Back after a few days' break with a rundown of the latest news stories...

Season Two

Will Stephen Fry write an episode of the second season of "Doctor Who"? That's the rumor, according to BBC News: "Comedian Stephen Fry is in talks with the BBC about the possibility of writing an episode of Doctor Who. The acclaimed author, director and actor may contribute to the series, which returns later this year with David Tennant as the next Time Lord. A BBC spokeswoman said: 'We are in talks with Stephen about the possibility of him writing an episode of Doctor Who.' There were no plans for Fry to appear in the series, the spokeswoman added." Stephen Fry, who has most recently starred as the voice of the Book in the big-screen adaptation of "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy," was a popular choice to play the Doctor with the public prior to the casting of Christopher Eccleston; he also played the Minister of Chance in BBCi's webcast Doctor Who serial "Death Comes to Time". Also reported atContact Music, The Advocate.

John Barrowman appeared at the London Film and Comics Convention this weekend and told the audience that, contrary to rumor, he would be back in the second season as well as the third, though he isn't in the first block of episodes being filmed (which he said included the Cybermen, so he won't be in that story). He noted that being on Doctor Who was a "bleep bleep bleep dream come true" as he was a fan as a child, and refused to be drawn into who the better kisser was (Eccleston or Piper)! Barrowman noted that he'll be taping a commentary for the DVD boxed set (due out in November) on July 20 along with Russell T Davies, Billie Piper and Joe Ahearne.

The Mirror reports that "New Dr Who David Tennant will speak in his Scots accent in the next series of the show. Scottish fans were shocked to hear the Paisley-born Tennant speaking in posh English tones during his debut as the Doctor last Saturday. It was all the more surprising because Tennant had said he hoped to give the role a tartan flavour. The accent sparked an outcry among Scottish Who fans and now producer Russell T Davies has hinted Tennant will be speaking naturally come his first full adventure at Christmas. He said: 'Every planet has a Scotland. You'll have to wait and see, there are revelations on the way.' The line about Scotland refers back to when Billie Piper asked why the Doctor - as then played by Christopher Eccleston - sounded Mancunian and he replied: 'Every planet has a North.' A BBC insider said: 'The accent will be up to what Russell and David want to do during filming.'"

Too much Cardiff this year? Former BBC Director General Greg Dyke apparently thinks so, stating that he thinks using the city as a setting was a "flaw" and accused the BBC of trying to produce the series for peanuts. "As a lifelong Doctor Who viewer, I don't believe the series was without flaws. Given that the Doctor is a time traveller, able to go anywhere at any time, he did end up on earth a disappointing number of times during the 13 episodes and, even worse, he kept turning up in Cardiff. I haven't got anything against the capital of Wales, but if I could land anywhere in the universe at any time, would I really go to Cardiff more than once? Of course, any connection with the fact that the series was made by BBC Wales, and that for the production team, Cardiff was a cheaper location is purely coincidental." Several news reports say that BBC Wales has brushed off Dyke's comments and insist the next series, due to start shooting later this summer, will continue to be filmed in Cardiff. "As Greg Dyke wrote in his article, Doctor Who 'has been a triumph for BBC Television', 'a delight to watch' and 'a well-scripted, well-acted series which had high production values.'," said a spokesman. "It is clear that viewers felt that praise applied especially to the two episodes set in Cardiff as they attracted tremendous average audiences of eight million people." Also reported aticWales.

People

Christopher Eccleston has given his first interview since handing the keys of the tardis over to David Tennant, according to BBC News. "Speaking at a Mencap charity do, the actor told Newsbeat that finishing 'Dr Who' was a relief after dealing with the BBC, but he still got something special out of it: 'The best thing about 'Doctor Who' for me has been the response I've had from children, both in the street and the number of letters and drawings of me and daleks, which are all over my wall at home. In all the 20 years I've been acting, I've never enjoyed a response so much as the one I've had from children and I'm carrying that in my heart forever.'"

