|  The BBC and the official Doctor
Who website have confirmed that a second series and a Christmas
special have been commissioned.
This could be the result of being the
big winner on Saturday night where the show received 9.9
million viewers which at times peaked to 10.5 million. The
show's
biggest competition, ITV's "Ant and Dec's Saturday Night
Takeaway" had an average 7.1 million viewers to be the
night's third highest rating program, after "Casualty" which
had an average of 7.5 million viewers.
The new season, which will again feature
13 episodes, and a Christmas special will again be written
by Russell T Davies and produced by BBC Wales.
Russell T Davies told the official Doctor
Who website that "It's fantastic news. It's been a
tense and jittery time because the production team has been
working on plans for Series Two - scripts are being written
already! - without ever knowing if it would ever get made. We
could all have ended up unemployed. But now we can put all those
plans into action and get going. It's particularly good for
BBC Wales. This is a major flagship show for the region, and
their staff and crews are the best you could find. It's a tribute
to them that Doctor Who is returning".
However, within less than 24 hours Christopher
Eccleston, who is currently the Ninth Doctor, has announced
that he has made the decision not to return to Doctor Who
for the second series.
The BBC are though hoping that he will
make an appearance in the Christmas special - so we may at least
get a regeneration sequence.
Christopher Eccleston has said that
the reason for his leaving so soon was because he was also
planning new projects and that he found filming the series
gruelling.
In his statement, issued through the BBC, he has said "The
audience's response for the new Doctor Who has been incredible
and I am really proud to be part of it and I hope viewers continue
to enjoy the series".
The BBC are of course now looking for
an actor to take over the role and so become the Tenth
Doctor and talks are currently taking place to replace him with Casanova star
David Tennant. The BBC have though stressed that although talks
to make David Tennant the 10th Doctor were taking place,
other names may be put forward. Bill Nighy has also been considered
for the along with Richard E Grant who starred in the BBC web
drama version of "Shada".
The good news is that recent reports
have stated that Billie Piper will return next year to the role
of Rose Tyler.
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