The new issue of the fanzine Whotopia is now available, featuring an interview with Maggie Stables, "Chamber of Horrors: An Overview of the Hinchcliffe Era," part three of an article about the making of the Doctor Who reconstructions, "An Unearthly Inception: The Origins of Doctor Who," an article about continuity between the old and new show, plus fiction, a comic feature and other articles. More details are available at whotopia.tvheaven.com.

Writers Simon Clark (Telos' "The Dalek Factor") and Mark Morris (BBC Books' "Deep Blue") have written novellas for a new anthology, Fourbodings, published in the US by Cemetary Dance. (Thanks to Stephen Couch)

The BBC has set out its "radical" vision for how it should operate in the 21st Century as part of its charter review process. New director general Mark Thompson and chairman Michael Grade outlined a nine-point manifesto on Tuesday, June 29. "I want a BBC that delivers wonderful programmes that offer something of value to everyone," said Mr Grade. The BBC's Royal Charter, which sets out its aims, objectives and functions, expires at the end of 2006. "Our task over the next year is to convince the British public that the BBC's role in the new digital age of plenty is both justified and necessary," said the chairman. The BBC has published the submission to the government, making the case for renewal of its charter. Among the items mentioned in it's 100 plus page document, there is a chart labeled "Some Programmes To Remember 1950-2004," (on page 33) listing eight important programmes in their respective categories (Factual and Sport; Drama; and Comedy and Entertainment) in each respective time period (1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, and 2000-2004). "Doctor Who" is mentioned in 1960s Drama, while other British science fiction/fantasy series are mentioned as such: 1950s Drama- "The Quatermass Experiment" and "Nineteen Eighty-four"; 1980s Drama- "The Chronicles of Narnia" and "The Lord of the Rings." Full details are available at BBC News. (Thanks to Joey Reynolds)

Magic Bullet Productions has confirmed a sixth CD release in their Kaldor City audio line, continuing the characters and situations originally created by Chris Boucher for the Doctor Who serial "The Robots of Death". The new CD is entitledStorm Mine and is being written by Daniel O'Mahony ("The Cabinet of Light"). Also noted at the recent Time2 convention was that Magic Bullet's new line of Faction Paradox CDs (as we reported early, MB has taken over the line from BBV) will feature Gabriel Woolf reprising his Doctor Who series role of Sutekh the Destroyer ("Pyramids of Mars") in two new installments written by Lawrence Miles. (Thanks to Fiona Moore)

According to an article in the June 26 The Times, Sylvester McCoy, with the help of Camden council, forced a pub to exterminate part of its beer garden. "McCoy... complained to council planning officials," says the article, "after drunken customers in the garden of The Hill, in Chalk Farm, North London, indulged in Dalek-like behaviour, jeering and abusing him as he visited friends nearby. The Scottish born actor, who lives nearby in Hampstead, wrote to the council saying he had been visiting a house next to the pub for 30 years but over the past year the foul-mouthed behaviour of some customers had made it unbearable. 'It's embarrassing coming in, as the clientele shout and jeer as you come up the stairs to the house,' Mr McCoy wrote. After receiving the complaint Camden's development control sub-committee agreed to issue an enforcement order against Geronimo Inns, the pub's owners, on the ground that a previous owner had made alterations to the pub and its garden without being given planning permission. Councillors have given The Hill six months to remove raised decking in the garden which allows drinkers to sit within inches of neighbours' windows. Other changes to the Grade II listed building will also have to be removed. Camden Council ruled that the alterations had damaged the design of the historic pub and said that changes to the garden had intensified its use and had caused a loss of privacy to neighbours." (Thanks to Paul Engelberg)

Publisher David Whittam of Comeuppance Comics contacted us regarding the distribution of the fourth installment ofMiranda, the spinoff comic using the character created in Lance Parkin's BBC Books Doctor Who novel "Father Time," the Doctor's 'daughter'. "Just to clarify - Issue 4 is sitting in Quark XPress form on David's hard drive. He's negotiating a deal with a printer at the moment - converting UKP to Euros seems to be his main task at the moment and then trying to negotiate the price down. We make no bones about the fact we're losing money. A fair bit of money actually, per issue. We're determined you will get all six issues - it might take a little longer than planned, but you will get them. and if you know people who haven't bought it yet - please get them to - it'll speed the whole thing up no end. And extra 500 subs would be very nice. And hey - they'd get the first 3 issues all at once!" For more details visitwww.comeuppancecomics.co.uk.

The late-year release of the "orphan" Doctor Who episodes on DVD now has a name: the Lost in Time Collection, according to Galaxy 4; it's due in November. The boxed set will include all 18 'orphaned' episodes including the recent "Daleks Master Plan" episode 2.

According to Planet Who, "CGI effects house The Mill have been commissioned to work on the new series, according to reports. The company have worked with the BBC on a number of projects, most recently they provided effect work for 'The Nile' (BBC2), and a spectacular recreation of D-Day recently shown on BBC1."

BBC1's regional local news programme South Today confirmed that it will air three Doctor Who mini-features/documentaries on July 12, 13 and 14 at 6.30pm. Produced by David Allard and directed by Bill Baggs, these three minis discuss viewer's memories of when the series 'came to their home or office or backyard'. Locations featured include Athelhampton House in Dorset (Seeds of Doom), the lake in West Sussex from Terror of the Zygons, IBM's Portsmouth headquarters (Revelation of the Daleks) and an interview with Anneke Wills at her studio in Dorset and at Winspit Quarry (The Underwater Menace), plus Gary Downie at Arundel Castle (Silver Nemesis).

New Doc Christopher Eccleston received substantial undisclosed libel damages over a claim that he reacted violently and aggressively towards a suggestion about how he should portray a role, according to recent reports in the popular media. According to the Manchester Evening News, "The 40-year-old Salford-born star... was at London's High Court to hear his solicitor, Mike Brookes, tell Mr Justice Eady how he was caused much distress by the book Laundrettes And Lovers, a tribute to the history and successes of TV and film production company Working Title. It contained a contribution from Michael Hirst, who wrote the screenplay for the film Elizabeth, in which Mr Eccleston played the Duke of Norfolk. Mr Brookes said Mr Hirst alleged that the actor reacted violently and aggressively to his suggestion how to play a particular scene, saying that he would never allow himself to appear sexually impotent, and that he would break Mr Hirst's head open if he even mentioned the idea again. Mr Brookes said: 'My client was very concerned when he read of this, because it was simply untrue' ... and ... that the actor was also very concerned about the impact that these allegations may have upon his professional career if they were read either by members of the public or, crucially, figures of importance within the film and television industry. ... Afterwards, Mr Eccleston said that he was glad the matter was resolved before he started filming Dr Who in two weeks time. He said: 'I'm very much looking forward to it. It's very exciting. I'm just very pleased it's been resolved in my favour and that the defendants have admitted that what they said was untrue. For me, that's the matter closed.'" An interesting footnote to this article... filming in two weeks' time?! (Thanks to Paul Engelberg)