John Barrowman will be interviewed on Theatre Radio, described as "Internet Radio For Musical Theatre" on Sunday 3rd July at 5pm GMT, repeated daily at 2pm and 10pm GMT. "This week on TheatreRadio, Tim is joined by John Barrowman, who is about to make his UK Cabaret debut at Pizza On The Park. As well as playing some fantastic music, Tim has a copy of JohnÆs latest album, John Barrowman Swings Cole Porter, to give away so make sure you tune in!" He will also appear in a cabaret in Belgium on July 12; details can be found at the Musical Solo website. Then, he'll be appearing on the US PBS network's Evening at Pops on August 7, when he joins the Boston Pops and Broadway singers for a tribute to legendary Broadway composer Jerry Herman.

"Doctor Who" script editor Helen Raynor makes her debut as a radio writer on BBC Radio 4 this week. "Running Away with the Hairdresser" will transmit on Radio 4 on Friday 1st July at 9.00pm. "Nearly a year has passed since Catrin returned from Thailand after a bomb in a nightclub killed her boyfriend and brought their holiday to a tragic end. Now she feels trapped in her Welsh village, but not simply by grief." Raynor describes the play as "A bit intense, with some funny bits too, though. And some lovely acting." Mali Harries, who recently played Cathy Salt in the first series episode "Boom Town" plays Caitrin. The play will be available online for a week following broadcast; go to the Radio 4 arts website and click on The Friday Play.

Press Coverage

New Zealand coverage of the series, now that there's a definite date of July 7, has picked up. A second trailer for the new series has been airing on Prime TV for the past few days which features Christopher Eccleston's original "Do you want to come with me?" footage (originally broadcast in the UK the weeks prior to its debut). In addition, the New Zealand media has been giving some good coverage of the New Series, with articles in the New Zealand Herald, the New Zealand TV Guide (including a small cover picture of a Dalek), an interview with Bruno Langley in the New Zealand TV Times Update magazine and a two-page article in the New Zealand Sunday Star Times.

This week's print edition of Broadcast (24 June) has picked up on Greg Dyke's article for The Independent a few days ago. The magazine's "Off the Record" diary section reports: "And on to one of Dyke's current 'portfolio' jobs û penning a weekly column for the Indy's media section. This week, he spilled the beans on the cost of the new Doctor Who û a cool ú1m an episode û (the total cost he said was ú1.2m an episode, but overseas sales made up the rest). Blimey that's an exterminating total of ú13m of licence fee money. Still, we're not quibbling û money well spent, say we."

Australian broadcasts continue... says this week's Herald Sun about the latest episode, "Dalek," "The best episode so far has Dr Who and Rose landing in a subterranean museum in 2012, where they find a Dalek being held captive and tormented by obsessed billionaire collector Henry Van Statten. The Doc and arch-enemy Dalek get reacquainted and danger looms. You'll enjoy this one." The Sydney Morning Herald said "Fans have been waiting for this episode in which a Dalek, the Time Lord's oldest and deadliest enemy, returns. ... If you've ever wondered what a Dalek looks like inside its metal casing or how it climbs a staircase, this episode will put you out of your misery." The Age says that "Now the Doctor is back and despite some egalitarian tweaking of the image - the accent now suggests Manchester rather than Eton and Oxbridge and the clothing and appearance are classless Cool Britannia rather than foppish Edwardian - he remains recognisably an exemplar of Etonian virtue. Christopher Eccleston may be a more aggressively masculine Doctor than, say, Jon Pertwee or Tom Baker, but he conforms, like all of his predecessors, to that most English of adventure-hero stereotypes, the Thoroughly Decent Chap. He's a post-imperial sort of Decent Chap, though, and there's nothing Tory or even wimpishly Blairite about the politics of this latest series of Doctor Who." "The Age" also features an articleabout weird alien-sounding names in science fiction ("If you don't know the difference between a Slitheen and a Raxacoricofallapatorian... you've only yourself to blame.")

