The official Doctor Who website has regenerated again... now bearing a teaser splash for episode 2, "The End of the World." Much of the content is the same, but there is an additional piece of infomation: producer Russell T Davies will be in a live chat at 7.45pm next Saturday, right after the episode. A few new sound downloads were added (including "the burp"), along with footage of Davies and Julie Gardner at the press launch.

The BBC Shop has now confirmed the release dates for the two Doctor Who new series DVD sets, the three-episode, no-extras versions due out May 16 and June 13, respectively. The pages are here and here. Of note, they now have DVD #'s attached; the serial for the first is BBCDVD1755 and the second, BBCDVD1756.

Has Christopher Eccleston's successor already been picked? The Mirror thinks so, bounding on the reports that Eccleston is waffling about coming back for a second series, and says that "Casanova heart-throb David Tennant is being lined up to play Doctor Who - just a week after Christopher Eccleston made his debut as the time lord." It notes that Eccleston has not committed to a second series, "and BBC insiders revealed last night that Paisley-born Tennant, 33, who played young Casanova on BBC3, is the man to replace him. Even if Eccleston does decide to stay on for another series, Tennant will have first refusal on the job after he goes. A Beeb source said: 'At the end of this season, you are led to believe that (spoiler, highlight for full details) the Doctor could be dead after he's saved his companion Rose - played by Billie Piper - and the Earth from the Daleks. But it turns out that there's a way for Rose to save him and that's how the second season starts. So she gets back to the TARDIS and is able to get the Doctor brought back to life. If Chris is still in the role, no problems. He's been brilliant and it will be good to have him back. If David is in the role, it will just be explained as the Doctor using up one of his regenerations, which has happened many times before. Lining up replacements isn't bad form - the BBC has a hit on its hands and is just doing what it can to keep it going.'" Tennant, obviously, is quoted as saying he's "flattered" but has not been offered the role. "I've never made any secret that I'm a big fan of Doctor Who and it's the reason I got into acting, but I haven't been asked to play the Doctor. I haven't been approached at all. ... It would be a great role to play, but as far as I know it's not up for grabs." But the Mirror says, that "Tennant WILL play the Doctor at some point - and will be asked to stay for the long haul. Even if Christopher returns for a second season and wants out after that, David will get the role. He is the hot favourite at the moment. He's a fan and incredibly talented as anyone who saw him on Casanova will testify. He'd be great for bringing in lady viewers in the same way that Billie Piper is bringing in the blokes." Obviously, this is almost completely speculative, but worth reporting... Meanwhile, it should be noted that David Tennant already has a connection to Doctor Who, having appeared in no less than seven plays for Big Finish, including "Colditz," "Medicinal Purposes," "Sympathy for the Devil" and the "Dalek Empire" series.

"No, I Don't Fancy A Tree-Some!" proclaims today's Daily Star, which says that "sexual tensions rise in the new Doctor Who series when the Timelord makes his sidekick Rose jealous. And to make matters worse, he starts getting cosy with a woman who looks like a tree! The Doctor... meets the alluring alien Jabe, who is half-woman and half-log. The time traveller is immediately smitten with the strange-looking lass (actress Yasmin Bannerman) and flirts with her, right in front of his assistant Rose ... As a gift of peace, Jabe offers the Doc a plant and says: 'This is a cutting from my grandfather!'" There's a bit more dialogue exchange, but mostly just innuendo before the episode continues.

Katy Manning, best known as Jo Grant from the 1970's era of Doctor Who, "has some advice for Billie Piper, the new young actor who plays Doctor Who's assistant" according to the Australian Associated Press General News. "She (Piper) is as good as anybody else, better than some and she will bring her own magic to it," Manning says. "The key word to this show is truth because you are dealing in totally unreal situations. Truth will get them every time because it should make you laugh, cry, feel afraid. That is what the show is all about." She also notes that she's heard good things about the series: "From what I hear, the show is frigging fantastic. Don't look for the wobbly sets anymore because they're not there. ... Miss Piper could become a millionaire out of this. I am lucky if I can pay for a couple of years in my maturity for a bath chair."

Today's Times has a note about Simon Callow, who will be in the third episode, "The Unquiet Dead." Callow, it says, "is not a fan of the Time Lord: 'I saw the first episode in 1963 with William Hartnell as the Doctor. It wasn't for me so I missed the entire procession of Doctors that followed.'"

