The official site has some further details on the forthcoming documentary series Doctor Who Confidential, which we first discussed in a news report in early October. The details come in the form of an interview with executive producer Mark Cossey. "Confidential is its own beast," Cossey told the official site. "[I]t will be more observational than the others, more of a documentary but with an entertainment edge. Like Doctor Who, we just want to tell a good story and give the audience an insight into the legend that is Doctor Who." It mentions that the access of the documentary team to the production is rather extensive, and will focus almost exclusively on the new show. There is no word as to whether it will be released on DVD or not with the first season of the new series.

Popular UK radio presenter Mitch Benn discusses the new Doctor Who series, the TARDIS and even the Outpost Gallifrey site in an article on icBerkshire today.

Word today from Broadcast Magazine: the BBC will produce a companion series for the new Doctor Who season, a documentary entitled Doctor Who Confidential. The thirteen-part, half-hour series will feature behind-the-scenes footage and interviews wtih cast members as well as "archive of previous Time Lords" (possibly interviews with prior actors). The broadcast will air on BBC3 immediately after the main series airs on BBC1; each episode will be "based around a particular theme such as the challenges of creating a new Dr Who or finding his assistant." Mark Cossey, who will executive produce the show, said it would be aimed at a mainstream audience and not just fans; he says, "It will have a very entertaining glow to it," he said. "It won't be discussions of technology. We are going for a bigger audience than that." The series will be produced by Gillane Seabourne and co-executive produced by Julie Gardner and Russell T Davies. More details when we get them.

Elisabeth Sladen recorded links for the forthcoming Doctor Who at the BBC Volume 2 on May 31 in Bath. Included will be the following items: Kit Pedler on Talkback; Matthew Waterhouse on Radio 1 in 1980; Tom Baker and Louise Jameson on Pebble Mill at One and Nationwide; John Nathan-Turner 'baiting Mary Whitehouse' in 1983; Elisabeth Sladen has supplied a recording of her appearance on Wogan's World; interviews with six of the first eight Doctors; spoofs from Dead Ringers, I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue and The Mary Whitehouse Experience.

The Story of Doctor Who aired on BBC One on December 30, as we previously reported. The hour-long documentary focused on the seven Doctors during the long-running series, but omitted Paul McGann and the 1996 TV movie. (Response from the BBC has been that the film was "an American production" and got low ratings, despite the fact it did far better than most of the series.) 4.4 million viewers tuned in (a 20% share), although the ratings peaked toward the very end.

A reminder to our UK readers: The Story of Doctor Who, the 40th anniversary documentary, airs tomorrow, Tuesday, December 30 from 6:30-7:30pm on BBC1. Here's the listing from the official BBC1 site (with thanks to Gareth Jelley):

The Christmas/New Year double issue of Radio Times has hit shops in England, and the forthcoming December 30 documentary The Story of Doctor Who gets several plugs in. On Page 17, the documentary is included in a rundown of the best TV and radio of the fortnight. This is illustrated with a large picture of a Dalek family Christmas - three Daleks + a baby Dalek, wearing party hats, eating mashed potato (a reference to 1970s advertising hit 'Smash', which featured a family of robots...) and one of the Daleks carving the turkey! There's also a copy of the Radio Times from November 1999 on the table (Dalek cover) and a photo of Jon Pertwee with the message "A Very Happy Christmas From The Doctor". In that same preview on page 17, there are some comments from Verity Lambert, including 'I don't know that the Daleks are as scary as people make them out to be. I think kids really rather enjoyed them. They like to be scared. I certainly don't think we did anything to traumatise them more than anything else really.' It's not clear whether these are quoted from the documentary or whether Radio Times has interviewed her. She crops up again on page 168 as a 'TV Insider', promoting 'The Story of...', saying that she has high hopes for RTD as 'a very good writer' and that 'Back then, it was just trying to keep the programme on air and making it as entertaining and clever as possible.' There's also a publicity shot of William Hartnell. Also on page 168, 'The Story of...' is one of Today's Choices for Tuesday 30 December, under the heading ''Nostalgia', which notes what a good year it's been for Doctor Who fans, describes the documentary as 'terrific', with 'Marvellous, sometimes hilarious clips... from the creepy (Zygons) to the shambolic (Myrka).' The write-up concludes 'This is tremendous fun, and a reminder of what Saturday teatimes have been missing for years. It's a shame we can't all hop in the TARDIS and leap ahead to see how the new series turns out.' Finally in the Radio Times, there's the listing itself on page 170, illustrated with a couple of Daleks. (Thanks to Steve Tribe)