Outpost Gallifrey has received reliable information that suggests that a Doctor Who trailer will indeed air on Tuesday night, March 8 at 8:00pm on BBC1, repeating later in the evening. This information could, however, change at any time. A heads-up for our UK readers!

According to the official Doctor Who site today, to mark the launch of the new series, BBC Two will celebrate Doctor Who with a special television night. "In a one-off Mastermind Doctor Who Special, four Doctor Who aficionados will be put through their paces by Mastermind host, John Humphrys, to find out who will be crowned the UK's top Doctor Who fan. The prize will be presented by the new Doctor, Christopher Eccleston. Some Things You Need To Know About Doctor Who will be packed full of Doctor Who trivia, plus there is another chance to see The Story of Doctor Who - a nostalgic archive documentary about the longest running TV drama series."

The new Doctor Who series will air beginning Tuesday, April 5 in Canada, according to a solid airdate confirmation from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) and from several sources including Benjamin Elliott's "This Week in Doctor Who." According to the report, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) has scheduled Doctor Who for Tuesday nights at 8PM starting April 5, 2005. So far only the April 5th broadcast (without episode title) is showing. They have put up a temporary webpage up for their Doctor Who broadcast, though there's nothing there.

If you live in Canada or are in a border section of the US with access to the CBC, the Doctor has a home on April 5. And this should put to rest any worries that the show will broadcast earlier in the UK...

According to a report today on IGN, "Sources close to the US cable network Sci Fi Channel have told IGNFF's Doctor Who Report that the network is not in negotiations for the new series." The report speculates on other avenues, but suggests that according to their own sources, the channel is not interested in showing the series. There is now no word on a US broadcaster.

While there is still no official confirmation from the BBC (and we stress that there's still plenty of time for this to change!), we've received enough information from various sources to safely conclude that the new series will indeed premiere on BBC1 on Saturday, March 26, 2005, likely at either 6:45 or 7:00pm (with the BBC3 "Doctor Who Confidential" series airing immediately afterwards at either 7:30 or 7:45pm.) Various sources have reported a range of rumored plans for a possible March 8 press launch, including radio and television trailers and broadcasts starting around that time; various radio interviews and photo shoots; new merchandise; a relaunch of the official Doctor Who website; and plenty of other publicity plans tying into the relaunch of the series. It also mentions that the show has been sold overseas in Canada, New Zealand and, surprisingly, Australia (for which a venue has not yet been announced), but omits the US as of this writing. As soon as we have a clearer picture of all of the various publicity plans, we'll pass the word along.

(Editor's note: Once again, I want to stress that this is not an official confirmation, but after checking with many sources, I'm now confident that this is indeed the broadcast date, barring any last minute change of plans, and that it will be announced through official channels soon. I've also been told that this date has only been finalized within the past month. More soon!)

Rumors have circulated today based on posts on the Restoration Team forum concerning a possible deal with NBC/Universal, who own the Sci-Fi Channel and USA Network, for broadcast of the new series, potentially with the Sci-Fi Channel as first broadcaster and USA as syndicators, which would include the entire back catalog of Doctor Who serials. While there is no official word confirming this, it's the first indication in some time of a possible deal for US broadcast of the new show. Stay tuned!

The Doctor Who Appreciation Society has been told to expect a new trailer for the new Doctor Who series this coming Saturday on BBC1, perhaps one that could offer a glimpse of the TARDIS interior. The exact time of the broadcast is unknown, says the DWAS, but it seems likely that it will be just before or after Casualty. Update: other sources have confirmed with people inside the BBC that a trailer will not air, so this may have been a false alarm; it's anyone's guess as to whether or not a trailer will air tonight. (Thanks to the DWAS for letting us know!)

We have confirmation that the new series' imminent sale in the US has impacted the 'classic' series being syndicated in the US. In a statement to PBS station WCET Channel 48 in Cincinnati, Ohio, which was released by their promotions department, a BBC report states the following: "Sadly, it is true. This Saturday, January 22nd, is the final broadcast of Doctor Who on our air. ... As for the reason why: the BBC is eager to sell the new series with Christopher Eccleston here in the United States and is not renewing contract with PBS stations at this time. The official word from our contact at the BBC states: 'Unfortunately, we won't be able to proceed with a renewal of Doctor Who at this time. The new series of Doctor Who is currently being shopped around to various commercial broadcasters. For this reason, we have been asked not to make any syndication agreements on this title until further notice. I'm sorry if this has caused you inconvenience. Our sales department has been under strong pressure to get this new, glossy series highly placed. Unfortunately, this was a commercial strategy decision,and we do not have enough of an existing PBS user base to bid against cable or the commercial giants, some of which are taking the new series in consideration. Thank you for understanding.'" So, no deal for US broadcast, but it's expected soon, and meanwhile, the original series is slowly disappearing from all markets. (Thanks to Benjamin Elliott)

While we're still looking at the likelihood of a late March premiere, we've heard some conflicting information recently: some retailers believe the show may start the second Saturday of March (the 12th), while another story would have a launch party at some point in mid-April. This proves one thing: the date of transmission is still in flux and has not been completely finalized.

An article at the Eurovision song contest website notes that the BBC1 broadcast of "Making Your Mind Up," the pre-Eurovision show which giving viewers the chance to vote for the UK entry, may also include the launch of the new series on the same night, the first weekend of March. The article also states news from the latest issue of DWM that Colin Baker has submitted a possible entry for the UK selection. However, it's very likely that the notation is purely speculative, as we continue to hear late March as the targeted air date. (Thanks to Planet Who for the report)