DOCTOR WHO: NEW DIRECTORS CONFIRMED AND STORY BEHIND DWM COVER REVEALED

Further Doctor Who Series 14 Directors have been announced, and showrunner Russell T. Davies explains the story behind the latest Doctor Who Magazine cover in the latest issue of the publication, in stores from 2nd March.

The Doctor Who production team have announced two new members for Series 14. Block Three will be directed by Julie Anne Robinson and Block Four by Ben Chessell.

Russell T. Davies tells Doctor Who Magazine: "Julie Anne is a dream piece of crewing for me, because I've wanted to work with her ever since sitting in aw of the BBC's Blackpool. Julie Anne comes with the best reference ever - an actor called David Tennant which starred in Blackpool and loves her!"

Executive Producer Phil Collinson said: "Our search for directors reached all the way to Australia, to find Ben. One of the greatest shows I've ever seen on television is Joe Barton's Giri/Haji for the BBC, with the spectacular finale directed by Ben. It broke all the rules of what television can achieve, so we knew he was a perfect fit for this two-episode block, which takes the whole show into genuine new terriotry. We were all wondering how to achieve what's on the paper, but Ben has marched in to show us how!"

Elsewhere, Russell T. Davies has revealed that the image on the latest cover of Doctor Who, which has been causing a stir online as some fans complain it does a disservice to Elizabeth Sladen to feature David Tennant on the cover so prominently, was his idea.

Russell explains: "As soon as Doctor Who Magazine suggested a celebration of SJA [Sarah-Jane Adventures], I said. ooh, we can use those photos as a cover at last! The shoot you can see emblazoned on this month's DWM was taken for The Wedding Of Sarah-Jane Smith with the promise of a RadioTimes cover... which never happened."

Russell goes onto explain how he helped DWM secure the rights to the images, and how The Sarah-Jane Adventures returned to BBC iPlayer last year (and the story of the mystery missing episodes!).

"This one's for you, Lis. The cover, at last. Thanks darling, thanks for absolutely everything. I miss you." Davies concludes.

Doctor Who Magazine issue 588 is available in shops and online from Thursday 2nd March [UK].