It's Christmas In Cardiff!

"We Are Coming"... to traumatize you! Well, sort of. The official Torchwood website has just posted a new 10-second teaser clip of CoE. It was originally cut for Australian television networks (which only recently aired series two), but the Beeb has been kind enough to let international viewers watch it on their site. It's a must-see for anyone who thought that the longer preview didn't show enough creepy children acting creepily (if that's even a word).

EDIT: It appears the clip has now been restricted to UK viewers only. But I'm sure we Torchwood fans are resourceful enough to find it somewhere else...

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Fandom has been working overtime today with rumors of a certain Torchwood member appearing on the Doctor Who set... but now we have photos to prove it! John Barrowman has been spotted filming for the final specials, and intrepid fan alun_vega has photographic evidence of Jack's return to the Who crew.

The scenes he's shooting now are intended for the final two Tenth Doctor specials, which are slated to air around Christmas 2009. Does this mean Jack will witness the regeneration scene? Because I would pay good money to see his reaction to barely-legal Eleven.

(Also: way to abandon your team again, Mr. I-Came-Back-For-You! Have we learned nothing from 'Last of the Time Lords?')

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Speaking of The Barrowman (because when are we ever not?), his official site has been updated with news of the BFI's exclusive screening of CoE:

John will join other members of the cast of Torchwood at the National Film Theatre on 12 June for a preview of Torchwood: Children of Earth, followed by a Q&A session. Tickets are expected to go on sale on 5 May (members) and 12 May (general public).

This Weekend In Torchwood

Last month Kai Owen announced he was in training for the 2009 Flora London Marathon. The marathon was held yesterday, April 26, and Kai was out there running alongside more than 35,000 other participants . He may not have come in first place (you can see his results here) but he did raise over £3500 for the Cancer & Leukemia In Children charity. Congratulations, Kai!

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This past Saturday, April 25, saw the release of Torchwood's first graphic novel, "Rift War", compiled from the official magazine's comic inserts. To celebrate the day, Forbidden Planet, London's geek megastore, hosted a special signing with the book's creative team. Even if you couldn't make it to the event, you can still get yourself a signed copy of "Rift War" on their site for £7.99. For the bargain-hunters among us, Amazon.co.uk has regular editions for £2 less.

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Do the people behind Sci-Fi Collector ever sleep? Last week they announced their second wave of Torchwood action figures, and now they're back again with the announcement that two of those characters will be released early, in limited-edition.

Ianto Jones and Captain John Hart figures will be available as part of the second wave later this summer, but particularly obsessive fans may be interested to know that both are now available in collectible packaging. The reason for the fancy wrappings? Only 1,000 of each figure were produced, and the majority of these will only be available at upcoming gigs by Gareth David-Lloyd or James Marsters. If you're determined to get your hands on them (the toys, not the actors!), a certain number have been set aside for online-only sales. They can be purchased individually for £14.99 each, or as a set for £29.99, here.

1000 Iantos, 1000 Captain Johns... That warehouse must be Captain Jack's wet dream come true.

CoE Launch Month Announced!

Well, chalk this one up to the fans. The BBC recently sent out a press release confirming what most diehard Woodies have already guessed: June 2009 will be the month we finally get to see "Children of Earth".

We're still(!) waiting for the exact date to be confirmed. However, the British Film Institute will host a star-studded preview of the first episode on Friday, June 12 in London. (Wow, way to snub Wales.) And not to get too far ahead of myself, but that date seems to make June 15, the following Monday, the best candidate for CoE's transmission.

The BFI has also sent out a spoiler-lite summary of Episode 1:

1965: Twelve children are gathered on a deserted moor, before being surrounded by a harsh, bright light .... and then they are gone!
Today: all over Earth, children stop moving. Stop playing, stop laughing. Then, as one, they begin to speak with the same voice, announcing the imminent arrival of a new alien threat. "We are coming...". As the British government closes ranks, it issues a death warrant against Captain Jack and Torchwood...

