Issue #369 of Doctor Who Magazine and issue #2 of Doctor Who Adventures are previewed with press releases and covers for both, below; click on the thumbnail on each for a larger version. (Thanks to Tom Spilsbury/DWM and Lynsey Brown/BBC Magazines)

A sampling of the reviews of "New Earth" from the British press:

The Daily Telegraph: "Back like lightning in a bottle, Doctor Who (BBC1) returned last night with David Tennant taking over from Christopher Eccleston as the quixotic spaceman in the plywood phone booth. It's often forgotten that, when it started in the Sixties, Doctor Who was an earnest, philosophical piece of sci-fi, before it slowly degenerated into an unwatchable pantomime featuring Bonnie Langford; and when jump leads were attached to the old warhorse last year, one worried that the burlesque might be too big a facet of the revival. In the event, the head writer, Russell T. Davies, embraced both sides of the tradition, cranked up the electrodes to 11, and somehow kept everything in balance with fearless, Frankensteinian brio. Davies's stories are equal parts waggish, decadent and penetrating, full of Broadway-style wordplay and moral outrage against the modern world, the whole mad carnival serenaded by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. The first of the new episodes targeted biotechnology, as a sisterhood of sinister cat-people (hospital nuns, actually) were caught running Porton Down-style experiments on hordes of pustular human lab-rats. As usual, the script stayed just this side of Douglas Adams and proceeded at warp speed, with explanations and plot fixes chucked in on the run. The Doctor managed to save the pustular human lab-rats by drenching them with disinfectant in a lift. OK, it wasn't a classic, but the main point of interest was Tennant, who has returned the Doctor more to the commedia dell'arte figure of his earlier lives. Where Eccleston was a northern mentalist in a leather jacket who menaced you with his teeth, the froggy-faced Tennant offers breezier possibilities. He wears a thrift-store pinstripe and is somewhere between a rumpled commodities trader, a Renaissance swain and Jarvis Cocker. Flirtation with his sidekick Rose (Billie Piper) is already higher up the agenda for the galaxy's most celebrated celibate, and the two even had a snog in last night's episode (though Rose was under alien control at the time). Less promising are Tennant's efforts to keep pace with Piper's street-girl backchat: his estuary English sounds decidedly off, halfway to slummed-down Ben Elton."

The Herald: "Bend space and time all you like, but Doctor Who is, and has always been, intended for children. Adults are allowed a small slice of nostalgia if they sit up straight and behave. They can have fun spotting the jokes put there - and how clever is this? - for them to find. But if you have a companion who is entitled to vote yet still regards the show as the week's high spot, find a real doctor. Tennant's qualifications were obvious, in any case, after his performance in the marvellous Casanova, though you probably shouldn't ask the kids to corroborate that claim. A talent for cheek is undervalued in acting, as is a sense of the absurd: Tennant has both. Equally, as in Casanova, he can do man-running-for-dear-life better than most. ... Nippy fiends remain a problem, nevertheless. During Saturday's contagious zombie jail-break five billion years 'and 23 days' in the future, I could have sworn the afflicted ones were slow on their feet, but not a bit of it. Down corridors, up ladders: wherever the Doctor and the Cassandra-possessed Rose scurried, zombies awaited. It was like being trapped in Ikea. ... Still, say this for the show: in the time-warp known as Easter weekend TV, it more than held its own. Russell T Davies knows his way around a script and the production values are, by the old standards, out of this world. Obsessives can, meanwhile, ponder another profound question. Forget Tennant: is Billie Piper the best assistant a doctor ever had?"

The Guardian: "It's scary sci-fi, camp humour and warm family viewing all in one - Star Trek, Dawn of the Dead, Shaun of the Dead and Carry On. And it's wonderful. Tennant turns out to be a splendid Doctor - likable, funny and sexy. Piper continues to be brilliant and gorgeous. And Russell T Davies' script has given Doctor Who a whole new injection of life. At last there's something to watch on a Saturday evening - apart from CSI and Match of the Day, obviously."

Lancashire Evening Telegraph: "I'm not sure you will agree, but I think the Doctor is in need of a bit of a tonic. Clearly all that rejuvenating has left the Time Lord feeling a little lacklustre or at least that was the indication after the first episode of the new series of Doctor Who. After all the hype, where was the substance? Sure we had some typically hiding-behind-the-sofa moments when some plague ridden, zombie-like humans wandered around looking to be loved, but this wasn't a classic by any manner of means. David Tennant was all wild-eyed stares and ill-fitting suit. Given time one thing which Doctor Who always has the lad shows promise, to slip into footballing parlance but he's not totally convincing. For the writers, they are under the same pressure as a band trying to follow up a hugely successful debut album. A few cats dressed as nurses and Billie Piper getting raunchy won't be sufficient although dads across the nation are no doubt hoping that she does indeed stay raunchy for the next few weeks. Don't get me wrong, Doctor Who is still several galaxies ahead of the majority of fare being served up and the effects are getting better and better. But without a decent plot it will all be in vain. So come on Doc, pull yourself together and get to work saving the planet."

The Independent: "Shock, horror, then that there was a full-blown snog between the Doctor and his young sidekick in Saturday's episode, albeit that Rose's body was being inhabited at the time by an old foe of the duo's, the vampish Lady Cassandra. David Tennant's Doctor looked surprised but not entirely displeased, although the fact that Rose is supposed to be 19, while the Doctor is about 900, is enough to make Peter Stringfellow seem like love's young dream. For someone with Russell T Davies's bold imagination, the possibilities of a man with two hearts is surely too tempting not to explore. Imagine the tragic potential if it were revealed that, as an amorous youth of, say, 240, the Doctor had lost one of his hearts to one of the Cybermen. I use the gender advisedly, and actually there is something very disco-era Castro Street about the Cybermen's dress sense. Tennant, by the way, is inspired casting for the Doctor - mildly dotty but with a hint of danger. Hopefully, he will take a leaf out the Queen's book and feel duty bound to stay in the role."

The Daily Express: "At the risk of receiving death-threats from Doctor Who extremists, I'd like to say that David Tennant is the best Tardis captain in the history of the universe. Or at least the last few decades. He's funny, quirky and mischievous -- and the atmosphere between him and sidekick Rose (Billie Piper) just fizzes with the clever chemistry of a 1930s screwball comedy. ... To be honest, I don't remember the Doctor Who of the Seventies having such a well-developed moral conscience. But ever since the 2005 re-launch, it seems like every episode comes complete with a gentle sermon about global pollution or the evils of capitalism. But maybe there was just as much preaching going on 30 years ago -- we were just too busy hiding behind the sofa to notice."

The Northern Echo: "Doctor Who would just have jumped in the Tardis and travelled back to watch the original game. Instead he - now looking like David Tennant rather than Christopher Ecclestone - and Rose (Billie Piper) journeyed five billion years into the future, only to encounter old adversary Cassandra, who consists of a face in a piece of stretched skin. Tennant has swiftly settled into the doctor's skin and will, I reckon, make as good a Who as his predecessor."

Times Online: "The traditional checklist of the journalist is the mantra 'What? Why? When? Where? Who?' On Saturday, pleasingly, the answer became 'Who Who Who Who and Who!' -- for Doctor Who (BBC One) returned for its second series under the fabulous Russell T. Davies, and the entire medium of television immediately looked 50 per cent brighter and more fun. The key question of every episode of Doctor Who is -- what is the scary bit? In this case, the scary bit was a disease made of Rice Krispies, in which the secondary symptoms appeared to be 'mass hammery in serried ranks of extras'. God bless drama, but it's never yet cracked a convincing zombie. The great actors will tackle the most challenging of roles but none, as yet, has had a pop at the automaton corpse. Pacino's zombie, Hoffman's zombie, the zombie of Dench -- you've got to figure, if these titans of thespiana blench from rocking from foot to foot, arms outstretched, drooling 'Ooone of uuus', what hope has some kid fresh out of stage school got? Poor zombies aside, however, this was a great bit of cheap, imaginative television with perfect casting. Billie Piper became possessed with the spirit of Cassandra, the atomically coquettish Last Human Being, and showed a real skill for comedy -- like Lucille Ball, but with the teeth of a wolf. David Tennant, meanwhile, wore an extremely fetching pair of spectacles, and continued to project the aura of a phenomenally great lay with access to a Tardis -- in other words, the first Timephwoard."

The Mirror: "The TV event of the week by a million miles - by a billion light years - was, of course, Dr Who. Rarely has a British programme had so much expectation, or even excitement, riding on it. Two big questions dominated. Could it be as good as the last series? And could David Tennant cut the mustard replacing Christopher Eccleston, who - along with writer Russell T Davies - was the show's saviour last year? The answers: a resounding Yes to the first, and a surprising Mostly to the second. Yet Tennant's first five minutes were thoroughly irritating. ... With his long brown mac, jutting chin and cloying Mockney accent, Tennant came over as a cross between David Bowie circa Dancing In The Streets and Bruce Forsyth. Daft bordering on (don't say it) zany. Mostly, Tennant just ran around and grinned a lot. Luckily, when it came to the futuristic story that followed, Davies's imagination was on fine form. ... Davies's other speciality is humour. Rose was set upon by a stingray-faced wall-hanging called Lady Cassandra. ... As he showed with the last series, writer Russell T Davies is also a master of the modern-day political parable. Here he turned in a story that had parallels with vivisection, battery farming, even Aids. ... It was imaginative, energetic, highimpact, completely bonkers good fun - amusing, original entertainment that, uniquely for television these days, could appeal equally to viewers from eight to 88, although the chase scenes drag a bit. Compared with Eccleston, Tennant is pretty but vacant - too vapid to affect it much. The real star, happily, is the character himself, and then the writer."

Sunday Mirror: "Yup, Doctor Who is back. And, after the tricky manoeuvre of turning Christopher Ecclestone into David Tennant, normal service has been resumed. Silly schoolboy sci-fi plots, unconvincing special effects and badly conceived space monsters that look as though they've just shuffled out of the BBC's make-up department. Which they have. But Who cares! Everyone loves the Doctor and they always will. .. The Beeb's computer graphic boys must have been working under-time when they created that rubbish fake silver hospital by the sea. A kid with a laptop could have done better! But that's the charm of Doctor Who. This venerable national TV institution has always been endearingly amateurish. And long may it continue to be so! ... The stupid story may have been characteristically crap, but that classic Doctor Who feelgood factor was bang on target. The latest - err - tenant of the Tardis acquitted himself well. Tall, skinny and angular, Dr Dave has wild lunatic eyes and looks just a little bit creepy. But he's clearly revelling in landing one of TV's most iconic roles. And for the sheer exuberance it was hard to fault his first full episode as the man in the long brown coat. You get the feeling that - unlike his predecessor Ecclestone - Tennant will not cut and run after just one series. It remains unclear why the Scottish star chose a Mockney accent that too often sounds like Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins. But after the Doc's unexpected passionate kiss with ravishing Rose there should be no problems with on-screen chemistry. Fasten your seatbelts. We're in for one hell of a ride!"

