Doctor Who has been added to the list of official English icons. Voted by the public, but selected by academics and arts experts, in a project that celebrates England's heritage, Doctor Who joins 56 other national icons.

"We are all honoured and delighted. The public have taken the Doctor to their hearts," stated Russell T Davies, the producer of the current series yesterday.

Doctor Who nominated by thousands of fans as a "classic symbol of Englishness" was added to the list of icons along with 20 others including: Winnie the Pooh, the Thames, Wimbledon, cheddar cheese, red telephone boxes, Rolls-Royce, Westminster Abbey, and Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album by The Beatles among others.

(Source: Sun Online: Timelord joins best of British)

Peter Barkworth who played Leader Clent in the 1967 Doctor Who story The Ice Warriors has died while in hospital at the age of 77 after suffering a stroke and bronchopneumonia two weeks ago according to the Mirror.co.uk.

Best known for his role as Mark Telford in the 1979 series Telford's Change, he has also appeared in The Avengers and has won 2 BAFTA Best Actor awards for his television work.

He was unmarried and is survived by his sister.

Peter Barkworth - Wikipedia Entry
Peter Barkworth - IMdb

Link: BBC Worldwide Press Releases - BBC Worldwide appoints Most Management as the North American licensing agent for Doctor Who (Canada)

BBC Worldwide announced today the appointment of Most Management as the exclusive North American licensing agent for Doctor Who.

MOST MANAGEMENT LLC, a Los Angeles based agency, will act as the licensing agent for the Doctor Who franchise, including the new Doctor Who series, currently airing on The CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) in Canada, as well as the classic Doctor Who library. Classic episodes of Doctor Who air on BBC Kids.

The CBC will broadcast the second season of Doctor Who this fall beginning on 9 October. Season one and the "Christmas Invasion" episode aired in Canada to critical acclaim and impressive ratings last year.

"We are excited to work with MOST MANAGEMENT on new and unique products for one of BBC Worldwide’s longest-running and most successful franchises," said Julia Posen, Sales Director, Children's, BBC Worldwide.

According to an article on CBBC (Dr Who soundtrack coming to shops), the long awaited and much anticipated new Doctor Who soundtrack by Murray Gold is being projected to go on sale around the third week of November of this year, just in time for the holidays. The album, still in production will include music as recent as selections from The Runaway Bride Christmas special which won't even be transmitted until the following month after the album's release (if it is does indeed hit the stores towards the end of November). Other tracks on the album will include the main theme and highlights from the first and second series (2005 and 2006 series), including "Song for Ten" and the favourite melody of the Doctor and Rose separated from the episode Doomsday.

No definite release date has been set as of yet. No word on whether it will be available to purchase digitally via the net either at this time (i.e. iTunes).