In this case, it seems like being "outside the government" isn't exactly something to brag about, hmmmm Captain Jack?

(full news article here)

Anything but exclusive launch details

Barring any last minute delays, Torchwood: Children of Earth launches here in the UK on BBC One on June 15 and runs through that week, ending June 19th.

For a while I've been saying that there's no way the series can begin until the second series of Ashes to Ashes (which started last Monday) has concluded its run. That series is scheduled to end June 8th - and with comments by John Barrowman on the Jonathan Ross Radio 2 show recently - presented by David Tennant and Catherine Tate - that Torchwood airs sometime in June, that leaves either a June 15th, June 22nd or June 29th launch.

Add into the mix that the current issue of Torchwood Magazine, out today, is full of previews for Children of Earth and that its next issue is out June 25th, with a very spoilery interview with Russell T Davies and set reports from the series, including a look at the mysterious 456, one can deduce that the series is expected to have concluded its run by then.

The only way that'd be possible is a June 15th launch - because obviously June 29th is after that new issue is out (so would completely ruin the series a whole week before transmission) and even June 22nd is a bit of a danger area, as subscribers receive copies of their magazines early. June 15th-19th would be fine, and have concluded by the time the magazine is out.

(The case could be made that the series launch could occur June 22nd, and the contents of that new issue only cover the first half of the series - at this point I've chosen the June 15th launch date because it's the most likely. It's 80/20 in its favour)

Also, you have the June 22nd launch of the Blu Ray, to tie in with hype that the series will have gathered by that point, to maximise sales.

People are under the assumption that the schedules are made up on a whim a couple of weeks before transmission. If you know anything about scheduling, you'll know that's simply not true. It's a very complex affair, and programmes are sometimes slotted into schedule a whole year before transmission - look at Doctor Who, with its traditional Christmas Special, and then following Easter series launch. Of course, though it's that complex, changes are still being made here and there, until the day that listings magazines are given the schedules to print (at which point changes are rarely made).

No doubt some readers will attack me online and in the comments section below for making such a guess with regards to series lauch. So what. Go ahead. Do your worst. I'm merely communicating with you what is now a very educated guess, based upon several truths and realities that we know to be fact.

Pencil in June 15th (and June 22nd to be on the safe side - but it's definitely one of those two dates)!

Golden Age!

We've known for a while now that three brand new Torchwood audio dramas were coming our way, that'd be in the same vein as last year's "Lost Souls". Now Torchwood - the Official Magazine has revealed exclusive details about the forthcoming episodes - which includes story titles, and who's writing them.

"ASYLUM"
By ANITA SULLIVAN
The story of a troubled teen runaway called Freda, who is brought to the attention of Torchwood by PC Andy (played by Tom Price).

"GOLDEN AGE"
By JAMES GOSS
"A story with a twist" according to producer Kate McAll, 'Golden Age' is set in present day India and features a character called the Duchess.

"THE DEAD LINE"
By PHIL FORD
"A series of mysterious phone calls lead Jack into danger, and result in 'a very emotional moment for Ianto'. Listen out for familiar voices! (One possibility is that David Tennant guest stars as one of the callers, using his natural Scottish accent, but that's speculation on my behalf.)

The episodes are all 45 minutes long and will air as part of Radio 4's Afternoon Play slot from 2:15pm (it's likely they'll air all in the same week, in June). It's stated that they're set after "Lost Souls" and before "Children of Earth" - which airs a week or so after the radio series concludes.

(Sorry about the "Children of Time" typo!)

They'll be available through iPlayer and as a podcast. After that, expect a CD release of all three stories some point later in the year.

Meanwhile, two more Torchwood audio books are arriving pretty soon. "In the Shadows" is out on May 7th, and features a script by Joseph Lidster ("A Day in the Death") and will be read by none other than Eve Myles. On June 4th that's followed by another adventure, "The Sin Eaters" written by script editor Brian Minchin and likely to be read by Gareth David-Lloyd.