Daily Star: "The mutual lust between these two is hotting up with every episode. But the snag is, it can never be allowed to reach boiling point. The Doc blatantly fancies the kecks off his sidekick (and no doubt loves her with both his hearts) but he knows it would wreck things between them if he made a move on her. Besides which, he's probably also got two willies which, surprisingly, girls can find a bit off-putting. Rose did, of course, plant a huge, plungerlike snog on the Doc in Saturday's episode, but she'd temporarily had her body hijacked by Cassandra, that old trampoline-face we met in the last series, so this didn't really count. Even so, this has become a strangely sexy series for a Saturday teatime, hasn't it? Probably for that very reason you know the pair can only go so far."

SyFy Portal: "As I sat on my couch clutching my Sonic Screwdriver (Yes, I proudly own a Sonic Screwdriver!), I was unexpectedly overcome with excitement as David Tennant made his 'proper' debut as the centuries old Time Lord. ... The episode is literally filled with the same slapstick comedy element of the first season, poking fun at Tennant for becoming the New-New Doctor and also Billie Piper for her chavtastic Rose Tyler. ... I haven't seen much of David Tennant (although he was astounding in 'Secret Smile'), but if 'New Earth' is any indication, then he might actually be the best Doctor yet. What I love about this New-New Doctor is the way in which he instantly takes moral-high ground. Eccleson had the same energy about him, but the difference is that his views tended to come off as slightly sarcastic and on occasion arrogant, not unexpected for someone who knows everything. Tennant however sends the Doctor off on a different direction, bringing a fresh voice to a classic character. The sheer level of emotion in his acting sends ripples throughout the episode.In particular, his scenes with The Face of Bo carried a heartbreaking overtone. It was quite a surprise to be honest, considering Bo is just a big rubber head in a jar. But nonetheless, it had a significant impact. It was actually something we never got to see on the same level with any of the previous Doctors so I have to say Tennant is the perfect man for the job."

Leicester Mercury: "Forgive me, dear reader, if today's review has the feel of a first draft. It's sunny outside, and I quite fancy nipping off to the pub, but the weather's not actually to blame. The real reason this column has the air of a work in progress is Doctor Who. More pointedly, it's down to Russell T Davies. After all, if submitting a script that seemed half-done is good enough for him and the BBC, well, then it's good enough for me. Like my kids, I was looking forward to this first episode of this new series. Like my kids, I was a bit underwhelmed."

TV Squad: "... At this point in the show, my four-year-old son decided he didn't like watching disease-infected zombies stalking the living, and the pause button on my Sky Plus box was promptly called into action while he was safely tucked into his bed. Executive Producer Russell T. Davies promised us an upping of the scare factor in this series, and judging by the opening episode, he's started with a horrifying bang -- although I've always felt that the episodes of Doctor Who that set themselves in an unimaginable (not to mention unbelievable) future, tend to be weaker than the others, often calling on overacting from the principles in order to carry off a typical run-and-scream plot. This one was no exception, and didn't quite manage to beat The Christmas Invasion on the enjoyment factor, but still succeeded in giving me the heebie-jeebies for 60 minutes."

According to the South Wales Echo, "It's always been an attractive but baffling city landmark - and now we know why. Cardiff Bay's oval basin with its peculiar concrete pillars is the headquarters of a secret group dedicated to saving the world from invading aliens. At least, it is in the unusual world of Welsh screenwriter Russel T Davies' new Doctor Who spin off Torchwood. Filming is set to begin soon on the BBC series - which insiders are likening in style to cult American sci-fi hits Buffy and Angel. And the Echo can today reveal that the headquarters of the alien-busting investigators will be hidden under the decked floor of the Oval Basin, also known as the Roald Dahl Plass. The justification for putting Torchwood, which was introduced to Doctor Who fans in David Tennant's first outing as the Doctor in last year's Christmas special, in Cardiff, is that it is hidden away. But city residents should forgive that minor slight for the pleasure of seeing the city as the set for one of the BBC's most innovative new projects. Writer and executive producer Russell T Davies said: 'With Doctor Who we often had to pretend that bits of Cardiff were London, or Utah, or the planet Zog. Whereas this series is going to be honest-to-God Cardiff. We will happily walk past the Millennium Centre and say, 'Look, there's the Millennium Centre.' 'It's nice to be able to say this is the city, and this is how good it looks.' It has already announced that Doctor Who character Captain Jack, played by John Barrowman, will take the lead role. Torchwood, which is the anagram of Doctor Who used to disguise the first preview tapes of the show, is expected to be broadcast sometime later this year after the new series of Doctor Who starring David Tennant finishes."

Trailers

The three-minute preview that was shown on BBCi (red button) at the end of last week has been shown in its (almost) entirety on BBC One twice over the Easter weekend. Sunday afternoon and Monday evening both saw screenings of a 2 minute 44 second version of the package. Additionally, a twenty-second trailer for 'Tooth and Claw' debuted on BBC One on Sunday afternoon and has been shown sporadically since. This episode trailer is composed of material already seen in the 'Next Time' preview at the end of 'New Earth' and/or in the Preview. Also, in addition to its main banner ('Doctor Who returns'), the BBC homepage on Saturday had a further link at the foot of the page, and was 'Pick of the Day' on the BBC One homepage along with a small banner at the head of the channel's main programmes list.

New Zealand Broadcasting

Prime TV has now confirmed it will be screening the new series. The New Zealand TV Guide dated 13 April 2006 says, "Prime says Doctor Who with David Tennant will return, but not until the middle of the year. 'As it is one of our biggest shows, we want to give it a really good launch'. Prime notes the next series has not started playing in Britain yet (sic) 'so we won't be too far behind'."

Ratings Coverage

There's been plenty of ratings coverage over the past few days, with theDaily Mail noting the "disappearing Doctor Who fans" saying that "the first episode of the second series of Dr Who drew around eight million viewers on Saturday night - nearly two million less than for last season's debut. Despite the promise of the Doctor and his sidekick Rose sharing a passionate kiss, numbers were also down on the show's Christmas special, which drew ten million. ... A spokesman for the BBC said the figures for the second series, starring David Tennant and Billie Piper, were 'still among our highest for drama this year'." Also covered at Times Online, TV Squad, Yahoo News, Daily Record, The Guardian, icWales.

Trade magazine Broadcast gives the industry perspective on Saturday's ratings success for 'New Earth', noting that the episode "managed to grow its audience over time and hit a high ... in the final 15 minutes. The show was a big hit with the ABC1 adult as 45% of that demographic, who were watching TV at that time, were tuned to the drama series. The show also proved to be a strong attraction amongst women with the programme drawing 38.3% of the female viewing population. ... The BBC1 show had no problem having the upper hand over ITV1's film premiere of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets ... The film, lasting nearly three hours, gained a reasonable 4.9 million (25.4%)."

The Western Mail also notes that "A BBC spokeswoman said, 'Saturday's Doctor Who peaked at 8.3 million, which we are really pleased with. Doctor Who Confidential on BBC3 got an audience of 729,500 - again, fantastic viewing figures. This is a brilliant start for the new doctor, and is the best drama audience figure so far this year.' The initial figures gained by the BBC revealed that Doctor Who: New Earth gained an average audience of eight million, peaking at 8.3m, with an average audience share of 38.6% of all TV watchers on Saturday evening. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets could only manage an average of five million viewers, peaking at six million, with an average audience share of 25.6%. ... The reaction from Doctor Who fans on website Outpost Gallifrey was similarly mixed although most predicted an enjoyable series. The following reaction was typical: 'What we've got here is a fast paced, enormously entertaining and surprising episode, leaving you feeling shortchanged only because as a two parter it could have been so much more. It is a confident and stylish opener, rich with performances and special FX [effects] and is more than enough to keep the kids happy.'"

Meanwhile, the Sunday Mirror took a look across the Atlantic noting that "A stunning blonde is scuppering Billie Piper's bid to conquer America. Millions tuned in to BBC1 last night to see Billie make her return as Rose Tyler in the second series of the new Doctor Who, with David Tennant in the lead role. But pretty Billie, 23, is being bashed in the US ratings by beautiful blonde former model Tricia Helfer. The first series of the revived Dr Who - starring Christopher Eccleston as the Time Lord - is currently being aired on America's Sci-Fi Channel. But since its Stateside debut last month, the time-travelling series has proved a ratings loser - Billie is struggling to compete against rival Tricia. The beauty, 32, stars in a remake of 70s classic Battlestar Galactica, which airs immediately before Dr Who. The space adventure series - shown on Sky One in the UK - attracts 2.2million viewers. But more than half a million American viewers are switching off when Dr Who comes on straight afterwards. A TV insider said: 'It's the battle of the sci-fi babes. And so far Tricia is winning. It seems she's every scifi fan's dream woman. Billie just can't compete.'" What the Mirror unfortunately has misreported - and therefore throws off its argument - is that Doctor Who does not, in fact, follow Battlestar Galactica, which is currently receiving tremendous critical acclaim from US media; Galactica ended its season before Doctor Who started. Also reported at In The News, Monsters and Critics.

Merchandise

The second issue of Doctor Who Adventures, due out on Wednesday 19 April, actually started to reach the shops last Friday and continues to sell extremely quickly. There are also reports that Woolworth has started to sell new series socks, underpants and boxer shorts for children.