The June 24 edition of the publishing trade magazine The Bookseller reports on the recommissioning of Doctor Who for a third series, although it's obvious that much of the article has been derived from press reports elsewhere. It's of interest for some details of sales figures for the new books: The programme's popularity has been reflected in the sales of the companion books. The three new novelisations from BBC Books have achieved combined sales of around 37,000 since publication in May, each securing places on the Top 20 Fiction Heatseekers chart. Reference book Doctor Who: Monsters and Villains by Justin Richards has sold more than 9,000 copies. The Top 20 Fiction Heatseekers chart for this week has The Monsters Inside and The Clockwise Man still at numbers 11 and 12, with the week's sales at 2,921 and 2,898 respectively. Winner Takes All has climbed from 18 back up to 14, on sales of 2,039." The Bookseller also previews Justin Richards' Doctor Who: The Legend Continues among its selection of paperback highlights for October: "The limited ú40 h/b published for the 40th anniversary sold out. These are the same sheets [i.e. the book will be reprinted without any changes], but with an addition of 32pp on the current Christopher Eccleston series. I would say fans have expanded with the new series into a younger generation, for which this will make a great gift."

The official Doctor Who website has several new video diaries online. "Today we're launching four more video diaries - three from director Joe Ahearne and one from The Mill's main man, Will Cohen. There are Dalek delights, Reaper reminiscences and more."

The Independent on Sunday's "Pink List" discusses the extermination of 'old prejudices' on "Doctor Who". "Sandwiched between the old-fashioned music-hall camp of a Graham Norton and Julian Clary, something much more amusing and inspiring was taking place. Russell T Davies sent the tabloids into a foaming lather, nearly a decade ago, with his Queer as Folk. Now, in 2005, he has revived, with wit and verve, Doctor Who. Among a series of admissions about urban life, a black character, a single mother, he has included, in the figure of Captain Jack, a character gloriously and unambiguously bisexual, without a tinge of camp. A drama aimed in part at children, with a sexy bisexual man, and no-one at all seems to mind. Things have changed a great deal."

The y come his first full adventure nbsp;on June 23 asked, "Anyone else feel like they lost a friend on Saturday night? Since watching the last episode of Doctor Who, I've been at a loss over just what to say. Project stoic image of emotionally detached critic? Or confess to my heart pounding in my chest and tears welling in my eyes? Oops. Saturday saw the climax of a love story, a tragedy, a comedy, an end, a beginning and a satisfying culmination to the most successful TV return since, well, Lassie Come Home. Of course, the new Who drew snipes from those too bitter to forgive Billie Piper for looking like an Ewok, or 'serious actor' Christopher Eccleston's uneasy take on eccentric. Fine. But are you telling me you preferred Colin Baker, Sylvester McCoy, the low budgets, crap sets and fusty storylines of the 80s? No. Didn't think so. Doctor Who has been the best thing Saturday night TV has offered in light years. I am genuinely sad it's finished. He's seen off the Slithene, those gas-mask zombie things and the Daleks. Hurrah for all that - but more respect for wiping the floor with tired Butlins' Redcoats Ant and Dec and their lame Saturday Night Takeaway when the shows went head to head. Everything - the music, the sets, the effects, the characters, the aliens, the acting (Billie Piper excelled in the final episode) worked brilliantly. Between Casanova and Doctor Who, Russell T Davies better take a big bag with him to the next Baftas."

Monday's New Statesman notes, "I was, let me admit, too critical of the first episode back in March. Russell T Davies has, as has been much remarked, reinvented the phenomenon of families gathering around the electronic hearth and, thanks to Doctor Who's extermination of ITV1's Celebrity Wrestling, helped kill off ITV's reliance on the celebrity genre. So two cheers for that. The darker episodes - the Dickens story, Rose's rediscovery of her dead father, the Second World War gas masks - worked best. The monsters tended to look like rejects from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and played to Davies's weakness, which was not taking the plots as seriously as its youngest audiences would. Yet, paradoxically, and despite the variations in tone, this was a serious piece of work that wove historical traditions into the fabric of our times and thereby managed to embroider everything from reality TV to bisexuality. Just as the police box once represented the presence of the state in every high street, Davies's Tardis became a symbol of public-service quality in the Saturday-night schedules. And that makes three cheers in all."