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Completing this round of merchandise updating, it's now confirmed that Torchwood's second series will be released on the Blu Ray platform on June 22nd.

News direct from Torchwood - the Official Magazine issue 15, out now!

15 of the Best

Hmmm. I'm sure I posted this story yesterday, but according to Blogger it was only ever saved as a draft entry. Thing is, the entry was in my "blogs I follow" stream last time I looked. The mystery deepens...

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Issue 15 of Torchwood - the Official Magazine is out now, and it's a blinder! Honest to God, it's improved ten fold over the last couple of issues. There's still some room for improvement beyond this, but for now it'll do quite nicely.

TORCHWOOD - THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE#15

It's the last issue before Children of Earth launches mid-June, so there's a number of articles to tie-in with the new series, including an interview with John Barrowman that I'll be reporting upon in further detail later this week (if all goes to plan). Then there's an exclusive preview of the five new shows by Russell T Davies, as he comments upon five new photographs released from the show to its official magazine. He states:

Episode One - a picture of Jack and Gwen with a parent, and her child: "Torchwood: Children of Earth begins with every parent's worst nightmare: what if something happened to the kids? Luckily Jack and Gwen are quickly on the case."

Episode Two - a picture of Ianto in a hard hat and builder's get-up: "Who's this rugged fellow in a hard hat and hi-vis jacket? Is it the Health and Safety Village People? No! It's Ianto Jones sporting a rather nasty gash on his cheek, and far from the comforts of good coffee and master tailoring. Curiouser and curiouser..."

Episode Three - shows Rhys in a smart dinner jacket: "Now things are really getting weird! First Ianto is looking like a docker, and now Rhys is all dressed up with no place to go! As his wife puts everything on the line to save the world again, is it time for him to enter the frontline with the rest of the Torchwood team? Some things are always worth fighting for..."

Episode Four - Jack and Ianto, guns blazing, on Floor 13: "Red alert! As Children of Earth moves towards its jaw-dropping climax, Jack and Ianto face off against an unseen opponent in the mysterious Floor 13. As the international situation escalates, UNIT is also on the scene - but will the military taskforce help or hinder Torchwood in their mission?"

Episode Five - Gwen rescuing a child: "The future of the entire human race is in the balence, and the situation is spiralling out of control. Everything depends on the children, but with Torchwood battered and bruised, can Gwen still make a difference, and will it be enough to save the day?"

There's an exclusive set report, taken from last November's filming (so it's likely from the final two episodes) and an interview with Rik Makarem, who plays Doctor Rupesh Patanjali in the specials.

Also in the magazine is a look at the monsters and aliens that the team has faced over the course of the last two seasons, and during its numerous spin-offs; a familiar face (SPOILER!) Bilis Manger returns in part one of a new five-part comic strip, "Broken" by creative team Gary Russell (writer) and Adrian Salmon (artist); and there's a peak at series one adventure "Greeks Bearing Gifts" which includes an interview with guest star Daniela Denby-Ashe.

Other features include a talk with the show's sound mixer, an investigation into whether the show's Pterodactyl could really exist, and a fan inquisition with Eve Myles.

Oh, and for some bizarre reason an index of the first 13 issues of the magazine, just in case you might have missed them...

And lots of adverts for other Titan products - but thankfully this time a good chunk of them are in some way related to the show. Hooray!

More from the magazine and some exclusive news it spills throughout the week. You can pick up the real thing yourself from all good newsagents, for £4.99.

Lets hope they keep up the trend next issue, huh?

Not So 'Undiscovered' After All

Last Saturday's episode of Britain's Got Talent, the inescapable reality show where 'average' people show off their above-average skills, showcased a preteen whose face may be familiar to die-hard Woodies.


