Details for issue 378 of Doctor Who Magazine have been released, which features exclusive coverage of "The Runaway Bride", the season finale of Torchwood, and the premiere of The Sarah Jane Adventures. To see the full size cover, click on the preview below.
(Thanks to Tom Spilsbury/DWM)

Doctor Who can do more than entertain, it seems. On Christmas Day, it managed to bring together two warring brothers whose enmity towards each other has been a part of the UK's long-running radio serial The Archers (BBC Radio 4) for several months now. The Grundys - Ed and Will - fell out when the younger brother, Ed, stole Will's wife, Emma. The whole nasty business led to some of the most dramatic episodes of the 15-minute drama that the series has seen in a long time.

However, on Christmas Day, the brothers appeared at their parents' house and, according to their mother, Clarrie, remained under the same roof together for longer than they had in ages. And what was it that kept them there? The Doctor Who Christmas special, "The Runaway Bride", of course.

In the episode, their dad, Eddie, remarked that Doctor Who is "not too bad once you get used to Billie Piper not being in it". And Clarrie commented delightedly, "The boys didn't say much to each other but they both stayed for the whole of the programme."

The episode can be heard again as part of the omnibus edition of The Archers on New Year's Eve on BBC Radio 4 at 10-11.15am.

(With thanks to Andrew John for this story.)

The BBC have issued a statement reported by the Press Association to refute any decisions made by cast or crew over the fourth series of Doctor Who.

Reported by BBC News, CBBC, icWales, Press Association, 24dash, Manchester Evening News.

The final episode of The Vicar of Dibley, which airs on New Year's Day at 9.30pm on BBC1, will have a distinctly Doctor Who feel to it.

The character Alice Horton, who is played by Emma Chambers, dresses as the Doctor for the Time Lord-themed wedding in the storyline.

She is pictured here in costume with two "wedding guests".

Ironically, the Christmas Day episode of The Vicar of Dibley beat Doctor Who in the ratings - it was the most-watched programme on the day, while Doctor Who was fifth, based on peak five-minute figures.

An article on the January 1 debut of upcoming spin-off series The Sarah Jane Adventures in The Sun on Friday features comments by series star Elisabeth Sladen, reprising the title role of Sarah Jane Smith.

Amongst other things, Ms Sladen comments on her wardrobe hopes for the show: “The costume designer will be buying my outfits for the series very soon and I fancy a bit more black leather for Sarah Jane to wear.

"I think the outfits will be a combination of new and retro. But I definitely won’t be wearing heels like I did in the Seventies as I do a lot of running around in the series, so it’s flatties for me.”

Ms Sladen also shares her thoughts on such topics as remeeting old monsters, further appearances in Doctor Who, and the "amazing" positive reception of Sarah Jane's return.

You can read the full article here.

(NB: Although the story is available online, it has not been included in every print edition of the newspaper.)

Starting on Friday January 19th, 2007 (Friday night/Saturday morning) the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation will commence a repeat run of the 2005 Doctor Who series starring Christopher Eccleston. Starting with the premiere episode "Rose" episodes will be broadcast each Friday at 12:00 midnight (12:30am in Newfoundland and Labrador). This will be the fourth full CBC network run of Series One since April 2005.

Episodes of Series Two with David Tennant will continue on the CBC after their Christmas hiatus with "The Satan Pit" on Monday January 15th, 2007 at 8:00pm (8:30pm in Newfoundland and Labrador).

BBC News Online is running a report on the civil partnership ceremony between Torchwood and Doctor Who starJohn Barrowman and his long-term boyfriend Scott Gill, which took place at the St David's Hotel in Cardiff this afternoon. Barrowman, who wore a kilt for the ceremony reflecting his Scottish roots, is quoted as saying: "It feels great and I think more gay men and gay women should go ahead and do it as long as they're serious about it. It's not really recognition but it's important for people to see the normality of the entire situation and it forces people who don't agree with gay men and women ... to have to accept us. We deserve the rights like everybody else. It's been a long wait but we legitimised our relationship to each other a long time ago when we signed our mortgages together and this is just something that forces people who don't want to recognise it that they have to."

The story was also reported on Wales Today.

The BBC confirmed today that the Daleks will feature in the Series Three two-parter set in 1930s New York (episodes four and five, which are currently untitled). A Dalek was featured in the recent trailer for Series Three that concluded the broadcast of "The Runaway Bride".

The story, published on its Entertainment website this morning, follows the mention in the Sun today (see below) and quotes Russell T Davies as saying: "This time, their plan is the most audacious Dalek scheme yet! Even the Doctor finds himself out of his depth."

As previously reported, appearing alongside David Tennant and Freema Agyeman in the adventure will be Miranda Raison, Hugh Quarshie and Ryan Carnes.