The new issue of Doctor Who Magazine features some updates on casting for the new series. Besides confirming actors Zoe Wanamaker ('a part shrouded in secrecy... tabloid rumours [about the nature of the part] are completely untrue!'), Simon Pegg (in "The Long Game") and Tamsin Greig (also in "The Long Game"; says producer Phil Collinson, "the part she's playing will change the life of one of the TARDIS travellers... but I'm not saying how") which have been reported here previously, the magazine also confirms actor Richard Wilson, famed for his "I Don't Believe It" role of Victor Meldrew, will play the role of "the mysterious Doctor Constantine." Episode 6 by Rob Shearman also features Steven Beckingham as Polkowski, John Schwab ("The Order") as Bywater, Jana Carpenter ("Silent Witness") as Di Maggio, Nigel Whitmey ("Helen of Troy") as Simmons, Joe Montana ("The Bourne Identity") as the Commander andBarnaby Edwards from Big Finish's audio range as a Dalek. Episode 7, "The Long Game," features Christine Adams("NY-LON") and Anna Maxwell Martin ("Enduring Love") in unknown roles. And episode 8 by Paul Cornell featuresFrank Rozelaar-Green ("Micawber") as Sonny, Rhian James as Suzie, Eirlys Bellin ("The Magic Paintbrush: A Story From China") as Bev, Christopher Llewellyn ("The Black Dog") as Stuart, Natalie Jones ("Cadfael") as Sarah, andCasey Dyer as the boy. The issue also confirms musician Murray Gold as doing the incidental music and that the title for Mark Gatiss' episode is "The Unquiet Dead," both reported here previously. There's also a comment from exec producer Russell T Davies about the start date: "If you hear anyone, anywhere, quoting sources giving an authoritative date, they are merely guessing and trying to sound important" (which, by the way, we believe he was referring to print magazines and online speculation, not our reporting... we stand by the late March date simply because of the information we've gotten from people who are in the position to know.) (Thanks to Steve Tribe)

The ever-reliable Sun newspaper this morning made note of the return of Doctor Who, with Billie and Christopher starring "in tonight's long-awaited return of the BBC1 sci-fi series." Of course, the show isn't starting today at all... as we've said, you can still look for it in late March (or so the rumors go.) The Sun also claims that the Daleks "are back also, after a Sun campaign" (which of course, the paper had nothing to do with.) (Thanks to Colin John Francis)

At last... the first new Doctor Who series cover from Doctor Who Magazine for issue #352, featuring Christopher Eccleston and Billie Piper. Click on the cover illustration at right for a larger version of the magazine cover scan; meanwhile, the issue has already been received by some UK subscribers.

The new series trailer originally shown as a downloadable RealPlayer clip online, was broadcast on the BBC1 network ((complete with BBC ONE bottom left logo) on January 1 at approximately 9:03pm. While the vast majority of the trailer was identical to (but much clearer and more robust than) the web version, the appearance of the logo was slightly different, complete with spinning blue circle-style graphics. Outpost Gallifrey has been told that you can expect to see this trailer rebroacast very soon (and we'll bring you the information on when as soon as we get it!)

Our sources have indicated that an announcement of the airdate is soon forthcoming... and that airdate will be March 26, 2005. We know that the airdate will be prefaced by a series of radio trailers aired on the BBC7 digital radio network (among other promotional being done elsewhere), and are told that this is the date currently being touted around that radio campaign. Though there have been recent reports speculating earlier, or later, airdates (ITV's Teletext service previewed upcoming shows for 2005, for example, stating viewers should "expect [Doctor Who] in February"), Outpost Gallifrey is fairly certain that this late March airdate will be the one. (Though of course this is NOT official confirmation of an airdate; this date could still be wrong!) There are also rumors that the new issue of Doctor Who Magazine may feature the actual airdate as well. More as we get it.

According to Mad Norwegian Press, the second book in their About Time series (numbered 4, for seasons 12-17) is now shipping and should be arriving throughout the next week.

Hugh Lloyd, who played Garonwy in "Delta and the Bannermen" was honored by Queen Elizabeth II during the New Year Honours, becoming an MBE (Member of the British Empire) according to a BBC report.

The Sydney Morning Herald on January 1 ran a story called "The spin-off doctors" by Mark Juddery in which the writer spoke of science fiction tie-in novels, including Doctor Who. "In 1991, two years after the television series was cancelled, Virgin Books began a series of young adult novels billed as 'stories too broad and too deep for television'," says the article. "It provided everything from dark, post-apocalyptic fantasy to Terry Pratchett-style goofiness, and alienated several long-term fans in the process. 'They're 'only' TV spin-offs, of course, but they're easily the best in the genre,' Britain's SFX magazine announced in 1996, suggesting that the "open-door policy" on submissions made it "the last, best hope for new SF [science fiction] talent in British publishing".'" The article goes on to interview writers Kate Orman and Jonathan Blum ("A lot of fans were worried the books would be 'dumbed down', or aimed at much younger readers, but that didn't happen," Orman said) including mentioning their Telos novella winning Best Australian Science Fiction Novel at last year's Aurealis Awards. "People are prejudiced against tie-ins because they figure that it's cheating if you write stories about characters you didn't create," Blum told the Herald. "Well, there goes a huge swathe of literature from Shakespeare to Jasper Fforde. If you can write something as lovely and enduring as The Night Before Christmas as a tie-in with a pre-existing fantasy character, there's no reason you can't do something as good with Doctor Who."

The Guardian on December 30 ran an article, "Call to bring back the police box" (echoed by similar stories in other papers) in which the writer stated "The humble-looking Tardis which aided Dr Who's intergalactic meanderings could be a solution to the police's public image, the Institute for Public Policy Research thinks. Its report also says that police stations should be made friendlier to the public, taking inspiration from the neat architecture of the Japanese police." The study, Re-inventing the Police Station, recommends the police boxes that used to dot the country, the sort of mini-office immortalised as the exterior form of the TARDIS, says the article, and that they "provide a popular way of interacting with the local police." The Metropolitan police said there were no plans to reintroduce police boxes, but it has admitted in the past that police stations need to be overhauled for the new century. (Thanks to Scott Matthewman)

The official Doctor Who site today featured a preview of the next issue of Doctor Who Magazine, #352... sort of. The feature on the magazine, which features a new design tying into the new series and an expansion to 68 pages, shows the cover design but not the final version of the Ninth Doctor and Rose cover (which can now be seen in a more recent news item above!) (There is also word from elsewhere that the color of the logo will change with each issue.) In the first new-look issue, producer Phil Collinson says about the TARDIS, "The basic idea - a big room with the main controls in the middle - is so fantastic, I mean, why would you change that? It's a brilliant piece of design. The basic idea is the same, but Ed Thomas' design has a feeling all of its own. I mean, with the best will in the world, the TARDIS interior always used to look like a studio set. But this one is enormous and it looks beautiful on camera. Plus, we're doing a couple of things to help ease the way, so that the viewers can imagine that, when you step through those doors, something magic happens and the interior really does tie in with the outside..." Other highlights include an interview with new series author Paul Cornell and McCoy-era script editor Andrew Cartmel presenting a unique glimpse behind the scenes of the show as he rifles through his diaries to document the genesis of Remembrance of the Daleks! Fact of Fiction sets its sights on The Tenth Planet, whilst Earth faces its final hours in part seven of comic strip epic The Flood. More teasing from loose-lipped executive producer Russell T Davies in his unmissable Production Notes, the Time Team tackling The Masque of Mandragora and casting exclusives in Gallifrey Guardian round off the issue.