Having wrapped up its second season recently in the UK, talk of the third season of "Doctor Who" is rife in England right now as shooting is underway on the next lot of thirteen episodes due to air next year.
As previously mentioned, newcomer Freema Agyeman takes over from Billie Piper as the Doctor's new companion. It has now been revealed by The BBC that she'll be playing a medical student named Martha Jones, and is definitely set to appear in all thirteen episodes.
Russell T Davies, writer and Executive Producer, also talks about some of the adventures ahead: "The Doctor and Martha are destined to meet William Shakespeare, blood-sucking alien Plasmavores, The Judoon - a clan of galactic stormtroopers, and a sinister intelligence at work in 1930s New York".
Filming of the Christmas episode, which guest stars Catherine Tate as a bride who finds her wedding day interrupted by an alien plot to destroy the Earth, has already been completed. The storyline features the return of the Robot Santas and also guest stars Sarah Parish as the evil, alien mastermind.
John Barrowman, who memorably played the bisexual intergalactic conman Jack Harkness in the latter half of the first season, is confirmed to be making an appearance in the third series finale. The Doctor himself will sport a new blue suit look to replace his dark brown second series number, though photos from the set indicate the tan trenchcoat remains.
Now, onto the unconfirmed reports. First up a rumour emerged early last week that the producers were planning to drop a bombshell - that The Doctor has a son, with the revelation to be made around the end of the third season. Leading Who site Outpost Gallifrey however has been told by a wide variety of people connected with the show that "this is nonsense".
Tabloid The Sun reports that "Footballers' Wives" star Zoe Lucker (aka superbitch Tanya Turner) is being lined up to play one of The Doctor's old enemies - the evil female Time Lord 'The Rani', originally played by Kate O'Mara in the 1980's.
The Mirror reports that former companions Sarah Jane Smith & K-9, who re-appeared in second season episode "School Reunion", will also appear in the Christmas 2006 special episode "The Runaway Bride".
Finally, Davies confirmed to BBC News that plans for a Doctor Who spin-off show entitled "Rose Tyler: Earth Defence" and starring Billie Piper were scrapped at the last minute. Davies decided the program was 'a spin-off too far' and called it off, even though plans had gotten a decent way along.
Season Two of "Doctor Who" has already finished in the UK and wraps up in Australia in late September, both will get the DVD release late November. In the US the second season kicks off on the Sci-Fi Channel with a two-hour premiere on Friday September 29th (starting with the Christmas special, followed by the first episode of season two), whilst the DVD release is expected Spring 2007.