In June 23's Media Guardian: "Endemol boss Peter Bazalgette has followed in the footsteps of Michael Grade, and just about everyone else, in becoming a fully paid-up member of the Doctor Who fan club. 'The most magnificent piece of TV I can remember for a long time,' Baz gushed at today's conference on the future of broadcasting. However, he was feeling far less charitable towards ITV. 'ITV this summer is facing a massive stampede of viewers, not to other terrestrial channels, but to multichannel. [ITV chief executive] Charles Allen has got a small net, or sluice gate, on the door - called ITV2 and ITV3 - which is catching some of them, but most are just going off in the diaspora,' he said. What's up Baz, has Nigel Pickard knocked back all your programme ideas again?"

A late review of The Parting of the Ways in the New Statesman: "I was, let me admit,too critical of the first episode back in March. R T Davies, has, as has been much remarked, reinvented the phenomenon of families gathering around the electronic hearth and, thanks to Doctors Who's extermination of ITV1's Celebrity Wrestling, helped kill off ITV's reliance on the celebrity genre".

(Thanks to Paul Engelberg, Steve Tribe, Chris Graham, Daryosh Djavanzad, Nathan Matthews, Gary Owen, Peter Anghelides, Adrian Piper, Huw Davies, John Bowman, Peter Weaver, Paul Greaves, Fred Harrison, and Thomas Van der Spiegel)

The latest issue of Doctor Who Magazine has started to reach subscribers and some retailers, and its attention is already turning to Series Two and this year's Christmas special. The magazine went to press before negotiations between the BBC and Billie Piper for her appearance throughout the next series were completed, although Russell T Davies is quoted advising readers "don't worry too much about scare stories in the papers or other magazines." DWM is, however, able to confirm that both Camille Coduri (Jackie Tyler) and Noel Clarke (Mickey Smith) will be returning for "a good few episodes". The same report (again perhaps suffering from printing deadlines) suggests that John Barrowman will not be back "for the time being" (Series Three is mentioned in this context), although this seems to be at odds with statements made at the BAFTA screening of "The Parting of the Ways" last week; Davies attributes any non-appearance for Captain Jack to "the results of the DoctorÆs regeneration. Jack [à] would take regeneration in his stride. We need to see RoseÆs dilemma." Also revealed are some working titles for the second series: the third episode, School Reunion, is by Toby Whitehouse; Russell T Davies is writing Army of Ghosts, which is the twelfth episode. The Christmas Invasion, meanwhile, is referred to as æEpisode XÆ to avoid confusion in the production office! Block One, directed by James Hawes, comprises "The Christmas Invasion", Episode 1 and "School Reunion". Block Two, directed byEuros Lyn, and Block Three directed by Graeme Harper will be two and four episodes respectively, although it is not yet known exactly which episodes these will be. There is also a new script editor, alongside Helen Raynor: with Elwen Rowlands moving on to Life on Mars, Simon Winstone (who has worked on EastEnders and is a former editor at Virgin BooksÆ Doctor Who range in the 1990s) has joined the crew. There will also be changes at Wardrobe and Make-up, as Lucinda Wright, Davy Jones and Linda Davie depart and discussions are being finalised with their replacements. The Mill and Neill Gorton have renewed their contracts. Finally, Russell T Davies comments that the Tenth Doctor "will encounter one or two elements from Series One", then muddies the waters by saying, "the presence of Jackie and Mickey might already have given away that little secret!" Beyond that, heÆll give nothing away. Pick up issue 358 of Doctor Who Magazineon the shelves on Thursday.

DWM has also confirmed that this November's boxed set release of the first season on DVD will feature all 13 episodes in 5.1 stereo surround sound mix for the first time, and that the set will have over 200 minutes of special features, with "a special episode" of "Doctor Who Confidential", exclusive to this release.

Canada's Planet of the Doctor web documentary has been completed, with parts 5 and 6, Doctor Who and Culture I and II, now available online. An additional special episode, The Nine Doctors, is also available. All can be viewed at the CBC website.

More comments about "Parting of the Ways"... in today's Daily Star: "It's the ones you love that always break your heart and, after my tidal wave of gushy emotions over Dr Who, blow me if the last episode wasn't . . . well . . . a little bit pish. Don't get me wrong. I was gripped throughout and tears were in my eyes when Eccleston gave his farewell speech. And that's what made the writing so brilliant. Because these flowery speeches masked the fact that actually the plot of the last episode was bollocks."

