DOCTOR WHO SERIES 4 has been "plotted" and, today, the writers have been announced.

And there's surprises. Not for the inclusions but the writers excluded. Where are Mark Gatiss, Robert Shearman or Paul Cornell? Or even Terrance Dicks?

• 5 EPISODES - RUSSELL T DAVIES (includes the Christmas Special)
• 2 EPISODES - STEVEN MOFFAT
• 2 EPISODES - HELEN RAYNOR
• 1 EPISODE - GARETH ROBERTS
• 1 EPISODE - TOM MACRAE
• 1 EPISODE - STEPHEN GREENHORN
• 1 EPISODE - JAMES MORAN (SEVERENCE film)
• 1 EPISODE - KEITH TEMPLE (Children's TV writer)

Thank you for all your emails about the recent news report (by THE SUN's Sara Nathan) that Freema Agyeman has been sacked from DOCTOR WHO.

Until we heard it from the "organ's mouth" (the BBC) directly, we have kept our heads down. However, this morning, in line with other reports the BBC issued eyeofhorus.org.uk with the following:

Hello, here is the BBC statement: "It is absolute rubbish that Freema Agyeman has been axed or sacked from Doctor Who. However we do not comment on future storylines."

That will reassure fans - and eyeofhorus.org.uk - that Freema Agyeman's relationship with DOCTOR WHO has not been abruptly terminated. Should the character "disappear", in the context of the storyline, then it will only benefit both the character and the drama series itself.

However, perhaps, THE SUN should question David Tennant's "axing" or "sacking" from DOCTOR WHO as the newspaper stated in December 2006 that he would NOT appear in SERIES 4?

It's not got going to be popular.

The BBC are changing the design/style of end credits across all channels from Friday 1 June 2007. The policy will affect the end credits of DOCTOR WHO. In the BBC policy it states that "Programme trails" within the credits are not allowed; will this see the end of the "NEXT TIME..." preview loved/loathed by fans?

There are two versions (see right) and the DOCTOR WHO credit style is seen (right, bottom).

The duration of end credits will be reduced to a maximum of 30 seconds, which will see (read: hear) the reduction in Ron Grainer's iconic theme music.

Here's what the BBC say:

All pre-recorded network programmes for BBC One, Two, Three, and Four delivered on or after Friday 1st June 2007 should conform to the new guidelines.

End Credits should run over visually interesting graphics or live action but the content must not be editorially critical to the integrity of the programme or include speech as they may be squeezed to accommodate promotional messages. Programme trails, solicits or helplines edited by production into their end credits are no longer allowed and should wherever possible be accommodated within the programme.

These guidelines do not currently apply to Sport, Live Entertainment shows, or Children's programmes.

End credits should now be 25 to 30 seconds in duration across all genres and channels. Exceptions are Live Sport and Entertainment shows where credits can be shorter, and Children's programmes where they should be 20".

The end credit architecture will be applied to some programmes at playout from Monday June 4th 2007.

BBC DVD has revealed the sleeve artwork for Colin Baker's CLASSIC SERIES story, TIMELASH.

This will be released on 2 July 2007. RRP: £12.99 or pre-order from PLAY.COM (see link at the bottom of this page) for £8.99 (limited period).

As featured in this week's RADIO TIMES, RHS CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW has a time-travel designed (by Cardiff Council) garden complete with a Police Box.

The BBC coverage of the show allowed style guru, Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen to borrow a TARDIS and travel through Welsh garden history.

The BBC1 programme (broadcast 19:00-20:00 21 May) showed clips from THE SEEDS OF DOOM and PLANET OF EVIL.

...and again Tennant confirms that "there's not another Time Lord out there". So, the same Time Lord?

Welcome back, the Meddling Monk? Last seen in THE TIME MEDDLER.

Of course, that's not a spoiler. Just a hope.

Captain Jack Harkness get's to grip with the TARDIS in episode 11, UTOPIA.

As shown on FRIDAY NIGHT WITH JONATHAN ROSS on 18 May 2007.

Thanks to BBC VIDEO.

Released 25 June 2007 - Pre-order from AMAZON.CO.UK £10.99 (link above).

Oh, how "the Others" mocked.

As eyeofhorus.org.uk exclusively revealed last year, Tom Baker's epic space/time treasure hunt, THE KEY TO TIME will be release on DVD on 24 September 2007 (as a five disc set). This was recently confirmed by the Mary (Romana) Tamm website, and now by BBC VIDEO.

