If you follow the latest news on FOX's 6th season of 24, you'd be lead to believe that at least half of Hollywood has signed up to be a part of it. For The New Doctor Who's third season (which will air first in the UK next year), it would appear to be gaining the same momentum.
Thelma Barlow who played Mavis Wilton (1971-1997) on the popular UK soap Coronation Street, will guest star on the series as Lady Thaw — a villain who will fight against The Doctor (David Tennant) and his new companion Martha Jones (Freema Agyeman) replacing Rose Tyler (Billie Piper) who left at the end of the second season.
Agyeman, 27, will also serve as the first black woman to join the TARDIS since the original series began in 1963.
In other big news, executive producer Russell T. Davies will be spearheading not one, but two spin-offs of the series. The first will be Torchwood (also set to air in the UK first) and while the second will be The Sarah Jane Adventures (which will star Elizabeth Sladen as former Doctor Who companion Sarah Jane Smith).
There is also another spin-off which include the adventures of The Doctor's robot K9 in animated form (which will also air in the UK). Although the series is being headed by two former members of the original staff (writer Bob Baker and designer Paul Tamms), the series will be quite different in tone as it will have a more comedic element to it.
Could a multi-doctor story be next?
Although the new series maintains the title of the original series, they are actually produced differently. For one the original series was produced directly by the BBC, while the new one is produced by BBC Wales. Because of this switch in who produces the show, the numbering has started over. This is why although the original series stopped on its 26th numbered season, the new series is listed as season 1 and 2.
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