An article at Rainbow Network discusses Crusaid's recent Walk for Life, a charity event that raised ú325,000 to fight HIV and AIDS with 4200 register walkers. John Barrowman participated and said, "Walk for Life shows me that there are five to six thousand people who are in support of people living with HIV; that they're in support of finding a cure for HIV; and that they're in support of having fun. ItÆs a great day out and a great way to see London."

The official BBC website is asking for feedback about how fans have enjoyed the site this year and what they'd like to see in the future. "Help us plan what we should be doing in the future, and tell us what you think about the website so far... What are your favourite/least favourite bits of the website? What kind of video content would you like to see more of? Should we make more of sites like badwolf and UNIT? Are there enough pictures? Should WhoSpy return - and if so, how could it be different? Do you have any ideas of the kind of content you'd like to see on your phone/interactive tv/infra-red head set?" A list of comments are also available on that page. (And thank you to the folks who have made kind comments about Outpost Gallifrey in the process!)

Down in Australia, the Courier Mail says of "Dalek": "Saturday marks the return to the small screen of the most evil creature to trundle through the universe. Yes, it's the moment every Doctor Who fan has been waiting for -- the Daleks are back. ... The return of the Daleks this Saturday night should be cause for celebration. Alas, they have been hijacked by the hand-wringing forces of political correctness. ... Don't let this put you off watching this episode, because there are some marvellous developments, the least of which is discovering how Daleks have finally mastered the art of climbing stairs. But be aware that the ending, in which the Dalek succumbs to the ultimate expression of self-pity after being infected with human DNA, is a cop-out of the first magnitude. It entirely misses the point of the Daleks. They are there to be hated. Their absolute evil is essential to the balance of the universe." And in The Age: "For the filming of this very special and interesting episode of the remastered, new-millennium Doctor Who, all cast and crew were issued with extra-large umbrellas to protect them from the flecks of spittle flying from Christopher Eccleston's mouth, such is his overacting. ... It's been tempting to jump aboard the backlash bandwagon against the return of Doctor Who, and though I was never really a fan, I've always had time for the wacky concepts, cheesy low-end production values and sheer pace of this most enduring of television space operas - an appreciation that has been enhanced by DVD. Even non-fans should find this episode a corker and I just know everybody will get a hearty chuckle as the show knowingly confronts that age-old joke: How does a Dalek climb stairs?"

The Independent reported today on a rather interesting proceeding in Parliament. "Yesterday, as Parliament debated the draconian Racial and Religious Hatred Bill, the Labour backbencher Harry Cohen was hit by a pressing example of heavy-handed political censorship," says the article. "Earlier in the week, Cohen tabled an Early Day Motion praising the BBC's recent series of Doctor Who, starring Christopher Eccleston, right. But before publication, Commons authorities altered the text, to delete references to 'the episode with farting aliens in Downing Street'. Apparently, parliamentary officials were unable to agree on what language (if any) was appropriate to describe bodily functions."

In today's the Newsquest Media Group syndicated column: "I had been forced to watch the late-night repeat of the programme on BBC3, having made a botched attempt to tape the original broadcast on BBC1. We were moments from the end. Christopher Eccleston had just made his exit from the programme and we had been given our first sight of his replacement, David Tennant. He opened his mouth to say his first lines. And exactly at that moment, a blue bar appeared across his face, bearing the words 'Next: Doctor Who confidential.' Yes, this was one of those channels where the programmers think you constantly have to be told what's coming next, no matter how much it might interfere with your enjoyment of what you're seeing at the moment. ... Terrestrial channels already annoy their viewers by squishing up the picture and running intrusive trailers over the credits. This means that, in the unlikely event of a peak-time drama actually leaving you moved or thoughtful, you will instantly be snapped out of the mood and exhorted to watch something much less worthwhile. ... I think this is not just about television. It's about a society where we can't seem to be happy with where we are and what we're doing, just in case we're missing out on something."

Other stories: the Mirror and Scotsman cover an arrest at BBC Wales; and we're told there will apparently be a scene on Monday's edition I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue involving the Doctor and a Dalek in a most romantic scene from "Brief Encounter".

