get to ask about the new series û not that I can guarantee Russell will be giving anything away! With comedy and music also on the bill this will be a great evening. Who knows we might get the Lord Mayor of Cardiff along û real or the Slitheen!'" For more details visit the Sherman Theatre website.

Kingswood Warren, home of the BBC's Research and Development Department, will open its doors to the public on September 10-11 as part of the Heritage Open Days. "Visitors will not only be able to look round the impressive reception rooms and the beautiful grounds and croquet lawn," says the press release, "but will also be able to experience some of the technical broadcasting wizardry of the BBC, making the impossible appear to happen before their eyes. Young visitors can participate in a show of the BBC's virtual reality Production Magic in the TV studio and (for a small charge) take away a videotape or DVD recording their exploits. Demonstrations will range from some of the electronic trickery behind BBC television coverage to the material that made Harry Potter's invisibility cloak. There will also be exhibitions on the achievements of BBC R&D û including demonstrations of some current projects and on the history of the Kingswood Warren house." Full details are available at the BBC's R&D website or the Heritage Open Days website.

New Zealand's Prime network has experienced a "dramatic increase" in audience levels for the new Doctor Who series in their target demographic of ages 25-54. Says the report, "Taking into consideration the previous programme in this timeslot was Wife Swap USA, it appears Prime's audience was crying out for a change." The high ratings have continued across the first six weeks of the series, with audience share being won from rival station TV3.

The Avalard/Hammer Horror website features an interview with Colin Baker, who at the time of the interview was appearing in previews for a new adaptation of "Dracula" on stage. Baker mentions Doctor Who in several instances, including his at-the-time forthcoming Australia tour and also his enjoyment of taping new Doctor Who audios for Big Finish.

Additional stories on the recent announcements about this year's batch of toys at The Sun, Manchester Online.

(Thanks to Steve Tribe, Paul Engelberg, Alan Daulby, Paul Hayes, Martin Hoscik, Chuck Foster)

Catching up on some recent Doctor Who press clips:

According to a report in The Scotsman, new BBC1 controller Peter Fincham spoke recently at the Edinburgh Television Festival to "set out his ambition for a popular network that would bring families around the set, through shows such as Doctor Who, despite predictions that the 'iPod generation' now only wanted media served on-demand. The new controller announced a focus on comedy drama and said the network would continue to produce the historic period-piece dramas for which it was well known." The article says that Fincham highlighted Doctor Who "as an example of a programme that drew new, younger audiences into the BBC in a family viewing experience. He also predicted that in an age of proliferating digital channels, BBC1 would be the trust-brand viewers would keep turning to for major live events. 'It is tempting to assume that the shared experience is in terminal decline, but the urge to be part of a bigger audience, and the satisfaction that we derive from it, is a strong one," he said. "In a time-shifted world, live events - Live 8 is a good example - assume a greater importance than ever.'"

The Telegraph reported that the stock of Character Group "jumped 7 1/2 to 57 1/2p after unveiling plans to launch a Dr Who range of toys in the next few weeks. The toy range, which is based on the BBC TV series, has been developed in partnership with the public service broadcaster." A press release by the company noted that the toy range "includes a Talking Tardis Money Box, the Sonic Screwdriver, an LCD game and 3D Walkie Talkies and The Dalek. Richard King, Chairman of The Character Group said: 'The first bulk shipment of the radio controlled Daleks will hit the stores within the next two weeks and, whilst the demand for all our Dr Who products is very encouraging, we would expect that the demand for the radio controlled Dalek, will far exceed our manufacturing capacity to Christmas of 150,000 units'." Also reported at This Is Money.