As reported previously, Newsround Showbiz on the CBBC Channel ran a special Dr Who edition on March 26. It covered many of he same points made in earlier shows, such as Blue Peter and acted as a bridging tool for children new to the show. It included brief interviews with Chris Eccleston, Billie Piper and Russell T Davies. All were asked were they would like the TARDIS to take them, as in previous interviews, Chris Eccleston said Salford of the 1960Æs, Billie Piper said sheÆd like to see what happens to her in her 30Æs, while Russell T Davies said heÆd like to go two to three hundred years into the future. This is to be followed up with a behind the scenes look at episode two of the show, which as we reported yesterday is due to broadcast on the CBBC Channel April 2nd at 15:50.

The industry magazine Hollywood Reporter ran an article yesterday about the show. "The new treatment is very much Davies's baby. He is an executive producer and has written nine of the new 45-minute shows. With "Queer as Folk" to his credit, Davies was bound to bring a fresh imagination to what could easily have degenerated into a tired rehash. But his "Doctor Who" (Eccleston) should please died-in-the-wool fans and attract new audiences to a children's program that will please adults too. Davies deals delightfully with the background to the good doctor's character in a way that should satisfy cultists and also bring newcomers up to speed." It says that "One of the great appeals of the earlier shows was a sense of amateurishness, not only in the bookish approach of its scientist hero but also in the special effects. Here they've spent some money sprucing up the effects and the Tardis, the doctor's time-travel machine that looks like a police call box on the outside, is spectacular. But Davies keeps the stunts at a manageable level and it's all just cheesy enough to maintain the affection of the show's many fans."

Today's Daily Express runs a list, "Ten things you never knew about. . . doctors" with three Doctor Who references: "In the late 1970s, eight Doctor Who episodes were scripted by Douglas Adams (author of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy), four under the name David Agnew. The first episode of Doctor Who was screened the day after John F Kennedy was assassinated in 1963. Doctor Who's time-travelling Tardis (Time And Relative Dimensions In Space) is powered by energy from an artificial black hole called the Eye of Harmony."

Other reports: a review/report on the ratings in the Evening Times, the Scotsman discusses the battle between Doctor Who and Star Wars for British toy store sales, and the News and Star says that Eccleston's performance as the Doctor is a "triumph" and notes that "Dr Who has much in common with James Bond. It is a huge challenge to be the next in line to play a part which is an institution where you will be compared mercilessly with all those who have gone before."

(Thanks to Paul Engelberg, Steve Tribe, John Leivers, Alan Chadwick, Steven Penfold)

Note: There was a spoiler in the above text that I didn't notice until several people complained; it wasn't intended (it's easy to let these reports pass when you're amalgamating hundreds of emails.) I've now corrected this.

Note: I'm continuing to update this story as details come in on March 31... updates are at the bottom of the story.

Christopher Eccleston has made the decision not to return to "Doctor Who" for a second series, according to news reports confirmed today by the BBC.

While today's earlier story about the second series/Christmas special renewal included hints that Eccleston might be hedging hits bets on a return, the first reports circulated before midnight UK time as it was announced the Sun would lead Thursday with the phrase "Doctor Who Quits," joined by the Daily Mirror. The story was then picked up by the Scotsmanand the Press Association news feed, fueling speculation that this was either a true story or possibly an interpretation by the broadsheets of Jane Tranter's comments (see story below) about how "People will have to wait and see what happens" regarding the other 12 episodes to be shown. Later in the evening, BBC News confirmed the news, first with a "breaking news" splash on their home page, then a short update and finally a full story regarding Eccleston's decision not to return for a second year. "Eccleston, whose first appearance as the ninth Time Lord attracted around 10 million viewers, feared being typecast," says the report, although this may simply be speculative about his reasons for deciding not to return. Press Association's report said, "Actor Christopher Eccleston has quit as Doctor Who after just one series, it was announced tonight. The star, who has appeared in television drama Cracker and hit film, Shallow Grave, is worried about being typecast. He is also planning new projects and found filming the series gruelling. In a statement issued through the BBC, Eccleston said: æThe audience's response for the new Doctor Who has been incredible and I am really proud to be part of it and I hope viewers continue to enjoy the series."

The reports mention that Billie Piper will return next year to the role of Rose Tyler.

