Radio updates: Billie Piper will be on The Chris Moyles Show on BBC Radio 1 show this Wednesday morning, March 23, at 7.00am. And BBC Radio 5 Live presenter Simon Mayo announced this afternoon that Christopher Eccleston will be the guest on his show on Thursday 24th March, just after 2:00pm GMT. The show can be heard at the Five Live site.

BBC Birmingham, in association with local fans, have organised a small display in the public area of their new studios in The Mailbox, Birmingham City Centre, to publicise the return of "Doctor Who". The display comprises replicas of the TARDIS, a Dalek and an Auton, and it commenced today (March 21).

BBC Ouch (yes, you read that right) has a Doctor Who feature today celebrating the new series and a serious topic: "As Doctor Who returns to BBC ONE on Saturday nights, disabled comedian Laurence Clark takes a humorous look at how the series has portrayed disability over the years."

The latest issue of Radio Times has the TARDIS on the cover - which, opened, reveals the Doctor and Rose standing inside. The 16-page collectors special features interviews with Russell T Davies, Christopher Eccleston, Billie Piper and Ed Thomas (production designer) and a look at the effects and make-up of the series. There are also really nice photos of various creatures from "Rose" and "The End of the World" - including Lady Cassandra, the Tree people from The Forest of Cheem and the Moxx himself. Also noted on the back of the special it says that the title for episode 8 is Father's Day(though this wasn't the actual title a few weeks ago, but could have recently changed...)

In today's issue of The Sun, Christopher Eccleston is interviewed... and it says that he is "not completely sure" he wants to do a second series, citing the fear of typecasting. "I need to think about it," he tells the paper. "It's more than a huge responsibility to shoulder. And no, I don't want to be thought of as The Doctor to the exclusion of everything else I've done or may do in the future. So I'll have to think long and hard about it before I make the final decision to say yes or no. I am keenly aware that the whole thing could be a poisoned chalice." He says that Davies will write six episodes of the second series and he calls the new show "amazing". It also says he did watch some old episodes when he was offered the role, contradicting what he told DWM. This story is also reported by ContactMusic and icWales. Meanwhile, the internet version of the Sun quotes Eccleston: "The first scene had me as the Doctor chasing this very brilliant, very famous actor down a street while he was dressed as an alien pig. I thought, æIt doesnÆt get much bonkers than this!Æ It was such fun to do.ö

Eccleston told the Manchester Evening News, however, that is is "proud" to be the latest Doctor. "I didn't even think about it," says Christopher of his surprise move. "I approached writer and executive producer Russell T Davies. I read that he was going to do it and emailed him and said, 'When you draw up an audition list put my name on it'. It was just because I'm a fan of his writing and worked with him on The Second Coming. I loved his other stuff as well, Queer As Folk most of all I think, because it changed television in a way. So it was easy. Which is a great in a way because it is a big deal. I now realise," he laughs. The article says the experience was "a gruelling and often surreal shoot for the actor who had to deal with new experiences such as paparazzi hounding the set for snaps of his co-star Billie. 'We just looked after Billie and ignored it,' says
Christopher. But what was more galling for the actor was the first episode of their work being leaked onto the internet. 'It's kind of sick,' he says. 'It saddens me because we've all worked really hard on it and we want it to be seen as it's intended to be seen.'" On a second series, he does hedge a bit: "I won't allow myself to be absorbed completely. . . . I've been in the game 18 years so there's a certain amount of knowledge of how this business works and how you should conduct yourself with the public and things. But I've met a number of Whovians, real serious Doctor Who fans, and they've been so kind and generous to me and excited about the series. They're not interested in gossip about me or the set, but interested in the myth of the Doctor. I think I can handle that."

