Virgin Megastore has released the apparent cover for the DVD release of "Invasion of the Bane", the pilot episode ofSarah Jane Adventures. Click on the thumbnail below to see a larger version.

The DVD is due in UK shops from 29th October.

Following media speculation, the BBC have confirmed future plans for Doctor Who in a press releasetoday.

After the fourth series airs in 2008, David Tennant will continue in the role of the Doctor for a Christmas special at the end of 2008. After that, instead of a full series beginning filming, the production team, with Tennant still in the role, will be working on three Doctor Who specials, led by Russell T Davies, to be shown on BBC1 throughout the year of 2009. A fifth full series is scheduled for 2010, though asBBC News point out, casting is unconfirmed for that far ahead.

Media speculation was sparked by reports that Tennant had been cast in the title role of Hamlet, in a production for the Royal Shakespeare Company from July to November 2008. This would have conflicted with filming a fifth series for airing in the spring of 2009. The RSC 2008 Flyer and BBC News are confirming Tennant's role in the play.

Rumors over the past several months have suggested that the show would be going on a sort of 'temporary hiatus' after the fourth series, though the BBC has emphasized the series' return for a full fifth year. It is not known whether Davies will continue in the helm of the series when it does return on a weekly basis, however.

The press release included the following quotes:

The results of the 2007 Hugo Awards have been announced at Nippon 2007, the 65th World Science Fiction Convention, in Yokohama, Japan. The Hugo for Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form went toThe Girl in the Fireplace by Steven Moffat.

This is Moffat's second Hugo win, following from last year's win for The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances. Other Doctor Who nominees in the category this year included Army of Ghosts/Doomsday by Russell T Davies and School Reunion by Toby Whithouse.

As reported back in May, tonight sees David Tennant flicking the switch for the annual Blackpool Illuminationsparty tonight (31st Aug). The event will take place around 9:30pm and will also be broadcast live on a BBC Radio 2show presented by Dale Winton (8:30-9:30pm).

More details can be found on the illuminations website, and has been reported today by Pendle Todayand24dash.

After Elton, a popular gay-themed blog hosted by the Logo network, has invited SyFyPortal.com founderMichael Hinman and the popular former science-fiction radio personality Meredith Hogan to host a series of Vlogs (video logs) that will highlight each episode of "Torchwood's" first season.

The Vlogs will run between 10 to 15 minutes, and will talk about different aspects of each episodes, as well as some of the gay themes present in each show.

Each Vlog will appear on the After Elton Web site by the Monday following each episode's broadcast. Hinman is already a fan of the series, and will be giving a perspective from someone who is watching the show for the second time as it airs on BBC America. Hogan, however, will be a newcomer to the show (and practically to the 'Doctor Who' universe), so she will provide a fresh, "new fan" perspective to the show.

"We've always been true practitioners of Gene Roddenberry's philosophy of infinite diversity in infinite combinations," Hinman said. "I know that has become almost a cliche in science-fiction, but up until shows like 'Torchwood,' that cliche didn't seem to exist when it came to our friends in the gay and lesbian community."

Whatsonstage.com has posted a 20 question interview with Peter Davison, who is seen below in his role as King Arthur in Spamalot. Davison had the following to say about his time with Doctor Who.

The Friday Night Project, a variety show airing in the UK on Channel 4, has included a question which furthers a casting rumor for Series Four. One of the questions was, "Which rockstar is set to appear in Doctor Who?", to which the answer by them was David Bowie. This follows from a week of rumors, which have all been denied by representatives for Bowie.

The BBC has hit back at claims of racism by citing Freema Agyeman as an example of how it is nurturing ethnic talent.

TV writer Jimmy McGovern made the accusation during an interview on BBC Five Live to promote his new stage play King Cotton, which is among commemorations marking the bicentenary of Britain abolishing the slave trade.

BBC News says interviewer Simon Mayo asked him if the country was less racist than it once was, to which McGovern replied: "I have got to say this, you will not like this. But I've worked a lot in the BBC, you know.

"I love the BBC as an institution and as an organisation and you do see lots of black faces in the BBC. But you see them in the canteen. You do not see them in positions of power.

"It would appear to me that one of the most racist institutions in England is in fact the BBC."

Mayo called it "a very serious allegation", saying the BBC would respond, and later read out a statement in which the corporation said: "What really matters is that we reflect our audiences through our programmes.

"The BBC's ambition is to reflect the ethnic and social mix of people around the country. We're actively seeking and nurturing ethnic talents both on and off the air.

"This has been coming through in our output with a range of presenters and reporters across our peak-time programmes, for example Freema Agyeman in Doctor Who, the forthcoming Omid Djalili show, Dance X, and dramas such asWaterloo Road.

"It is something we are always looking to improve on."

Last year in an interview, showrunner Russell T Davies refuted McGovern's claim that there was little decent drama on ITV at 9pm and disagreed with him over how drama could portray world truths.

(Thanks to Dazzler42.)

Following rumours that a movie was in the works featuring the Eighth Doctor, Paul McGann has denied that he is to reprise his role.

Speaking to SyFy Portal's Alan Stanley Blair at the recent Collectormania show, Paul officially denied the rumours with the following statement:

"I've heard as well, yeah I've heard,". "Well they haven't called me, but often you hear it first through rumour. But you know... yeah I'd go back and do it ... as long as I don't have to wear a wig."