The latest edition of Britain's most popular satirical magazine, Private Eye , has latched on to the tabloid speculation about the future of David Tennant in the role. The magazine draws parallels with the present predicament of the country's Prime Minister "Tony Blair" who announced last year he would step down sometime before September 2007.

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Dr Who has today been criticised for announcing that he won't be seeking another term as the Time Lord, but not giving an exact timetable for his departure.
"This ongoing uncertainty is destabilising the galaxy at a very inopportune time, with a fresh attack from the Cybermen imminent" said one well-placed Dr Who Source. "We all know that The Master has been waiting for several millennia brooding for the job to be his."

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January 6, 2007  •  Posted By Kenny Davidson

Teachers should use episodes from Doctor Who to teach school children about science rather than technical and "boring" textbooks, according to the UK Government's new Science Minister.

The Minister, pictured, is quoted in The Sunday Telegraph. Their report goes on to say:

Malcolm Wicks, who was appointed in November following the resignation of Lord Sainsbury, believes that too many pupils are put off science during school.

He claims that popular television shows such as the hit BBC science fiction series and the Star Wars films provide children with an insight into real science that teachers can use to kick-start lessons. Science education campaign groups have warned, however, that shows such as Doctor Who often involve ideas that have little basis in science.

Mr Wicks said: "If you start a lesson with the chemical formulae you will lose 90 per cent of the class. If you start with something interesting or important, like something they read in the paper or saw on television, they will remain interested.

"It can be part of an entrée to some of the more technical, important but slightly more boring parts of the subject. If I was a teacher I would start with a chunk from Doctor Who and Billie Piper and say, 'Actually, what was that all about and how is our textbook relevant to that?'

"Take R2D2 from the Star Wars films, for example. We are already doing that kind of stuff in robotics. I would show that, talk about how you would build a thing like that and its uses in the future in the home, in caring for people and for space exploration."

Mr Wicks believes that it is essential to produce a generation of children who are science-literate so that they can go on to help in making the decisions Britain is likely to face on issues such as climate change and medical research.

However, Derek Bell, the chief executive of the Association of Science Education, said: "We all enjoy programmes such as Doctor Who, but teachers would need to be careful to make it clear which bits are science and which fantasy."

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January 5, 2007  •  Posted By John Bowman

A reminder to Outpost Gallifrey readers that David Tennant is the guest presenter tonight on The Friday Night Project on Channel 4.

During the programme, he will give a monologue and face a grilling from the studio audience.

The entertainment show - returning for a fourth series - is on from 11.05pm to 12.10am.

There is also mention of this on Yahoo Entertainment News (with a picture of a blonde-wigged Tennant) and on Digital Spy.

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January 4, 2007  •  Posted By John Bowman

Thursday's edition of The Sun has a picture story featuring new companion Martha Jones aboard the Tardis for the first time.

The photo of Freema Agyeman with David Tennant was released by the BBC yesterday.

The press release from the BBC says: "Doctor Who's new companion Freema Agyeman takes her first trip in the Tardis in pictures released today.

"Agyeman, 27, plays medical student Martha Jones opposite the Doctor (David Tennant) in the Bafta award-winning drama that returns to BBC One for a much anticipated third series in the spring.

"Guest stars already confirmed for the third series includeShameless star Dean Lennox Kelly – who is to play William Shakespeare – The League of Gentlemen's Mark Gatiss and comedy actress Jessica Stevenson.

"The most famous Doctor Who nemesis, the Daleks, are to also make a return in a special two-part episode.

"Agyeman replaces Billie Piper, who played Rose Tyler in the show, and is already familiar to Doctor Who fans, having appeared as Adeola in episode 12 of the second series, when she suffered a terrible fate at the hands of the Cybermen."

In the release, Agyeman is quoted as saying: "It's such an incredible thrill to step inside the Tardis and to be part of such an iconic show. I just hope that I'll be a good companion for the Doctor!"