There's a new version of the classic police box in Glasgow, says the Evening Times. "It looks like it has landed from outer space, but this hi-tech box is the latest crime-busting device used by police in Glasgow. The city's new police box would not look out of place in an episode of Dr Who, but the 'tardis' will remain at St Enoch Square. Sitting prominently near the entrance to the subway station at the bottom of Buchanan Street, the box will be a vital tool in solving crime in the city centre and will be used by officers across the division. The chrome box stands at 10ft tall and is the first operational police box in the city since 1969, when radios made them redundant. It will be protected by CCTV and will allow instant reporting of incidents. If successful, more space age boxes could be materialising on a street near you. Police boxes were once a familiar site across the city, but very few remain. There is still a vintage box on Buchanan Street, which serves as a tourist information point and another on Great Western Road at Byres Road, which has been converted into a coffee shop. Earlier this year, a worker discovered an old police box embedded in a brick wall. It will go on display at the city's police museum next spring." Also reported by Strathclyde Police, BBC News, Glasgow Evening Times, Scotland Today.

Tom Baker is interviewed in a BBC press release about the seventh and final season of "Monarch of the Glen" in which he plays Donald MacDonald. Says Baker in the interview, "I enjoy overacting and I'm very good at it - I suppose you could say I've made a career out of it. Donald MacDonald is a part I can have fun with, which is marvellous because I have a horror of self pity and I try to see the funny side of everything. As you get near death, as I am, you have to laugh at everything - otherwise the alternative is to be utterly depressed." He notes that he enjoyed filming a scene with a real-life panther for a very dramatic Monarch storyline later in the run. "Oh, the panther was wonderful!' exclaims Tom. "One of my best co-stars ever, because let's face it, cats are so much more interesting to look at in close-up than actors." Read more of the interview in the press release; it's on the fifth page.

The Daily Star says that Billie Piper "blooms in sexy black" in some new photos in today's issue. "The 22-year-old, who plays the Time Lord's sidekick in the smash BBC series Dr Who, looks sexier than ever in this sensational new photoshoot. And it seems the show's famous Tardis is now about to transport our Billie to global superstardom. ... Her gorgeous curves and sexy pout have helped win the cult sci-fi show a whole new generation of fans - and earned her plenty of hot offers from telly and film bosses." Last weekend's Sunday Mirror discussed recent sightings of Piper, which noted that "She's apparently been filming from 11pm to 5am every night in Cardiff, which means her days are often spent in bed catching up on sleep so it's no wonder she hit the pub at the first opportunity."

BBC News reported last week that "three workers on Brighton Pier hid in the Doctor Who exhibition today (Tues) during a police and immigration department raid. Forty police officers and immigration workers entered the pier at 0850 BST on Tuesday and rounded up about 60 staff. The Home Office has said it was an intelligence-led operation. The pier re-opened at 1220 BST. The 60 staff were questioned in a fish and chip shop on the pier, which was shut to the public. The immigration service said most of the people involved co-operated but three people had hidden in the pier's Dr Who exhibition."

An article at the VH1 website discusses Eric Roberts (the Master in the 1996 TV movie) in two music videos, two by Mariah Carey and one by the group The Killers.

Several papers have run a brief article about gay actors/characters on television including noting John Barrowman's recent portrayal of Captain Jack, including the Washington Blade, the Houston Voice (Texas), and the Southern Voice (Georgia).

In The Observer last week (21 August 2005), there was a section in which critics were invited to pick out the most overrated moments in art and the media. Kathryn Flett picked out four moments in TV, including: "Dr Who: Russell T Davies has done wonders, admittedly, but the original was cheap, dull, creaky and parochial." Ugh.

More coverage of Elisabeth Sladen and John Leeson on the new series at Yahoo, Manchester Online, The Scotsman,SciFi.com; more on BBC1 winning Channel of the Year at the Edinburgh International TV Festival at The Guardian.

(Thanks to Paul Engelberg, Steve Tribe, Chuck Foster, Peter Weaver, Mark Irwin, Andrew Tibbs, John Kilbride, James Wilkinson, James Pearson, Darren Pickles)

Stuntman and stunt arranger Alf Joint died on July 25. He worked on two Doctor Who stories, "The Ambassadors of Death" and "Battlefield," the latter where he was a stunt arranger.

The official site is promoting the Blue Peter screening of parts of the Blue Peter Prom, including the Who theme and the Daleks. It will air on Wednesday, 31 August.

The BBC's CBeebies digital channel is re-running the 'Bedtime Hour' stories read by Christopher Eccleston this at about 6.30pm from Monday 29 August to Friday 2 September, according to theirwebsite.