Twelve-year old Shaheen Jafargholi wowed the crowd with his singing voice, but Torchwood's casting directors discovered his talents as an actor almost three years ago. One of his first roles was as "Danny", the young boy Toshiko saves from his father's murderous rage, in episode 1x07 "Greeks Bearing Gifts". (If that doesn't ring a bell: It's the one where Tosh snogs a woman. Yeah, now you remember it.)

No word yet on whether other Whoniverse associates will infiltrate the show and compete for the £100,000 prize. But just between you and me, I've always figured Simon Cowell for an Auton.

(Mirror.co.uk article)

Eager Beavers

In the middle of filming of what will prove to be David Tennant's last (for now...) appearence as the Doctor, the media are beginning to look to the show's future. John Barrowman has pledged loyalty to new Eleventh Doctor Matt Smith in a number of interviews across the past week.

I USED TO BE WILLIAM HARTNELL YOU KNOW (ANTI-WRINKLE CREAM DOES WONDERS).

DigitalSpy report upon an interview thelondonpaper conducted with Barrowman last week. Upon mrunning into Matt at the BBC by chance, John has this to say, "Matt is an interesting-looking guy and if you are asking do I find him handsome, I would say 'Yes, I do'. He's a really nice guy and I think he's going to be great. But afterwards, I felt like I had been cheating on David."

Afterwards Barrowman elaborated upon the story on the Steve Wright's Radio 2 In the Afternoon show: "I like him. I was doing publicity at the BBC and he was also coming in to do stuff himself. We sat down and had a conversation, he seems like a really nice guy and he's really up for it. I think he'll do really, really well. He said: 'One thing John, I'd really love it if Captain Jack and my Doctor cross paths'. I said: 'Well, we have to leave that up to the writers'. Who knows?"

Indeed. Rumours have it that David Tennant films his last scenes on May 22nd (although he has another mystery 'Who related project lined up...) and Matt Smith then comes in to record the post-regeneration scene in June. He begins full time filming in mid-July.

You can follow Matt Smith on Twitter here.

The Reel Deal

Good news for anyone who's ever longed for a five-inch-tall blowfish action figure to call their very own! Not just any blowfish, mind you, but a gun-waving, joy-riding, exposition-delivering, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang-appearing blowfish.

The good people at SciFiCollector (think Dalek cookie jars and Cybermen iPod covers) are now accepting pre-orders for their second batch of licensed Torchwood action figures. This set includes The Blowfish, as well as some other less important people named Tosh, Ianto, and Captain John. But seriously, I think we all know who the reel star of this set is. (Get it? 'Reel'? Like, fishing reel? *sigh*)

The set, which is expected to ship this summer, will run you £39.95, and can be ordered here. (And while you're there, would you mind buying me a pack of Tenth Doctor handkerchiefs? I'll pay shipping - although postage within the UK is free!!)

Torchwood recieves two Award Nomintations

Bafta Cmyru, the Welsh division of the British Academy of Film and Television Awards, have announced the nominees for the 18th Annual BAFTA Cymru Film, Television and Interactive Media Awards. Torchwood has received two nominations. They are:

Best Design – Edward Thomas (For the episode “Adrift”)
Best Costume – Ray Holman (For the episode “From Out of the Rain”)

Meanwhile, Doctor Who received 9 nominations, including ones for Best Drama, Best Screenwriter and Best Director, while The Sarah Jane Adventures has been nominated for Best Children’s Programme.

The full list of nominations can be seen here.

EDIT:
Just on a side note, Torchwood is no stranger to these awards. In 2007, Bafta Cymru gave Torchwood the Best Drama Series award, while Eve Myles won the Best Actress award.

Is Torchwood Getting A Check-Up?

Another entry for our unsubstantiated rumour department: Some fans are claiming to have recently seen the Torchwood cast filming scenes for the 2009 Doctor Who specials.

No definitive set reports or photographs have surfaced as of yet, so this possible "spoiler" should be taken with more than a grain of salt.

