Professor Richard Dawkins, the celebrated biologist and writer, is to appear as himself later in the current series of Doctor Who. Executive Producer Russell T Davies made the announcement in an interview with the Independent on Sunday. He said the show's crew were delighted to see Dawkins on set: "People were falling at his feet ... We've had Kylie Minogue on that set, but it was Dawkins people were worshipping."

Dawkins is the author of many best-selling non-fiction works, fromThe Selfish Gene and The Blind Watchmaker to The God Delusion, and is apowerful communicator of both Darwin's evolutionary theory and the merits of atheism.

He holds the Charles Simonyi Chair for the Public Understanding of Science at the University of Oxford, and is a Fellow of the Royal Society, though he is perhaps equally well known amongst some Doctor Who fans as the husband of Lalla Ward, who played former companion Romana! He was also a close friend of former script editor Douglas Adams, to whom he dedicated The God Delusion.

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Unofficial figures show that the first episode of Series Four, Partners in Crime, was watched by 8.4 million viewers, giving it a 39.4% share of the total television audience. It was the most watched programme of the day, beating the second placed Casualty by over 1 million viewers.

The overnight figures are slightly up on the last two season premiers, both of which benefited by being in a later time slot.

The programme got almost double the audience of its main ITV1 opposition, You've Been Framed, which got 4.7 million watching.

The audience peaked in the last quarter hour at 8.7 million, with the BBC1 audience dropping by nearly 3 million when the programme finished. Final figures, which will be released by BARB in ten days time, are likely to be higher as the programme was transmitted slightly later than its published time slot.

The programme currently stands as the 10th most watched of the week, behind several episodes of EastEnders and Coronation street.

The children's audience was 1.3 million, which was a 51.0% share of all 4-15 year old's watching.

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Unofficial figures show that the BBC2 showing of the final episode of Torchwood Series Two, Exit Wounds was watched by 2.7 millionviewers, a12% share of the total TV audience.

The programme was once more the most watched of the day on BBC2, outrating Gardeners' World. It was the 20th most watched on British television for the day. The timeslot was won by ITV's Benidorm.

Torchwood: Declassified which followed the episode got 1.9 million viewers.

Final figures will be released by BARB in two weeks time. Full audience date for Torchwood, including Audience reaction figures is available in the Doctor Who Forum.

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Posted By John Bowman

Glasgow is to host the UK's largest Doctor Who exhibition next year.

A report in The Herald says that the display, currently at Earls Court, will head north of the border to be installed at the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in the city after its run in London ends.

According to the article, the exhibition will open in Scotland in March 2009 and run until early 2010. Organisers believe attendance figures will better the 165,000-plus total reached for a recent Kylie Minogue show.

The display is expected to include monsters and props, etc, from Series Four as well as items from the Christmas 2008 special.

The Earls Court exhibition closes on September 19.

(With thanks to Anne Fitzsimons.)

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Several sources are reporting the death yesterday (April 3) of Johnny Byrne. Byrne penned three stories for the classic Doctor Who series: The Keeper of Traken starring Tom Baker (in which the character Nyssa, played by Sarah Sutton, eventually became a companion), Arc of Infinity and Warriors of the Deep starring Peter Davison.

Byrne also penned a film script for the series which was not used. In addition, he wrote eleven episodes of "Space: 1999" as well as episodes of "All Creatures Great and Small", which co-starred Davison, and "Heartbeat" as well as other series and miniseries.

According to his entry on Wikipedia, Byrne "traveled extensively in his youth as a traveling poet. In the 1960s he worked as a literary editor and wrote poetry and short stories which was [sic] published in Science Fantasy Magazine.

"His other works include Groupie (1969), Season Of The Witch (1971). and the scripts for the films Adolf Hitler, My Part In His Downfall (1972), and Rosie Is My Relative (1976)."

Born in 1935, he died on April 3 due to undisclosed causes.

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Posted By John Bowman

The title of episode nine of the new series has been changed to Forest of the Dead.

Earlier this week, all Series Four episode names bar the penultimate one were announced in a Radio Times feature. In it, the ninth episode - the concluding instalment of this series' second two-parter - was named as River's Run, but CBBC Newsround now says it has exclusively been told of the title alteration.

The story has been written by Steven Moffat and has Alex Kingston and Colin Salmon as the guest stars.

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This year's nominations for the BAFTA Cymru awards have been announced, and sees Doctor Who and its spin-offs nominated in several categories:

• Best Drama Series: Doctor Who (Voyage of the Damned);Torchwood (End of Days); Belonging (which also stars Torchwood's Eve Myles!)
  