The Blue Peter site's regular poll on viewers' favourite bits of the show currently stands as follows: What has been your favourite item on the show recently? VJ day special (26 votes) (12%), Doctor Who competition and David Tennant (116 votes) (52%), McFly (83 votes) (37%).

Doctor Who maintains its lead on the CBBC site in the favourite TV programme poll, which asks "What's your favourite TV programme?" Doctor Who has 16.43% of the vote, followed by 14.48% for The Simpsons, 12.40% for Charmed, 11.37% for Lost, 10.22% for Friends.

Finally... a curiosity. Many fans have noticed that, in this month's issue of Doctor Who Magazine, Russell T. Davies may have put a code in his Production Notes column. The information says, if you put together the first letter of every paragraph, it spells 'Tim is gay'. We have no idea what that refers to, if anything, though stranger things have happened...

(Thanks to Steve Tribe, Neil Marsh, Sam Watt)

The Independent has run an article entitled "Billie Piper: The kid stays in the picture" interviewing her and discussing her first few weeks on the job filming series two. "It's shortly after 11am when Billie Piper arrives at her local north London pub, arms laden with cigarettes, a mobile phone and a restorative orange juice. She yawns, apologises and, arms still full, offers the first two fingers of her right hand as a greeting in lieu of a proper handshake. Minutes later, now free of clutter and seated at a garden table, another yawn occurs, revealing a gaping maw of perfectly chiselled teeth ... For the past couple of weeks, Piper has been going to work when most other people are going to bed. She is resuming her role as Rose Tyler, the effervescent sidekick of Doctor Who, a character now being played by David Tennant following Christopher Eccleston's rather abrupt departure at the end of the first series. Despite much tabloid speculation that Piper herself was also quitting the show - for movies, for Hollywood, for wraparound superstardom - the truth is that she is staying precisely where she is. For now, at least. 'Well, I've not heard any rumours of me being killed off,' she says. 'So as far as I'm aware, I'm around for the entire second series.' ... The night-shoots, she admits, are taking their toll, not just on her body but, it seems, her public profile as well. Eighteen months ago, Piper filmed a British horror flick called Spirit Trap. It has been collecting dust on the shelves ever since - and, many suggest, rightly so - but in the light of its leading actress's blossoming profile, it has suddenly secured a release date. What's more, the producers wanted to arrange a red carpet premiere, with Piper's presence sure to secure significant media interest. But rumours abounded that Piper had seen the finished product and was appalled at its awfulness, so appalled that she wanted nothing more to do with it. All such accusations were summarily denied, with Piper's lack of support blamed on pressure from the Doctor Who schedule. There were apologies all round." The article goes on to discuss her role in the film and why she did it, as well as why she didn't support the film's release ("because, genuinely, she was too busy"). Read more at the website. Also reported at the Belfast Telegraph, MegaStar and in The Mirror.

Russell T Davies will attend the Cardiff Mardi Gras Fringe Benefit evening on September 6 according to an article onuk.gay.com. "The man behind Dr Who and Queer as Folk will be revealing secrets of the new series of the cult sci-fi show at a special Pride event next month. Russell T Davies, will be attending the Cardiff Mardi Gras Fringe Benefit evening on September 6 to meet fans and answer questions on Dr Who, as well as his other critical and commercial successes. The event is part of CardiffÆs Mardi Gras celebrations, which take place throughout early September and culminate in a concert on the 10th September. The musical event will take place in the Millennium Stadium and is expected to see the massive football and rugby ground turned pink for the evening. Opera turned pop star Charlotte Church is also set to appear at the musical events held in the Welsh capital. DaviesÆ appearance will coincide with other appearances at the cityÆs Sherman theatre in an evening intended to appeal to fans of comedy, theatre and music alike. He will be joined by top comedienne Clare Summerskill, West End actor Dave Benson, who received plaudits for his one may Kenneth Williams show, Think No Evil, and live music from Swansea-based singer Scotty." More details at the website. Meanwhile, details about his appearance at the Sherman Theatre can be found here.

Broadway World and Playbill both discuss John Barrowman appearing with Rob Lowe in "A Few Good Men" which opened to previews today (the main opening is September 6).