People

The News and Star says that actor Simon Greenall is in episode 10, "Love & Monsters". "Being eaten by an evil monster in Dr Who is the stuff of children's nightmares. But for Longtown actor Simon Greenall it's all in a day's work. The 48-year-old's latest role in the BBC show sees him 'absorbed' by a baddie played by Phoenix Nights comedian Peter Kay. Simon said: 'He's the lead monster and he absorbs me! I think Blue Peter had a competition to create a villain and came up with the Absorbalott.' The BBC is keeping tight-lipped but Simon revealed he plays a character called Mr Skinner. He said: 'He's a lonely little man who forms a group with other people who want to find the Doctor. Peter's character joins the group but we don't know he's a monster, who's also trying to find the Doctor, until he eats us all!' Unfortunately Simon didn't get to meet the stars of the show David Tennant or Billie Piper. He said: 'They are hardly in this episode -- it's quite daring -- the Doctor is only in it at the beginning and the end. ... It's funny because 20 to 30 years ago if you were in Dr Who it wasn't as prestigious as it is now. In fact you would probably have hid the fact you were in it at all.'"

Camille Coduri is to be one of the stars of a new six-part drama for BBC Three called "Sinchronicity", according to apress release from the BBC Press Office. "Sinchronicity revolves around Nathan and the sexual misadventures of a group of 20-somethings. Set and filmed in Manchester, the plots hinge on peripheral moments that could prove crucial for strangers looking for love." Coduri plays the role of Peggy. Also attached to the project are Doctor Who executive producer Julie Gardner, who is executive producer for BBC Three on the drama; Brian Grant, director of last year's episode "The Long Game" who will also direct the drama; andNavin Chowdhry, who starred in last season's "Aliens of London" as Indra Ganesh, who stars here as Mac. Filming begins next month for transmission later in 2006 on BBC Three. Also reported at C21 Media.

Billie Piper is interviewed by Radio Wales, reported at BBC News, in which she tells them, "'I was quite scared if the truth be told. ... I've been here for almost two years now, I'm native - I've learnt some Welsh words - none of which I can tell you because they're all rude.' She said Rose was more 'possessive and uptight' due to having once 'lost' the doctor his regeneration and the appearance of Elisabeth Sladen, the doctor's former companion. ... She is a bit feistier this time round and very jealous, which I love playing. She feels that at any given moment he can be taken away from her. And I don't think she ever considered that before. She could contemplate monsters and all of that, and dealing with alien life forms and parallel worlds, etc, but the idea of losing the man she loves is really shocking and sad. She doesn't want it to happen again. She reacts terribly to meeting Sarah-Jane. That's when the jealous streak starts to kick in, out of fear that she's not his greatest companion and that he's had millions of them before. It's like meeting the ex-girlfriend, and we have this wonderful bitch fight which is worth watching.' On a more personal note, Piper said she feels at home in Cardiff now, after being based in the city for two seasons of the sci-fi drama. She said: 'I've been here for almost two years now, I'm native. I'm Welsh and I've learnt some Welsh words this year - none of which I can tell you because they're all rude - but I love it here. I think I've met some friends for life.'" Piper is also currently #3 of the OK! MagazineCelebrity Chart: "Doctor Who girl Billie became Britain's first 100 million pound telly babe after the BBC sold the sci-fi hit around the globe." The Daily Star says of Piper's "100 million pound" status, "New figures reveal she will help the the BBC earn the incredible sum from sales of the sci-fi smash around the globe. It means Billie, 23 - who plays the Doctor's assistant Rose Tyler - is now the corporation's prize asset. And they are ready to offer her an out-of-this-world pay deal to keep her on board. A source said: 'Billie has the upper hand in this. If the BBC want her to stay then they will have to come up with a tempting offer. They certainly don't want to lose her. If she doesn't stay on Doctor Who then they will try to keep her with a golden handcuffs deal so she doesn't stray to ITV.'" Also, All Headline says that Piper has a crush on comedian Steve Coogan. "The 'Doctor Who' beauty, who is separated from husband Chris Evans, admits she has a crush on the comedian and has sexy thoughts about him. She said: 'Steve Coogan does something for me. He is so naughty, but I quite fancy him.' ... The actress has revealed she met Coogan once when she was 17 – but all he offered her was a sweet. She explained to Britain's GQ magazine: 'He just gave me a funny look and said, 'Would you like a jelly, baby?' He's really cool and amusing. And very dangerous, and so wrong for me.' Billie, who split from her media mogul husband Evans two years ago, now lives with her new boyfriend, law student Amadu Sowe."

Today's Daily Mirror has a brief piece on Elisabeth Sladen and her forthcoming return as Sarah Jane Smith. The actress is quoted as saying that "Sarah Jane used to be a bit of a cardboard cut-out. Each week it used to be, 'Yes Doctor, no Doctor', and you had to flesh your character out in your mind - because if you didn't, no one else would." Interpreting this as 'blasting' the BBC, the Mirror notes that "Sarah Jane plays a much more integral part in the story" in 'School Reunion'; according to Sladen, "The new show is much more realistic. I am thrilled that the BBC realises the companion has an effect on the ratings."

Media Guardian says that David Tennant "is to film a 90-minute BBC1 drama in which he plays the victim of a car crash who suffers a debilitating brain injury". The drama, called "Recovery," is written by Tony Marchant (award-winning creator of 'Holding On' and 'Kid in the Corner'), and begins filming in May by the independent producer Tiger Aspect. It will co-star Sarah Parish as Tennant's wife; the two have previously appeared together in Blackpool on BBC One. The article says it is "likely to be screened in the autumn."

The Sunday Mail says that "David Tennant's girlfriend is carrying a Dr Who doll in her bag - to comfort her when she misses him. Actress Sophia Myles, 26, says she can't bear to be away from David when their filming schedules clash. BBC bosses sent Sophia, who starred as Lady Penelope in Thunderbirds, two of the coveted Time Lord dolls, complete with sonic screwdrivers. The dolls, one wearing a long coat and one in a pinstripe suit, were launched this month by BBC Toys. Sophia was sent hers when she said in a magazine interview that she planned to buy one. Her 'toyboy' is now a fixture in her bag as she films her latest movie Hallam Foe in Scotland." Myles is also the cover star of May's British edition of Tatler which includes a photo of her at a party with David Tennant, and ends as follows: "Being invited to appear on Doctor Who was 'like being called to jury service. You can't say no to Doctor Who.' Nor, it seems, could she say no to its star, David Tennant - the two have been an item ever since. 'The Pink Paper recently voted David the sexiest man in the universe,' she says. 'I'd definitely agree. I will go and buy one of the Doctor Who action figures and carry it in my handbag. I'm very pissed off they are not making a Madame de Pompadour doll, though I have had words with the producers about it.'" Myles appears as Madame de Pompadour in the new season's fourth episode, "The Girl in the Fireplace".

The Daily Record says that actor Jimmy Vee, who played the Moxx of Balhoon in last year's "The End of the World" and the title villain in the digital offering "Attack of the Graske," "has his sights set on an even bigger role. Scotsman Jimmy, who plays an assortment of aliens in the new series with David Tennant, says he'd love to fill the shoes of the Doctor himself, eventually. He said: 'You never know what might happen in one episode. I'm slowly but surely moving up the ladder and getting more in to my characters. I'd love to play the Doctor at some point. Maybe I could take over from David Tennant one day.'"

Tooth and Claw Media Coverage

This week's Radio Times features The Simpsons with Ricky Gervais on its cover, but keeps up the high level of Doctor Who coverage for the second episode of the new series, Tooth and Claw with the cover warning "Doctor Who: Beware the werewolf!" Small photographs from the episode illustrate both the Contents (p.3) and "RT recommends... the week's best television" (p.4), with 'Tooth and Claw' selected as "Drama of the week": "The Tardis whooshes into 1870s Scotland, where Queen Victoria and a big, hungry werewolf await the Doctor. Preposterous but terrific fun." This week's "Doctor Who Watch" comprises a two-page photo feature in which The Mill's Will Cohen explains some of the process involved in bringing the werewolf onto the screen ("Bad Wolf?", pp.12-13); the feature continues on a third page ("Royal prey", p.15) with an interview with Pauline Collins, possibly drawn from the BBC Press Office's press release of a couple of weeks ago, and a brief piece about make-up designer Sheelagh Wells. Overall the feature includes ten new photographs from 'Tooth and Claw'. The episode is also one of "Today's Choices" for Saturday (p.60), with a large photo of Tom Smith as the Host (who "hides a hair-raising secret"). The write-up says that "After last week's comparatively thoughtful opener, here's a full-on action adventure, packed with chases, fights and a huge, hungry werewolf. The Doctor and Rose (Tennant and Piper, a perfect partnership) land in Scotland in 1879 ... directly crossing the path of ... Queen Victoria (Pauline Collins, obviously having a whale of a time) ... It's completely preposterous, but tremendous fun of the good old-fashioned, old-dark-house-on-a-lonely-night variety. The actual werewolf transformation is very effective indeed." Another photo heads Saturday evening's BBC One listings ("The Doctor and Rose journey back to 1879 and uncover a deadly trap dating back centuries."), while the listing for Doctor Who Confidential that evening runs: "The state-of-the-art effects that created one of the Time Lord's hairiest foes, plus behind the scenes on David Tennant's battle with the Sycorax." Sunday's episode repeat has another listing blurb: "The duo probe a terrifying local legend when they land in 1879." Thursday's Totally Doctor Who will feature "Noel Clarke [with] on-set gossip, plus a chance to meet the kung-fu monks". And on Monday, "Doctor Who's canine chum K-9 is in the studio with ex-Who actress Elisabeth Sladen" for Blue Peter at 5pm. This guest appearance is also hightighted on the "Kids' TV" pages (p.116), illustrated with a shot of K9. Elsewhere in the magazine, Alison Graham cites Doctor Who as part of a current "golden age" for television, alongside forthcoming new episodes of Cracker and Prime Suspect: "Doctor Who dominates Saturday tea times ... Surely no one would claim that the new Doctor Who bears any relation to the creaky epics of my childhood, where dear Jon Pertwee battled the Sea Devils, who wore string vests if memory serves. Bring on the computer-generated special effects!" This week's DVD review is of 'Genesis of the Daleks', with Stuart Maconie commenting that "Five years ago, Doctor Who was a joke, its fans derided as dweebs, its storylines and sets a soft target for unimaginative stand-ups. Now it's cooler and sexier than ever before ... ['Genesis'] is pretty good, though: prime interstellar hokum overlaid with some echoes of Nazism and the conflict between might and right. ... The commentary is a delight. Sladen and Baker ... poke gentle and affectionate fun at themselves while clearly proud of their efforts. They should be too." And the Letters pages (p.144) has a correspondent's view that it was "a treat to be able to read Russell T Davies's thoughts on how to (and how not to) write cracking TV drama" in last week's issue. Finally, next week's issue promises coverage of the return of Sarah Jane and K-9...