Meanwhile, BBC News also confirmed today the rumors that it was in talks with actor David Tennant, the star of the new Davies-produced drama "Casanova," which is currently showing on BBC3, as a possible replacement for Eccleston... a suggestion originally reported by yesterday's Mirror when it noted that Eccleston had not indicated he was coming back to the role (see "Wednesday Series Coverage" below). Says BBC News: "A BBC spokesman said the corporation would issue a formal statement later on Thursday and that it had hoped, rather than expected, that Eccleston would continue in the role. He said that although talks to make David Tennant the 10th Doctor were taking place, other names may be put forward. Bill Nighy was also considered for the Eccleston role, while Richard E Grant starred in a BBC web drama version of Doctor Who. Casanova, which moves to BBC1 from BBC3 on Monday, added to Tennant's reputation after his success in the drama Blackpool." Obviously, Tennant's name being put forward as a possible successor indicates that the decision by Eccleston not to return has been some time in the making, prompting hedged comments from members of the production and the BBC and possible negotiations with Tennant (which he earlier denied were taking place, but that could also have been delaying until an announcement about Eccleston was made.) The reports also indicate that Tennant's name has been put forward and that they're in talks, but nothing's been confirmed yet and it's too early to call him the Tenth Doctor just yet... though today's Media Guardian suggests that Tennant "is the only name being looked at".

There is currently no final word as to whether or not Eccleston will return for the Christmas special announced earlier today -- some news reports suggest he will, but this may simply be choice of words. Meanwhile, despite the reported reason of typecast fearing, there may be budgetary concerns in the mix. Jane Tranter, BBC Head of Drama Commissioning, had said in a statement reported in the Times that new dramas will face 15 per cent budget cuts to pay for prestige hits such as Doctor Who. "Dr Who and current shows are protected but we have to find a way of making a certain number of dramas at a lower cost," the Times noted, as well as mentioning that "Producers will be told to squeeze out more minutes of drama a day during shoots and star actors face tough salary negotiations. Speaking before the new doctor announced his departure, Ms Tranter said ominously: 'Now weÆve got to start talking to Billie Piper and Chris about what they want to do. There is a mischievous element to it, in that you can keep regenerating the Doctor.'"

The story was likely to not be reported on for some time, but apparently got out to the tabloids, forcing the BBC to make comments about this as the Thursday morning sheets went to press. Other locations reporting this story this evening include the Independent, the Telegraph, Scotsman (a separate news item than the one above) and WaveGuide. Expect a lot more reporting on this in the press in the hours to come, as it's interesting to note that -- like the announcement of the new series itself and of Christopher Eccleston's casting -- the story broke after much of British fandom had gone to bed for the evening.

Update 31 March 0720 GMT: According to reports, this news has been mentioned today on GMTV's Breakfast show and has also made the BBC morning news headlines. Many reports are expected throughout the day; when they come in, we'll post links to them here.

Update 31 March 0840 GMT: Several sources are claiming that Tennant actually will be the Doctor for the second series, instead of just someone the BBC is talking to. No word as yet from official sources as to whether or not Tennant has been signed to the role. Meanwhile, more press sources are reporting this story this morning:

The Mirror, The Sun (claiming as always an "exclusive"), Daily Mail, This Is London, Ananova, Sky News,Digital Spy, Movie Hole, Variety, BoingBoing.

Update 31 March 1600 GMT: The BBC press office has issued a press release; meanwhile, there's more information including links to various news reporting agencies carrying the story coming later today.

Update 30 March 1625 GMT: The official Doctor Who website now confirms the second series/Christmas special story!

Today's MediaGuardian and The Stage reported that both a second year of the new Doctor Who series as well as a special episode to be aired this coming Christmas season have now been commissioned. "The BBC has wasted no time in commissioning a Christmas special and second series of its Doctor Who revival, less than a week after the time traveller returned to BBC1 after an absence of 16 years with nearly 10 million viewers," says the report. "However, the BBC head of drama commissioning, Jane Tranter, was unable to confirm whether Christopher Eccleston, the ninth doctor, or Billie Piper, who plays his sidekick, would be returning - opening up the possibility that the man with the sonic screwdriver might have to undergo yet another regeneration within a year. Ms Tranter said she had commissioned the Christmas special and a second series of Doctor Who yesterday - just three days after the sci-fi show began its new 13-part run on BBC1 with 9.9 million viewers, beating off stiff opposition from Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway. 'So now we've got to start talking to Billie and Chris about what they want to do. I want to make Doctor Who again, but there is a mischievous element to it, in that you can keep regenerating [the Doctor],' she added. 'I think Chris is fantastic as Doctor Who. But we've still got another 12 episodes to go. People will have to wait and see what happens." Tranter made her comments today at a Broadcasting Press Guild lunch, and added that Eccleston and Piper's contracts included options to do more series, which is standard practice in returning TV dramas, but that it was not yet certain that the pair would continue to be part of the show. Russell T Davies, it notes, will write the Christmas Special.