A press release from the BBC Press Office says that BBC Worldwide will be announcing a new licensing deal at this year's Brand Licensing Show on October 25; there is currently no word on what this will entail. Also noted in the press release is the following detail about new licensed material: "The master toy licensee for Doctor Who, Character Group, have just launched their eagerly anticipated first toy range which includes a radio-controlled Dalek, walkie talkies of the new Slitheen Monster and the Doctor and battling daleks. Character Groups range will be joined by further products including board games from Toybrokers, jigsaws from Ravensburger and stationery and tableware from DNC."

The Mirror and BBC News have carried stories about the Abzorbaloff creature and its creator, nine year old William Grantham, announced this past Wednesday on "Blue Peter" (see separate story).

(Thanks to Paul Engelberg, Steve Tribe, Paul Hayes, Peter Weaver, Tonia Cook)

Saturday's edition of The Herald featured a profile of John Barrowman (Captain Jack), including an interview and his comments about his life and career, his partner and ideas on marriage and adoption. "Growing up in Illinois, I used to get bullied a lot for being Scottish. Other kids would shout things like, 'You wear a dress,' and they thought we lived in mud huts. Most of all, though, they made fun of the accent. And no-one likes to get picked on or bullied for being different, especially not at eight years old. So I thought, 'Screw you. I'm going to beat you at your own game.' I just wanted to blend in, and that's why I taught myself how to speak with an American accent." He says "I will be coming back... But no date has been set. That's the official answer." You can read the full article at the website.

Newsquest Media reports that Christopher Eccleston "has found something to keep him busy after leaving Dr Who - trying to save Manchester's historic Victoria Baths. The television star from Little Hulton visited the baths to pledge his support for the campaign to restore them. The Edwardian building was voted as the country's favourite on BBC2's Restoration programme in 2003, and was awarded ú3.5 million to do the necessary repair work. But campaigners Friends of Victoria Baths say an extra ú16.5 million is needed." The Manchester Evening News quotes him as saying, "I've dealt with bouts of unemployment for 20 years. My ambition now is simply to swim in Victoria Baths. Coming in here today, I can smell the chlorine and hear the voices. The worst thing that could happen would be for the baths to be converted for private use. I learned to swim at Walkden Baths, where my mum was the aerotone and sauna attendant for around 20 years. This reminds me, to some extent, of those years. My hope is that working class kids from the area will soon be able to swim here again." He added: "All my success has been down to my upbringing in Salford and Manchester. My background, the values I was taught and the formative experiences I had at places like this."

Reviews of Billie Piper's film Spirit Trap (mostly negative, unfortunately), appear at The Telegraph, The Mirror,Sky Movies, Barking and Dagenham Recorder, and in print in the Sun, Leicester Mercury, and the Express ("Amateurish and slow-moving, this is highly unlikely to give anyone sleepless nights") among other papers.

The official Doctor Who website appeals to school children: "Can your reading group review the new books? Does your school have a reading group? If so, we're looking for three groups across the country to give us their comments on the new Doctor Who books that are coming out early next month. Each group chosen will receive five advance copies of one of the three new adventures of the Doctor and Rose. The books are released on September 8, so we'd need comments from each school in by September 10 - we appreciate this is fairly near the start of term, so bear this in mind before applying. Please bear in mind that the stories are suitable for readers over eight."

Other press items: A review of the final episode, "The Parting of the Ways, in the Sydney Morning Herald; and anarticle about an Aussie radio parody of Doctor Who which was popular in the late 70s-early 80s.

(Thanks to Paul Engelberg, Steve Tribe, Paul Hayes, Elaine Shanks, Peter Weaver)

Various papers over the past two days have been reporting several spoiler items and a few pictures of the aliens appearing in this year's Christmas special. To keep the surprise, we've put them in the spoiler tag at the end of this report.

