An article in the June 29 Daily Star says that the new Doctor Who series "will feature historic figures including Shakespeare, Henry VIII and Einstein - who are locked up together inside a Big Brother-style house. Famous housemates will face eviction and death from aliens when the classic sci-fi show comes back to our screens next year. The new series, which stars Christopher Eccleston as Dr Who, is aiming to win over a whole new generation of young followers of the Tardis timelord. Christopher said: 'We can parallel things with science fiction and address what's going on around us to a certain extent for young people without being pompous.' In one of the planned episodes of the hotly-awaited series, some of the world's most famous figures from the past are kidnapped from their time zones by aliens. They are put in a Big Bruvstyle house for extraterrestrial television entertainment." (Thanks to Paul Engelberg)

The North-West Evening Mail ran a brief story about London collectors "planning to exterminate all opposition to get their hands on BarrowÆs Dalek," referring to the Dalek model currently guarding the entrance to Furness Auctions at Oldham Street.

This Sunday's Points of View on BBC1 will feature a brief on the TARDIS in the new series... a question about whether or not it'll be in the shape of a London police box! The program airs on June 13 at 3:45pm. (Thanks to David Brider)

Two very brief press mentions this weekend:

The June 8 edition of the web magazine lowculture features an article about how "Doctor Who is about to become cool! Not the shonky old version where everything was made out of egg boxes and bubble wrap, of course (although we still think that was a little bit cool). We mean the new one, the one they're about to start filming in Wales with Christopher Eccleston and (shriek!) Billie Piper." There are the usual facts and lots of comments about such, most of which are quite positive. (Please note: the language and terminology used are definitely for adults only!) (Thanks to Paul Condon)

The Fashion section of the Weekend Magazine in this past Saturday's Western Mail featured an article called "Dr. Who's Back in Fashion" about various Doctor Who fashions over the years, comparing various previous companions with the fashion sense of new companion Billie Piper. "It is the fantastic costumes of some of the Doctor's female companions which really stick in your mind," says writer Claire Hill. "Well, they do have to compete with the Doctor's multi-coloured scarf." Pictures of Piper along with such former assistants as Bonnie Langford, Louise Jameson and Sophie Aldred are featured. (Thanks to John Campbell Rees)

The Sunday Mirror on May 30 published an article entitled "Tardis Girls Who Just Disappeared" which notes how most of the various Doctor Who female companions over the years have apparently "disappeared". It discusses several of the ladies in order of their appearance, starting with the late Jacqueline Hill, although it really doesn't add any insight on what they've done since they were in the series. The same day, the Mirror printed an article called "Watch It Billie, Curse of Dr. Who Ruined My Life" which features comments from Lalla Ward about her history with the show, her one-time marriage to Tom Baker, and advice to new companion Billie Piper. About Ward, says the article, "And now she says that she wishes that she'd never set foot in the Tardis. Afterwards, like many of the assistants in the hit BBC1 series she became typecast and virtually unemployable on TV. .... And Lalla, assistant to Tom's scarf-wearing hippy version from 1979 to 1981, had some timely advice for her. 'Billie should bear in mind that the show is very hard work - and she could easily become typecast. All the girls had the same problem, you came out of it feeling you had to prove you weren't just the Time Lord's floozy.'" Of course, Ward does mention a fringe benefit: "I'd never have met either husband if I hadn't been in the series," referring to both Baker and her current husband, Richard Dawkins. The Mirror also held a strange comment that day: "Well done to Billie Piper, just confirmed as the new Doctor Who girl. Isn't she married to his brother Chris?" Very curious... Update: A lot of our readers have written us about this comment, i.e. husband Chris Evans being related to him... as in "Chris Who?" A very poor joke to be sure.

May 31's Sunday Express interviewed Sylvia Young, drama teacher of Billie Piper. "Sitting here looking through her file, every report from every teacher said she was brilliant, " Young told the Express. "In one, when she was in Year Eight and just 13 years old, a drama coach described her as 'very talented, indeed potentially brilliant'. He went on to say that she had an incredible comedic talent, too. This is one of the hardest kinds of acting, and Billie excelled." Young then makes a comparison with Piper and another star, calling her Britain's answer to Nicole Kidman! "She was without doubt of National Theatre quality. From the second she stepped into our school for her first audition, I knew there was something special about her. There wasn't an area she was weak in, she just did very well all round. Teachers always noted her application, her talent and her wide repertoire. We always knew that her real talent lay in acting. She only got into the singing side by mistake."