The Daily Express and Daily Star both mention that "Doctor Who will take on a werewolf at Balmoral in Saturday's show – in a script that could be based on real history. The Doctor – played by Scots star David Tennant – lands his Tardis at Balmoral Castle in Queen Victoria's time and tackles the terrifying creature. But historical accounts show a 'wolfman' did stay in a cave on the royal estate. Local author Sheila Sedgwick said a 'wild boy' was raised by wolves on the mountain Lochnagar in the 19th century. 'The half man half wolf was raised in the cave but later mixed with people in the town, ' she said. 'The boy was orphaned and the wolves looked after him. The idea of a werewolf at Balmoral will make great television.' Lochnagar is Prince Charles' favourite mountain and he enjoys picnics there with Camilla. The cave the 'wolf boy' slept in is located near the summit of the 3,800ft high peak. Dr Sedgwick said: 'The moon played a great part in life on the estate – when they saw a new moon women bowed three times to it.'"

The Scotsman says that "There is a moment near the beginning of the second episode of the new series of Dr Who when Rose, the Doctor's pretty sidekick, attempts a Scottish accent. Held at gunpoint by a procession of 19th-century Scottish soldiers, she tries out a pitiful 'hoots mon' and is quickly shushed by the Doctor, who then proceeds to converse with the soldiers as if he were one of their own. Which in real life, of course, he is. Indeed it is perhaps one of the only times in the new series that viewers will get a hint that the latest Dr Who hails from Paisley, rather than the distant planet of Gallifrey. On this sunny Thursday afternoon in Glasgow, however, David Tennant - television's newest Doctor Who and quite possibly the only one to also have played the role of Casanova - is wearing his Scottishness on his sleeve, excitably leaping up to thank everyone for coming and telling them how much it means to be able to bring the Dr Who team (Billie Piper - with boyfriend Amadu Sowe in tow - Russell T Davies and an assortment of writers and CGI folk are here too) to Scotland. Tennant even utters the word 'jings'. ... Tennant adopts a mockney twang for the role, a move that has led to accusations that it was deliberately changed for a world that wasn't ready for a heavily Scottish-accented Dr Who. It's a charge both Tennant and Davies deny. 'It didn't bother me one way or another,' says Tennant. 'It doesn't make me any less Scottish not doing a Scottish accent. But it was nice to have one episode where Russell came up with the idea of the Doctor having a Scottish accent - which remarkably the doctor could do...' Davies, for his part, strenuously denies that it was a result of any sort of BBC dictat. 'I absolutely swear to you on my life!' he protests. In fact the writer is obviously a Tennant fan. He gave, Davies says, 'one of the best auditions I'd ever seen' for Casanova - another Davies vehicle - and, since then, the writer had kept him at the back of his mind for the Dr Who role. He seems thrilled with his choice. 'He's fantastic,' says Davies. 'The thing with great actors is that you don't know quite what you're going to get. They always take you by surprise.' ... 'Nine months of the year you're filming, so it's difficult to do anything else,' Tennant admits. 'But I fully intend to go back to the theatre at some point and, if it was something for the National Theatre of Scotland, all the better.' As for a third series, both Piper and Tennant have signed up, although there is speculation over whether Piper will appear in every episode. But that's all still some time away in the future."

Heat magazine reviewer Boyd Hilton gives Tooth and Claw 5 stars (it's also at number 2 in their Week's Best TV Shows). He writes: "The second episode of the new series is cunningly described by writer Russell T Davies as a "celebrity historical" story, featuring an encounter with a famous person from history, namely Queen Victoria (played with supreme regal confidence by Pauline Collins, outdoing even Judi Dench's portrayal in Mrs Brown). But the Queen alone isn't enough to fill out a top-quality Russell T Davies script. Oh no. He chucks in a band of mysterious warrior monks who do that flying-fighting thing from The Matrix, the world's biggest diamond, and a truly scary (at least for any kids watching) werewolf. Quite how this ends up being coherent, fun and finally rather moving, we can't fully explain, but we do know that Rose's running-joke attempt to get Queen Victoria to say "We are not amused" is the finest slice of comedy in recent Who history. There's surely no other show on TV right now that manages to be as funny, scary and giddily entertaining all at the same time. Except for maybe Deal Or No Deal."

Closer picks this week's episode as one of it's (4) choices for Saturday: "The Doctor tries to transport Rose back to the flower power era of the '70s, but he accidentally hits the wrong digit and they end up in the Scottish highlands in 1879 - whoops! It's not quite the nostalgic trip down memory lane he had in mind - especially when a local legend about a werewolf turns out to be true. Pauline (Shirley Valentine) Collins guest stars as Queen Victoria."

New magazine lists Doctor Who as number 6 in their Top 10 Picks: "Doctor Who must be a dream for its special effects team, and they sure had fun creating tonight's creepy creature - a terrifyingly realistic werewolf that Rose and The Doctor encounter when they are dropped in the Highlands of Scotland in 1879. How things have changed since Tom Baker's day!"

Reveal has this week's episode as this as one their Must Sees for Saturday and give it 4 stars: "The Time Lord and Rose find themselves in 19th century Scotland. There they meet Queen Victoria and encounter a sinister order of warrior monks." Sneak's Pick of the Day: "Prepare for an extra spooky episode as Rose and the Doctor travel back to 1879 and meet Queen Victoria. Plus, the pair confront a terrifying werewolf who stalks the Scottish Highlands looking for prey. Scarier than Pete Burns without any slap on!".

Star magazine gives Tooth and Claw 4 out of 5 stars: Tonight the Doctor and his fragrant Rose travel back in time for a chilling encounter with Queen "Gappy" Victoria and a band of Warrior Monks in the Scottish Highlands. Things become even hairier when an ancient and deadly trap is revealed.

US Broadcasts

TV Guide said of last week's US transmission of "Dalek," "The Daleks---or rather, the Dalek (singular)---is back, and it is peeved. It has not one but three issues: 1) Henry Von Stanton (spelling?), 2) the 'extermination' of its race and 3) the man behind that 'extermination,' the Doctor. As one reader pointed out, the Time Lords weren't wiped out by a civil war, as I'd thought, but by a protracted conflict with the Daleks. The Doctor succeeded in destroying the screchy pepper shakers, but only at the expense of his own people, which is a lot of guilt to carry around even in something as big as the TARDIS. Age and grief catch up to our hero when he spots the Cyberman head in a museum. Its owner is von Stanton, an A++++ type billionaire from the year 2012. 'Blimey, you can smell the testosterone,' muses Rose. Von Stanton has to rank among the most obnoxious people the Doctor has ever dealt with. He is, of course, American---a control freak who can hire and fire Presidents on a whim because he owns the internet. (Al Gore apparently didn't patent his invention.) Von Stanton at least has the acumen to promote the seductive Diana Goddard to chief assistant. (Anna-Louise Plowman resembles Nicole Kidman during her younger, curlier days.) Among von Stanton's objets d'art are items from Roswell, alien weapons, a hair drier, and the aforementioned Cyberman head. In the basement of his Utah bunker, the last surviving Dalek is being tortured to get it to communicate. It parts with no words until it sees its old enemy, the Doctor, after which comes the familiar, metallic refrain of 'Exterminate!.' Marooned and moribund, the Dalek can't cause any trouble---yet---but it does give as good as it gets in a verbal duel with our tart-tongued Time Lord. 'If you can't kill, what is the point of you?' he snarles. The Dalek points out that the Doctor too is alone because of the Time War. That the writers could inject pathos into a Dalek is a wonder in and of itself, particularly considering how many people it exterminated during the course of this phenomenal episode. But it was alone, it had no orders, and it had no purpose. Alas, Rose soon gave the Dalek a new lease on life by touching it, somehow passing the Doctor's regenerative DNA into its genes. The Dalek then went on a killing spree that made the bunker look like the Alamo (like bullets were going hurt this thing). Still, it was about time that someone explained how the Daleks could overcome the stairs obstacle. It flies, you see. Wonder why the Daleks didn't use that on the Doctor before. (Budget constraints, perhaps?) After telling Jackie that he'd protect Rose, the Doctor's agony at her supposed death really hit home, all the more so because we could see it coming. Of course she didn't perish (she was one of the few who didn't), but with her as a hostage the Dalek barged into von Stanton's office. 'What use are emotions if you can't save the woman you love?' it barked at the Doctor. The Dalek's reaction to von Stanton's hemming and hawing about trying to get it talk was CLASSIC---'You want me to talk? EX-TER-MIN-ATE!' No, it didn't kill him (Goddard staged a hilarious coup, instead), but the Dalek did undergo a subtle emotional shift as the episode went on, experiencing fear, a craving for freedom, and a desire to see the sun. Armed with a honkin' alien bazooka, the Doctor wanted to do some exterminating of his own. Seems he'd undergone a shift too, as Rose noted. 'What are you changing into?' she demands. This gives our emotional hero pause. Christopher Eccleston was awesome throughout the entire episode. He is by turns cheeky, angry, wistful, guilt-ridden, passionate and compassionate, like a bi-polar person who has harnessed their behavior. An amazing performance. Billie Piper again shows why she is such apt foil---Rose is tough, stable and warm but never wooden. The Dalek gives perhaps the most remarkable performance of all, though you'd have to be a fan of the old Who to really appreciate why. Rose's humanity caused the Dalek too much emotional distress for its one-dimensional genetic make up. It had to die. 'Are you frightened Rose Tyler?' 'Yes,' she replies. 'So am I.' It was like the tin man getting a heart---if the tin man was Saddam Hussein. And with that, the Dalek implodes. Before departing, the Doctor gets a new comrade. Adam (Bruno Langley) is a brilliant young British minion of von Stanton's who has more than a passing interest in Rose. Wonder what Mickey will say? And von Stanton...he's brainwashed and dumped in a skid row of a city beginning with `S.' Sorry to go on and on, but this jewel had a million great moments---I had to mention at least a thousand of them."