• Best Childrens Programme: The Sarah Jane Adventures(Whatever Happened To Sarah Jane?); Atom; Young Dracula
  
• Best New Media TV or Film Related: Doctor Who Comic Maker; Coal House Interactive; Planed Plant Bach
  
• Best Director of Photography - Drama: Ernie Vincze (Doctor Who - Voyage of the Damned); Richard Wyn (Caerdydd II); Jonathan Bloom (Daddy's Girl)
  
• Best Sound: Doctor Who (Voyage of the Damned); The History of Mister Polly; Y Pris
  
• Best Design: Doctor Who (Voyage of the Damned); Caerdydd II; The History of Mister Polly
  
• Best Costume: Doctor Who (The Shakespeare Code); Torchwood (Captain Jack Harkness); The History of Mister Polly
  
• Best Make-Up: Doctor Who (The Shakespeare Code); Calon Gaeth; The History of Mister Polly
  
• Best Screenwriter: Steven Moffat (Doctor Who - Blink); Ed Talfan (Caerdydd II); Tim Price (Y Pris)
  
• Best Original Soundtrack: Ben Foster (Torchwood - End of Days); John Rea (Coal House); John Hardy/Rob Love (Y Pris)
  
• Best Director - Drama: James Strong (Doctor Who - Voyage of the Damned); Gilles Mackinnon (The History of Mister Polly); Gareth Bryn(Y Pris)
  
• Best Actress: Eve Myles (Torchwood - End of Days); Rebecca Haries (Belonging); Anne Marie-Duff (The History of Mister Polly)
  

The award ceremony takes place at the Millennium Centre in Cardiff on Sunday 27th April; you can find out more about it from the BAFTA Cymru website inEnglish or Welsh.

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The MediaGuardian website has published an article by Stephen Brook previewing some of the work effects house The Mill has performed for the first episode of the new series of Doctor Who. The article looks at how the Adipose were created for the episode, including images.

Stephen Regelous, who worked on the episode, is quoted as saying that: "When I first found out that the Mill was working on Doctor Who, I was quietly hoping that Massive might be used to create hordes of Daleks or Cybermen and with series 4, I jumped at the opportunity to be involved. It's been very fulfilling to be a fan from about three or four years old and finally be able to contribute to the Doctor Who universe."

There is some spoiler content, so those not wishing to learn anything about the episode until its transmission should not read the piece.

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David Tennant was interviewed by Simon Mayo on BBC Radio Five on Wednesday. APodcast of the interview is available for the next seven days.

A reminder that David Tennant and Catherine Tate will be guests on Friday nights Jonathan Ross show on BBC1.

Thanks to Daniel Smith

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In this week's Radio Times, Russell T Davies talks about how he goes about casting Doctor Who. "You can't really write with a guest star in mind - well, only in very exceptional cases. Kylie Minogue was one. There's a great danger in writing for someone and then they get offered a film, or they just don't fancy it. So it's dangerous territory to enter."

One of the things I love about this job is working with actors. It's such a strange process where you hand the script over to a bunch of complete strangers, but you have to trust them, and when you cast it well, that trust is paid back. Undoubtedly, they have fun doing it, but not so much fun that it looks like fun on screen." Every guest actor says, "My children would have killed me if I hadn't taken the part." Even those who haven't got children have nephews and nieces. Not just some of them say it – every single one of them does. It's a litany as they arrive. And it's absolutely true!"

Catherine Tate tells of her reaction when asked to reprise the role of Donna Noble, "I couldn’t have been more surprised. I went out to lunch with [executive producer] Julie Gardner and I thought we were just there to chat. When people say, “My jaw hit the floor". I know what they mean!". David Tennant talks about the Doctor's reaction to the reunion. "He’s pretty gobsmacked. Donna’s quite a force of nature, she doesn’t really take no for an answer."

The Magazine also contains an article on first producer Verity Lambert, and looks ahead to the tribute on BBC Fourthis weekend. It was to Lambert’s 60s version that Davies turned for inspiration when kick-starting new Doctor Who in 2005, because, "It was before the series became bogged down in any continuity. There was just mystery. An open road – that’s what she created."

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BBC News Online features an article on the press launch of Series 4. The executive producer Russell T Davies tells how he wants David Tennant to stay on forever. When quizzed about his own future with the programme, Davies told reporters it was "none of their business. Never mind what happens behind the scenes," he said "it's what happens on Saturday night that's important." The website includes video interviews with Tennant and Tate and clips from the new series.

