Forty years of utter Who-ha

It is difficult to believe. Small-budget special effects and monsters made from just about anything the props department could get their hands on used to terrify viewers across the country, appealing to every generation.

For 40 years, the world's first and foremost Time Lord has enthralled and alarmed age groups young and old across the globe. His adversaries are devoted to evil and dedicated to destroying the human race. The Doctor has had to battle with one-eyed monsters, mechanoids, humanoids, Cybermen, Daleks, giant spiders, ice warriors and Bonnie Langford.

The series was originally devised in 1963 as an educational programme for kids, with no scary monsters. But when the Daleks were introduced, the attitude of the programme changed forever.

Since then, it has generated one of the biggest global cult followings ever seen, with dedicated magazines and websites and a new novel published almost every month for the last 30 years.

The Doctor is a renegade Time Lord: a member of an ancient alien race who have the ability to travel through time, but choose not to interfere with the rest of the universe. In direct contravention of Time Lord policy, the Doctor continues to traverse the galaxy, often with a companion or two, battling evil.

His timeship, the TARDIS, is a wreck - with character. The circuit that allows the ship to blend innocently into the local environment is damaged, leaving it forever frozen in the shape of a 1960s British Police call box.

There has been much talk about bringing the good Doctor back to our screens - and it appears he may return within two years. A new BBC series will be written by Russell T Davies, creator of controversial Channel 4 drama Queer As Folk. He says: 'I grew up watching Doctor Who and hiding behind the sofa like so many others. Doctor Who is one of the BBC's most exciting and original characters. He's had a rest and

now it's time to bring him back.'

Davies is expected to start work in the New Year, with the series screened in 2005. Richard E Grant, Paul McGann and Alan Davies are all thought to be in the running to take on the lead role.

Meanwhile, the BBC has begun a new animated webcast adventure. Scream Of The Shalka, written by established Doctor Who novelist Paul Cornell, is a six-part series, with a new instalment available

every Thursday at www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho. Richard E Grant plays the 9th Doctor, with Sir Derek Jacobi, Sophie Okonedo and Diana Quick also starring.