Now Playing Mag says that "At the risk of blowing my cover as a hip TV guru so early in the game, I have to confess that one of my favorite shows at the moment is the new version of Doctor Who. Being both American and a girl I realize that I have no business being a fan of Doctor Who, but I can’t deny that I’m hooked on the cheeky time-traveling alien and his spunky sidekick, Rose Tyler. And on the occasion of the show’s triumphant return to the British airwaves this weekend for a second go-round, not to mention the American airing of “Dalek” — one of the best episodes from last season, I figured it was a time to come clean. It all started last January, when I received a call from an editor to do a last-minute interview with David Tennant, who took over the role from Christopher Eccleston at the end of the first season (or series, as the British call their seasons — just to confuse us yanks, and then laugh at our ignorance). Having never seen a single episode of the new series, or the old, I felt woefully unprepared and dove into researching the history of Doctor Who. And then I gave up. I mean, who can process 40 years of history in a single afternoon? So I interviewed David not fully comprehending what an opportunity it was (or the fact that a lot of fanboys out there would give up their action-figure collections for the same chance). Maybe it’s just my personal weakness for accents (and he has a lovely Scottish brogue that you unfortunately won’t get to hear in the Doctor’s voice), but he couldn’t have been more charming or personable in the interview. If he was tired of talking about inheriting the Doctor’s legacy by the time I got to him, he certainly didn’t show it. And he’s now signed up through the third series, so it seems he’s in it for the long haul. It may be hard for some fans to accept David as the new Doctor, but he was my first, so there will always be a spot in my heart for number 10. And that’s how “The Christmas Invasion” came to be the first episode of Doctor Who I ever saw. That pretty much clinched it for me. I proceeded to track down every episode of the new series (let’s just say I found them through a friend — we’ll call him Kit Borrent) and was rarely disappointed by the sharp, witty writing that also managed to be culturally relevant. Above all, it was just plain fun to watch. And right at height of my fascination came the SCI FI Channel announcement that it was bringing the series to the States. I tried wishing for a million dollars too, but I’m still waiting on that one. I’ll keep you posted. I know that if I had that million dollars right now, I’d buy myself a plane and a handsome pilot to fly me over to the U.K. for the weekend so I could be there for the return of Doctor Who. But since I can’t, I guess it’s up to old Kit to hook me up again."

TV Squad says, "I am really enjoying these new Dr. Who adventures that are appearing on the Sci-Fi Channel while their normal Friday night schedule is taking a hiatus. To paraphrase... it's not your father's (or grandfather's) Dr. Who. While there are some occasional cheesy aliens and special effects, this version of the show is definitely the one of the most slickly produced in the series' 43-year history. ... I actually felt sympathy for the Dalek in this episode as it made the decision to kill itself; whoever wrote the sequence between him, the Doctor and Rose did a very good job at showing the Dalek's pain. In general this episode was very emotional, as the Doctor showed his anger and fear when meeting the Dalek and his sadness when he thought he had lost Rose. This version of the Doctor is, well, cool. He's not like some of the other Doctors (like, for example, sixth Doctor Colin Baker). He dresses well, he's glib, and he has the right amount of cheekiness and logic in him. I also like Rose. There have been plenty of companions that have done nothing but whine every time the Doctor began another adventure. Rose is different; she comes from South London (I guess that's a rough and tumble part of the city), she's young, and she is ready to go on the adventures (as she had nothing really keeping her at home before that). I look forward to future episodes."

Miscellaneous

Says Media Monkey in The Guardian, "Five years after Greg Dyke called the BBC 'hideously white', it appears that the corporation still has some way to go. A double page picture of most of the 200 production staff behind Doctor Who in the Radio Times reveals just two black faces, one of them Noel Clarke, who plays Mickey Smith. Defeating the Daleks is one thing, employing more members of an ethnic minority is quite another."

The Telegraph says that "he has defeated Daleks and Cybermen but Doctor Who has now achieved possibly his greatest victory yet - attracting tourists to South Wales. The BBC's decision to film the series around Cardiff and Swansea has been credited with breathing new life into the region's tourist trade. Thousands of fans have flocked to the area to visit locations and tourism chiefs believe that the new series, which began last night, will provide a further boost in time for summer. They are even considering setting up tourist trails and are encouraging operators to develop Doctor Who holidays. Geoff Haden, the chairman of Tourism Swansea, said: 'Tourism is only ticking over so it really needs the boost it is getting from Doctor Who. There are lots of Doctor Who nuts out there whom we're targeting.' While some locations, such as the Gower Peninsula, Cardiff Bay and the city's Millennium Centre, are well-established as tourist attractions, the show features a host of less salubrious backdrops, including Cardiff Royal Infirmary, Howell's department store, the former offices of Glamorgan county council and a housing estate on the outskirts of the Welsh capital. Despite the lack of glamour, tourism bosses say Doctor Who fans are just as keen to tour a shopping centre as they are to stroll on a coastal path. John Wake, a Cardiff tour guide, said: 'Some of the locations are not terribly interesting places, like tower blocks and council estates, but the fans still want to go there. These enthusiasts just want to see exactly where everything happened and can spend a couple of hours at these places.' An exhibition dedicated to the Time Lord at Cardiff's Red Dragon Centre has attracted more than 100,000 visitors since Christmas, and hundreds are expected to attend a Doctor Who convention in Swansea later this year. Following the first series, a poll found that 18 per cent of visitors to Cardiff had decided to come after seeing the city on television. ... Although the locations are usually adapted to represent London as well as more remote outposts of the universe, the BBC says the show is intended as a showcase for Wales. The corporation has been working with the Wales Tourist Board on using the show to promote the principlality and its website offers a guide to film locations."

The Sun also says that "a recent poll found one in five visitors to Cardiff had decided to go after seeing the Welsh capital on TV. Thousands of fans have flocked to South Wales since the first series was aired last year - the new series kicked off on Saturday - to eight million avid viewers. But it is tricky for viewers to spot the sites as the Beeb uses props and special effects to transform locations, making them appear as if they are in London. Here, we invite you to step into The Sun's Tardis for a whirlwind tour of Wales - Doctor Who-style. When we met Billie Piper's character Rose for the first time, she was working in fictitious central London department store Henrik's. But to browse the shelves for real, shoppers would have to go to Howells in Cardiff, where the external shots were filmed. In this episode, The Doctor and Rose find the Nestene Consciousness lurking underground beneath the London Eye. However, the nailbiting scenes were filmed in a disused paper mill in Grangetown, a Cardiff suburb. The mill was used again in the first episode of the new series last Saturday as the location for the sinister 'testing labs' at an alien hospital. When Rose's mum is chased by shop dummies through London, also in the first series, she is really in and around the Queen's Arcade shopping centre in Cardiff. The crew simply added a few lampposts and a London Underground sign. And when an alien crash-lands in the fourth episode of series one it is taken to the Albion Hospital. In reality, this was Cardiff Royal Infirmary. The corridors and empty rooms were also given a futuristic make-over and used for interior shots featuring aliens. So now you should know where you are when it comes to Doctor Who."

The Western Daily Press features an article by "Science of Doctor Who" author Paul Parsons who asks "Have you wondered how Daleks climb stairs, how those Cybermen are able to make little Cybermen, or where the toilets are on the Tardis? I have been a fan of Doctor Who as long as I can remember, although I wasn't around when he first arrived on TV in 1963, the day after President John F Kennedy was shot. Since then, the journeys of the Time Lord have shown us alien worlds, strange life-forms, futuristic technology and mind-bending cosmic phenomena. Viewers have hidden behind their sofas, terrified of Daleks, been amazed by the wonders of time travel, and travelled through black holes into other universes and new dimensions. The sheer imagination of the Doctor's adventures have made the show one of science fiction's truly monumental success stories - but you might be surprised quite how much scientific reality lies behind the fiction." The article goes into discussing some of these scientific issues, with a pitch for the book (now on the stands) at the end.

The Daily Express says that "the new series of Doctor Who has only just warped into action but this has not stopped Time Lord David Tennant from nominating his replacement when he parks his Tardis for good. He would like League Of Gentlemen comedian Mark Gatiss to take over the Dalek-fighting duties. Gatiss, who can currently be seen starring as a psychiatric inmate in BBC comedy Nighty Night and is known for playing eccentric characters, has already penned an episode of the current Doctor Who series. 'Mark would be great and would be keen to do it, too, I think, ' proffers Tennant." Actor/writer Gatiss wrote last year's "The Unquiet Dead" and this season's "The Idiot's Lantern".

The Derby Evening Telegraph says that "Brave Doctor Who fan James Shelton came face to face with two Daleks when he visited Pickford's House. The eight-year-old was one of about 80 youngsters who attended a Doctor Who day on Saturday at the museum in Friar Gate, Derby. James is pictured with a Tardis, made by Steve Warby, who brought it to the museum to show the children. The day marked the launch of a new series of the popular BBC1 show (see Page 10). Mr Warby, of Chaddesden, spent five months creating the Tardis. He said: 'The children were making their own K9 dogs from the series and masks of the new-look Cybermen, too. They were very good. The children loved the Tardis and were very surprised when a Dalek came out of it.'"

Also BBC News, icNewcastle, icWales and The Guardian covered the launch of series two with brief recap articles;Female First says that "David Tennant loves being a gay sex symbol".

(Thanks to Paul Engelberg, Steve Tribe, Peter Weaver, Chuck Foster, Paul Hayes, David Traynier, James van-der Heiden, Michael Blumenthal, David Ryan, Jon Preddle and Peter Anghelides)

Ratings for Dalek, the sixth episode of the new series broadcast on the Sci Fi Channel in the US, have come in, and are sadly not welcome news. The telecast averaged a 1.17 household rating with an average viewing audience of 1.3 million viewers, making it the lowest rated original Doctor Who broadcast of the season to date. However, it is important to note that this was a holiday weekend, which could explain the sudden drop in viewers from the previous week.

Overnight viewing figures for the weekend beyond the transmission of "New Earth" (which Outpost Gallifrey reported two days ago) are in. The first transmission of Totally Doctor Who, the children's documentary series, on Thursday on BBC1 was seen by 800,000 viewers, while Saturday evening's first Doctor Who Confidential documentary on BBC3 was seen by 732,000 viewers with a 4.7% audience share (the Sunday night repeat had 324,000 viewers, 2.1% audience share). Also, the Sunday evening repeat of New Earth on BBC3 had 384,000 viewers (2.5% audience share), rather low compared to last year's Sunday repeats (621,000 for 'Aliens of London' on the same weekend in 2005)... although this was on a day when good weather saw television audiences in the UK down by 20% or more overall. Confidential's Saturday figure is 21,000 higher than its 2005 equivalent.