The launch is also featured in a number of national newspapers. The Telegraph reviews the first episode and asks Who is the best Who? The Mirror andThe Sun also review the first episode.

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The start time of Series Four of Doctor Who is likely to return to 7.00pm around Episode Five or Six according to the BBC's internal magazine Ariel.

The show's Executive Producer, Russell T. Davies, interviewed at the Series Four Press launch, admitted he would have preferred a later time slot, but was diplomatic about the scheduling decision which he said last week could lose the show a million viewers.

"It's not a time slot I agree with, but I know that no one wants to damage the brand", he said calmly. "In the past we’ve got higher figures when it went later, but it will shift later on in the run, around episode five or six, which the BBC was going to do anyway."

Also at the launch Ariel spoke to Jane Tranter, BBC controller BBC Fiction who thanked the "loyal, professional and all round excellent team" in Cardiff, most of whom have worked on all 56 episodes. "The success of Doctor Who is to a great extent theirs," she said. Tranter described new companionCatherine Tate as "the most empathetic, big hearted and extraordinary of the Doctor's companions", praising her "versatility, bravura and humanity as an actress".

Meanwhile David Tennant promised the series four finale would be the "biggest, boldest, maddest, saddest, most exciting story we've ever done".

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This week's TV Times features an article on the return of Doctor Who. The magazine is running a competition to win a bronze Dalek, to tie in with the start of Series Four. The Dalek is worth 2500 pounds and is currently being custom made by This Planet Earth. The competition is open from 1st April and is runs until 2nd May.

You can either enter by post through TV Times magazine or online at the magazine's website, Whatsontv.co.uk.

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The website of the BBC's listings magazine, the Radio Times, has revealed that the magazine has once again givenDoctor Who the honour of gracing the magazine's cover for the start of the new series. This time there will be four different versions of the cover available. The new issue, which also extensively previews the series inside, will be available across the UK from tuesday.

Tha magazine reveals the almost complete list of Episode titles for Series 4. Episode 12's title is being kept secret for the time being.

Series Four Episode Titles

• 1. Partners in Crime
• 2. The Fires of Pompell
• 3. Planet of the Ood
• 4. The Sontaran Stratagem
• 5. The Poison Sky
• 6. The Doctor's Daughter
• 7. The Unicorn & The Wasp
• 8. Silence in the Library
• 9. River's Run
• 10. Midnight
• 11. Turn Left
• 12. TBA
• 13. Journey's End

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This week's Doctor Who Adventures celebrates the return of Doctor Who to UK Television. The magazine is out across the United Kingdom on Thursday 3 April.

Press Release

Who is back!

Doctor Who returns to BBC One on this Saturday at 6.20pm, so make sure you don’t miss this week’s issue of Doctor Who Adventures for a sneaky look at the first episode!

Inside you’ll find new pictures of the Doctor and Donna in action in the exciting first story of series four, Partners in Crime.

You’ll also find a special Time Agent tracker for you to rate the episode’s scares and shocks.
The issue comes with a free TARDIS trainer bag – which is perfect for carrying space boots or copies of your favourite magazine…

PLUS:
Posters: Dalek Sec Hybrid, Partners in Crime, Voyage of the Damned, Mr and Mrs Master.
Tales from the TARDIS: The Doctor and Martha run into trouble when they bump into an escaped alien.
Puzzle: A deadly Dalek crossword.
Activity: Who am I? game with cool cards to cut out and play with!
Facts: What is the longest-ever story or the most-battled monster? Find out all this and much more in our Who Book of Records.
Who’s where: Trouble for Donna and Jackie Tyler in this week’s search.
Doctor's Data: Find out about the Second Doctor.
Comic strip: Trouble for the Doctor on a planet called Death’s Door in part one of a new three-part comic strip adventure.
Time Teasers: Lots of puzzles to solve!
Who knows! Answers to readers’ questions about the Fall of Arcadia and the Master.
Win: Answer the questions to win goodies.
Subscription offer: Subscribe today and you’ll get a free Cyberman watch!
AND LOADS MORE!

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Ian Wylie of the Manchester Evening News posted a report from today's press launch for Series Four.

The evening began with an introduction from Controller of BBC Fiction Jane Tranter, who enthused that "this fourth series of Doctor Who is our best yet".

The first two episodes (Partners in Crime and The Fires of Pompeii) were screened, followed by a question-and-answer session with Executive ProducerRussell T Davies and series stars David Tennant and Catherine Tate.

Wylie relates some of the highlights of the evening and promises more detailed reports in days to come. The article is mildly spoiler-ridden.

Also reported by BBC News.

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