(This picture is copyright BBC and used solely for promotional purposes) 

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January 4, 2007  •  Posted By Jarrod Cooper

In a recent statement by John Ainsworth, Big Finish has announced Alien Entertainment as the new Offical Subscription service for Big Finish:

Big Finish are very pleased to announce that they have been able to agree terms on a new US subscription service. From 1st January 2007, Alien Entertainment will be offering subscribers the same, exclusive incentives currently enjoyed by customers who subscribe direct with Big Finish. Alien Entertainment subscribers will receive the Big Finish Magazine CD and the free subscriber special adventure scheduled for December 2007. Unfortunately, we are unable to backdate this service, and all free subscriber discs prior to January 2007 will not be available, except direct from Big Finish at www.bigfinish.com. In addition there will be a new magazine disc - Big Finish Update #1 - which will be available to all dealers due to be released in the Spring.

Unfortunately, due to circumstances that cannot be discussed at this time, Big Finish are presently unable to supply Ministry of Sound and Vision. Existing MOSV subscribers and customers who are owed merchandise from MOSV should contact Big Finish direct at mailorderenquiries@bigfinish.com.

Alien Entertainment can be found at www.alienentertainment.com
Toll Free Telephone number: 1-888-734-7386
Customer Service Hours: Tuesday through Saturday 12noon – 7pm central time

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The final episodes of Season One of "Torchwood" were watched on BBC2 by 2.0m viewers according to the unofficial overnights, an 8.3% share of the audience. The audience was steady throughout the programme peaking at 2.1m for the last fifteen minutes. The programme was the 36th most watched on British TV last night.

Final figures will be released by BARB in two weeks time

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January 3, 2007  •  Posted By R. Alan Siler

Eclipse Magazine ("No Hype Entertainment News") currently features an interview with Torchwood star Naoko Mori. Mori talks about how she chooses roles, diversity in television, haunted hotels, Kermit the Frog, her history with John Barrowman, and Torchwood: the Musical!

"I think Tosh, out of the rest of the team, is the most guarded and private person and she's not particularly good at expressing herself at the best of times. She can be frank and honest, but she's quite shy because she's a private person. She's a very practical person, she loves problem-solving. With 'Countrycide' I think it really shook her because it was so horrific. What can you do? Run!"

You can read the interview in full by visiting the Eclipse Magazine website.

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The fourth outing of "The Runaway Bride" was watched by 461,000 viewers and was the second most watched programme on BBC3 last night.

It was beaten by the 3rd showing of the "Torchwood" finale which got another 523,000 viewers and was the 6th most watched programme on Multi Channel Television. This was the highest audience Torchwood has received for its Tuesday showing in the entire run.

The final BBC2 showing is tonight at 2100.

Finally, the Appreciation Index or AI for "The Sarah Jane Adventures" was 77. The Appreciation Index, or AI, is a measure of how much the audience liked the programme. It is a score out of 100, based on responses from a carefully selected panel. The average score for drama on BBC1 and ITV1 is 77. A score in excess of 85 is regarded as excellent while a score below 60 is poor.

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BARB have released the official figures for the week ending 17th December 2006. The official figures are much more accurate than the initial overnights and include viewers who recorded the programme and watched it within seven days.

The figures show that Episode 9 of Torchwood, "Random Shoes" was watched by 2.26m people. The programme was the 21st most watched on BBC2 for the week and shows an increase on the previous week's figure.

On BBC3 the following week's episode "Out of Time" was watched by 1.03m viewers. The programme was the 6th most watched that week on all multi-channel TV. It was just beaten by "Lost" on Sky One.

The most watched multi-channel programme of the week was "Terry Pratchett's Hogfather" with a massive 2.64m viewers. This programme just beat the record previously held by "Torchwood" as the highest rated non-sport programme ever seen on multi-channel television.

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January 3, 2007  •  Posted By Nathan Baron

A Fan Website dedicated to David Tennant has announced that he is "committed to the series" despite rumors in the tabloids that he was going to quit after the third series.