The DVD boxset had been "pirated" and sold extensively on eBay (UK) over the last three years. Hopefully, this will resolve the situation. Of course, North America (Region 1) has had the boxset for many years.

A few weeks (3 September) before that release sees Jon Pertwee's THE TIME WARRIOR (co-starring Elisabeth Sladen and guest starring EASTENDERS stalwart pin-up, June Brown). This will be a single disc with limited features.

DVD EXTRAS:

• BEGINNING THE END - MAKING THE TIME WARRIOR (30-minute documentary)
• TV Trailer
• Easter Eggs (2x)
• Photo Gallery

With thanks to BBC AUDIOBOOKS.

The sleeve covers for SERIES 3 tie-in audiobooks have been revealed for release on 2 July 2007.

• THE STING OF THE ZYGONS
• THE LAST DODO
• WOODEN HEART

And a classic William Hartnell story is heading to compact disc on 6 August 2007.

• THE WAR MACHINES (CLASSIC DOCTOR WHO SERIES)

PLAY.COM (see link at the bottom of this page) have a fantastic pre-order price of £6.99 (RRP £9.99).

And a reminder that all BBC AUDIOBOOKS can be pre-ordered POSTAGE-FREE from PLAY.COM or ADD POSTAGE from AMAZON.CO.UK

See links at the bottom of this page.

CHARACTER OPTIONS has released the first photograph of the 12" Martha Jones action figure.

Small but perfectly formed. As ever. Others featured are Judoon, Novice Hame and Mickey (with gun).

As reported here last month, CHARACTER OPTIONS are releasing new figures and re-releasing previously issued figures this month and throughout the summer.

No sign of the Abzorbaloff yet.

Coming soon (in addition to those previous listed):

• THE REAPER (from SERIES 1's FATHER'S DAY) - with Sound chip
• THE HOIX (from SERIES 2's LOVE AND MONSTERS)
• FACELESS OLD LADY and "The Wire" TV Set (From SERIES 2's THE IDIOT'S LANTERN)
• MICKEY SMITH AND PREACHER GUN (from SERIES 2's THE RISE OF THE CYBERMEN)
• BLACK DALEK SEC (from SERIES 2's ARMY OF GHOSTS)

More details have been released. New SERIES 1 additions include:

• DR CONSTANTINE (from THE EMPTY CHILD)
• THE GELTH ZOMBIE (from THE UNQUIET DEAD)
• THE MOXX (from THE END OF THE WORLD)
• DALEK - ASSAULT/BULK CUTTER (from THE PARTING OF THE WAYS)

With thanks to BBC AUDIOBOOKS.

Following the success of William Russell's THE DALEKS unabridged audiobook, BBC AUDIOBOOKS are releasing two new novel readings on 3 September 2007 RRP: £17.99

• DOCTOR WHO AND THE CAVE MONSTERS (the unabridged novel reading of Jon Pertwee's 1970 DOCTOR WHO AND THE SILURIANS) read by Caroline John.

  All is not well at the Wenley Moor underground atomic research station: there are unaccountable losses of power-output; nervous breakdowns amongst the staff; and then - a death!

  UNIT is called in, and the Brigadier is soon joined by Doctor Who and Liz Shaw in a tense and exciting adventure with subterranean reptile men - Silurians - and a 40 ft. high Tyrannosaurus rex, the biggest, most savage mammal which ever trod the Earth!

• THE DOOMSDAY WEAPON (The television title was called COLONY IN SPACE, with Jon Pertwee and Katy Manning, broadcast in 1971) read by Geoffrey Beevers

  The evil Master has stolen the Time Lords' file on the horrifying Doomsday Weapon with which, when he finds it, he can blast whole planets out of existence and make himself ruler of the Galaxy!

  The Time Lords direct Doctor Who and Jo Grant in their TARDIS to a bleak planet in the year 2471, where they find colonists from Earth under threat from mysterious, savage, monster lizards with frightful claws!

  And hidden upon the planet is the Doomsday Weapon, for which the Master is intently searching.

An additional release (3 September) sees the next in the highly enjoyable DOCTOR WHO AT THE BBC series, featuring the narration of Elisabeth Sladen.

DOCTOR WHO AT THE BBC - THE TENTH DOCTOR documents the rise and rise of David Tennant first two years (and hopefully there will be another Volume documenting his third year in the role) as the Time Lord.

