Lance Parkin's The Gallifrey Chronicles is now due in March 2005, moving the three tie-in novels for the new series to April through June 2005. Meanwhile, the book we previously reported, Doctor Who: Monsters and Villains by Justin Richards, is a 96-page paperback retailing for 7.99 UK and published "midway through the television series' BBC One run ... [it] will feature classic monsters from the first 26 seasons... as well as new and exciting monsters from the new series... everything from Autons to Zygons..."

Yesterday's icCheshire Online discusses the role Colin Baker is playing in the new play "The Haunted Hotel," which starts at the Chester Gateway Theatre next week. "As a former Doctor Who, Colin Baker has had to confront some of the nastiest creatures in the universe. But Daleks and Cybermen pale in comparison to the terrifying evil he faces in The Haunted Hotel." Adapted from the novella by Wilkie Collins, The Haunted Hotel is "a chilling tale of supernatural malevolence and inescapable destiny." Baker stepped into the role at the last minute after Brian Blessed took ill. For more details visit the website here. (Thanks to Paul Engelberg)

The new issue of Doctor Who Magazine has further details on the previously reported extras for the forthcoming DVD release of Horror of Fang Rock. The DVD commentary is by Louise Jameson, Terrance Dicks and John Abbott (Vince). 'Terrance Dicks: Fact and Fiction', produced by Keith Barnfather is an in-depth examination of Dicks' contribution, running to 35 minutes and including interviews with Christopher Barry, Barry Letts, Eric Saward, Paul Cornell and Terrance Dicks. 'Paddy Russell: A Life in Television', produced by Paul Vanezis is 15 minutes, interviews Russell, examines her career and features footage from her early television career. 'The Antique Doctor Who Show' is also included - the five-minute piece on collecting merchandise broadcast in November 1993 with Planet of the Daleks. Photo gallery, production notes also included on the disc.

There's been a recent flood of rumors and stories floating around the net the past two weeks, and in addition, the newest issue of Doctor Who Magazine (#350) has some further details. So, here's a quick rundown of the info that Outpost Gallifrey has heard:

Story Titles: Steven Moffat's two-parter (episodes 9 and 10), set during the Blitz, is currently called The Empty Childaccording to DWM. Both episodes of Aliens of London (episodes 4 & 5) will have episode-specific subtitles. There are other titles that have been rumored, but at this point none are confirmed (though the title The Unquiet Dead has been touted as a likely title for episode 3) and will likely change by time of broadcast.

Casting: For "Rose" (episode 1), Elli Garnett plays Caroline Finch; Adam McCoy plays her son. In "The End of the World" (episode 2), Yasmin Bannerman ("Red Dwarf" and "Cold Feet") plays Jabe. "The Unquiet Dead" (episode 3, tentative title) features Alan David and Eve Myles in unknown roles; Huw Rhys as Redpath; Jennifer Hill (from Russell Davies' "Mine All Mine") as Mrs. Peace. In "Aliens of London" (episodes 4-5), David Verrey (who's also been in "Red Dwarf") as Joseph Green; Basil Chung and Fiesta Mei Ling as the previously-reported "Chinese couple"; Morgan Hopkins as Sergeant Price; Eric Potts as Oliver Charles; Steven Speirs as Assistant Commissioner Strickland; Lachele Carl and Jack Tarlton as television reporters. Bruno Langley (as Adam Mitchell) appears in episodes 6 and 8; we believe this indicates that the broadcasting order for episodes 7 & 8 will be reversed (for reasons we can't disclose, sorry!) Nicholas Briggs, writer/producer who voices the Daleks for Big Finish, will be doing the same in the new series starting in episode 6 (and likely in episodes 12-13).

Production: Lowri Thomas is the Unit Manager; Patrick Begley is the Props Manager; Ian Richardson is the Sound Manager. Block four of production consists solely of episode 7, to go before the cameras in late November; block five will be the two-parter by Steven Moffat, episodes 9-10, and block six will be comprised of episodes 11-13. Block one (episodes 1, 4 and 5) is currently complete and is being edited.

Music and Sound: The current hope is to apparently use the Ron Grainer version of the theme tune in the series. Mark Ayres has remastered the TARDIS sound effect for use in the show, other familiar sound effects might crop up.