Doctor Who has received another mention in Matthew Norman's 'Media Diary' column in The Independent, having regularly cropped up in the column's 'Guardian' days - Norman has a young child who is a passionate fan, and was the columnist who famously suggested in September 2003 that there were "rumours Christopher Eccleston" was interested in the role, purely in an attempt to wind up the actor whose perceived seriousness he often pokes fun at. This time his reference to the show comes in a story about Welsh BBC newsreader Huw Edwards. "It seems my friend Huw Edwards, the bashful BBC newsreader, may be less thick-skinned than we imagined. A colleague of his reports once sending Huw a very courteous e-mail correcting his mispronunciation of a leading dictator's name. Huw responded that this was 'the rudest e-mail' he's ever received, and that he'd take lessons from 'Bush House types' only when they stopped mangling Welsh names. (Doctor Who fans will be reminded of Russell T Davies' typically brilliant self-parody of Welsh hypersensitivity at being ignored by London types in 'Boom Town', the episode involving Margaret Blaine, the Slitheen Mayor of Cardiff.) Anyway, Huw then misdirected to the same person an e-mail intended for someone else, describing his correspondent as 'effing rude', and in need of being told where to get off. Doubtless this was ironic in intent, and we won't countenance another word on the matter for at least seven days."

The Western Mail reports that "Santa Claus is coming to town for Doctor Who". "It may be the middle of summer, but Cardiff has been decked out in its Christmas finery as Doctor Who returns. Billie Piper ditched her summer gear for winter warmers yesterday to film the Doctor Who Christmas Special in the middle of a summer sunshine. Shop windows were given a Christmas makeover and a giant Christmas Tree was installed near the Central Library. The Doctor's pin-up sidekick pulled on a fur-lined jacket despite the balmy August weather. She was filmed in the city centre which was turned into a winter wonderland with Christmas trees and fairy lights. Billie and Noel Clarke, who plays her on-screen boyfriend Mickey, recorded several scenes in Cardiff's shopping centres. ... An onlooker said, 'It was a warm night but Billie was wrapped up for winter. They filmed right through the night and Billie seemed to be really enjoying herself. She looked stunning even if she was just in jacket and jeans'." There are also brief mentions in the Daily Record andNews24.com amongst others.

BBC News discusses the work of Mike Collins, the artist drawing the strip in Doctor Who Magazine. "Christopher Eccleston's decision to leave Doctor Who may have shocked most of the show's fans, but it also meant a pile more work for artist Mike Collins. As the man who draws the show's official comic strip, the switch to David Tennant sent Collins back to the drawing board. The Cardiff-based artist is currently preparing images of the new Timelord. It is the latest challenge for the man who has drawn everything from Superman and Star Trek to Harry Potter. As you might have guessed, Collins is a massive sci-fi fan, and he admitted he was shocked at Eccleston's decision to leave the Tardis after just one series. He has nearly finished his last story involving Christopher Eccleston. 'I had just got to the stage when I can draw Christopher Eccleston quite comfortably,' he said. 'But I have no problems, he has made a decision that was interesting for the show. It is a fresh new broom - David Tennant has a great face, and I have to get it right as he is a big fan and is going to read it.' Collins is currently waiting on his Tennant drawings to be approved, but said it helped that he has already started working on assistant Billie Piper, who plays the Doctor's assistant Rose. 'Billie Piper is fine - it took me a little while until I was happy, but one day you just understand how their face comes together. ... You are working with likenesses, and you have to be fairly accurate - it has to be [enough like the characters] to be recognisable, but different so they can work in a comic. "If you do a comic strip, you are the director, the lighting man and all the actors - you have to make it work.' The monthly comic strips are mostly written by the same team who write the TV show, overseen by Russell T Davies, who Collins says is 'very hands-on'."

