Calling Dr Jones

The Beeb has just released a first pic of Martha Jones with the Torchwood team. Now that she’s hooking up with Captain Jack, Gwen, Owen and the rest of the gang, the newly qualified Dr Jones has decided to ditch her old leather jacket (seems Tosh has nabbed that one from the costume cupboard) and gone for something a little more business-like. It's a "new look" apparently...

Auntie’s press release explains how “a more grown-up and worldly wise” Martha’s making the trip to Cardiff to help Torchwood “solve a series of mysterious deaths” and “do battle with an alien threat”. And now over to Ms Freema Agyeman ...”Martha has grown up a lot since Doctor Who. She's now a fully qualified doctor and a bit hardened by life experiences. When she finds out that Captain Jack needs her help, she joins Torchwood for a while. She continues to develop her knowledge of alien intelligence, but this time keeping her feet on the ground.

"These will be invaluable skills to take back with her on future adventures with The Doctor. She outgrew The Doctor, in a sense, and so the next time they meet it will be in a more professional capacity.” [Notice the interesting hint there for series four?] “I'm so proud of her journey and who she has become. And for me as an actress, it's a great new challenge to be able to broaden and expand Martha as she develops in other directions for this more adult series. The Torchwood team are fabulous to work with and have made me very welcome."

“She is going to cause some waves in the team,” adds Russell T Davies. “Especially as she joins Torchwood at a point when everything is going to change for one of them." Well, the 21st century was always supposed to be when everything changes – maybe it’s finally about to start happening.

The BBC has also confirmed that Richard Briers (long-rumoured to be making appearance) will play “a reclusive millionaire who is the keeper of alien secrets”.