BBC Worldwide confirmed details of the extras for the forthcoming DVD release of The Curse of Fenric, previously reported here from the list of released extras originally confirmed by the BBFC. They include commentary by Sylvester McCoy, Sophie Aldred and Nicholas Parsons, an isolated music soundtrack, a cast & crew discussion at the 1990 Nebula convention, "Take Two" (a BBC1 children's programme), "Modeling the Dead" from BSB's Doctor Who weekend in 1990, "Claws and Effect" (a behind-the-scenes featurette), "Shattering the Chains" (an interview with author Ian Briggs), "Costume Design" (interview iwth costume designer Ken Trew), "Recutting the Runes" (interview with musician Mark Ayres), plus easter eggs and photo gallery. The two-disc set will also, as previously announced, feature a special edition version of the story with additional footage not seen before, recut as a "movie format" story. (Thanks to BBCi)

Big Finish has revealed to Outpost Gallifrey the identity of the final alternate Doctor in the "Doctor Who Unbound" limited series being released this year: popular UK comedy actress and author Arabella Weir. Weir, one of the stars of "The Fast Show" and the author of three best-selling novels including "Does My Bum Look Big in This?" will play the Doctor in the sixth and final Unbound serial "Exile" by Nicholas Briggs, being released in October. Weir's numerous other credits include TV appearances in Alexei Sayle's "Stuff," "Harry Enfield and Chums" and "Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)," in the films "Honest, Decent and True" and "Shooting Fish," and most recently co-starred with Richard E. Grant (the Ninth Doctor in BBCi's forthcoming "The Scream of the Shalka") in the BBC's "Posh Nosh," which Weir also wrote. "I think itÆs a very funny script," Weir says. "I have to say, I was a little bit nervous. I thought, 'Oh God, this is going to be one of those things for people who are real devotees and therefore itÆll be full of in-jokes and unintelligible,' but I thought it was very funny, indeed." While Joanna Lumley made a cameo appearance as the Doctor in "The Curse of Fatal Death" for Children in Need, Arabella Weir has the honour of being the first actress to star as the Doctor for a whole adventure. However, the first lady Doctor may not be quite what everyone is expecting... Details on the story are detailed below. (Thanks to John Ainsworth and Big Finish)

Myth Makers Presents: Essentials is a special fiction anthology release celebrating the show's 40th anniversary from the Doctor Who Information Network of Canada. "Contributors have selected an element of Doctor Who they consider to be essential to the longevity, success and popularity of the series, and have written a story to showcase their chosen element. In addition, notable people from inside and outside of Doctor Who circles were asked for their essential elements and their answers will be included throughout the issue." The "Essentials" volume features fiction from such Doctor Who book authors as Andy Lane, Daniel O'Mahony, Mark Clapham, Mags L Halliday and Dale Smith, with others to be announced. For more information visit the DWIN website at www.dwin.org. (Thanks to Richard Salter)

Australia's UKTV has announced via their "Spring Preview" magazine that they will begin highlighting the 40th anniversary of the program with a special run of Doctor Who stories starting October 11 hosted by Katy Manning (Jo Grant), who will be "taking a look at all seven Doctors to have steered the TARDIS since 1963." Episodes include "An Unearthly Child," "The War Games," "The Three Doctors," "Planet of the Spiders," "The Deadly Assassin," "Logopolis," "The Five Doctors," "The Caves of Androzani," "The Two Doctors," "The Ultimate Foe" and "Survival" as well as the 1996 DW TV movie. This comes on top of ABC Television's announcement that Doctor Who returns to its screens on Monday, September 15. Further information on exact times of stories being aired will be found soon on the Varos website when it becomes available. Says the press information: "Tune in on Sunday, November 23 at 8:30pm for a special surprise." Also in Australia: a showing of the second Peter Cushing Dalek film "Daleks: Invasion Earth 2150AD" commercial free on both Wednesday, September 10 and Sunday, September 14. (Thanks to Jason Fraser)