Lots of Billie Piper coverage today. The Daily Star says that Billie "will NOT be tuning in to see the re-launch of the classic sci-fi series - because she'll be out getting blitzed. The former pop singer ... confessed: 'I won't be watching on Saturday. I'll do what I always do on transmission dates . . . I'll go to the pub and get lashed! ... I'm too close to Dr Who at the moment because we only recently stopped filming. If I watch when it starts I'll be too critical and I'll be looking for all the things I could have done better. I'll wish I could have changed things. It's better for me to see the show in a few months' time when I know there is absolutely nothing I can do about it all.'" The Mirror also reported this online. Also, according to the Newsquest Media Group, Piper "has admitted she didn't enjoy her singing career." She also discusses her foreknowledge of the show: "I am too young to be a Doctor Who fan but I knew the music, it's like a track at a wedding reception. You know what the song is but can't place it." And today's Times says that "Doctor Who's assistant is by tradition a bit of a bimbo, so the role might do Billie Piper no favours." The article discusses some of her personal life issues over the past several years in the music industry before it turns to Doctor Who: "I worry about the Who gig. Everyone presumes that the role will finally airlift her out of her previous life and on to the A-list, but I think it's quite a long shot. First, the career track record for former assistants of the Doctor is poor. It was, after all, the only thing strong enough to kill off Bonnie Langford's television career. And secondly, in the first episode of the new Who at least, Billie underwhelms." (Ironically, most of the comments made about her is that her performance in the first episode is one of the best things about it...)

BBC Norwich has posted a feature interview with Karen Davies, winner of this weekend's Doctor Who Mastermind, aired during BBC2's "Doctor Who Night" special. The EDP24 website has also reported this.

BBC Radio Leicester are running a series of interviews to find Leicestershire's biggest Doctor Who fan this week; they are interviewing fans from the county about the programme including pitting fans against one of their presenters in a light hearted quiz (which our correspondent, Del Shorley, was the first one, and won!) You can listen to the rest of the week's interviews at the site.

More coverage of the story we reported yesterday on Welsh minister Rhodri Morgan can be found at the BBC News Ireland site, icWales, the Sun, Ananova, and a new version in the Scotsman; it was also mentioned in the Metro newspaper.

(Thanks to Martin Barber, Chuck Foster, Steve Tribe, Huw Turberville, Steve Hatcher, Paul Engelberg, "NellyM", Lee Thacker, Del Shorley, Mark Murphy, and Laurence Clark)

There are many newspaper stories out there regarding the press launch and screening of the first episode last night at the St David's Hotel and Spa in Cardiff Bay, with selections from interviews with Christopher Eccleston, Billie Piper, Russell T Davies, Julie Gardner and others. Here's a recap:

Eccleston admitted he was not a fan of the "old" series but it may have been the previous Time Lords' posh accents that put him off. "I'm different from the other Doctors," he said. "All the others spoke with this RP accent - maybe it was that that put me off. I think that it's good that we teach kids that people who speak like that can be heroic too." About Davies, he said, "I am a huge fan of his. IÆve tried to capture his speed of thought and the pace of his words, and of course they are his words."

Eccleston "revealed" that he and assistant Rose will "fall in love" but not the way you think. "It will be the first time the doctor has had a romance in the show's 40-year history," says one clip. However, Eccleston himself says, "They love each other. It's very much love at first sight. It's not a conventional love affair. It's far more mysterious than that." Billie Piper noted, "At the end of the first show when the doctor invites Rose to come with him in the Tardis I suppose it's very much like asking her out on a date. They have a very interesting dynamic and there are times when you can't put your finger on their relationship. But there's lots of holding hands throughout the series." Viewers will apparently see them saying things like: "I could save the world, but I'd lose you" and "I'm so glad I met you". About his companion, Eccleston says "There has been no heroine for 12-year-old girls before and Billie pulled that off just like that. She saves the Doctor in the first episode, she is a heroine."

Piper likes being a new role model. "When I was singing I was a role model then and when you are in that position you can do some good." Billie says she doesn't want to go back to her singing career and described herself as being "in a great place right now" with new acting projects on the horizon. She admitted that she didn`t watch the series as a child. "It was in our house and I remember freaky music and a man running around in a long scarf, but I could never make head nor tail of it." When she took the role she said she made the decision not to watch previous series for fear of confusing her own performance, but she said Mr Eccleston took on a far more difficult role than she had. "I don`t know how Chris does it but he did it. It`s like playing James Bond the Doctor he`s established there`s nothing he doesn`t know and there`s nothing he can`t do, as an actor that must be most frustrating."

However, an article in today's The Sun swears that Billie Piper is planning to relaunch her pop career after the airing of the new Doctor Who series, but she will only agree to a deal if she is happy with the style of music. A Sun "insider" is quoted as saying, "Billie would love to make a return to the music scene but she has to be happy with whatÆs being offered. She has been having talks with a number of labels, including Sony BMG, but hasnÆt put pen to paper yet. She wants a lot of input in and outside of the studio." All of which Billie Piper has flatly denied.