A starting point for these claims may have been last Saturday's "Jonathan Ross Show" on BBC Radio 2. As jackharkness posted last week, David Tennant and Catherine Tate filled in as hosts for the program, with John Barrowman as their special guest. The three actors obviously enjoyed their time together, and at one point made reference to a discussion they had been having "the other day".

Could this be a clue that we may soon see the Hub dwellers getting a check-up from the Doctor? Or was that innocent remark only more grist for the rumour mill?

EDIT: After a little more dirt-digging... yup, this is entirely false. In the words of the Tenth Doctor, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." Guess I lived up to my username after all?

Jumping Ship

The 2010 series of Doctor Who is shaping up nicely, don't you think? Not only do we have the ever brilliant Steven Moffat as Head Writer and the youthful Matt Smith as his Eleventh Doctor, but now it's been confirmed that Peter Bennett (Producer of Torchwood's "Children of Earth" series) will take over the role that Phil Collinson once occupied, as main series Producer.

The BBC's Press Office confirms his promotion, and notes that he'll share the job with Tracie Simpson (who has already produced "Planet of the Dead" as well as the Christmas 2009 finale to the David Tennant era).

Beth Willis (Ashes to Ashes - which is back next Monday, don't cha know?) steps in as the show's third Executive Producer, alongside Moffat and Piers Wenger.

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I'm hearing that Torchwood's fourth season (if commissioned...) won't film until at least next February or March, as John Barrowman is looking to return to the stage at some point later this year, and then head up his usual Christmas time panto, plus there's the fact that Gareth David-Lloyd is in America for the next few months.

Hmm... what with this and whispers that the Torchwood Hub set has been torn down to make room for the new look TARDIS console room it's looking like it'll be a nervous few months for us Woodies as we wait to hear what comes next, beyond the "Children of Earth".

A little bit of everything!

Congratulations to Kai Owen and his fiance Sarah! According to Kai’s yahoo group, the couple are expecting a baby this coming October. Kai is obviously thrilled and said he’s "over the moon and looking forward to being a Daddy!!!" Good news such as this certainly inclines fans to send cards and presents, and one of the best presents you can give to Kai is a donation on his Just Giving page.

Gareth David-Lloyd has been announced for some upcoming conventions. On May 3^rd, Gareth is going to be at Vortex, the one-day Doctor Who/Sarah Jane Adventures/Torchwood convention in Belfast. Check it out. It sounds like great fun for the kids!

On the U.S. convention front, Gareth has joined the growing Torchsong line up for this coming June. He’ll be alongside John Barrowman, Kai Owen, Tom Price, and others.

For American fans looking for the convention experience on more of a budget, I have the official scoop that Gareth will be at Hurricane Who in Orlando, Florida this October.

Aside from conventions, Gareth is going to be in the short film, "A Very British Cover Up." “In this comedy short film Welsh Drag queen Rhiannon gets caught in the middle of a right royal scandal” The project is Directed by Ian Smith (BBC - Short form producer/director: Doctor Who, Ashes to Ashes, Mistresses, Merlin, Sarah Jane Adventures) and was co-written by Smith and Nina Barnfather. Production is set for early May. For more information, please visit www.averybritishcoverup.com

Finally, there is an interview with Carole Barrowman over at the BBC America Torchwood website about the selkie comic she wrote with John. You can also check out John’s very own BBC America page and see what he has coming up on U.S. screens.

Happy Easter!

John Hart: Time Agent - the Series?!

Internet site 411mania interviews James Marsters, to promote the release of the Dragonball Evolution picture released in cinemas across the US and UK today. During the course of his talk, Marsters discusses how much fun he found the Torchwood filming experience - and it's all thanks to one man. Yep, the great John Barrowman (of course):

"We had more fun doing Torchwood than we could even show you. John Barrowman is just fabulous and he will not let you be tired, he won't let anyone not care. The harder it gets, the more tired you get, the more this man just goes off. I'll follow him anywhere because I know the job is to have fun."

