Tonight's Doctor Who Christmas Special, "The Runaway Bride", is effectively being given a free trailer as part of the news headlines on BBC Radio 2 this Christmas Day morning. The hourly bulletin at 9am featured as its last article a report by entertainment correspondent Colin Paterson on the "news" that Catherine Tate will be joining the TARDIS crew for this evening's special.

Paterson reported how, although set at Christmas, the episode was actually shot on some of the hottest days of the summer in Cardiff. An interview clip with Tate was played, saying how she had felt sympathy for the extras who had had to dress in coats, hats and scarves to give the impression of it being winter.

Listeners were then reminded that "The Runaway Bride" can be seen tonight at 7pm on BBC One.

Below are several screen grabs from David Tennant's appearance last night on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross, including a Dalek toy introducing Tennant to Ross and the audience, the singers with Tennant's face on their shirts, and even a new 'action figure' of the tenth Doctor! Click on each for a larger version. Tennant appeared on the talk show to promote tomorrow night's airing of "The Christmas Invasion" and his debut as the Doctor.

Outpost Gallifrey has a selection of photographs courtesy contributor Rob Stradling from Up Close Cardiff, the current Doctor Who exhibition now open and running in Cardiff until February. Click on each for a larger version. Meanwhile, you can visit the exhibition's website for further details about the events there. (Thanks to Rob Stradling)

Paul Cornell's short Dr Who story for Christmas was published today in The Sunday Times. Entitled "Deep and Dreamless Sleep", the tale is also available to read online from their website, and features the tenth Doctor in a seasonal story suitable for all ages.

Cornell, who wrote the 2005 episode "Fathers Day", is also the writer of episodes 8 and 9 in the next series of Doctor Who.

It's December 24... one day to the UK premiere of The Runaway Bride on BBC1. As we've done the past few days, to excite fans and promote the debut of the Christmas special, here's a third small collection of photos for our readers, below; click on each for a larger version. (As before, all photographs are copyrighted to the BBC and used here solely for promotion of this event!)

The American cable network Sci Fi Channel has announced that they have secured the rights to air Series Three starting in the summer of 2007, according to a note on their Doctor Who page. Sci Fi completed the airing of Series Two with the double-bill of "Army of Ghosts" and "Doomsday" last night.

Series Three will air on the BBC in the UK this coming Spring; if this plan by Sci Fi in the US holds, it will be the earliest turnaround of episode broadcasts since the start of the new series (Series One having taken a full year; Series Two, six months).

Yesterday's "GMTV" saw television critic Richard Arnold recommend "The Runaway Bride" as the one not to miss: "The money shot on Christmas Day belongs to Doctor Who - I know as much as it is the battle of the soaps this time of year, but I think this could be one of the highest rated shows of the season."

Also, the Christmas Special also made an appearance on BBC's "Breakfast", used as an illustration to the item on the increase of the BBC's licence fee, and how it's lower than expected rise could cause the BBC to reconsider it's current output in light of plans to invest in new services and technology.

Last night's "Screen Wipe" on BBC4 saw Charlie Brooker briefly mention Doctor Who as one of the popular programmes to be used on the Christmas evening, and featured a clip from "The Christmas Invasion" and also one of the notorious outtakes of Tom Baker swearing at K9. (thanks to pixel42 on the forum)

Finally, this morning's "Breakfast" featured an article, not on the Bride but instead on the "Doctor Who Confidential" that will be broadcast at 1:00pm on Christmas Day. Cyberman operator Paul Kasey and Dalek vocalist Nick Briggs were on the programme, and answered questions that had been sent in by children. The item also included clips from the Children in Need concert and a montage of monsters from the series.

Today sees the CD release of Blood of the Daleks, Part 1, the first in a new series of adventures for the Eighth Doctor, produced by Big Finish. The series, to be broadcast starting on New Years Eve at 6pm and midnight on BBC7, features Paul McGann as the Doctor alongside Sheridan Smith as Lucie Miller, and is written by Steve Lyons. Included in the release is a poster and an audio featurette. Full cast and plot information is available at the Big Finish website

Meanwhile, the CD cover for Blood of the Daleks, Part Two has been released; click on the thumbnail below for a larger version.

Two days to the UK premiere of The Runaway Bride on BBC1. To excite fans and promote the debut of the Christmas special, here's another small collection of photos for our readers, below; click on each for a larger version. (As before, all photographs are copyrighted to the BBC and used here solely for promotion of this event!)