The article says, "David is absolutely committed to the show and is currently filming the third series. There is no fourth series currently commissioned yet so we could not confirm his involvement in that yet. When a further series is commissioned, we will be able to confirm his involvement."

The website also lists the fact that there will be another Christmas Special in 2007. However, this news cannot be confirmed at this stage.

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January 3, 2007  •  Posted By Michael Regina

Yahoo.uk is reporting (via WENN) that Jason Statham has been offered the title role in the next series of Doctor Who.

There is absolutely no other corroborating evidence from any sources regarding this, this should remain safely in the 'Rumor' department. Click here for the article.

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he latest spin off from "Doctor Who" debuted on BBC1 with an unofficial overnight audience of 2.9m viewers. The audience share was 18.7% and the programme was the 21st most watched of the day.

In its time slot the programme was just beaten by the film "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" on ITV which got 3.1m viewers. The film benefited from a large increase in viewers in its last fifteen minutes. When it was head to head against Sarah Jane, Sarah Jane got slightly more viewers.

The Children's audience was 0.4m which was 14.4% of all children watching.

The programme rated far higher than the average for CBBC Drama which is around 1 million, although comparisons are difficult as the programme was transmitted on a public holiday so all viewing figures were higher than usual.

The most watched programme of the day was "The Vicar of Dibley", where 12.3m viewers watched Geraldine walk down the aisle followed by the Tenth Doctor and two Daleks.

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January 2, 2007  •  Posted By Kenny Davidson

If proof were needed, David Tennant has had his A-list celebrity status confirmed by being included in the UK's annual publication of Who's Who 2007, which is a directory of society's rich, famous and influential. The reference work has been published since 1849 and has become a benchmark of the genuinely famous in public life.

Tennant, one of the 1000 new entries, was by tradition invited to submit his potted biography. New entries are given free rein to write their submission, but Tennant restricted himself to basic details, which are descibed by Wednesday's Scotsman as "tantalisingly brief. He mentions his father, the Very Rev Alexander McDonald, but not his mother. He gives no details about his love life and does not list any recreations." He lists himself under his real name, David John McDonald, 35-year-old from Renfrewshire.

Other new entries include presenter Noel Edmonds, veteran actor Denis Lawson (listed as Ewan McGregor's uncle), Dame Maggie Smith's actor son Toby Stephens, comedy actor and writer Sanjeev Bhaskar, author Kate Mosse, and the designer of the iPod Jonathan Ive.

The book is published on Wednesday 3rd January, at the noteworthy price of 145 pound sterling. It is not known if those listed receive a complimentary copy. Further details can be found here.

This story of Who appearing in Who's Who is also in the Daily Record, The Guardian, the Metro, The Sun, andThe Telegraph.

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The finale of Season One of Torchwood was seen by 1.11m viewers which was a 5.5% share of the audience.

This is the highest figure achieved since episode 8 and made the programme the 5th most watched on Multi Channel TV, where it was beaten by four sporting events.

The ratings increased throughout the programme and peaked at 1.26m for the final fifteen minutes.

The repeat at 0105 was watched by another 115,000 viewers and got a 4.1% share.

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January 1, 2007  •  Posted By Benjamin F Elliott

The Sydney Morning Herald's TV section for 1 January reports that Torchwood will be among the shows premiering on the ABC network this year. The story is titled Now, Look Here! for readers checking the print edition. Torchwood is on page 4 of the online edition of the article.

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Unofficial overnight ratings show that "The Runaway Bride" was the 12th most watched programme on British Television during Christmas week.

Its rating of 8.7m was beaten by four episodes of Eastenders, three episodes of Coronation Street, two episodes of Emmerdale, the film Pirates of the Caribbean and the comedy "The Vicar of Dibley", which was the most watched programme of the week.

Final data will be released by Barb in about 10 days and will include numbers for those who recorded the programme and who watched it within seven days.

Doctor Who was easily the most watched programme by Children during the whole week.
With 1.7m it got 250,000 more 4-16's watching than its nearest rival, the monday edition of EastEnders. It was one of only four programmes to get a share of more than 50% of children watching.

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