The story broke in the Friday morning London Daily Telegraph newspaper, whose webservice featured a headline article (already released to their web service) entitled Doctor Who ready to come out of the Tardis for Saturday TV series by Tom Leonard, Media Editor - an article that hit shortly before midnight UK time Thursday evening. Outpost Gallifrey had received a few emails over the past week hinting that something "was soon to be announced" but waited until the news hit Thursday evening in North America as the Telegraph's article was released, and then we heard that numerous Doctor Who experts such as Mark Campbell ("Pocket Essentials: Doctor Who") and the editors of Doctor Who Magazine were contacted for comment. Shortly after 0400 GMT, BBC News confirmed the story, which has now been carried on most major UK, US and Australia news services (including CNN, MSNBC, ITN News, Associated Press and Reuters).
          The Telegraph article, which was first on the story, said that "in a move that heralds the most eagerly anticipated comeback in television history, BBC1 said yesterday that it is developing a new series of the sci-fi classic," which BBC News confirms will be produced by BBC Wales for BBC-1 Television. But, says the article, "in a development that may alarm purists, the new series is being written by Russell T Davies, the creator of Queer As Folk, the controversial Channel 4 drama about gay life in Manchester, and Bob and Rose, an ITV drama about a homosexual man falling for a straight woman," among his many other television credits, which also include "Second Coming," "Touching Evil," "Springhill" and "The House of Windsor"... and, of course, the Doctor Who: The New Adventures novel "Damaged Goods" for Virgin Publishing. (Davies was also mentioned several years ago as a possible bidder for a new series, a prospect that obviously stayed a possibility...) Davies says he wants to 'introduce the character to a modern audience'. It will also be limited, at this time, to one six-part series, says at least one report.
          Lorraine Heggessey, controller of BBC-1 and a recent champion of Doctor Who, is apparently completely supportive of the whole thing (though she makes note that the Doctor will not be gay, despite the subject matter of the writer's previous material, noting that Davies was chosen because of his knowledge of Doctor Who and experience in television. Heggessey also apparently says in the article that it is "too early to say which of the Doctor's most famous enemies, who include the Cybermen, the Master and the Sea Devils, would return, but insiders said it was unthinkable that the Daleks would not be trundling back into action." Casting has not been undertaken at press time but the article mentions Richard E. Grant, Paul McGann and Alan Davies as possible choices. Heggessey then discusses the rights issues. "Worldwide has now agreed," she says, "that, as they haven't made the film and I've been waiting for two years, it's only right that BBC1 should have a crack at making a series." The series is not likely be be broadcast before 2005. Says Davies: "The new series will be fun, exciting, contemporary and scary."
          The Daily Telegraph article can be read online by clicking here (you have to register, but it's free); the BBCi News report confirming the story is located here. Other news services have been picking up the story over the past few hours... only confirming what we've suspected since word first broke: that Doctor Who fans truly have cause for celebration today.

Doctor Who is the big winner of the latest Radio Times poll asking which show readers would like revived, according to a report circulating this morning on the Ananova web news service. With 31% of the vote, Doctor Who is the first choice, followed by "Blackadder" and "Fawlty Towers" in second and third position. The magazine also asked which UK show should be retired, with top honors going to "Last of the Summer Wine". The full results of the television poll are in the latest issue of Radio Times. (Thanks to everyone who wrote in to let us know!)

Continuing the release of both new books and the backlog of older books in North America, BBC Books (through new distributor Diamond Publishing) has the following releases due out in December: "The Legend" (the Justin Richards hardcover); Eighth Doctor novels "Reckless Engineering" by Nick Walters, "Time Zero" and "Sometimes Never" by Justin Richards; the Big Finish hardcover "Short Trips: A Universe of Terror"; and the Past Doctor novel "The Suns of Caresh" by Paul Leonard. It should be noted that some of these books, while technically not due until December, may actually hit shops early; both "Reckless" and "Suns" are already available via Amazon. (Thanks to Greg McElhatton)

Doctor Who was one of 19 award-winning titles being celebrated by BBC Audiobooks at this yearÆs Spoken Word Awards ceremony, hosted by Clive Anderson at the Dorchester Hotel in London last Thursday evening. A Gold Award for Best Drama was given to the remastered BBC Radio Collection CD release of Doctor Who û Death Comes to Time, the full-cast audio drama first webcast on BBCiÆs Cult website. Producer Dan Freedman, sound engineer Jon Taylor and actor John Sessions were present to collect the award. This is the second year running that BBC Radio Collection has had success with Doctor Who; last year The DaleksÆ Master Plan took Bronze in the Best TV/Film Adaptation category. Overall BBC Audiobooks won 8 Gold, 4 silver and 6 bronze awards this year, as well as Performer of the Year for Michael PalinÆs reading of Sahara. The awards are given by the Spoken Word PublisherÆs Association and judged by a panel of independent experts including journalists, producers, writers and retailers. (Thanks to Michael Stevens of BBC Audiobooks)

