A brief update for the second series of Doctor Who: various of our sources have been reporting the past few days (and we think, quite believably) that the title of the fourth episode of the new series, written by Steven Moffat, is The Girl in the Fireplace. While it's not official (like "New Earth," the rumored title of the first episode), we think that it's likely the current working title for the episode.

Memorial services for Michael Sheard have been announced; a public memorial/funeral will be held at the Isle of Wight Crematorium this Wednesday 7 September at 3pm, and all are welcome. (There is a private wake afterwards for family and close friends only.) The family has requested that any donations in place of floral tributes be sent to the Earl Mountbatten Hospice, Halberry Lane, Newport, Isle of Wight PO30 2ER. Sheard passed away last week as we previously reported.

John Barrowman can be seen on the ITV chat show "Loose Women" hosted by Kaye Adams on Tuesday 13 September at 1.30pm.

Doctor Who is now available on the NTL On Demand Service. Says our correspondent, this means "you can catch the week's BBC3 episode whenever you want to, the week after transmission. If you have digital NTL, select channel 106 and press the red button. You should (eventually) get a menu bar down the side of the page. If you select 'TV Pick of the Week', Doctor Who should be listed alongside episodes of Eastenders, Casualty and the like. Select it and you can watch the week's episode, as well as being able to fast forward, rewind and pause."

An article in The Independent says "Stand up for the man who made the BBC's golden age possible"... "As the television industry celebrates the 50th anniversary of the arrival of multi-channel television - Britain went from one channel to two with the arrival of ITV in 1955 - there has been a lot of speculation about who has had the most influence over British television in the years since the BBC launched the world's first television service in 1936. ... My vote for top slot wouldn't have gone to Murdoch, but instead to Hugh Carleton Greene, who was director general of the BBC from 1960 until 1969. He was also the man responsible for the creation of British television, as we know it today." The article notes that Greene was the man who set about "home-grown programmes that were both challenging and accessible; programmes like Play for Today, Z Cars, The Forsyte Saga, That Was the Week That Was, Dr Who and dozens of others." The full article is available at the link.

This week's print issue of The Stage will feature an interview with Rob Shearman, who talks about his new play "Toward the End of the Morning" (see update September 2) as well as his other radio, TV and theatre projects -- and there's a little mention of his time writing "Dalek"; plus a feature on Big Finish audios and their transition to broadcast on BBC7; and an obituary for Michael Sheard. The articles will only be available in the print edition for a short time, but will soon follow up on the web, with the Big Finish article much expanded (probably); we'll let you know the links when we get them.

According to Yahoo News, stars from Emmerdale - including Frazer Hines - will be appearing in a variety of pantomimes this year, as usual. Hines will appear in "Peter Pan" at the Palace Theatre in Newark.

TV Fodder covers 'The Regeneration of "Doctor Who"' today. "The key to the success of 'Who' lay in the clever invention of the main character's ability to regenerate. William Hartnell was the first actor to play the Doctor, and when he left the program it easily could have been curtains for the whole shebang. But it wasn't, of course. Three years after his initial appearance, the Doctor regenerated into a new body and was suddenly portrayed by a different actor: the inimitable Patrick Troughton. Five more thespians would step into the enviable role for the original series. There would be a couple of highly regarded films starring Peter Cushing (hunting daleks rather than vampires for a change) and an American television movie starring Paul McGann and Eric Roberts. Outside of novelizations and radio broadcasts, that was about it. Until 2005, that is. Enter Christopher Eccleston as the Doctor and Billie Piper as his assistant, Rose: the two main ingredients in the resurrected 'Doctor Who' series that recently finished airing its first season. The special effects are a lot better than in the classic program, and the episodes tend to move along at a more accelerated clip (there was actually a six-hour story back in the '80s!), but Doctor Who fans can breathe a collective sigh of relief, as the new series is every inch a chip off the old block. Season one is over now, and so is Eccleston's stint as the renegade Time Lord. But there's no sign that the program is in any danger of fading out. Great writing and a sky-high production value have formed a solid foundation for the new incarnation of 'Who.' If producer and writer Russell T. Davies is smart--and he seems to be--he'll build on that foundation to take the program into even more daring waters for its second season." Read more of the article at the website.

The Telegraph discusses the plummet of BBC1 ratings this summer toward an all time low. "Figures produced by Barb, the Broadcast Audience Research Bureau, for the week ending August 14 show that the channel had only six programmes in the national top 20 - four of which were editions of its ailing soap, EastEnders. Even this flagship programme is struggling to maintain its position. The highest rating edition of the show, which was actually the channel's most popular programme, peaked at number six in the national chart. [BBC Controller] Peter Fincham said that although ratings were important they were not the sole measure of a channel's success - and insisted that a total eradication of repeats from the channel could be counter-productive. 'The use of ratings as the only way of measuring programmes is old-fashioned,' he said. 'We have so many different ways of measuring the impact of programmes. Let's take a programme like A Picture of Britain, which was accompanied by A Digital Picture of Britain on BBC4. More than 85,000 people sent in pictures to that programme. Hits on websites, which we can now measure, have also produced some extraordinary figures. Dr Who, for instance, gets millions of hits.'"