Russell T Davies told the official Doctor Who website that "It's fantastic news. It's been a tense and jittery time because the production team has been working on plans for Series Two - scripts are being written already! - without ever knowing if it would ever get made. We could all have ended up unemployed. But now we can put all those plans into action and get going. It's particularly good for BBC Wales. This is a major flagship show for the region, and their staff and crews are the best you could find. It's a tribute to them that Doctor Who is returning. Cymru am byth!"

Tranter said that Doctor Who was "probably the riskiest thing I've ever commissioned", because of the cost and the commitment to a 13-episode series, adding that she was shocked at how popular the first episode had proved on Saturday night. "In all honesty I had got myself into proverbial steel jacket as far as Doctor Who was concerned. I told myself I'd be completely and utterly thrilled if it got 6.5 million, but there was a little voice inside whispering '4.5 million'." She said that Barb's AI index, the audience research measure of how much viewers enjoyed a show, had scored 81 out of 100 for Doctor Who - above the average for the corporation's dramas, which is 78. Tranter added that the BBC had always envisaged that the Doctor Who revival would be scheduled early on Saturday evening, even though this put it head to head with Saturday Night Takeaway, one of ITV1's biggest entertainment hits. "We wanted it to be early Saturday evening, because that had been the slot before, and Russell [T Davies] had written it with that time in mind. There's something there for every adult to chew on, but also something for children. If you played it at a different time, it's just not going to work."

Breaking news from a variety of sources, which note the following:

"Cult sci-fi hero Doctor Who won the battle of prime time as 10 million viewers tuned in to watch the series return after a 16-year absence, figures revealed today.

"The much-loved time traveller beat off competition from ITV's Ant and Dec - and their guest David Beckham - to claim an average audience of 9.9 million on Saturday night.

"Salford-born Christopher Eccleston became the ninth small screen Doctor in a special effects-packed comeback, with former pop star Billie Piper starring as his new sidekick.

"The series, which was screened at 7pm, had an average audience share of 43.2% and hit a peak of 10.6 million viewers.

"Ant and DecÆs Saturday Night Takeaway, which ran against Doctor Who, had an average of 7.2 million viewers, taking a 31.4% share.

The Geordie duo peaked with an 8.5 million audience, 37.5% of the viewing public."

March 28 Note: Taking a well-deserved break today; back tomorrow, Tuesday, March 29. Meanwhile, last evening's editorial note:

Over the past three weeks, Outpost Gallifrey has been updated every single day with news stories, sometimes three or four times per day. Needless to say, it's been tiring and sometimes very excruciating, doing the updating before work, during the day and in the evenings, knowing the next morning will bring more stories to sift through (sometimes on the order of a hundred or more!) It's been even more difficult when you realize that I'm not in the UK, and therefore rely upon the good will of our readers. I'd therefore like to thank everyone who's been credited the past few weeks for their diligence in reporting information up to and including the new series press launch, the various trailers, the live TV and radio appearances and this weekend's transmission of "Rose"... every person credited herein has been integral in gathering these news reports (hopefully I've managed to credit everyone!), and especially Steve Tribe and Paul Engelberg for gathering news stories, updating the calendar and forwarding every single report they could find. Also, special thanks to Chuck Foster of DWAS for all the links, John Molyneux, Paul Hayes, John Bowman, everyone who sent in screen caps and writeups, and our readers from all over the BBC in the TV, radio and Internet divisions (you know who you are!) who have kept us up to date. And, of course, thank you to everyone involved in the production of the new series (especially Russell, Julie, Phil, Chris and Billie) for such a marvelous debut. Now that the show's aired in the UK, I hope things settle down... just a little!