(Thanks to Steve Tribe, Paul Engelberg, David French, Matt Clemson)

Details have now been revealed for the forthcoming DVD release of The Web Planet, the First Doctor serial starring William Hartnell, Jacqueline Hill, William Russell and Maureen O'Brien, due out in the UK in September. According to anarticle now available on the Restoration Team website, the disc will feature a commentary by producer Verity Lambert, director Richard Martin and stars William Russell and Martin Jarvis, with Gary Russell moderating; a making-of featurette called "Tales of Isop" produced by Andrew Beech and edited by John Kelly, which features the four production people in the commentary, plus Maureen O'Brien (interviewed in France), Sonia Markham (make-up) and John Wood (designer); a reading by William Russell of the short story "The Lair of Zarbi Supremo" from the first Doctor Who annual (with the entire annual being made available on the disc in Adobe PDF format); an alternate soundtrack in Spanish for episode six; plus production notes and photo gallery. (The new DWM announces two short stories but it was cut back after the magazine went to print to one.) All six episodes have been remastered from the negatives and VidFIRE processed. (Thanks to the Restoration Team and DWM)

The next issue of Doctor Who Magazine is due out at the end of the week; below is the press release for the issue along with a high-quality version of the cover (click on the thumbnail for a larger version.) (Thanks to Tom Spilsbury/DWM)

Below is the cover illustration and cover blurb for Doctor Who: The Shooting Scripts, which has appeared on Amazon.co.uk in the past few days. The book is due out on October 15, 2005. Click on the thumbnail for a larger version of the cover.

The Tides of Time, the collection of Fifth Doctor comic strips from Doctor Who Monthly, is now in release, and contains an advert for the next graphic novel in the range. This autumn will see the release of Endgame, "the first of four volumes collecting the complete run of Eighth Doctor comic strips" from Doctor Who Magazine.

Another piece of book information made available by Amazon.co.uk today: The Legend Continues, the updated edition of Justin Richards' 40th anniversary tome extended to include Christopher Eccleston's trip in the TARDIS. The cover blurb and illustration are below; click on the thumbnail for a larger version.

The True History of Faction Paradox Vol. I: Coming to Dust is out on July 23, 2005. The first of the Faction Paradox audios to be released byMagic Bullet, the audio continues the saga first created by Lawrence Miles for the BBC Doctor Who novels. Miles wrote the script for the audio, which is directed by Alistair Lock and Alan Stevens. "Coming to Dust" will be released at the Invasion convention in Barking on July 23rd, with a special signing by Julian Glover and Isla Blair. Click on the thumbnail at right for a larger version of the cover. (Thanks to Fiona Moore/Magic Bullet)

The BBC Shop's New Doctor Who section has also been updated and now includes the correct information for September's Ninth Doctor novels, which can be pre-ordered for 5.99, and the cover for Volume 3 of the new series DVDs, as shown on Amazon recently and reported on Outpost Gallifrey at the weekend. Also listed at the site is September's third volume in BBC Audio's Doctor Who at the BBC series, with the following blurb and details. (Thanks to Steve Tribe)

Big Finish has updated its website with a few items including the release of Gallifrey: Pandora and UNIT: The Wasting, as well as a sample downloadable story from the forthcoming Short Trips: A Day in the Life. They've also announced a summer sale of various audio adventures.

Elsewhere, Andrew Collins, who spoke on camera for the "Doctor Who Confidential" series, notes in a Guardian article that he will be appearing in a Big Finish audio, Live 34: "I received the call-up last Wednesday. 'How would you like to be in Doctor Who?' my agent asked. I think I just laughed out loud, which had been her exact response when the offer came in. I'm playing a radio presenter called Drew Shahan, who broadcasts on Live 34 to the residents of Earth Colony 34 in the distant future. I haven't been this excited since Newsnight Review. I can't reveal any more for obvious discretionary reasons - and to keep the Whovians in suspense. (What am I saying? They've probably posted the script up on Outpost Gallifrey or some such website by now!) You'll have to wait until it's released in September. But as you read this, I'll be in a recording studio in Stockwell, south London, getting into character, eating the meat out of the sandwiches and feigning nonchalance in the thrilling presence of the Doctor and Ace."