Billie Piper was mentioned in the "Evening Gazette" in which she discusses her health regimen. "It's hard to believe that she was called Billie Bunter at school. 'I was always struggling with my weight,' says the 5ft 5in singer-turned-actress. You won"t find her in the gym working out, but she does visit a health farm occasionally and goes for long walks. She is also keen on yoga exercise and swimming. 'I was brought up on bread and butter as a kid and have at least two slices every meal - no wonder I had weight trouble at school,' she says. She made an effort to keep trim in her pop star days, but after marriage to Chris Evans in 2001, she piled on the pounds because she says she ate and drank the wrong things. When she was offered the role as Doctor Who"s assistant Rose in the TV remake, she went on a strict diet. 'The pounds rolled off and I actually dropped a dress size.' Now she is very careful what she eats. 'And if ever I relent and succumb to something I shouldn't have, then I make up for it by watching my intake afterwards.'"

Other notes: coverage of Russell T Davies' appearance at the Mardi Gras Fringe Benefit in Cardiff next week aticWales; the DeHavilland site and Digital Spy talk about Barrowman in the "Simply Musicals" series on BBC1.

(Thanks to Paul Engelberg, Steve Tribe, David McIntee, Paul Hayes, Joey Reynolds, Paul Phipps, Scott Matthewman, Peter Weaver)

Christopher Eccleston was named Best Actor at today's TV Quick/TV Choice Awards, according to reports at Yahoo News and The Mirror. Eccleston won the award despite having quit the show after only one series. The awards, held at the Dorchester Hotel on London's Park Lane, were voted by readers of TV Quick and TV Choice magazines. Other awardees included "Coronation Street" as best soap, plus two awards for rivals "EastEnders" and "Emmerdale". "Doctor Who" lost out to "Desperate Housewives" as best series. (Thanks to Paul Engelberg, Patrick Furlong)

Issue #135 of SFX magazine is now on the newsstands. "This month the mag comes with another of our double-sided A3 posters. On one side: Doctor Who - the new Doctor, David Tennant (resplendent in his rather cool costume) and Billie Piper; on t'other, the retro glory of Thunderbirds!" There are also stories on recent film & TV, an interview with author Neil Gaiman, and much more. The cover is at right. (Thanks to Ian Berriman/SFX)

Toward the End of the Morning is writer Rob Shearman's ("Dalek") latest play for BBC Radio 4, adapted from the comic novel by Michael Frayn. "It's about a lowly crossword editor on a 1960s newspaper suddenly aspiring to stardom when he gets invited on a television chatshow," Shearman tells Outpost Gallifrey. "An awful lot of the play was drawn from my own experiences being interviewed repeatedly for publicity for 'Dalek' earlier in the year!" The play forms two one hour episodes, broadcast at 3 pm on Sunday 4 September and Sunday 11 September, repeated at 9 pm the following Saturdays (10th and 17th), and will be available too on the listen again service at the BBC website. It stars James Wilby and Martin Freeman (star of "The Office" and who also played Arthur Dent in the recent film version of "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy"), and is directed by Martin Jarvis.

Roadshow Entertainment has announced that Series One Volume 4 of their DVD releases of the new series' first season is due out on 6 October, with the full boxed set of the first season due in December. Meanwhile, The Web Planet will be out in Australia on DVD in November, while City of Death is due in December. (Thanks to John Hatfield)

Further details for Andrew Cartmel's book Through Time: An Unofficial and Unauthorised History of Doctor Who, published this fall by Continuum Press, have been annonced. "The quirky British television series Doctor Who is a classic both of science fiction and television drama. First broadcast in 1963, it has remained an influential TV presence ever since, with an eagerly anticipated new series airing in 2005. As a vehicle for satire, social commentary, or sheer fantasy adventure, Doctor Who is unparalleled. It was a show created for children, but it was immediately usurped by adults. Arriving at a time of upheaval in the popular arts in Britain, Doctor Who was born into a television tradition influenced by the TV plays of Dennis Potter, the cult television drama The Prisoner, the James Bond films and Stanley KubrickÆs science fiction triptych ù Dr Strangelove, 2001: A Space Odyssey and A Clockwork Orange. A British fantasy adventure that has unfolded across television screens over decades in the tradition of Lewis Carroll, Conan Doyle and HG Wells, the strength of Doctor Who has always been its writers and the ideas they nurtured. In this new history of the show, Andrew Cartmel (who was the script editor on Doctor Who from 1987 to 1990) looks into its social and cultural impact û providing a fascinating read for committed and casual fans alike." The book includes twelve chapters that cover the show's origins, successes, regenerations, overseas sales, fandom and new life in 2005. The revised cover is at right; click on the thumbnail for a larger version. (Thanks to Paul Greaves)

BBC News reports that musicals are the inspiration for a new BBC One entertainment programme which will see celebrities performing songs from Broadway and West End shows, and John Barrowman will take part. Stars "will be among those taking on numbers from Cats, Guys and Dolls, Billy Elliot and Chicago. The four-part show will be broadcast on Saturday nights early next year. The BBC has enjoyed success over the past year with song-and-dance programmes like Strictly Come Dancing. The show, which is being filmed at London's TV Centre in September and October under the working title of Simply Musicals, will take on the same live feel of those hits. Audience members will be asked to come dressed for a night out in the West End in an attempt to give the show the atmosphere of a real theatre." The report notes that the program was commissioned by former BBC One controller Lorraine Heggessey, who also commissioned Doctor Who. Also reported in the Mirror and Media Guardian.