The past two days have seen a whirlwind of press, much of it regurgitating each other over and over. Here's a quick recap of what's transpired late Saturday, all day Sunday, and into Monday morning's press:

A large collection of papers (many of which do not have online versions) have printed reviews. Internet-accessible ones include BBC News with a review by Sylvester McCoy!; The Herald ("Cracking script makes this a welcome visit from the Doctor"), Scotstman (includes comments on ratings), also reviewed here; The Observer; The Independent; TheSunday Herald; Times Online; CBBC, a special page on children's first reactions to Doctor Who; Express Newsline, India; The Telegraph; the Sunday Mail (a review by the "McInnes Family");

Summing up what many of the papers said today:
• "I was hooked from the outset. The whole thing thing was stuffed with in-jokes I wasn't sure I was fully getting, but I laughed anyway" - Guardian.
• "After 16 years locked in the warp-shunt fantasies of the plasters-on-specs brigade, Russell T Davies has breathed new life into an old favourite. The doctor got his girl and BBC1 found itself reacquainted with an old pal.Quality. Brilliant." - News of the World.
• "The current incarnation of the Time Lord has barely moved on and the one thing the future can't afford to be is old-fashioned" - Sunday Times.
• "The new Who is poorly cast, badly written, pointlessly northern, relentlessly silly and, fairly crucially, the sci-fi is thoughtless and throwaway." - The People. (They also manage to insult Billie Piper; the writer obviously thinks he's quite clever, when he's not.)
• "The new Doctor Who succeeded in establishing its own reality: skewed, sprightly and assured, without ever taking its audience's attention, or goodwill, for granted." - Sunday Telegraph
• "The much-vaunted special effects with which the series has been retro- fitted struck me as being as clunky as ever, and Ecclestone's performance was a bit too reminiscent of a nerdy teenager, but it has a real heartbeat... or perhaps even two." - The Independent
• "After such a fanfare, Doctor Who could hardly fail to disappoint. But amazingly, it didn't. OK, the monster was feeble and the lack of a cliffhanger ending was a shame. But Christopher Eccleston portrayed a far more complicated Doctor character than we've become used to seeing, certainly since Jon Pertwee - and far more interesting as a result." - Independent on Sunday
• "Dr Who, with Christopher Eccleston in the title role and Billie Piper as his comely assistant, was ill received in the Highland home where I spent Easter. The much-hyped special effects were considered a prodigious waste of money by the BBC." - Daily Mail
• "If it's all the same to you BBC1, I think I'll stick with Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway. But thanks for trying." - Mirror (spoilsports!)
• "An alien form, called entertainment, has been discovered on Saturday nights. It's a thoroughly bizarre, glossy new concoction called Dr Who." - Sunday Express. (There's also a positive little review of "Project: Who" in the radio review column on page 63)

Lots of coverage of the ratings (which we reported on as early as we could this morning!) Many stories on this includingBBC News, Media Guardian, The Sun, ITV, CBBC, Times (mentions Outpost Gallifrey!), Telegraph, Scotsman, with commentary about what it means for the BBC, Daily Record, Guardian, Pittsburgh Live, Washington Times, Channel 4, WaveGuide, Big News Network, Manchester Online (with fan review). The Daily Mail and other papers also covered this (articles not online).

Photos of a flying Dalek appeared in today's "News of the World" (actually, a photo of the Dalek as seen in the latest trailers, as well as a photo of the underside of a Dalek on a staircase). The tabloid mentioned the return of the Cybermen, too; however, we know that this is only a rumor that's been discounted already (they aren't in this season... well, not exactly.) A photo of the Gelth, the aliens from episode 3, "The Unquiet Dead," appeared in yesterday's The Sun.

Lots of places commenting on last night's gaffe with the Graham Norton voice in the BBC 1 broadcast. Says BBC News: "The Time Lord had Graham Norton breathing down his neck too, as a technical problem meant the sound from Strictly Dance Fever was briefly played over the opening scenes of Doctor Who. 'There was a technical problem which was resolved as quickly as possible,' a BBC spokesperson said. 'We apologise if it affected viewers' enjoyment of Doctor Who.'" Says the Sunday Express: "The BBC was last night probing an embarrassing technical blunder which allowed the voice of Graham Norton to drown out Dr Who's triumphant return to the small screen" they happily exaggerate. However, they do go on to point out that "...last night's technical problems echoed technical difficulties with the very first episode of Dr Who." A BBC spokesperson says that "It was a technical problem which meant the voice of Graham Norton - who had been presenting Strictly Dance Fever on BBC1 - continued faintly when his show transferred to BBC3 on digital. It only affected the first few minutes of Dr Who and we apologise to any viewers whose enjoyment was in any way impaired." BBC3 did run the show this evening without the voiceover... but of course, with the BBC THREE logo emblazoned on it for the entire broadcast!