Meanwhile, the audience appreciation index (AI) results for Saturday are available, and the transmission of New Earthsecured a rating of 85. This is the highest figure for any programme on UK television on Saturday, Doctor Who's nearest rival being Five's "CSI: New York" with 84. It should be noted that Doctor Who is one of only seven out of forty programmes shown on Saturday to have an AI of over 80; another seven scored 70 or lower, and the rest are in the seventies. The figure suggests an general audience response slightly more positive than that for The Christmas Invasion(84), and makes the episode more widely 'popular' than all but two episodes of the 2005 series - 'Bad Wolf' (86) and 'The Parting of the Ways' (89). (Thanks to Steve Tribe, Andy Parish)

The first overnight viewing figures are now in for New Earth and it seems to have maintained last year's strong performance: an average of 8.0 million viewers watched the episode, with an average 38.6 per cent audience share. The episode was not only BBC One's top-rated programme on Saturday evening and first in its timeslot, with the main competition - ITV1's Harry Potter movie - being watched by about 4.8m people (23.6%) while Doctor Who was on; it was also Saturday's top-rated television programme, with Casualty second-placed with 7.0m. The start of 'New Earth' saw an increase in BBC One's ratings of 2.1m, from 5.7m (30.9%) to 7.8m (38.5%), rising to a peak of 8.3m (39.0%) for the last fifteen minutes; when the episode finished, 2.9m people switched off BBC One. (This is in line with last year's episodes, when two to three million viewers came and went, specifically for Doctor Who.) These figures are also 1.0 million up on Doctor Who's performance in the overnights on the same Saturday last year ('Aliens of London' on 16 April), when an average of 7.0m (34%) were watching. The ratings success has been reported by BBC News and CBBC News. (Thanks to 'Shaun Lyon')

The official Doctor Who website today tied into the debut of "New Earth" with a commentary track (in MP3 format) by David Tennant and executive producer Russell T Davies, as well as photo features and videos.

Meanwhile, also now available on the site is the second installment of theTARDISODES "mini episodes", this one a precursor to "Tooth and Claw" featuring an alien crashlanding on Earth.

Broadcasting Updates

Currently playing on BBC Digital (Freeview channel 302) is the press previewtrailer presentation featuring clips from "Tooth and Claw," "School Reunion" (including some scenes of K9 and a confrontation between Rose and Sarah Jane), "The Girl in the Fireplace," "Rise of the Cybermen/The Age Of Steel," plus a couple of teasers for "The Impossible Planet/The Satan Pit" and "The Idiot's Lantern" for the eagle-eyed. (It also appears there may be one or two brief clips from the final two-parter of the year.) Viewers were invited to press their "red button" to see the press presentation.

On Saturday from 11.58am onwards (after Sportsround) the CBBC Channelwill be going "Doctor Who crazy!" Matt Edmondson and Anne Foy will be hosting, dressed as the Doctor and Rose, and throughout the day they'll "be building up the excitement to the big event at 7.15 on BBC ONE. We'll be playing a Doctor Who game, giving viewers the chance to vote for their favourite clip of 2005, and finding out whether there are monsters in your school in our Monster Hour. As well as that, we've another chance to see Totally Doctor Who episode 1."

The "Listen Again" feature for the Jo Whiley radio show on Thursday, featuring an interview with David Tennant, is active; click here to listen to the interview.

Official Websites

In the absence of a site for Totally Doctor Who, the CBBC Newsround site has this week launched a Doctor Who mini-site of its own, gathering up the various stories, interviews and photo packages of the past year, as well as starting a new message board for younger fans. The site can be foundhere.

On the official site, Doctor Who Confidential now has the beginnings of its own proper section - a webpage currently titled 'Confidential Desktop: The Christmas Invasion'. As well as a handful of pop-up facts about the Christmas special, there's a series of windows with descriptive text on various aspects of making the show, along with a 'Monsters and Villains' style short history of the Sycorax by Russell T Davies. There are also links in place (but not yet active) to pages or sections for the first four editions of the second series, up to 'From Script to Screen'.

Also on the official site is the return of last year's Fear Factor - a 'Chilling' 4 out of 5 being given to 'New Earth' by the panel of children."It's non-stop action! Things are exploding! Samuel is very excited, while Adam fidgets in agitation. Amy attempts to cover the TV with a cushion at one point, to Harry's annoyance. ... A worried Amy asks, 'Is it nearly finished yet?' Mum wonders if she wants to stop watching. 'No!' replies."

The BBC's main TV page is once again using a flash animation to promote tomorrow's series debut. And the BBChomepage for Saturday proclaims "Doctor Who returns"...

Series Two Updates

The Sophia Myles fansite Absolutely Sophia Myles posted a news story stating that "David Tennant, Sophia Myles and a producer" have recorded a commentary for "The Girl in the Fireplace", presumably the one for the BBC website which will go live after the episode's transmission.

The trade paper Broadcast this week carries a feature on Will Cohen, the head of Mill TV, on producing effects for the new series. According to Cohen, last year's tally of 1,300 vfx shots over 13 episodes looks like being matched this year: "we've completed 600 or thereabouts on the six episodes we've finished so far. So it looks the same on paper, but this time we've got more people working on the project and we're taking more time. You'll see the results on screen." Cohen also goes into some detail on the constraints of budget and schedule, taking Russell T Davies' request for a werewolf for episode 2 as an example - "The werewolf couldn't have hair all over, it could only be on screen for 40 shots, it had to have a run cycle and it could emote but it wouldn't be able to speak. So Russell went away and wrote the script based around that ... We even threw in a couple of iconic howling shots for free too." Doctor Who has 25 Mill personnel working for the series, and each episode is taking five to six weeks to complete, with several episodes being worked on at once - currently, "modelling [is] just starting for the last episode ... the series certainly ends with a bang." Cohen also mentions that the Mill are now "doing tests" for Series Three, "so we can advise the BBC on frame rates and other shooting considerations when it moves to HD" and that Torchwood will also be shot in HD, with one episode being "as action-packed as any episode of Doctor Who itself" - "this could be the sci-fi show that British television has always deserved." Broadcast also has some details on the opening title sequence for Totally Doctor Who: "BDH has created the title sequence for the BBC's new 13 x 25-minute CBBC series Totally Doctor Who. BDH director Rob Hifle oversaw the titles, animated backgrounds, stings and straps for the show, which was produced by BBC Wales' Simon Hall. The team was briefed to ensure that the graphics echoed the main series but retained a separate identity. Music and sound effects were produced by Tim Baker from Subvertical. The graphic sequences were hand-drawn and animated by BDH designer Jon Doe."

The Daily Star talks about this season's monsters... and have they given something away that hasn't been widely reported? "This monster line-up shows just some of the terrifying foes Doctor Who and sexy sidekick Rose Tyler must face in the new series of the sci-fi hit. Telly bosses have pulled out all the stops to ensure fans will be diving behind the sofa when the Time Lord returns to BBC1 on Saturday. We can reveal that The Doctor (David Tennant, 33) and Rose (Billie Piper, 23) face danger both from old enemies and new. They'll fight demonic shape shifters The Krillitanes, who have taken over a school. They also have to battle a new set of killer clockwork droids, dressed like they're ready for a masked ball. And the new series features a howling mad werewolf trying to get its fangs into both Rose . . .and Queen Victoria. The ghostly Gelth, who popped up last year and survived by taking over human corpses, return to threaten the Earth, And the Doctor's sinister old foes The Cybermen are back - just as deadly but with a new streamlined look. The Cybermen and Gelth join forces in a bid to wipe out the human race in the climax of the series. Writer Russell T. Davies, 42, said: 'It was just the most exciting thing I've done. It's huge. When I showed the script to the BBC they were so excited. We are talking epic Hollywood blockbuster stuff here.'" This is the first press mention that the Gelth are returning for series two, if it's true...

Says Broadcast, "BDH has created the title sequence for the BBC's new 13 x 25-minute CBBC series Totally Doctor Who. BDH director Rob Hifle oversaw the titles, animated backgrounds, stings and straps for the show, which was produced by BBC Wales' Simon Hall. The team was briefed to ensure that the graphics echoed the main series but retained a separate identity. Music and sound effects were produced by Tim Baker from Subvertical. The graphic sequences were hand-drawn and animated by BDH designer Jon Doe using Photoshop and After Effects."

Manchester Online says it's "Time for Dr Who feast: Doctor Who stars David Tennant and Billie Piper are trying to make themselves heard over the rantings of a deranged Dalek. A polite request is made by your man from the M.E.N. to exterminate the over-excited metal monster. And, within a minute or so, it's done. Would that it was so easy to silence the Time Lord's greatest enemy out there in time and space. Doctor Who is a reminder of just how scary the universe can be. Worried about Mr T taking over from Salford's Christopher Eccleston? Don't be. In the first full adventure out of his pyjamas, he moves the role on, with a cure for any Easter weekend boredom, along with a few other things. ... David and Billie are taking a break from filming and relaxing at Cardiff's Millennium Centre, transformed into a hospital with a difference for this weekend's story, and also being visited during our interview by that screeching Dalek, who probably just wants someone to talk to. Doomsday will be the biggest finish to a series in the history of Doctor Who. 'It's a real cliffhanger,' promises Billie. But it's a two-part story, concluding with The Satan Pit, that has wiped the smile off her face. 'I was quite shocked,' she frowns. 'The devil has always been quite a spooky concept for me and I found those two scripts terrifying - really dark. We're on a different planet, an alien world.' David adds: 'Basically, they find a darkness that doesn't seem to have an explanation. And even the Doctor, who can usually explain these things away, is a bit stumped by quite what is living under this planet.' There's fun to be had everywhere in this series, with five episodes written by Manchester-based Russell T Davies. It contains some of the best TV writing, acting and production on show anywhere in the world. Clues about the future are there for the taking. ... 'Russell is the best writer in television,' maintains David. 'He is the master of making entertainment seem effortless. The script for the last episode was genuinely breathtaking to read. And there are other brilliant writers on this series, including Matthew Graham from Life On Mars.' Snogging aside, there's plenty of chemistry between Rose and the tenth Time Lord. 'There's no formula,' explains Billie. 'It just happens or it doesn't. And, fortunately enough for us, it happened.' ... But - assuming they survive Doomsday - both will be back to film the next series, although there's continued speculation about when they might leave. As long as the show stays on top form, why would they want to quit?"