Broadcasting: The current word on the start date of transmission is the third or fourth week of March, although this is not completely set and will likely not be finally decided until the end of the year at the earliest. Nevertheless, it's likely to run from late March through the end of June. BBC Books is currently altering its schedule to accommodate. A second series is "by no means a done deal" and will depend on ratings, but there are plans being made for scripts for the second season prior to being commissioned. No word as yet on when this might arrive on television, but speculation is it would be the fall of 2006. The Doctor Who Confidential documentary series will likely not be on the DVD's; however, according to producer Phil Collinson, while "people won't have to wait for DVD extras to see how the show is put together ... we hope the DVDs will still have extras all of their own!"

Writing: Author Mark Gatiss is interviewed this week in the Guardian newspaper, mostly about his new novel but also briefly about his Doctor Who novels and his episode in the new series.

As Outpost Gallifrey announced yesterday, we have learned that the first two Doctor Who DVD releases in North America next year will be The Visitation starring Peter Davison (WHV catalog #E2157) and The Green Death starring Jon Pertwee (WHV catalog #E2156). The two DVDs are due out from Warner Home Video/BBC Video on March 1, 2005 (we reported February 1 yesterday, but that's the order date for retailers; March 1 is the "street" date.) Both DVDs have the same extras as the UK version except for the addition of the "Who's Who" standard segment on US/Canada releases. The full cover illustrations are below; click on each for a larger version.

The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) has issued the following data about the extras for the forthcoming DVD release of Horror of Fang Rock in January 2005 in the UK. The extras include:


Additionally, we've learned that the commentary for The Mind Robber will likely feature Frazer Hines (Jamie), Wendy Padbury (Zoe), director David Maloney and actor Hamish Wilson (who played the 'other' Jamie in the story). Hines told Outpost Gallifrey that the recording of the commentary would take place at some point this week.

Paul McGann, the Eighth Doctor, stars in a two-part romantic thriller, "Lie With Me," airing Monday 15 November at 9pm on ITV1 in the UK. McGann plays "a man who is suspected of drugging and sexually assaulting a young woman - eerily named Roselyn Tyler, and murdering her flatmate." (Thanks to Graham Kibble-White)

Doctor Who scored a mention this weekend on the US radio network, National Public Radio, during its program "All Things Considered"; author David Elliott discussed his book, "A Field Guide to Monsters" on the program. During the program, Elliott discussed various monsters seen on television. "There was a TV show, which I think has aired occasion on PBS here, called 'Doctor Who,'" Elliott told host Jennifer Ludden. "And there was Doctor Who, and he had these villains that went around with--they're basically--they look like upside down dustbins called the Daleks. And I would regularly hide behind the couch. But like any kid, I'd hide behind the couch, but my eyes would be peering over the top unable to, you know, tear away from the screen."

Artist Ben Morris (who illustrates Russell T Davies' Production Notes column in Doctor Who Magazine) has published a line of greeting cards for Christmas to benefit the Foundation for the Study of Infant Death, whose chairman is Colin Baker. Baker has endorsed the cards line as a fundraising tool for the holidays: "I am delighted to support this wonderful Christmas card with a donation from each sale going to The Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths. When my son Jack died, FSID helped my wife and me a great deal. They work hard not only to support bereaved parents, like us, but to fund life-saving research and give every baby the chance of a lifetime." For details about buying the cards and supporting a worthy charity on Colin Baker's behalf, visit Ben Morris' website by clicking here. (Thanks to Ben Morris)

Today's Western Mail (repeated on icWales) features a news story about the filming of the sixth episode of the new series... and involvement of local police. "Police were alerted yesterday after Daleks were involved in a shoot-out with armed guards," according to the report. "Gunfire and explosions could be heard for miles around as the filming for the new TV series of Dr Who went off with a bang. Police had a series of calls from passers-by who thought an armed robbery was going on in Cardiff city centre. But the noise was from the special effects on the set of the cult time-travelling show." A BBC spokesman told the Mail that police were aware that the filming was happening at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, but that locals had not been informed. "The battle scenes are very realistic and that means the use of hazardous explosives," said a BBC representative. Meanwhile, news reports continue about the photos of the Daleks leaked first by the Sun and then across the Internet (as we reported yesterday, with photo display.) The Registerdiscussed the leak of the photos (including mentioning this website in its report.) (Thanks to Chuck Foster, Paul Engelberg, Steve Tribe, Paul Hayes)