Last night's Tommy Boyd Show on BBC Southern Counties radio apparently had a great response. The folks at the Tommy Boyd Shrine wrote us to say that "For those who missed Dalek mastermind among many other features, we have the show up on the site now," so click on the link.

The Independent says Doctor Who puts his sonic screwdriver to work to boost BBC funds: "The mysterious silver gadget has helped to keep the Daleks and assorted life forms at bay for hundreds of years - when it actually worked. Now Doctor Who's unreliable sonic screwdriver is expected to become one of the must-have toys this Christmas."

Today's Sunday Herald and This is London mention that "a Doctor Who fan prompted a security alert when he posed as a Dalek outside the Houses of Parliament. Ken Meikle, 46, from Barrhead, Renfrewshire, was filming a promotional video for a stage version of the sci-fi classic. But armed Metropolitan Police officers suddenly confronted the "alien invader" as he approached Parliament over London's Tower Bridge."

Oh, and the "Can Doctor Who Be Gay?" article reran in today's Sunday Independent...

(Thanks to Paul Engelberg, Steve Tribe, Chuck Foster, Paul Hayes, Andrew Hearne, John Paul Street, David Traynier)

Some of the press and updates from Saturday morning, today on Opening Day:

Last night, Mark Cossey, Executive Producer of Doctor Who Confidential on BBC Three was on BBC Midnight. He had little to say, beyond "Please watch it." We heartily agree - watch it!

Today's Financial Times says "the BBC's reincarnation of Doctor Who is likely to give some middle-aged viewers a rude awakening." "Is anyone better placed to illustrate just how fast time travels than Doctor Who? Tonight's Easter weekend resurrection of the Doctor is going to make some uncomfortable viewing for middle-aged fans," says Robert Shrimsley. "It may be he who is the alien, but the manner and style of his return makes it all too painfully clear that is we who now inhabit a different planet from our youth. Anyone looking to relive their childhood by dragging their puzzled and nonplussed spawn in front of the television to watch the 'show I loved when I was your age' is set for a rude awakening. For it is not only in the significantly enhanced special effects that the much-heralded return of the Doctor leaves those who knew him the first time around clearly aware of how time has passed us by. The revival is, above everything else, one of those Hornby train set moments where parents have to bite their tongues and remember that this is meant to be for their children. ... While we may still have the Daleks and the Tardis, the monsters and the (quite) glamorous assistant, this reincarnation is largely aimed - as it always was - at the young

Also in today's Financial Times, a discussion of Russell T Davies' influences. "No television drama has ever stoked the imaginations of its fans quite like Doctor Who. When the BBC decided to axe the time-travel fantasy because of falling ratings in 1989 after a run of 26 years, the Doctor's devotees fought back in a unique way: they started making up their own stories. It was reminiscent of Fahrenheit 451 where, in a future without culture, members of the resistance defiantly commit great works of literature to memory. The fans simply refused to accept the doctor's demise. They produced novels (there are now about 350), audio plays and animated stories on the internet to keep the character alive. ... The Doctor's appeal goes deeper than mere nostalgia. As a child, Davies dreamed of discovering the Tardis somewhere in his hometown of Swansea and running away with the Doctor to frolic in a world of limitless imagination and adventure. ... 'Doctor Who made me a writer,' says Davies. 'It really did. My earliest memory is of William Hartnell turning into Patrick Troughton. I was only three at the time. You forget how strong it is when you are a kid. I used to make up Doctor Who stories. I used to walk home from school burning with them!'" It goes on to mention that "One of the ironies of Doctor Who is that, for all the power of the Time Lords of Gallifrey, the show itself has proved pitifully vulnerable to the passing of a mere handful of decades. Most episodes from the 1960s, including a glorious story about monstrous yetis in the London Underground that gave me nightmares when I was nine, have been lost. They survive only as stills, scripts, sound recordings and memory. Russell T. Davies wouldn't have it any other way. 'I love the fact we are missing episodes. How romantic is that? All these programmes we'll just have to imagine forever!' He is adamant that the new series must concern itself with both the present and future. 'It has got to be for new viewers. Even for the old viewers it's got to be new, otherwise there is no point. Otherwise, you become a nostalgic pastiche.'"