James confirms that he isn't a part of Children of Earth, but is willing to return to play John Hart in the future - possibly in a spin-off series!!

Says the former Buffy the Vampire Slayer & Angel star, "That is something I would love to talk about. I hadn't been on anything as subversive as Torchwood since Buffy. Subversive in the best sense, in the sense that there are lies we are told from childhood that don't really serve us well, lies like "you can buy happiness" or that certain people are cooler than others, and artists, especially subversive ones like myself, we try to rip these lies down all the time. I was so blessed to be on Buffy because it was a deeply subversive show and Torchwood equally so."

Finally, some kind words towards former co-star Andy Hallett, who portrayed the fabulous Lorne on Angel. He passed away earlier this month, rather tragically aged just 33.

"Andy was always so kind and so funny, and always being that way so while in so much pain. His eyes did not do well with the contacts he had to wear to play Lorne at all. When he was filming it was very painful for him. It's easy to be nice when everything is comfortable but you really find out what someone is made of when it's tough, and it was tough for him everyday and yet there was never a day without him being totally gracious, cracking jokes as he's wiping the tears from his eyes. He was a real gentleman, very funny, and I will miss him greatly."

Those words come courtesy of 411mania. Thanks, guys.

Dragonball Evolution is out now at cinemas everywhere.

Meanwhile, James will be appearing as Buzz Aldrin in Moonshoot, a television that tells the story of the Apollo 11 moon landing. It broadcasts this July stateside, in time for the 40th anniversary celebrations of the actual event.

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Ashes to Ashes has a confirmed airdate - hooray! It's back Monday April 20th for eight weeks. If the series goes without a break, it'll end mid-June - so that's the earliest possible date now that Torchwood series three could air (under the presumption that the BBC wouldn't pull A2A for a week to show Torchwood).

60's Child

Inside SFX Magazine issue number 182 (officially released next week) producer Peter Bennett talks about the upcoming "Children of Earth" mini-series, and goes into specific detail about what several of the guest characters are up to throughout. Needless to say there's SPOILERS abound, so look away now if you want to remain pure and spoil-free.

"Paul Copley plays Clem. As a child, back in the 60s, Clem escaped a threat from an alien force which may or may not be the same alien force returning [the 456]. He's spent most of his life in and out of psychiatric hospitals because everyone thinks he's doolally, and he's the first person to work out that they're coming back."

Bennet goes on to describe another aspect of the show's arc, "Torchwood is the only surviving body that knows anyhting about the aliens being here before in the '60s, and the government want to cover that up because they didn't share that with the rest of the world. Basically, they release a blank page on Torchwood - that's their way of saying, 'Dispose of them, they never existed!' - and it's the job of Johnson [Liz May Brice] to go and execute that."

Meanwhile, despatched to floor 13 of MI5 headquarters is Peter Capaldi as Mr. Frobisher, "He's a civil servant, and in the words of the Prime Minister, he's 'expendable'. So he's volunteered to go and communicate with this alien threat that's determined to put a stop to the world as we know it."

To catch the rest of Peter Bennent's interview - as well as a ever so slight talk with Eve Myles - make sure you catch SFX#182 out this Wednesday. It's a great issue that also previews the latest Star Trek film, talks to writer Alan Moore and goes behind the scenes of the second run of adventures for BBC One's Ashes to Ashes. Pick it up for £3.99.

The trailer for Children of Earth for ya'll to see.

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David Tennant and Catherine Tate will be guest hosting Jonathan Ross' Radio 2 Saturday show next... erm, Saturday as the host is away on holiday for a week (despite recent coming back off a pretty lengthy break...) and their star interviewee will be none other than Mister John of Barrowman - probably talking about all the week's shows that he'll be appearing in. Hell, it'd be faster for him to say what he's not in!

It's on Saturday 11th April, 10am - 1pm - and you can catch it online at BBC Radio 2's portal, or via the ever reliable iPlayer.