The official Doctor Who website has reported on the Big Finish "Cyberman" series we reported on a few days ago, and the police box in Glasgow news story (see our story on August 30).

Round Table, a current affairs discussion programme in which two local celebrities take a humorous look at the week's news, will air on BBC Radio York on September 9th, and Doctor Who will be the subject. The programme will be part of the 'Jules and Julia' slot and will be broadcast between 1 and 2 pm. DWAS Coordinator Ian Wheeler will take part in the roundtable discussion.

Exec producer Russell T Davies' forthcoming appearance at the Mardi Gras Fringe Benefit at the Sherman Theatre in Cardiff next month is noted in a press release. "Russell will be in conversation with arts writer Mike Smith about the new series of Dr Who now been filmed in South Wales. As well as discussing the new Time Lord, David Tennant, and maybe revealing a few secrets of the forthcoming Christmas special, the Swansea-born writer will also be answering questions from the audience at the Sherman Theatre, Cardiff on Tuesday September 6. ... Joining Russell on the Sherman stage will be top comedienne Clare Summerskill and West End actor Dave Benson, who received plaudits for his one man Kenneth Williams show, Think No Evil, and live music from Swansea singer Scotty. Mike Smith said, 'I am looking forward enormously to interviewing Russell and opening up the conversation to the audience as I know Dr Who is one of the big conversation topics everywhere I go. This evening will be great for Dr Who fans who can get to ask about the new series û not that I can guarantee Russell will be giving anything away! With comedy and music also on the bill this will be a great evening. Who knows we might get the Lord Mayor of Cardiff along û real or the Slitheen!'" For more details visit the Sherman Theatre website.

Kingswood Warren, home of the BBC's Research and Development Department, will open its doors to the public on September 10-11 as part of the Heritage Open Days. "Visitors will not only be able to look round the impressive reception rooms and the beautiful grounds and croquet lawn," says the press release, "but will also be able to experience some of the technical broadcasting wizardry of the BBC, making the impossible appear to happen before their eyes. Young visitors can participate in a show of the BBC's virtual reality Production Magic in the TV studio and (for a small charge) take away a videotape or DVD recording their exploits. Demonstrations will range from some of the electronic trickery behind BBC television coverage to the material that made Harry Potter's invisibility cloak. There will also be exhibitions on the achievements of BBC R&D û including demonstrations of some current projects and on the history of the Kingswood Warren house." Full details are available at the BBC's R&D website or the Heritage Open Days website.

New Zealand's Prime network has experienced a "dramatic increase" in audience levels for the new Doctor Who series in their target demographic of ages 25-54. Says the report, "Taking into consideration the previous programme in this timeslot was Wife Swap USA, it appears Prime's audience was crying out for a change." The high ratings have continued across the first six weeks of the series, with audience share being won from rival station TV3.

The Avalard/Hammer Horror website features an interview with Colin Baker, who at the time of the interview was appearing in previews for a new adaptation of "Dracula" on stage. Baker mentions Doctor Who in several instances, including his at-the-time forthcoming Australia tour and also his enjoyment of taping new Doctor Who audios for Big Finish.

Additional stories on the recent announcements about this year's batch of toys at The Sun, Manchester Online.

(Thanks to Steve Tribe, Paul Engelberg, Alan Daulby, Paul Hayes, Martin Hoscik, Chuck Foster)

Doctor Who Magazine editor Clayton Hickman recently spoke on the Outpost Gallifrey forum about the forthcoming new DWM special being released late this year. Confirming the issue, he noted that the title would likely be either "The Story of Doctor Who" or "Doctor Who: In Their Own Words" and would be volume one of a continuing series of specials. "We wanted something really accessible, very different (to keep the old hands interested) and something only DWM could do," Hickman said. "So, Ben Cook is going through *every* interview DWM has ever published... so we can do 'Doctor Who: In Their Own Words'. A bit like the big Beatles and Monty Python books that came out recently, where the whole story is told only in snippets of interviews with the people involved. No editorialising (though some contextual comments), just the people telling us what happened and how they felt. ... There's barely anyone who we haven't spoken to at least once, and we have things like William Hartnell's Desert Island Discs transcript so even he gets a look in. It was going to be just one big volume, but the whole thing is just too massive, so we'll do three volumes for the 60s, 70s and 80s, one a year, alongside whatever the Series Two and Series Three Specials turn out to be. Plus it's a good chance for us to print all our beautiful pictures really nicely, and use any new ones we've found. There isn't so much space for them in DWM right now, so it's a good way to show them off. And imagine the kids seeing 'Troughton surrounded by clockwork soldiers' or 'Hartnell facing a Zarbi' for the very first time!" (Thanks to Clayton Hickman/DWM)