New Earth Reviews/Features

The Sun today said of "New Earth," "They are purr-fect villains... feline foes who provide the opposition for Doctor Who tomorrow as the Timelord returns to our screens. At first they look cute, but fans soon discover these weird kitties aren't your average housecats - they are deadly. They are the Sisters Of Plenitude, evolved cats who run a sinister hospital on earth billions of years in the future. ... It was up to the amazing make-up experts on the BBC1 sci-fi hit to work a miracle turning actors into the untrustworthy cats with prosthetics. And the job they did turned out to be the cat's whiskers. The prosthetics chief is Neill Gorton, who helped develop the character from the last series, The Face Of Boe, who reappears tomorrow night. Neill said: 'At first we thought the Sisters were going to be aliens who resembled cats. But Russell (writer, Russell T Davies) said, 'Forget about doing cat like monsters, these are cats who have evolved.' 'So it was like, OK, go get some pictures of Tiddles and let's figure it out. We made a prosthetic piece for the face and to get the finish we used a technique called flocking. It involves firing nylon fibres from a gun. They attach to the prosthetic skin so you get that beautiful fur all over the face. Then it's airbrushed to get different patterns. We picked different ones to suit their characters. There's the novice who is more of a ginger cat, younger and softer, and a grey tabby for the mother superior. Someone could look at their own cat and see the same markings on the face.' It can't have been that comfortable for the actors in the masks though. Actress Anna Hope, who plays one of the Sisters, is seen above left getting hers and there is the finished face. She admits: 'The entire prosthetic cat mask is modelled to my face. It takes about two and a half hours to put on. Your skin can't breathe particularly well, but it's OK.'"

Charlie Brooker in The Guardian writes, "Terrible thing, anticipation. ... All of which brings me to Doctor Who (Sat, 7.15pm, BBC1) - specifically, to episode one of the new series. Now, I've been effusive in my admiration of last year's series - effusive to the point of fellatio, you might say, if it were possible to fellate a television programme, which it isn't, not unless you take a printout of the scripts, furl them into a tube and mimic a blowjob on them, although the weirdness of your actions tends to overshadow your implied praise when you do something like that. Anyway, my anticipation gland was bursting as I settled down to watch the series opener - so you can guess what's coming next. It left me a bit ... well, a bit down. For starters, there's a bit too much going on given the 45-minute running time: the plot revolves around shadowy goings-on in an intergalactic hospital, but there's also a lot of messing about with supporting characters who feel superfluous to the main storyline, diffusing your attention. It also makes a few jarring tonal shifts - leaping from high camp, to straight horror, to oleaginous sentimentality without warning. And David Tennant, trying to keep up with this, occasionally just ends up popping his eyes and shouting too much. What I'm saying is it's a jumbled let-down. See what I'm doing here? I'm lowering your expectations. Not because I'm trying to trick you, but because I didn't think it was very good. And I bloody love Doctor Who. Sorry. ... But hey. Carping over. Now for the good news. All of this - the rush of anticipation, the slow guff of disappointment - all of this is all entirely in keeping with last year's premiere episode, which was also an overexcited manic sprawl of a thing, but turned out to be merely the slightly misfired opening salvo in a dazzlingly brilliant fun-for-all-the-family romp. And if NEXT week's episode is anything to go by, this year's going to be similar. Because next week's episode (also scripted by Russell T Davies) involves a much-publicised encounter with a werewolf guaranteed to make easily-spooked kiddy viewers crap their own spines through their bumholes. It's flipping great (as are Tennant and Piper). In summary, then, your instructions are as follows: watch with a forgiving eye, because the predictive chart I'm preparing indicates a steep upturn in quality from hereon in. Hooray and phew for that."

Another review in The Guardian says, "Anyone who thinks that television no longer unites the nation should peer into living rooms across the country at 7.15pm tonight. The fools' lantern will be flickering, but you may not see anyone in front of the screen. Children and adults alike will be cowering behind sofas as the Tardis heaves into view accompanied by a new Doctor Who and that familiar, if slightly tweaked, whoosh of a tune. The outpouring of affection for the series, with the 10th incarnation of the Doctor played by Casanova star David Tennant, is far from nostalgia for the shaky sets and stripy scarves of the Tom Baker golden era. Viewers have returned - 10 million watched the Christmas special - because the reinvigorated franchise is witty and warm, as well as scary. It vaporises any suggestion the good Doctor is not the man he used to be. Under Russell T Davis's writing, he is much, much better. The series is more subtle and satirical than of old. The first episode features a futuristic hospital where boil-covered Zombies fester, echoing the recent botched drug trials and the panic over superbugs. But the up-to-date Doctor benefits too from the rich heritage of past series, fondly pored over by Whovians. As Davis has pointed out, children enjoy the mythology that comes with the Doctor. And so parents chuntering on about K9 and the Cybermen do not cause offspring to roll their eyeballs but only encourage further forays from the safety of the sofa." And yet another article says, "Cat nurses, lonely zombies, mind-swap machines and a fat man who's slowly turning into stone, or as the 10th Doctor David Tennant puts it, 'I like impossible'. Just over a year ago, reviving Doctor Who seemed like a mad geek's gamble, now it's the toast of the town. A playful Tennant is already fully relaxed into the role, pleasing Billie Piper no end, while Russell T Davies' cracking script never lets any potentially mawkish stuff outweigh the all-important goofy fun. 'Fantastic!' "

The Scotsman says, "Television has changed since the old days of Doctor Who. The performance style of shouty acting, which has its roots in theatre, has begun to die off. It has gone in most of the comedy and in some of the drama. But children's TV is still hard at it. While it definitely doesn't suit the medium, maybe it is still required by the age group - something to do with young people's well-documented need to know exactly where they stand, with none of the ambiguities that naturalism tends to usher in. Russell T Davies's remake of Doctor Who... has brought the old mystery man down to earth. ... As a fan of both Christopher Eccleston and David Tennant, I was excited when they each got the part. But neither of them are at home with the new laddish thing. Weren't Ross Kemp or Jeremy Clarkson available? It doesn't help Tennant that a choice has been made to do a kind of East London accent. I kept expecting him to pop down the Vic for a quick spot of bovver. ... This first episode in the new series doesn't give Tennant the opportunities Eccleston had in his first episode to win Billie Piper over to his mission. And there is less of Davies's contemporary reference wit here than in his first series to fire Tennant's comic genius. Both Tennant and Eccleston get angry moral crusader speeches. This is a convention of British dramatic writing I despise. When human beings are angry, they are surfing on unconscious forces and a whole unpredictable complex comes into play, from laughter to tears to violence to complete incoherence. It could turn on a sixpence at any second. That is danger. But angry speeches make actors' voices go tight, as if they are unconsciously resisting the falsehood. This happens to both Tennant and Eccleston, but the strain shows more in Tennant. The result is not only ugly and untrue, it's also boring. The best way to express the Doctor's morality is in his deeds. In the last series there was a lot of the heroes being chased through labyrinthine buildings by that particular week's manifestation of evil. And here it is again in the first of the new one. But our old flat-footed friend the British TV camera watches from outside the tension. The shots don't allow you to apprehend the exact danger at any given moment. Instead of experiencing the drama you have to translate it."

Newsquest Media says that "The last series saw Christopher Eccleston expose the darker side of the Doctor's character. And the new series will see David Tennant as the tenth Time Lord fresh from playing Casanova. He and feisty assistant Rose Tyler are set to battle the new-look Cybermen and save Queen Victoria from the clutches of a werewolf. But what kind of Doctor will he be this time around and do Doctor Who fans really want to see him snog Billie Piper? ... Area 51 radio presenter and Channel 4 resident sci-fi expert Stuart Claw, 27, thinks that the new series could see some interesting developments in the Doctor's character. He said: 'I think Doctor Who is one of the first things I started watching. Jon Pertwee was really good. 'I have to say Tom Baker is good for a laugh and he started a new fashion in scarves. Christopher Eccleston really impressed me. 'It was a shame he had to leave suddenly. David Tennant as the Doctor? I don't know. The jury's still out on that.' The Doctor's relationship with Rose will hopefully be developed a lot further in the second series, kicking off on Saturday, added Stuart."

The Hollywood Reporter says that "Only the been-there, done-that time traveling hero of 'Doctor Who' would journey to the year 5-billion-23 and upon entering the most fantastic medical facility ever built anywhere complain, 'There's no shop. A hospital should have a little shop.' While in the U.S. the Sci Fi Channel is still in the first series of the modern reincarnation of the legendary Time Lord starring Christopher Eccleston, the BBC on Saturday moves into the second of two series starring David Tennant ('Cassandra') [sic]. Tennant brings a childlike joy to the doctor's enjoyment of his extraordinary powers and his errors in judgment, required for the inevitable predicaments, are a shade more believable than when perpetrated by Eccleston's character. It is a children's show, after all, although Russell T Davies has made the new series savvy and witty enough to attract adults. ... It's silly and clever stuff, and the sets and CGI are all just good enough. The BBC promises more series, and it seems that Tennant and Piper, who have terrific chemistry, will be around for a few eons more. Long may they travel."

More Media Coverage

Thursday's issue of The Sun has a two-page colour spread on David Tennant as part of a series of features marking the show's return on Saturday. It tells how he predicted while at school that he would one day play the Doctor, and has an interview with his former English teacher, Moira Robertson. who says she still has a copy of an essay he wrote, called Intergalactic Overdose, when he was 14. It also says that his parents, Sandy and Helen, nearly joined in the programme. They were visiting the set during a read-through for episode two and two actors were unable to be there. Tennant is quoted as saying: "Because it's set in Scotland they were asked to read in. They were delighted. Mum played Lady Isabelle and my dad played Captain Reynolds. They were genuinely cheesed off when they didn't get asked to play the parts for real." Tomorrow's (Friday) Sun will have a feature looking "Inside the Doctor's incredible world". The Sun also has a brief mention of interview comments Billie Piper gave to GQ.

Televisual interviews Jane Tranter, the BBC's controller of drama commissioning, who "spells out exactly what her portfolio of channels are hungry for What recent show are you most proud of? Life on Mars. Can I have two? Doctor Who too please. ... What formats and slots? Could be anything. We need to look at how we make our Saturday and Sunday night offerings feel relevant to those days of the week. We're looking at how much more challenging we can be midweek at 9pm. ... What's best about UK drama? Russell T Davies."