And a reminder that all BBC AUDIOBOOKS can be pre-ordered POSTAGE-FREE from PLAY.COM or ADD POSTAGE from AMAZON.CO.UK

See links at the bottom of this page.

DOCTOR WHO AND THE CAVE MONSTERS and DOCTOR WHO AND THE DOOMSDAY WEAPON will be available from all good bookshops, online at www.bbcshop.com or by BBC Audiobooks direct mail on 0800 136 919.

These titles will be available to purchase as a download from digital retailers such as Audible, Audioville, Audio-Read, Overdrive, Mediabay, iTunes, 7 Digital, Simply Audiobooks, Spoken Network, TuneTribe and Plays on the Net.

From 1 June, BBC 1 will have a new style of "Programme Credits" which will affect DOCTOR WHO - even reducing the iconic theme music to a MAXIMUM of 30 seconds.

This is the biggest change to BBC produced programming for decades, and will not be popular with viewers. Guaranteed.

The only way out is for DOCTOR WHO re-class the series a "Children's programme". The BBC have forgotten that with the 2012 turn-over to 100% digital channel, programme listings are/will be at viewers' hands at the touch of a "Guide" button on their remote.

BBC PROGRAMME CREDITS GUIDELINES

If you thought that DOCTOR WHO was only filmed in Wales and London, think again. The town of Wells (Somerset) has been the location of THE LAZARUS EXPERIMENT.

The local BBC radio station, BBC SOMERSET, has an ever expanding range of DOCTOR WHO news and interviews.

As revealed exclusively on eyeofhorus.org.uk earlier this year, it has been confirmed that the Peter Davison stories, TIME-FLIGHT and ARC OF INFINITY will be released as part of a mini-boxset.

In shops on 6 August 2007.

There will be the related "Coming Soon..." trailer on the forthcoming release, TIMELASH.

TIME-FLIGHT release features:

• Studio-booth commentary: Peter Davison, Janet Fielding, Sarah Sutton and script editor Eric Saward.
• MOUTH ON LEGS documentary (dur. 13' 36"), and interview with janet Fielding.
• Deleted and Extended Scenes (dur. 3' 46").
• JURASSIC LARKS (dur. 19' 33") - behind-the-scenes action from the studio recording sessions.
• OUT-TAKES (dur. 13' 52").
• PETER GRIMWADE INTERVIEW (1987) - Nick Briggs talks to the late Director.
• Photo gallery, 'Coming Soon' trailer and production information, 1983 Doctor Who Annual and Radio Times listings in pdf form.

ARC OF INFINITY release features:

• Studio-booth commentary: Peter Davison, Janet Fielding, Sarah Sutton and Colin Baker.
• ANTI-MATTER FROM AMSTERDAM (dur. 34' 55") a new documentary which looks at the making of ARC OF INFINITY.
• THE OMEGA FACTOR (dur 14' 55") - documentary examining the writing of the story.
• Deleted Scenes (dur. 2' 54").
• UNDER THE ARC LIGHTS (dur. 11' 30") - behind-the-scenes studio recording sessions.
• CGI EFFECTS (option), replace 18 special effects with new versions.
• ISOLATED MUSIC SCORE.
• A BBC1 trailer and continuity announcements are included, along with the usual photo gallery , ' Coming Soon ' trailer and production information subtitles . For completeness, the 1983 Doctor Who Annual and Radio Times listings are included.

THE RESTORATION TEAM have published a related article.

The campfest that is DOCTOR WHO will be delayed by the campfest that is the EUROVISION SONG CONTEST on 13 May by a week.

Chris Chibnall's first DOCTOR WHO episode, 42 will be shown on 19 May 2007.

Bad news for those over 30 as BBC WORLDWIDE and 2ENTERTAIN announce that missing episodes of DOCTOR WHO CLASSIC SERIES will now longer be "re-animated" for DVD release.

The previously planned THE ICE WARRIORS has been shelved - indefinitely. Shame.

The commissioning editor, Dan Hall, says that: "After due consideration and for the foreseeable future, we are withdrawing from co-commissioning and co-producing any "classic" DOCTOR WHO animations. I feel our energies will be better spent working on existing stories. With the New Series such a success, and the forthcoming animations for TOTALLY DOCTOR WHO , the BBC is in a far superior position to develop this idea. After all, the original commission of DOCTOR WHO - THE INVASION came from them.