http://uk.news.yahoo.com/010611/80/burb5.html

Monday June 11, 11:13 AM

Rejected Dr Who show to reach fans online

LONDON (Reuters) - Cult TV science fiction hero Doctor Who returns next month -- but only over the Internet.

BBC online will transmit a one-off radio drama, "Death Comes to Time", as a downloadable audio file for listeners to tune into on their home computers.

"There is a huge Doctor Who fanbase out there who have for a long time wanted to see Doctor Who back at the BBC," said a BBC Online spokesman.

It will be the first time the BBC has run an audio play exclusively over the web.

Originally written as a pilot for a planned six-episode series, it was rejected by Radio 4 despite an all-star cast including Stephen Fry and John Sessions.

The 30-minute show has languished without being broadcast since it was recorded last October.

The official Doctor Who website said the play was rejected by Radio 4 because it did not fit the station's "current audience profile."

The cast also includes Sylvester McCoy as the time-travelling Doctor and Sophie Aldred as his companion, who are reprising their roles for the first time since the BBC television series ended in 1989.

The BBC says Doctor Who is the longest-running science fiction series in the world.

The first episode was broadcast on 23 November 1963. Since then, seven actors have played the wandering Time Lord in his battles against fiendish aliens, most memorably the Daleks and the Cybermen.

"Death Comes to Time" will be transmitted on July 13 as six five-minute audio files, with an audio trailer available Friday June 15 at www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho.

-- Tidbit (of@the.day), June 12, 2001

Answers

The Dr. Who movie blew it, they tried to "fit it" into todays audiences. Tom Baker was the best doctor of all.

-- Cherri (jessam5@home.com), June 12, 2001.

Dr Who regenerated online

-- for (Dr@Who.fans), June 12, 2001.