James Marsters wants Torchwood return

Jack Harkness's mischievous fellow time agent Captain John Hart could, at some point, make a comeback. Buffy and Angel star James Marsters told MTV that, if asked, he'd like to make a return to the show. The actor who has played a number of cult characters in his time listed Torchwood along with Buffy and Smallville when asked which show's universes he'd like to make another appearance in. He was rumoured to be in the upcoming third series before it was later announced to be a week-long five parter. Marsters was at a recent event for his latest project Dragonball: Evolution when he made the comments. His character was last seen in the hub during the series two finale.

John Barrowman - the Loose Woman

With filming completed on the third series of Torchwood, and post-production nearing completion on the fourth and fifth episodes, the production team's attention turns towards what lies ahead after that. Specifically, series four - which was, believe it or not, actually commissioned before "Children of Earth" as a bug on new BBC One Controller Jay Hunt's computer led him to believe the 2009 series would be Torchwood's fourth, not third.

(Legally Hunt then had to go back and order a third series, which he did reluctantly - hence the new run is shorter than most, and still hasn't found a home in the schedules.)

So, series four is a go. Yay! Right? Maybe not so much...

Due to another BBC computer bug John Barrowman is now out of contract. I don't know the hows or whys - all I *do* know is that unless Barrowman signs up pretty soon, he won't be onboard for the fourth series (after all, the script process begins months before actual shooting).

What's the likelihood of him resigning the contract? Normally I'd say they were quite high, considering how much that John enjoys his time on the show - a series created specially for him, remember - but this time I'm not so sure, because ITV have made John an offer that even he can't refuse...

You see the channel wants John to head up an all male version of Loose Women, with - it's rumoured - the likes of Christopher Biggins, Julian Clary and David Walliams. Bizzarely, and for no reason I can think of, channel bosses want the show to retain its Loose Women name.

Seeing as though Loose Women (which John has appeared on pretty much every other week since his voice broke) films five times weekly, it'd be impossible for him to shoot both Torchwood and ITV's lunchtime glamourfest.

I was alerted to the problem by a source at the heart of BBC Wales' Upper Boat studios, Wilma Maria Felt - a former make-up artist sacked last year after she was caught watching Primeval in Gareth David-Lloyd's trailer. Here's what she has to say:

"Obviously I worked with John pretty much every day that I was there, and as most people know he needs a lot more make-up than most to get him looking that shiny and artifical. John and I built up a pretty good friendship, mostly because we share one very similar interest... MEN! As a fan of Loose Women, I was one of the first that John told about ITV's offer. Whatever the BBC are willing to pay to keep John ITV will double or triple! Haha, I bet that one man is the sole reason we're in recession right now. Let the money talk. Best of luck to him I say."

Captain Jack Harkness plays such a major part of the Doctor Who mythos, what with the Face of Boe and all that, that it's likely that the production team have a contingency plan in effect - probably something along the lines of casting an experienced, well known older actor to portray an aged-up Jack. Somebody like Robert Vaughan, Patrick Stewart or, hell, one of the Chuckle Brothers (the more they resemble Boe, the better!).

Whatever, Torchwood is guarenteed a full length, 13 part series - with or without John. Eve and Gareth will still be there - and that might mean that both get additional screentime. Wouldn't that be fantastic, having Gwen Cooper promoted to central protagonist, with 60% of every episode's running time. It's what fans have been crying out for ever since the series launched, more Gwen.

(No news if Lis Sladen's long delayed cameo is still going ahead, mind)

Watch this space for updates on John's potential career change. In the mean time you can catch him on the following shows over the next few weeks: Celebrity 60 Minute Make-Over, QI, Saturday's National Lottery, next Thursday's This Morning, a Land of Leather commercial, Jim'll Fix It, Vaginal Reconstruction Live, the Bill, 30 Rock and Muffin the Mule.

He's not appearing on telly today, what with it being April Fool's Day and all...