Bill Nighy would be a great Doctor.


The new Dr. Who debuts with massive U.K. audience as star quits series

TORONTO (CP) - It doesn't debut in Canada until next Tuesday night but already the latest incarnation of the British science fiction series Dr. Who is making trans-Atlantic waves.

Last Saturday's debut episode on the BBC netted a staggering 9.9 million viewers, a 43 share, and yet the star, Christopher Eccleston, has already announced he's quitting the show, apparently concerned that he might get typecast. His replacement is expected to be David Tennant although, the BBC News reports, Bill Nighy and comic Eddie Izzard are also in the running. Eccleston's last appearance is expected to be around Christmas.

Since its first on-air incarnation in 1963, the time travelling hero has been played by no less than nine actors. Tennant has starred in the Brit TV series Casanova and will play a Deatheater in the upcoming film version of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

Meanwhile, the CBC reports it is getting numerous calls from devoted fans and the media across the U.S. border, from Rochester, N.Y., to Seattle. No American broadcaster has picked up the Brit series and potential viewers want to know how to see it.

There was also a flap recently when a review copy of the pilot episode was posted on the Internet. The BBC said the leak came from Canada and the CBC investigated. They will say only that a third party - no one from the BBC, the CBC or the media - was to blame but that someone in the industry had been fired over the incident.

Ian McShane would make an excellent Doctor.

There was a good story a couple of weeks back that was Dr Who related.

The new series was made at the BBC Wales studios. At the same time a prominent Welsh politician was at the studios to take part in a televised political discussion but there was some kind of mix up because when he went to get his make up they made him up in Dr Who alien make up.

The BBC aplogised for the mix up.

Only 12 regenerations, but I guess there are ways around that if it reaches that point.

Steve