The May 28 Express and Echo interviewed Mary Tamm, which mentions her current stage acting work in this summer's run of "Mixed Feelings" at the Theatre Royal in Plymouth, and also briefly, both the classic and the new Doctor Who series. "When Mary appeared in the cult children's show in the 1970s, Tom Baker was the doctor. Together they fought blood-sucking rocks which were roaming the English countryside in Stones of Blood and contended with a killer queen, a space pirate and a robot parrot in Pirate Planet. She admits that being associated with the show is something of a blessing - and a curse. 'Actors crave recognition and then when we get it we don't always like it! But it is nice for people to ask for your autograph.'" Tamm on the new show: "I don't know whether the new Dr Who is going to be as child orientated as it used to be."

The Sun on May 31 features an article which says that the metal band Slipknot may be remaking the theme tune... although, it looks like just a quest for publicity for the band. Yet the article says that the "BBC are interested in getting them involved. ... It turns out the nine-strong nu-metal band are obsessed with the time travelling doctor." Says drummer Joey Jordison, "I'm so excited Doctor Who's coming back. It's a great show, wild and exciting. I watched it as a kid and it freaked me out. I'm 29 now and it was only a couple of years ago that I figured out what was going on." The article mentions that "Slipknot are such Doctor Who anoraks they have even dedicated Prelude, a track on new album Volume3 (The Subliminal Verses), to the show." The article was picked up by several syndicates such as World Entertainment News and Ananova.

BBC News' online 'Magazine' section includes a 'Faces of the Week' report every Friday; last week included a summaryof the Billie Piper story.

The Observer's Radio Choice article on May 30 lauded Christopher Eccleston's turn in "Crossing the Dark Sea" on Radio 4. "Christopher Eccleston brings his customary passion to the part of a wartime squaddie crossing the Channel."

Today's press clips update, with thanks to Steve Tribe, Andrew Harvey, Paul Engelberg, Mark Healey and Roger Anderson:

Today both BBC News Online and The Register gauge fan reaction to the casting of Billie Piper. "Doctor Who fans are apparently beside themselves with excitement at the news that former popstress Billie Piper will become Doctor Who's new assistant for the scheduled return of the roving Time Lord," says the Register article, which quotes DWAS spokesman Antony Wainer: "She's a very pretty lady, her acting credentials have been proven and she will have a wide appeal." The articles also discuss fan reaction while referring to posts on Outpost Gallifrey's Forum (referred to as "Gallifreyone.net"), showing both sides of fan reaction: fantastic casting versus publicity stunt casting.

Yesterday's Belfast Telegraph has more about Christopher Eccleston's forthcoming gig with the band I Am Kloot. Says the article, Eccleston "was so taken by I Am Kloot, that he approached the band and asked if he could work with them. He stars in the clip for forthcoming single Proof. 'I haven't actually met him,' says a disappointed [frontman John] Bramwell. 'He's been to a few gigs and he got in touch. We came up with the idea for the video and we were very flattered he agreed because he's a great actor. In the video, he just stares at the camera and doesn't mime or anything. His expression just changes ever so slightly from tearful to joyous - it's very simple and intense, just small changes and it's fascinating to watch.' I Am Kloot head to the Empire in Belfast on June 6 as part of a brief Irish tour."

The Billie Piper coverage is slowing down, though there were some letters in Metro, the free newspaper on Britain's trains, in response to their article on Tuesday. However, today's BBC News Online weekly quiz of the past week's news includes a passing mention of Piper in question 2, "A colourless, viscous liquid which gradually turns red, then brown and then plastic-like has been in the news. What is it?" Answer option D is "An alien-busting weapon to be handed to Dr Who's new assistant, Billie Piper."

World Entertainment News Network on May 27 published the following story: "Elizabeth star Christopher Eccleston is constantly teased by his pals since landing the role of Doctor Who in the latest TV series about the time-traveller. The English actor, 40, is delighted to have won the coveted role in the BBC series, which hits TV screens next year (05). But Eccleston says, 'I've had so many phone messages from mates, all drunk as monkeys, doing the theme tune for me.'"

Today's Daily Mirror features an interesting spoiler "exclusive" (reprinted on the Daily Record site later in the day) about the Doctor battling a rather famous sport celebrity and many others. You can read it at the Mirror and Daily Recordsites.) (Thanks to Andrew Harvey, Stephen Norris, Steve Tribe, Paul Engelberg)etails.

Some general Doctor Who press mentions (thanks to Steve Tribe):

May 17th's "This Is Lancashire" featured an article on Doctor Who fans and the recent Doctor Who Autograph Collectors' Club day in Darwen. The article quotes Terry Molloy and Mike Tucker, who waxes on his time doing effects on the show and how it compares to the new one: "Dr Who was a challenge. Producers wanted Star Wars-style effects but gave us a small budget."

BBC News online Entertainment section this morning includes a brief but positive review of the DVD release of The Green Death, which can be found by clicking here.