BBCi have published the September edition of their Telepress continuing monthly column on the Doctor Who novels. Featured in this installment are interviews with Jonathan Blum ("Fallen Gods") and Daniel O'Mahony ("The Cabinet of Light") as well as the provisional cover and blurb for Deadly Reunion, the November novel by Terrance Dicks and Barry Letts, and extracts from "Wolfsbane" by Jacqueline Rayner and "Short Trips: The Muses". The details on "Deadly Reunion" are as follows (click the thumbnail at right for a larger version of the cover):

Radio Times recently released a list of the "top 40 television shows" and Doctor Who failed to make the cut. TV editor Alison Graham comments: "Everyone has their own list of favourites, and I'm certain there will be lots of people saying: 'Where's Doctor Who or Star Trek?'" Considering this is the 40th anniversary year of what is considered one of the UK's most successful television exports of all time... we can only speculate that the folks at Radio Times need a vacation, desperately!

Big Finish has released three new cover illustrations, for the forthcoming Doctor Who Unbound serial Deadline by Rob Shearman, starring Derek Jacobi; and for the two Benny Summerfield audios The Draconian Rage (now available) andThe Poison Seas (coming soon). Click on each thumbnail below for a larger version. Meanwhile, Big Finish has announced that the fourth Unbound serial He Jests at Scars will be available in mid-September, delayed for a few weeks due to CD duplications problems; they've also issued a second trailer for Zagreus, their 40th anniversary Doctor Who audio serial starring Paul McGann, Peter Davison, Colin Baker and Sylvester McCoy. Finally, Big Finish confirms the news from earlier this week that the extended, audio only release of Shada will be available on CD in December; it is not part of the regular subscriber package and will only be available as an individual order. (Thanks to Big Finish)

The UK's Channel 5 will be airing a documentary entitled Celebrity Naked Ambition on Monday, September 1 at 10pm, looking at "celebrities who have appeared nude on stage or screen to enhance their public profile and boost their flagging career." Among such notable personalities whose career choices are being featured are Madonna, Richard Gere, Russell Crowe and our own Fourth Doctor, Tom Baker, likely due to his appearance on the 1980's television series "The Lives and Loves of a She-Devil". Not the sort of thing we usually mention here at Outpost Gallifrey but as it does touch on a prominent Doctor Who celebrity we thought we'd mention it! (Thanks to Steve Stratford)

Lorraine Heggessey, controller of BBC-1, has again expressed her wish to bring back Doctor Who on Saturday evenings, but still insists that there are rights issues preventing such, despite word from the BBC Rights Office (which was noted in a story on BBCi that we mentioned a few days ago). In an article that primarily discussed other BBC programming including the talent show "Fame Academy," Heggessey mentions that the "complex situation surrounding the rights to the small screen character could scupper his return." Says Heggessey, "I would like to resurrect Dr Who but the rights situation is too complicated to do that at the moment. Maybe that will happen one day... Saturday night is still a very special night whether you stay in or go out." The "Doctor Who Initiative," the article says, "is part of Ms Heggessey's plan to overhaul BBC1's Saturday night schedule with more drama, comedy and location-based shows: 'You want to feel like you are having a good time, and if you don't you blame the telly,' she added." The article appeared in the Guardian newspaper and has been widely reprinted.

The latest issue of Doctor Who Magazine has further details about the forthcoming The Scream of the Shalka by Paul Cornell, the animated Doctor Who story debuting on the web in November. According to DWM, the full cast includes Richard E. Grant (the Doctor), Sophie Okonedo (Alison), Jim Norton (Major Thomas Kennett), Diana Quick (Prime), Craig Kelly (Joe), Anna Calder Marshall (Mathilda), Andrew Dunn (Max), Connor Moloney (Sgt. Graves), David Tennant and Ben Morrison (the Caretakers), and Derek Jacobi (the Master). Cornell mentions that his novelisation will add "loads of detail, including lines and scenes, and have huge depth"; the book will also feature an article on the making of the story and some interviews. (Thanks to DWM)