One or two articles mention "fifteen episodes" being broadcast (instead of the actual 13) and that each episode is a self-contained story (some of them are actually two parters.)

Davies said he wrote it with a family audience in mind: "If you chase a cult you just become a smaller cult. If a cult fan hates this series it means they will only watch it 20 times instead of 30 times. When they brought Crossroads back and made it a bit camp it was a turkey of disasterous proportions."

Gardner said about the show's future, "We just donÆt know what to expect, there is no real yardstick. Of course IÆm nervous." She also denied that the leak of the first episode had anything to do with the BBC. "We were devastated."

Musician Charlotte Church, who we reported yesterday showed up with a Dalek from The Sun, said "It was brilliant. I have never seen Doctor Who before. I would have been two when it was last on but this was like a mini-movie."

BBC Radio 4 has a link to an interview conducted this morning with Davies and DWM editor Clayton Hickman; you can listen to it for the next day or so by clicking here.

GMTV had a feature on its programme this morning before 8:30 with Ben Sheppard who attended the press launch yesterday; the clips shown were longer than those on BBC news.

Some links to various reports: BBC Radio 1, Times Online, Scotsman, Channel 4, Megastar, ITV, icNews,Edinburgh News

Christopher Eccleston and Billie Piper will appear alongside a Dalek on BBC Breakfast tomorrow morning, Wednesday March 9 at 9:00am, according to a promo mentioned at the end of today's show. Check it out!

Doctor Who will be a topic on BBC2's Newsnight tonight (Wednesday) at 10:30pm. "And just when you thought it was safe to come out from behind the sofa, Doctor Who returns to Saturday nights. Is going back in time the only way to guarantee ratings success?"

Christopher Eccleston was present along with actor Stephen Fry ("The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy") and holocaust survivor Paul Oppenheimer to lead the memorial services on Holocaust Memorial Day in London on January 27, commemmorating the 60th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz labor camp, according to reports in The Sun, on the icNews network (link), The Scotsman, Channel 4's website and other locations.

Film and TV artist Pete Wallbank has created a limited edition print of Christopher Eccleston as the ninth Doctor, exclusively available through the Galaxy 4 store in the UK and on sale on November 30. "A3 in actual size and printed upon high quality heavy weight german etching paper. Individually signed, numbered and inspected for quality by Pete Wallbank himself. Each print will be accompanied by a signed certificate of authenticity and is supplied within a plastic cover for presentation and protection. The run of only 100 copies is printed via the digital giclee method - to maintain the highest of standards with each print being produced as a one off. The finished item is virtually indistinguishable from it's original!" Click on the thumbnail for a larger version of the illustration and visit the Galaxy 4 shop online to buy.

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)

Music lovers should check out Orbital's new 'Blue Album', out today (Mon 21 June), which features on the fifth track entitled "You Lot", a sample featuring the voice of Christopher Eccleston from the ITV 2003 drama 'The Second Coming'. Orbital, of course remixed the Dr Who theme tune on their last album "The Altogether" which was used to accompany the 40th Anniversary celebration on last years' Doctor Who DVDs. (Thanks to Richard Allison)

New Doc Christopher Eccleston is a featured player in "Crossing the Dark Sea", a 30-minute play on BBC Radio 4, 23:30 [BST] on Saturday 5th June. Eccleston plays the role of soldier Alec. The program should also (hopefully!) be available on the Radio 4 web-site for playing at any time during the following week at www.bbc.co.uk/radio4. (Thanks to Tom Boon)

Christopher Eccleston is currently in 4th place (of five) in the weekly vote for new IPOs on the CelebDaq list, the market-like PR list like those popular on the 'net. Eccleston is on the board with 15% - currently ahead are Gordon Ramsey (33%), Kirsty Gallacher (25%) and Charlie Brooks (20%). Voting closes at 8pm on Friday 7th May, and the top two will join the market. No other Doctor Who celebrities feature on the Celebdaq trading board (unless you count Billie Piper, long a rumored possible Rose casting choice.) Check it out! (Thanks to LJ Brown)

Christopher Eccleston will be appearing in a music video by the band I Am Kloot, according to music website NME. Says the site, "Eccleston stars in the video to the band's new single 'Proof', set for release on June 14 trough Echo. A fellow Mancunian, the actor fell for the band during their five-night residency at the city's Night & Day Caf? last year. They decided to work on the video with mutual friend and filmmaker Krisher Stott." (Thanks to Robin Groen)