The late-year release of the "orphan" Doctor Who episodes on DVD now has a name: the Lost in Time Collection, according to Galaxy 4; it's due in November. The boxed set will include all 18 'orphaned' episodes including the recent "Daleks Master Plan" episode 2.

According to Planet Who, "CGI effects house The Mill have been commissioned to work on the new series, according to reports. The company have worked with the BBC on a number of projects, most recently they provided effect work for 'The Nile' (BBC2), and a spectacular recreation of D-Day recently shown on BBC1."

BBC1's regional local news programme South Today confirmed that it will air three Doctor Who mini-features/documentaries on July 12, 13 and 14 at 6.30pm. Produced by David Allard and directed by Bill Baggs, these three minis discuss viewer's memories of when the series 'came to their home or office or backyard'. Locations featured include Athelhampton House in Dorset (Seeds of Doom), the lake in West Sussex from Terror of the Zygons, IBM's Portsmouth headquarters (Revelation of the Daleks) and an interview with Anneke Wills at her studio in Dorset and at Winspit Quarry (The Underwater Menace), plus Gary Downie at Arundel Castle (Silver Nemesis).

New Doc Christopher Eccleston received substantial undisclosed libel damages over a claim that he reacted violently and aggressively towards a suggestion about how he should portray a role, according to recent reports in the popular media. According to the Manchester Evening News, "The 40-year-old Salford-born star... was at London's High Court to hear his solicitor, Mike Brookes, tell Mr Justice Eady how he was caused much distress by the book Laundrettes And Lovers, a tribute to the history and successes of TV and film production company Working Title. It contained a contribution from Michael Hirst, who wrote the screenplay for the film Elizabeth, in which Mr Eccleston played the Duke of Norfolk. Mr Brookes said Mr Hirst alleged that the actor reacted violently and aggressively to his suggestion how to play a particular scene, saying that he would never allow himself to appear sexually impotent, and that he would break Mr Hirst's head open if he even mentioned the idea again. Mr Brookes said: 'My client was very concerned when he read of this, because it was simply untrue' ... and ... that the actor was also very concerned about the impact that these allegations may have upon his professional career if they were read either by members of the public or, crucially, figures of importance within the film and television industry. ... Afterwards, Mr Eccleston said that he was glad the matter was resolved before he started filming Dr Who in two weeks time. He said: 'I'm very much looking forward to it. It's very exciting. I'm just very pleased it's been resolved in my favour and that the defendants have admitted that what they said was untrue. For me, that's the matter closed.'" An interesting footnote to this article... filming in two weeks' time?! (Thanks to Paul Engelberg)

As Outpost Gallifrey previously reported, the BBC Books release of Synthespians™ by Craig Hinton was delayed for several weeks as the publishers printed a new cover; the original cover photo was licensed by cover designers Black Sheep, but unfortunately the license agreement specifically stated that it could not be altered (which it was, for the Auton look on the faces). Therefore a new design had to be commissioned. Writer Hinton has provided us with the full wraparound cover illustration, which you can view by clicking on the thumbnail graphic at right; please note that the caption about it being an "Eighth Doctor" adventure has been corrected for the final release. (Thanks to Craig Hinton)

McFarland Publishing is releasing The Doctor Who Error Finder by R.H. Langley this fall, a new book about the bloopers and blunders in the series. "In Episode Four of Doctor WhoÆs 'Stones of Blood,' 14 minutes and 22 seconds into the show, a crow lands on a large 'rock,' causing it to shake. In Episode One of 'State of Decay,' at 9:37, the hole in AldricÆs pants mysteriously grows a patch. 32 minutes and 26 seconds into the first episode of 'Attack of the Cybermen,' one notices that the Cyberman in the left rear seems to be intoxicated. This work is the largest existing collection of errors appearing in Doctor Who, from every episode of the original television series, the movies, and the spin-offs. Presenting over 4000 errors, plus about 1500 other items of interest to fans, it includes transmitted bloopers such as microphones or equipment visible in a shot, obvious strings, anachronisms, unsteady sets, and actors having trouble walking. This book not only presents bloopers not previously recorded, but also corrects errors in other lists. The work is divided by Doctor (from the first to the eighth); each story begins with the title, official BBC codes, alternate titles, writer and directors, media in which the episode is available, running times, highlights including characters and actors, and questions to keep in mind. The individual episodes in each story each include date of first transmission and a list of errors and trivia, each with an approximate time in the episode. The work also includes errors from the untransmitted parts of the pilot episode and Shada; it concludes with 'the forgotten doctor,' and related programs such as K-9 and Company, Dimensions in Time, and The Curse of the Fatal Death."