Today's Guardian Diary has brief (and mocking) mention of Tim Collins, who has given an interview to an unnamed magazine for a piece called 'My Sci-Fi', in which he cites the Doctor as his hero. The text is as follows: "Tory education spokesman Tim Collins shows a neat sense of timing in a magazine interview entitled My Sci-Fi. 'The Doctor, of course,' replies the Doctor Who fanatic, when asked to name his favourite sci-fi hero by SFX magazine. 'Mind you, not the pale pink pacifist some believe him to be. Rather the guy who fights evil and who mocks those who think you can strike a deal with it. The Donald Rumsfeld of the cosmos,' he concludes, 'not the Robin Cook.'" For registered readers, it can be foundhere.

The Guardian's Online section reports the following: "The science fiction genre has its own vocabulary, and a project is now underway to help gather citations for the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) for words that were first used in science fiction stories. A huge number of words are covered, from 3-di to zero-gravity. There are also guidelines to help you contribute your own citations, and a graph to show which decade has been responsible for the most new words." Clickhere. No direct Doctor Who connection, as you can see, but of interest for obvious reasons - with a bit of effort, Doctor Who entries could probably swamp everything else!!

Some recent New Series press clips, with thanks to Paul Engelberg, Steve Tribe, James Crout, Gary Pryke, Andrew Screen, Phillip Vaughan:

The May 21st edition of Broadcast magazine, the "Weekly newspaper of the Television and Radio Industry," ran an interview with new series executive producer Mal Young which mentioned Doctor Who several times. "Leslie Grantham's webcam antics may have terrified a nation and been a sore point for EastEnders bosses," said the article, "but award-winning BBC drama boss Mal Young seems more concerned about the Daleks." The article quotes him on the subject of whethere the Daleks are coming back: "Yeah, they are, and they're going to be scary. They might be a bit more sophisticated but they're still scary as f--- as far as I'm concerned." The story ended with the following: "Interview over, Young picks up what he says is 'the most valuable thing in this office'. It's Russell T. Davies' script for the first episode of the new Doctor Who." The Sun picked up on the story later in the week, quoting the "They're scary as f----" comment. There was also a two page spread on the return of the series in the April 8 edition of Broadcast.

'I can't wait to bring my Tardis back to Cardiff' was the title of an article on icWales on May 20, in which new Doctor Who Christopher Eccleston told of "his excitement at coming to work in South Wales." "I think it's a whole new life for me," Eccleston said, "a whole new element to my career and I'm looking forward to working in Cardiff because I worked there 12 years ago. I like the people and I like the place. I think it's good that it has not gone to London or Manchester, that somebody else has got this thing." Read more of the article at icWales.

Last week's Radio Times featured an interview with Jon Culshaw of Dead Ringers. "I'd really like to play Doctor Who," says the cover. Culshaw's comments about the new series are quoted in the interview, including "It will be interesting to see how Christopher Eccleston plays the part. He brings a lot of intensity to what he does." He also talks about his Tom Baker impersonations. "The Tom Baker character is indelible. My favourite is the Doctor phoning the Cosmos bingo hall, asking 'Where is the Cosmos?' and this Manchester housewife answers, 'Eccles, luv.' Eventually I'd like to evolve into straight acting, although I don't underestimate it like some shallow pop star. What I'd really like is to play Doctor Who in my late 40s."

May 8th's edition of The Australian (Australia's national daily newspaper) featured an article called "Who is Doctor Who?" by Mark Juddery. It starts by giving a history of Christohper Eccleston and his new role as the Doctor. It also features a history of the show and a lot of trivia information, and concludes with the statement, "More important, they hope the dust settles before the new series begins filming in the (northern) spring. Whoever plays the Doctor, he's always more fun with the Daleks."

Channel 4's Teletext music pages mentioned the other day that Slipknot drummer Joey Jordison had grown up watching Doctor Who - and he wanted his band to be given the chance to record the new theme. Obviously there will be many people wanting to do the same...

Orbital's forthcoming new album features a sample of Christopher Eccleston from "The Second Coming." The track, entitled You Lot, samples Eccleston's most Doctorish moment when he first addresses the worlds media and talks of how the human race is set to become gods after unravelling DNA and cultivating bacteria that can wipe out all life on Earth.

Finally, the UK gossip column Popbitch.com noted the following late last week: "'Dr Who filming at the IBM offices in Cosham right now Eccleston running around the quad as I type'." Now, we don't think they've started filming, and indeed there was speculation that Bill Baggs' team was filming something in the area. We'll let that rumor close out this edition of the press update...

An article in the Scotsman discusses Michael Grade's first day on the job as BBC Chairman. (Thanks to Andrew Harvey)