Today's Daily Record says that "a fortune is being gambled on tonight's big telly clash - Doctor Who versus Ant and Dec. Viewers will be torn between Christopher Eccleston and Billie Piper's new adventures in the Tardis and the Geordies' show featuring David Beckham. Bookies have been taking hundreds of bets on the winners, with Ant and Dec, who usually get eight million viewers, edging in front. Ladbrokes spokesman Warren Lush said: 'I can't remember the last time there was such expectations over a new drama series like Doctor Who. The bookmaking industry is taking a five-figure sum over this and many hundreds of pounds from individuals. Most of the money has been for Ant and Dec. You can't underestimate them, and it's typical that they have David Beckham on. He could clinch it for them.' But he added: 'The BBC could have a slow-burner on their hands, as Doctor Who's audience grows to win the war.'" Today's Scotsman also mentions the challenge with Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway. "Doctor Who fans are trembling with anticipation today û and itÆs not from behind their sofas through fear of the dreaded Daleks. They will be glued to their televisions tonight, having had to wait 16 years for the Time Lord to return to BBC1." They note that bookies Ladbrokes have cut the odds on Ant and DecÆs Saturday Night Takeaway winning the ratings battle with BBC1Æs Dr Who from 8/11 to 1/2, while the sci-fi classic has drifted from evens to 6/4. Ladbrokes spokesman Warren Lush said: "Money suggests Ant and Dec will take away the highest ratings but we havenÆt seen such an intense battle for viewers on Saturday night since the finals of Strictly Come Dancing and The X Factor went head-to-head at the end of last year."

Today's The Sun interviews a Doctor Who fan who says "his obsession saved him from mental illness. The show took over Will Hadcroft as a teenager, driving him to tape-record episodes, collect memorabilia and even build his own K9. Will, who first sought help for anxiety attacks, was told by experts his obsession had helped him cope with AspergerÆs syndrome, a form of autism. He said: 'I always felt like an alien, like IÆd fallen to Earth from somewhere else. I used to wish I had a Tardis I could get in. My psychiatrist said, æYou are not mentally ill, but if you had not used the show as an escape route you almost certainly would have beenÆ.' Will, a 34-year-old bank worker from Bolton, Lancs, has written a book about his condition which was endorsed by his favourite Dr Who, Colin Baker." (Will is also a reader and contributor to Outpost Gallifrey, and we salute him for the opportunity to give the interview!)

The Sun today had a picture today of ghosts haunting the Doctor and Rose in "The Unquiet Dead". "The spirit, called a Gelth, appears in the third episode, when the Time Lord and Rose travel back to Victorian Cardiff. They link up with novelist Charles Dickens to battle the ethereal creature. Talk about Grave Expectations." The Sun also calls Doctor WhoBest New Series in its What to Watch This Weekend listings.

The Independent discusses feminism in an article "The Prognosis for Feminism is Not Good" in which there's an interesting paragraph of note: "How lovely, then, to see that one little corner of the debate remains relatively uncomplicated. Reams of wordage have been dedicated to considering the issue of whether Billie Piper will make a properly emancipated assistant to Doctor Who, or whether she will descend, as so many have before her, into damsel-on-the-train-track cliche. Less intellectual energy has been spent on considering how it is that while the good Doctor can travel through time and space with ease, the body that is so marvellously mutable never manages, even briefly, to adopt a new gender."

Director James Hawes, who helmed the two part 1940's serial by Steven Moffat for this first season, discusses his thoughts in today's Independent. "I am not a Dr Who geek. True, I strode off in 1978 from my rural comprehensive to Oxford in a Tom Baker outfit, but I quickly dumped the scarf, got a girlfriend and honestly never gave The Doctor a thought for 20 years. Then, when my son Owain was four and I 40, I happened on a second- hand video shop during one of those long, wet, quality-time Sunday afternoons that hung-over, part-time single parents so heartily dread. Among the piles of old Disney films on VHS, I saw a Dr Who from the black-and-white days. I hadn't even known they existed. The title set off little bells of memory. I bought it and we retired to the sofa. Owain loved it - he jumped and hid in delighted fear, just as I'd done - but it scared the existential hell out of me." The article notes that Hawes has a new book coming out, "Speak for England" (we assume this is the same person as the director, anyway!)

