The Stage entertainment industry newspaper reports that actor John Scott Martin, veteran of countless roles in over 100 episodes of the classic series of Doctor Who, died on January 6th at the age of 82. His daughter Catriona has penned an obituary for the paper, outlining his career.

Martin is best remembered by fans as the main Dalek operator across the 26 years of the classic series, but he also played various other monsters opposite the first seven Doctors, and had a more visible role as the miner Hughes in The Green Death. In 2004, he told BBC News how he would love to play a Dalek again for the new series.

In addition to his Doctor Who work, Martin appeared in BBC series such as Quatermass and the Pit and I, Claudius, as well as in films (including Little Shop of Horrors) and the theatre. In 2004, he appeared as the old man who inherits all of Swansea in the Russell T Davies comedy-drama serial Mine All Mine for ITV1.

UPDATE - 23 JANUARY: The Press Association has reported Martin's death, including a comment from his widow, Margaret. She said he enjoyed the Dalek role, adding: "It was a good thing, because being a Dalek nobody saw your face. He was able to do other things without people recognising him. That was useful." According to the PA report, Martin had had Parkinson's disease for a decade.

The Telegraph, The Times and The Daily Mail have printed obituaries describing his long standing work on Doctor Who.

Michael Jensen of AfterElton.com has revealed tentative plans for the broadcast of the five-part Torchwood miniseries, Torchwood: Children of Earth. Please bear in mind that these comments represent early plans, which may change.

If the report is accurate, it may disappoint some British Torchwood fans, who had been hoping that the miniseries would air in the spring. But the report has good news for American Torchwood fans, who may not have to wait as long as usual to see the latest episodes:

An extended version of Doctor Who at the Proms is currently available for UK Digital viewers to watch on the red button. As well as the Doctor Who related music as broadcast on New Year's Day, the broadcast also includes "Song for Ten", and other classical music such as "Fanfare for the Common Man" and Holst's "Jupiter" from the Planets suite. The concert runs for approximately 95 minutes.

Character Options, which recently renewed its license with the BBC to produce action figures and related merchandise forDoctor Who and its spin-offs, will be launching a new line of "mini" figures in March, according to Action Figure.

The new line, called "Time Squad", features cartoon-like sculptures of characters from the first four seasons of the relaunched Doctor Who.

The new figures will be available in both 2- and 5-pack sets with the 5-packs containing some unique figures. The packaging configurations are:

Cyberman & Dalek
Doctor & Sontaran
Doctor & Vashta Nerada
Scarecrow & Pyrovile
Slitheen & Weeping Angel
Supreme Dalek & Clockwork Man

Cyberman, Black Dalek, Scarecrow, Vashta Nerada & Sontaran

Bronze Dalek, Sycorax, Natural Ood, Pyrovile & Clockwork Man

The latest issue of Doctor Who Adventures, out now, is a special collector's edition, with two different covers to choose from. Cover 1 has the Cyberleader from the Christmas Doctor Who story, along with the Tenth Doctor and the evil Miss Hartigan while cover 2 has a Cyberman alongside the mysterious 'other' Doctor, played by David Morrissey, and his assistant Rosita.

Both issues come with loads of Doctor Who stickers and the first part of a giant double-sided poster of a Cyberman on one side, and monsters and villains on the other.

ALSO in this issue:

• Posters: Rose, the Cyberleader and two Doctors, the Ood.
• Win a Cyber head!: Part one of a great new competition.
• Fact file: Comparing the two Doctors from The Next Doctor and everything you need to know about the dangerous Void.
• Tales from the TARDIS: Trouble for the Doctor in the Library.
• Make a mask: The Other Doctor.
• Terror through time: Find out about creatures from the Doctor’s past. This week it’s the Yeti.
• Comic strip: The Aquarius Condition.
• Comps: Win loads of goodies including an audiobook CD of Doctor Who and the Abominable Snowman.
• Subscription offer: Subscribe today and get a Sarah Jane Adventures CD.

Noel Clarke, the actor, writer and director who played the character of Mickey Smith in Doctor Who off and on from 2005 until last year, has been nominated for the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Rising Star Award.

Clarke, who also wrote an episode for the first series of spin-off programme Torchwood in 2006, has been recognised in the category for his work on the films Kidulthood and Adulthood, both of which he wrote and the latter of which he also directed.

BBC News reports that Clarke is up against Toby Keppell, Rebecca Hall, Michael Fassbender and Michael Cera for the prize.

