The Mail on Sunday newspaper in the United Kingdom is running a news story titled 500,000 pounds Mr Spielberg? Sorry, I've got a date with the Beeb, says the new Dr Who writer, in which it claims that incoming Doctor Who executive producer and chief writerSteven Moffatturned down a lucrative deal to write the second instalment of the new Tintin film franchise in order to take over the running of Doctor Who.

Moffat tells the Mail that he had originally signed up to write the first two Tintin films of the planned trilogy, to be directed by Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson. However, after completing the script for the first film, Moffat was offered his new position with Doctor Who, and pulled out of the deal.

"I was offered the Doctor Who job and accepted immediately," Moffat is quoted as telling the paper. "I hope you won't make what happened sound too dramatic. I talked to Steven and he understood completely. I could not work on the second Tintin film and work on Doctor Who. So I chose Doctor Who. Steven is a fan and he understood my passion for the series completely."

"There are no bad feelings between Spielberg and me, but Doctor Who has to come before Hollywood."

Moffat further adds that current executive producer and chief writer Russell T Davies is working on four specials, and then Moffat will take over the running of the series.

UPDATE, July 21:
Moffat has described the Daily Mail report as "a bit misleading" in an interview with BBC News. Moffat told the BBC that he had planned to finish his work on Tintin before beginning his Doctor Who work, but the former was interrupted by the US writers' strike. He also says that "nothing less than Doctor Who could have torn [him] away" from Tintin. He called Tintin a "stunning project" he was "proud" to be part of, but added that it was "the proper duty of every British subject to come to the aid of the TARDIS".

Moffat also noted that although the Daily Mail report called Steven Spielberg "a fan" of Doctor Who, in fact he merely "knows and admires" the programme. Of the two directors working on the Tintin project, it is Peter Jackson who is a Doctor Who fan, according to Moffat.

Finally, Moffat told the BBC that the figures quoted in the Daily Mail article are "entirely speculative and wildly inaccurate".

The first Tintin film, directed by Spielberg based on Moffat's script, will star Thomas Sangster in the title role; Doctor Who fans will remember Sangster as Tim Latimer in last year's story "Human Nature"/"The Family of Blood".

Posted By John Bowman

Today's edition of The Sun says David Tennant is being offered one and a half million pounds to stay on as the Doctor for Series Five.

In what it claims to be an exclusive, it quotes a source as saying: "He's interested. Everyone thought he was going, but it's not as open and shut as that."

Click here for the full report - but beware, as at the end it names a character it says is returning in one of the specials.

Delia Derbyshire's extensive collection of recordings has been taken up by academics at Manchester University for cataloguing and digital conversion.After she died in 2001, the recordings were entrusted to composerMark Ayres by her estate, as he was a friend of hers and because of his involvement with the Radiophonic Workshop archive.Derbyshire, who created the original arrangement of the Doctor Who theme music, composed by Ron Grainer, left behind a stockpile of 267 tapes. Her groundbreaking work is credited as having influenced the likes of The Crystal Method and Portishead.David Butler, a lecturer in screen studies at the university's School of Art, Histories and Culture, said: "We have just started to scratch the surface. The collection includes her freelance work and really does give us a better sense of her range. Many of the tapes have no labels so it is a case of using detective work to find out what they are.
"Delia Derbyshire never really received the recognition she deserved as one of our most influential composers of the past 30 or so years.

"Though brilliant, the Doctor Who theme is just one small example of her genius which was held in high esteem by figures across music, television, theatre and film, including Paul McCartney and John Peel, the disc jockey."

Ayres told The Doctor Who News Page: "Unfortunately, it became apparent that I was not going to be able to find the many months (possibly years) of time that researching the material properly would take, so I have passed the material on to the University of Manchester and David Butler on permanent loan so that they can do it properly."

He remains the titular owner of the material on behalf of Derbyshire's estate and is working closely with Butler as a consultant on the collection.

Ayres said: "The aim is to cross-reference it with the Radiophonic Workshop archive and hopefully end up, in due course, with a definitive study of Delia's life and work."

Probably the most surprising discovery in the collection is a piece of music that sounds like a contemporary dance track which was recorded, it is believed, in the late-Sixties.

Paul Hartnoll, formerly of the dance group Orbital and a great admirer of Derbyshire's work, said the track was "quite amazing".

"That could be coming out next week on [left-field dance label] Warp Records," he noted. "It's incredible when you think when it comes from. Timeless, really. It could be now as much as then."

For the full story and to listen to sound clips from the collection, visit the BBC News website.

