It was announced today (27 November 2007) - on the BBC NEWS website before the official DOCTOR WHO website - that actress, Billie Piper will be re-joining DOCTOR WHO (in SERIES 4) alongside David Tennant. And Catherine Tate. And Freema Agyeman. And John Barrowman.

So, what's going on at BBC WALES on on the Apple Mac of Russell T Davies?

This either proves that the Freema Agyeman Experiment and the Catherine Tate Experiment was/has superbly failed and that the "award winning" actress is desperately needed to salvage the BBC ONE drama from sliding into an abyss of mediocrity and shambolic acting.

Or it is a stunning & calculated strategy to ensure that the post-SERIES 4 "hiatus" (where, theoughout 2009, there will be only theee one-hour special episodes [detailing the evolution of the Time War - with a guest appearance by Paul McGann as the Eighth Doctor - it seems from the "Speculation Mill"] starring Tennant).

I feel cheated.

Cheated as the Doctor - an honest and truthful beacon within space/time - did state that she (Rose Tyler) could not come back to this universe. It was a remarkable scene, that was theeaded by both hope for the future (for both the Doctor and Rose) and emotion. A final opportunity to say what had to be said. Fantastic writing by Russell T Davies.

A milestone (DOOMSDAY) within the 44 year history of DOCTOR WHO. And now it has been wiped away.

Added to that the fact that - it seems - Donna Noble & Martha Jones will be "assisting" the Doctor. In order to avoid farce the episodes need a dramatic (read: death of the leading character) resolution to lead into the 2009 "cut-down" series (SERIES 4-B).

And Barrowman is returning as Captain Jack Harkness. Perhaps, this character should remain within TORCHWOOD series, now.

So, what ever the plans of BBC WALES, I am sure that the characters will be written well, incorporated into the plotting but, at the moment, it seems all very convoluted & messy.

Matthew Walter - Online Editor