Today's Times says "Abandon hope, all you who press Enter here" as it discusses futuristic gadgets with a brief DW mention: "Doctor Who landed back on sublunary screens last night. His pet gizmo is a 'sonic screwdriver'. This is a state-of-the-art MerlinÆs wand. It unlocks the high-tech traps that encompass Doctor Who about the Tardis. His is the sort of magical multitasking tool that all do-it-yourself girls and boys dream of finding in their Christmas stockings."

The Telegraph today says that after a long absence, "smack, bang, up-to-date. It works. Thumbs up. Let them live. It is like watching a completely new programme but with enough references to the great tradition to make it authentic. It has the Tardis, the monsters, the female companion responsible for the sexual awakening of boy viewers everywhere, the sonic screwdriver and that crucial balance between scariness and comedy. But no scarves. Gone are the flamboyance and the air of theatricality. The theme tune is more edgily orchestrated, like the whole show. Christopher Eccleston's doctor, with his black leather jacket and northern accent, is modern, urban and of today, manically driven by his desire to save the world." It notes that its popularity "is not for an adult to say. My teenage son twice purred 'This is really cool,' which augurs well. But he worried that his friends would not watch it. 'It's sad watching programmes your parents liked.' Do these children have no sense of tradition?"

There is a mention of Doctor Who on the the Red Dwarf website today. It encourages people to watch the show because it's british sci-fi, has a good writing team, but mostly because it has two Red Dwarf Alum, Mike Tucker of Special effects fame, and actor Joseph Green seen on Red Dwarf VIII. You can visit the Red Dwarf official site here. (Hey, isn't it time for the boys from the Dwarf to come back too!?!?)

(Thanks to Paul Engelberg, Steve Tribe, Matt Landry, Chuck Foster)

For those of you tuned into BBC1 today for the broadcast of the first episode, "Rose", your ears were not deceiving you... that was actually BBC3 sound-bleeding into the BBC1 broadcast, and not presenter Graham Norton actually being inserted into the broadcast. This Sunday's repeat is likely not to have that faux pas included in the broadcast

It's been a very long day here at Outpost Gallifrey, and your editor is exhausted... so instead of the lengthy and time-consuming round-up of press clippings from the day, here instead is a list of links from today's press and newspapers, courtesy Chuck Foster of the DWAS and Paul Engelberg and Steve Tribe. There will be more coming tomorrow at some point.

March 27 - Early Reviews
The Observer
Sunday Mail
Sunday Herald
The Telegraph

March 26 (and prior)
CBBC, waiting ratings
CBBC, "What did you think of Dr Who?"
BBC News, Sylvester McCoy review
UK Gay News, commentary
DeHavilland, ratings war
Simon Harris weblog review of Rose
BBC News, fan gathering in Farringdon
Telegraph, preview
Guardian, preview
Globe and Mail, preview
Sun, who was in Who (brief online version)
Sun, Will Hadcroft (fan) interview on Aspergers Syndrome
Scotsman, series return and ratings battle (also here)
DigitalSpy, ratings
DigitalSpy, "Living in a Box"
Daily Record, ratings
ITV, ratings
Breaking News, ratings
Mirror, ratings
Times, Whys and Whats of Doctor Who
Times, Who vs Cyberkids
Times, The Mill
Times, Gadgets (sonic screwdriver)
This is North East, return of sereies
Belfast Telegraph, return
News and Star, return
Express and Star, return
This is Devon, Morning News
Sun, frightening moments
Useless Knowledge, commentary
Slugger O'Toole (Ireland), commentary
Belfast Telegraph, review
Ireland Online, ratings
Irish Examiner, ratings
The Age (Australia), commentary
Sunderland Echo, history of the show

The official site at the BBC has been altered; instead of the countdown there is a splash page with more items on it, as well as further downloads and a guide to the episode "Rose". Additional information is expected to come in the near future. In addition, the "Who Is Doctor Who?" site -- the BBC's "fake" site based on a plot point in the first episode, has been altered now (note: this contains some fairly massive spoilers, so don't visit that unless you are prepared!)