The story is also covered by The Times and The Daily Telegraph.

Posted By John Bowman

There are Daleks everywhere in the new edition of Doctor Who Adventures out today.

It has a fact file about the Supreme Dalek plus part three of the win a life-size Dalek competition. In addition, there is the first part of a cut-out mini mag about the Daleks.

The free gift is Ood slime and a set of Ood eyeballs.

Also in issue 73:

Three posters: The Supreme Dalek, Mr Halpen with an Ood, and Matron Cofelia

Adventures Guide: Partners in Crime. Donna meets the Doctor again . . .

Tales from the TARDIS: There's something on Donna's back in a scene from Turn Left

Quiz: A Quintus from Pompeii quiz

Make: A Doctor mask

Doctor's Data: Find out about the Sixth Doctor

Comic strip: In the year 3269, trouble is waiting for the Doctor and Donna

Time Teasers: Shadow Monsters and TARDIS Scanner

Win: Lots of goodies - including Doctor Who DVDs

Find out: How to become a Time Agent and receive a free newsletter every week

Posted By John Bowman

The first preview night of Under The Blue Sky had to be scrapped yesterday after cast member Catherine Tatesuffered an ankle injury.

What caused the injury - sustained during the last dress rehearsal - is unknown but BBC News said it was hoped the actress would be well enough to take to the stage tonight.

The results of an X-ray are being awaited.

The play, by David Eldridge, is on at the Duke of York's Theatre in London's West End.

UPDATE - 18 July: Today's Sun carried a report saying that Tate was performing the play aided by a crutch. It said she had twisted her ankle in a fall during rehearsals.

Donna Noble actress Catherine Tate is to star in the upcoming West End production of Under the Blue Sky.

David Eldridge's award-winning, funny and touching play portrays three subtly connected love stories that reveal in turn the roller-coaster ride of lust in its prime, the sacrifices of a life in public service and its unrequited passions.

As Michelle, the hilariously promiscuous 38-year-old maths teacher who has just been dumped by the love of her life, Tate strips off for a revenge sex scene with her nerdy teacher colleague. "She doesn’t apologise for having slept with all these people," says Tate. "I think it’s very honest and refreshing to have someone who goes, 'Yeah, I have a lot of sex.' It just strips away the nonsense."

Tate is very thankful to Russell T. Davies and her success on television, including Doctor Who, for bringing her more theatrical roles. "Now theatre people say: 'Would you like to come and do a play?' When I went to drama school that was all I really wanted to do. You don't go there to learn how to act on TV and film."

She credits Davies for taking what she calls a "gamble to take on someone like me who is known, by the vast majority of people, for wearing wigs and comedy teeth."

The play runs for ten weeks beginning 15 July at the Duke of York's Theatre, St. Martin's Lane, London.

For more information about the play, tickets, and video interviews with the cast, please visit the official website athttp://www.underthebluesky.co.uk/

To read the full interview with Tate, go to thisislondon.co.uk.

Doctor Who Executive Producer Russell T. Davies has received an honorary fellowship by Cardiff University for achieving international distinction in his field.

Born in Swansea, Davies became the lead writer and executive producer behind Doctor Who's successful return to the small screen.

In his speech to a packed auditorium, Davies spoke of his pride in his work in Cardiff.

"For those of you who don't know, we make Doctor Who in this city, and over the past four years we have made Cardiff like the surface of Mars and Pluto.

"We’ve made it look like Italy, we’ve made it look like Delhi and we’ve made it look like Belgium.”

He added: "It only just goes to prove you can do anything, anywhere, it doesn’t always mean you have to go London."

Sunday saw repeats of the two final episodes of Series Four on BBC1.

The Stolen Earth shown at 1730 got 1.6 millionwatching, and was the 21st most watched programme of the day. The programme won its time slot.Journey's End, shown later at 1815, got 2.6 millionwatching and was the 13th most watched programme of the day.

Journey's End was also repeated on BBC3 on Friday evening, where it got 0.54 million watching and was the 2nd most watched programme of the day on multi channel television.

The entire fourth series gets a repeat showing on BBC3 starting today.

Doctor Who's head writer Russell T Davies is to receive an honorary fellowship at Cardiff University next Monday (14th July) during their annual degree ceremonies.

These degrees are conferred upon those who have been seen to achieve international distinction in their fields of expertise. Amongst those included this year are television personality Carol Vorderman and Welsh rugby legend Gerald Davies.

This award follows on from Davies's recent nomination for an OBE in the Queen's honours.

For more information see the University's details on the awards, and reports from The South Wales Echo and This is Swansea.