The winner, decided by an online and text message public vote, will be announced at the BAFTA Film Awards ceremony in London on February 8th. Further details can be found on the BAFTA website.

UPDATE: Clarke's nomination came five days after it was announced that Matt Smith had got the role of the Eleventh Doctor, and interviewed at BAFTA Clarke said he was delighted for him.

"I'm absolutely chuffed that Matt Smith is the Doctor. I don't know the guy but I could not be happier," said Clarke, adding that the fact Smith was only 26 would mean he had "no baggage". He said: "It's going to be fantastic. I know he's going to be brilliant. He's going to be his own Doctor."

The BBC has released covers and synopsis for the three 'classic monster' novels being released in September.

The Taking of Chelsea 426 by David Llewellyn

The Chelsea Flower Show: Hardly the most exciting or dangerous event in the calendar, or so the Doctor thinks. But this is Chelsea 426, a city-sized future colony floating on the clouds of Saturn, and the flowers are much more than they seem.

As the Doctor investigates, he becomes more and more worried. Why is shopkeeper Mr Pemberton acting so strangely? And what is Professor Wilberforce’s terrible secret?

They are close to finding the answers when a familiar foe arrives, and the stakes suddenly get much higher. The Sontarans have plans of their own, and they’re not here to arrange flowers...


The Krillitane Storm by Christopher Cooper

When the TARDIS materialises in medieval Worcester, the Doctor finds the city seemingly deserted. He soon discovers its population are living in a state of terror, afraid to leave their homes after dark, for fear of meeting their doom at the hands of the legendary Devil’s Huntsman.

For months, people have been disappearing, and the Sheriff has imposed a strict curfew across the city, his militia maintaining control over the superstitious populace with a firm hand, closing the city to outsiders. Is it fear of attack from beyond the city walls that drives him or the threat closer to home? Or does the Sheriff have something to hide?

After a terrifying encounter with a deadly Krillitane, the Doctor realises the city has good reason to be scared.


Autonomy – Daniel Blythe

Hyperville is 2013's top hi-tech 24-hour entertainment complex – a sprawling palace of fun under one massive roof. You can shop, or experience the excitement of Doomcastle, Winterland, or Wild West World. But things are about to get a lot more exciting – and dangerous...

What unspeakable horror is lurking on Level Zero of Hyperville? And what will happen when the entire complex goes over to Central Computer Control?

For years, the Nestene Consciousness has been waiting and planning, recovering from its wounds. But now it’s ready, and it’s deadly plastic Autons are already in place around the complex. Now more than ever, visiting Hyperville will be an unforgettable experience.

Planet of the Daleks is due for release on DVD this year as revealed in this month's Doctor Who Magazine. Episode three of the 1973 Jon Pertwee story previously only existed in the BBC archive as a black and white film recording. However, using partly the same process recently used on an old episode of Dad's Army ("Room at the Bottom", broadcast on BBC2 last month in colour for the first time in 39 years) using information contained in the film print, and partly artificial re-colouring in the United States, colour has been restored to the episode. The story will be released as a box set with Frontier in Space, which sees the Doctor meet the Draconians and features the last appearance of Roger Delgado as the Master. Full details of the restoration of episode three of Planet of the Daleks can be found in an article on the Restoration Team website.

Other stories due for release in 2009 are the swansong of the Second Doctor, The War Games, the Fourth Doctor stories The Deadly Assassin and Image of the Fendahl and the Seventh Doctor story Delta and the Bannermen.

Posted By John Bowman

Character Options has renewed its Doctor Who master toy licensing deal with BBC Worldwide, it was announced this morning.

A report on Toy News Online said that BBC Worldwide had confirmed the renewal and extension of the licence.

Character has held the licence since the show's 2005 relaunch and will lead development of new products featuring Eleventh Doctor Matt Smith.

According to the report, the new items are expected to hit the shops in the summer of 2010. BBC Worldwide will also be developing new style elements for licensees to accompany Series Five.

Neil Ross Russell, the managing director of BBC Worldwide Children's and Licensing, said: "We're thrilled about the announcement of Matt Smith as the new Doctor, not least because of the opportunities it gives our creative team and licensees.

"Doctor Who is a long-term priority for us as a commercial business, and with Matt on board we will be looking to develop a new style guide with fresh creative elements to inspire our licensing partners."

(With thanks to Dave Colville.)