The Salt Lake Tribune says of Friday night's US premiere of the new series episode "Dalek," "Here's something you Utah 'Doctor Who' nerds can geek out on: It appears the Daleks, the race of robotic aliens that was the Doctor's archnemesis, may have trod not so lightly in Utah. Or shall we say will tread not so lightly. In the next episode of the British science-fiction hit, the Doctor and his sidekick, Rose, travel to the Bonneville Salt Flats in the near future to investigate a billionaire collector who claims he has the last relic of the Daleks. Or does he have more than that?" AndUSA Today says "I'm not a devotee of Dr. Who (Sci Fi, tonight, 9 ET/PT), so I can't tell you where this latest imported extension of the series fits into the doctor's 40-year history, or how new star Christopher Eccleston compares with all the doctors before. All I can say is that this new Who is a very entertaining bit of light sci-fi fun, spurred on by Eccleston's often amusing and always moody Doc and Billie Piper's down-to-earth travel mate Rose Tyler. Plus, tonight's episode boasts the return of one of Who's favorite villains: a Dalek, who was being held in a Utah bunker. Before you know it, the Dalek is back to killing people, and in a more diabolical and high-tech fashion than it did in the old days. Enjoy."

Speaking of the first season of the new series, writer Rob Shearman("Dalek") has a new Radio 4 play on next week, at 14.15 UK time (and then on the Listen Again feature on the BBC website afterwards). It's a science fiction comedy called "Odd," about "what happens when a man begins to find that the entire English language has changed its meaning overnight... Produced as ever by Martin Jarvis, it's the Pick of the Day in the Radio Times."

Newsquest Media chats with Sophia Myles: "Ask Sophia Myles to name her favourite Doctor Who and she replies, 'David Tennant'. Then adds mischieviously, 'For obvious reasons - you know what those reasons are.' The vicar's daughter who was pretty in pink as Lady Penelope in the flesh-and-blood movie based on the puppet series Thunderbirds is reportedly stepping out with Tennant, the latest actor to go time-travelling. But she remains coy about confirming stories about who's who in Who's love life. On the big screen, she's one half of a pair of star-crossed lovers in the new movie Tristan & Isolde, produced by the Scott brothers Ridley and Tony. Her leading man is US actor James Franco. Around the same time that opens in cinemas, she'll be alongside Tennant on the small screen in the latest Doctor Who series on BBC1, playing Madame de Pompadour in an episode called The Girl In The Fireplace. 'When my agent called and said I'd been offered Doctor Who, I thought, 'brilliant, I'm going to meet the Daleks'. But no, I'm in a corset in Versailles,' she says. 'Madame de Pompadour is the mistress of King Louis and, in Doctor Who terms, has known the doctor since she was a very young girl. He's visited her through the course of her life. I used to watch Doctor Who when I was a kid so to be in it is such a privilege. It's a job you can't say no to, it's a bit like being called to jury service, it's not cool to say no.' Filming the series in Cardiff was a bonus as Myles is half-Welsh and the job offered the chance to visit her elderly grandfather. 'I'd been out of the country for so long, so I thought, 'great, I can go down and see granddad'. So I did a couple of days shooting and then went to see him at his pensioners' home. I told him I had a day off the following Sunday and I'd come and see him again. And then he dropped dead the next day. 'It was kind of meant to be really because it was lovely to go to see him and we had a good old chat. So it was very special to me from a personal point of view.'"

This Is Wiltshire says that "a biographer is about to delve into the life of the nation's sweetheart Billie Piper. Sean Smith, who has previously written about Britney Spears, Robbie Williams, Kylie Minogue and Justin Timberlake, wants to find out why so many people have so much affection for the Swindon-born star. He said what drove her chart-topping pop success, coupled with a soaring TV career as Dr Who's sidekick Rose Tyler, will make for an interesting read. But this will not be a controversial book uncovering shocks and scandal. Instead Mr Smith just wants to get closer to Billie's life to find out what makes the 23-year-old tick. 'She is an exciting and extremely popular person,' he said. 'When I first thought about Billie all I could think of was a teenage girl bouncing around on stage singing Because We Want To. A lot of people thought she had her five minutes of fame and that was the last we would see of her. But how wrong this was. The success of Dr Who has been amazing. The fact that she won a National Television Award, which is voted by the public for her acting ability, speaks volumes about her. She really has become the nation's sweetheart.' He added: 'I like to write about someone who has risen from the ashes, a phoenix-like story. I wrote about Robbie Williams, who has had phenomenal success since Take That and has gone on to be the country's favourite entertainer. I like stories where you can feel good about the person you are reading and where you can feel a sense of inspiration.'"

The Rutherglen Reformer News says "Doctor Who returns for a new series on Saturday - and its executive producer has exclusively told the Reformer of his jealousy of a former Rutherglen man. Russell T Davies, who is also the award winning lead writer on the BBC1 series, was a huge fan of the programme while growing up in Swansea. Davies, whose other TV hits include Queer as Folk, The Second Coming and Casanova, admits he was gutted when he heard that fan Andrew Smith, from Rutherglen, had got to write for the series after speculatively submitting a script. Originally entitled The Planet That Slept, the script was renamed Full Circle, and was shown in 1980 as part of Tom Baker's final year in the part. Russell said: 'I love Full Circle! I remember hearing about Andrew Smith being commissioned to write it, and being very jealous as I was older than him! He was 18, and I just remember thinking what an impossible thing to do - and damn his eyes! I really like that story as it's one of the few Doctor Whos that has a genuine science fiction twist at the heart of it, with evolution showing the monsters eventually become their own victims. And it's also so beautifully made - yes, I really like it.' ... Next month, recording on a new Doctor Who spin off, Torchwood, gets under way, and will star John Barrowman, recently seen on ITV's Dancing on Ice. West End star Barrowman, who plays Captain Jack Harkness in Doctor Who, lived in Cambuslang before his family moved to the USA in the seventies. Davies said: 'I can't say much about Torchwood at the moment as not even a second of it has been recorded, but they start filming in May, and hopefully it will be on screen before the end of the year on BBC3 and BBC1. John is absolutely marvellous - when you meet him, he's a real firestorm, truly incredible. A lot of casting directors and producers look at all the West End stuff as a place for great talent, and the people there are thought of as hoofers. They are the most disciplined actors with the finest range you will find. I've a lot of friends who work in musical theatre, and it was amazing that no one had picked up on John Barrowman big time before. I thought we were so lucky to get him, and I'm not surprised he's a star. Hopefully, Torchwood will be a success and become a long-running show - that's the plan - but it's aimed to become a continuing series.'"

SyFy Portal says that "He might have done his first episode with 'The Christmas Invasion,' but according to David Tennent [sic], his real debut is actually 'New Earth,' which premieres in the UK this weekend. 'It was kind of a bit surreal really, because at the time I didn't know the job was on offer anyway,' Tennent said to John Barrowman, who starred in five episodes of 'Doctor Who' last season, on ITV1's 'This Morning' show. 'You know, the first series was just about to go out and as you say there was a lot of 'who-ha' about it. And like the rest of the nation, I didn't realise that Chris wouldn't be doing any more. So it was as big a surprise to me as it was to anyone else. I just laughed really.' Although the Christmas special episode of the series was very well received, the actor mentioned that only now is he relieved as the next 13 episodes are about to air. 'I'm kind of relieved that it's finally out there because there's so much a build up, and we've been filming for such a long time,' said the actor. 'We finished a week and a half ago.' ... The second series is set to continue with the strengths of the first season while also bringing a few surprises into the mix. Among those features is the Doctor's reliance on his Sonic Screwdriver. 'I don't think we've got any new kind of running gadgets,' said Tennent. 'I've probably forgotten something … K-9! Week 3, episode 3, K-9 is back! And Sarah Jane Smith, who was of course Elizabeth Sladen who was brilliant in the 70's. So Sarah Jane comes back and its still Elizabeth Sladen!'"

There were two Doctor Who references in the Tuesday 11 April edition of Ideal, the BBC3 sitcom/drama starring Johnny Vegas as small-time drug dealer Moz, now in its second series. Firstly, when mobster Cartoon Head is unconscious after an electric shock, Psycho Paul finds his heartbeats strange and Moz sarcastically comments, "What? Has he got two hearts? Is he from Gallifrey?" (Pronouncing it FREE in a Tom Baker-like way.) Later, the villains’ boss turns up with an electronic voice device (lung cancer?) and one of Moz’s youngest and dimmest clients risks his wrath by innocently commenting, "Oh! Is that you? I thought there was a Dalek in here!"

The May issue of the UK magazine of "strange phenomena," Fortean Times, has a feature in the current issue on Cybermen and their creator Kit Pedler, complete with a cover illustration that features the Cybermen from the new series. The article focuses on "the doctor and scientist who created the soulless silver monsters and whose unconventional interests took him into the world of the paranormal".

Doctor Who once again features in the British satirical magazine Private Eye - in a cartoon that ingeniously satirises the state of the British National Health Service, a Dalek enters its GP's office and proclaims "you're not the Doctor I had last time!" Also, the latest issue of Glamour magazine (May edition) features a two-page behind-the-scenes Doctor Who feature.

The Daily Record says that "Doctor Who star David Tennant regenerated as a 'Whoodie' when he appeared for a chat with DJ Jo Whiley on Radio 1 yesterday. His clothes couldn't disguise he was looking rough - but that could be down to the stomach bug he's been battling this week. And it's one demon he'll want to defeat before the new Doctor Who series takes off tomorrow."

Also: ABC Online has a 'news' story taken from a fan panel at a sci-fi convention; Now Playing Mag features a review of "Dalek"; PingWalescomments on the story about the Sequence group developing Doctor Who online games; and theBlackpool Citizen and This is Lancashire report on the Doctor Who museum and exhibition including a special event on Monday.

(Thanks to Steve Tribe, Paul Engelberg, Paul Hayes, John Bowman, Peter Weaver, Chuck Foster, Stuart Madison, Alan Daulby, Ed Martin, Joanna Pinkney)

The publishers of Doctor Who Magazine have a new product just out,Doctor Who Magazine: Ninth Doctor Collected Comics, which collects the Ninth Doctor comic adventures published in DWM over the past year. The press release is below; click on the thumbnail at right for a larger version of the cover. (Thanks to Tom Spilsbury/DWM)