Doctor Who Magazine #335 is due out this week (actually, it's already starting to be received by subscribers). Included are interviews with Peter Miles (Nyder of "Genesis of the Daleks") and the last part of the chat with Mark Gatiss; a preview of the "Curse of Fenric" DVD extended edition; "Fact of Fiction" covers "Invasion of the Dinosaurs"; the second part of the comic strip "The Curious Tale of Spring-Heeled Jack"; plus all the usual news reviews and features. The cover is at right.

Ben Aris, who played Lieutenant Shears in part 1 of "Invasion of the Dinosaurs," the Jon Pertwee serial, passed away on September 4; he was 66. Aris found his greatest fame in the classic BBC sitcom Hi-De-Hi! as camp ballroom dancer Julian Dalrimple-Sykes. (Thanks to Steve Stratford and the Death Comes in Time site)

Paul McGann has joined the cast of the Eugene O'Neill play "Mourning Becomes Electra," opening November 17 at the Lytteton theatre. McGann joins Oscar and Tony nominated actress Dame Helen Mirren (best known as Jane Tennison in the "Prime Suspect" television films), West End regular Clarke Peters and actress Eve Best in the play which "explores the wildly destructive forces of jealousy and desire unleashed when Lavinia discovers that her mother, the intoxicating Christine Mannon, has dared to take a young lover." Bookings for the play have begun; more details are available here. (Thanks to Paul Vazquez)

The newest issue of Doctor Who Magazine spills the beans on the cast for the forthcoming audio story Zagreus, due in November from Big Finish, a three-disc 40th anniversary story. Paul McGann and India Fisher return as the Eighth Doctor and Charley, alongside Lalla Ward as Romana and Don Warrington as Rassilon. The report also confirms participation by the following actors (though we should point out that these aren't necesssarily the roles they will be playing in the story): Colin Baker, Peter Davison and Sylvester McCoy (the Doctors), Sophie Aldred (Ace), Nicola Bryant (Peri), Nicholas Courtney (the Brigadier), Louise Jameson (Leela), Bonnie Langford (Mel), John Leeson (K-9), Mark Strickson (Turlough), Sarah Sutton (Nyssa), Maggie Stables (Evelyn), Robert Jezek (Frobisher), Caroline Morris (Erimem), Lisa Bowerman (Bernice), Stephen Fewell (Jason Kane), Miles Richardson (Braxiatel) and Conrad Westmaas (soon to be the new Eighth Doctor companion, C'Rizz). Further details hopefully soon on Big Finish's website.

Letters to the Radio Times in response to its recent report of the top television programmes of the UK -- omitting "Doctor Who" -- have been quite vocal. While one letter decried a possible rigging of the poll, Radio Times did state that the choices were the personal favorites of TV editor Alison Graham... but a letter from Mark Gatiss ("League of Gentlemen" star and author of Doctor Who books including "The Roundheads" and "St. Anthony's Fire") also takes them to task: "Finally, Doctor Who. It's become something of a personal crusade for me to remind everyone that this show (Doctor Who) was once pretty much universally loved. We should remember with pride and not sneer at it as though it were some anorak-sporting. half-mad relative. And we should bring it back now!" (Thanks to BBCi, Radio Times and those who wrote in with their own comments!)

Author Mark Campbell ("Pocket Essentials: Doctor Who") has penned An Almost Complete Guide to Doctor Who, to be published this fall by SciFiCollector. The book will feature "an in-depth episode guide to all the television episodes - each entry includes full transmission dates (including repeats), BBC archive holdings, novelization details, video, DVD or CD availability, music and sound effects releases, cast and crew, a DWM index, recording dates, locations, selected factoids and an informed, no-nonsense summary. The second half of the book documents the Doctor's appearances in a variety of other media - namely TV spin-offs, cinema films, radio plays, comic strips, Big Finish audio plays, stage plays, books and webcasts." Tom Baker has written the foreword for the book. More details and a cover illustration available soon. (Thanks to Mark Campbell)