Meanwhile, Hodder & Stoughton Childrens Publishing is releasing So You Think You Know Dr. Who by Clive Gifford in January 2005, a trivia paperback. "The great timelord has had many incarnations and many adventures, but can you remember them? Do you know who was the first Dr Who? Can you say what the word 'tardis' stands for? Well here's your chance to shine - with over 1,000 questions this quiz book will not only test, but also tease and torment the most ardent fan. But don't worry the answers are not to be found in the far reaches of the universe, they're in the back of the book!"

Finally, independent publisher MonkeyBrain is re-releasing (through National Book Network Distributors) The Discontinuity Guide by Paul Cornell, Keith Topping and Martin Day. The re-release is simply a reprint of the earlier version published by Virgin, with no additional material, although it bears a new cover, and is due out in October. Click on the thumbnails below for larger versions of the cover. (Thanks to Paul Engelberg, Dan O'Malley, Keith Topping)

Elisabeth Sladen recorded links for the forthcoming Doctor Who at the BBC Volume 2 on May 31 in Bath. Included will be the following items: Kit Pedler on Talkback; Matthew Waterhouse on Radio 1 in 1980; Tom Baker and Louise Jameson on Pebble Mill at One and Nationwide; John Nathan-Turner 'baiting Mary Whitehouse' in 1983; Elisabeth Sladen has supplied a recording of her appearance on Wogan's World; interviews with six of the first eight Doctors; spoofs from Dead Ringers, I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue and The Mary Whitehouse Experience.

The Scotsman website recently ran an article about the state of BBC television and whether or not it was too late to fix what had been their stellar Saturday night lineup for years. "The running order of BBCÆs Saturday evening schedule remains chiselled in my memory. After Basil Brush was the exhilarating love/terror of Doctor Who - love, for whichever of his female assistants was then custodian of my heart; terror, lest the Cybermen, or the Daleks when we were younger, made an appearance and sent us scuttling behind the sofa." You can read the full article at the Scotsman site. (Thanks to Steve Tribe)

New series writer Rob Shearman appeared at Time 2, a convention organised by the DWAS. He revealed on stage that his script for episode 6 contained the words dog and food, but admitted this may be edited out! He could now visualise the new Doctor's costume and said it was not as "dressy" as those from the previous Docs. Shearman noted he'd read the first script and said to himself, "Wow, this is fantastic." Asked about his own notions of fantasy guest casting, Shearman commented that he wanted Hellen Mirren to play a character in his story... a character who was subsequently written out! (Thanks to Antony Wainer)

Tenth Planet have sent us the cover illustration for the forthcoming The Complete Fourth Doctor: Volume One. Published by Doctor Who Magazine, the special is "Everything you could ever need to know about Tom Baker's record-breaking seven-year tenure as the time-travelling Doctor in the first of two bumper volumes! This edition covers Seasons Twelve to Fifteen, with brand new facts, figures and addenda for all Fourth Doctor 'Archive' features from "Robot" to "The Invasion of Time" and a full analysis of each story from some of the finest writers in Doctor Who fandom. There's also a fascinating character analysis from Philip MacDonald, heaps of rare and previously unseen photographs, and an afterword from producer Philip Hinchcliffe." It will be out the second week of July, with the second volume due in October. (Thanks to Tenth Planet)