In yesterday's The Age (Australia), a review of the season one finale, "The Parting of the Ways": "The episode, titled The Parting of the Ways, features the best devices of the series in spades. It's overflowing with deadpan one-liners - among the best, Rose's exclamation 'He's fighting for us, for the whole planet, and I'm just sitting here eating chips'... And let's not forget the salty elan Ecclestone brings to the title role. This isn't his finest work since Michael Winterbottom's Jude, but it's a pity he's pissing off now that episodes one to 13 have taken care of the mortgage. The unresolved sexual tension between Ecclestone and Billie Piper as sidekick Rose - who manages this week to do a very good job of being kidnapped by Daleks while wearing a tight red sweater - might not be so easily replicated by Tennant's indie-geek, pasty charms. There's a lot about this series of Doctor Who that amuses, whether intentionally or not. The sets appear to have been constructed by first-year University of Cardiff science students for an O-week project, the terrifyingly homicidal Daleks are reliant on vast amounts of Mr Sheen to keep their bonded polycarbide armour shiny, and some of the storylines have been quirky at best. Trainspotters - and boy, this show does attract them - will have a ball analysing subtle contradictions and inconsistencies in this episode and the fact that the denouement comes via a near-perfect example of the deus ex machina. But who cares? It's Doctor Who, not Chekhov. "

The Daily Star today claims Billie Piper "Billie Piper looked close to a breakdown as she felt the pressure of her punishing work schedule for the hit show. [Billie] is filming from 11pm to 5am every night as sexy sidekick Rose Tyler while the streets of Cardiff are deserted. But the strain showed on Billie's face yesterday as she took a rest. She suffered a mini breakdown on set last year during a split from husband Chris Evans, 39. And she seemed close to tears again as the Who team, said to be 'rallying round' to keep Billie's spirits up, worked through the night. An insider said: 'Billie is sleeping all day and working all night. She was fine for a couple of nights but it gets to you.'" There has also been plenty of comment online the past few days from various papers about Spirit Trap, her new movie, meeting mostly lackluster reviews.

Radio Times reports that "Following the success of his weekday afternoon chat show, Paul O'Grady is being groomed to star in a new Saturday-night variety show. Paul O'Grady's Got Talent is still being planned but will feature ordinary members of the public, ventriloquists and apparently dancing dogs. A pilot is being filmed and the series is hoped to revitalise ITV's Saturday nights, which took a beating in the ratings from Doctor Who."

A BBC Worldwide press release notes that, "In an unprecedented deal, BBC Worldwide has appointed Buzzworthy Licensing + Entertainment as the merchandising agent for the Doctor Who brand in Canada. This is the first time an agent has been appointed solely for the territory. As part of the three-year agreement, secured by Anna Hewitt, BBC Worldwide's Head of International Licensing, Buzzworthy will actively seek partner companies to produce and distribute new and existing Doctor Who products. These will include toys, clothing and gift items from both the first and second series. In addition, Buzzworthy will also work closely with BBC Worldwide Canada to secure ongoing promotional opportunities for the series. Hilary Read, COO, BBC Worldwide Canada Ltd, said: 'I'm very excited about this opportunity to lead North America with this unique property. I look forward to working with Buzzworthy who were appointed due to their knowledge and enthusiasm for the Doctor Who brand.' Kevin Durkee, Managing Director, Buzzworthy Licensing + Entertainment, said: 'We've seen Doctor Who enjoy decades of awareness in Canada and are therefore thrilled to be part of the ongoing development of such a terrific brand. The quality and success of the new series is also being reflected in the level of interest from local partners. We're excited to be working with BBC Worldwide, who recognize the importance of managing this business locally.'"

According to a story at Piranet, "British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Worldwide will apply security labels to its Doctor Who merchandise to deter counterfeiting. No details were provided at this time on the launch date of the merchandise, which is based on the latest series of Doctor Who. The security labels will most likely, be holographic and will be applied to packaging and hang tags. The supplier of the tags and labels cannot be named. ... BBC brand protection manager Rick McEwen says the corporation believes security labels will help protect the Doctor Who brand. He says a security label is useful because it helps consumers by confirming they are buying a legitimate item, rather than a copy or rip-off, and it protects the market for retailers and their suppliers, as well as confirming the brand ownerÆs desire to protect the property. McEwen also believes the tags will help Trading Standards, or other enforcement bodies, to make instant identification of genuine items in the field. ... The BBC anticipates that counterfeiters will try to take advantage of the showÆs popularity. 'Obviously counterfeit Doctor Who merchandise would damage legitimate sales and tarnish the brandÆs image,' McEwen says."

(Thanks to Paul Engelberg, Steve Tribe, Paul Hayes, Graeme Burk, Peter Weaver)