Doctor Who star Matt Smith is to take part in a Disney TV show aimed at introducing poetry to young audiences.

The 29-year-old will perform one of the readings on A Poem Is, a “short-form” series that twins celebrity poetry recitals with classic Disney animation.

Smith will read Once They All Believed in Dragons by Jack Prelutsky, the first US Children’s Poet Laureate.

The actor, who is currently filming his third Doctor Who series, said he had “always had an enthusiasm for poetry”.

“It is so vital to my art to have an understanding and appreciation for classic literature,” he went on.

According to the actor, A Poem Is offers “a whole new generation of young minds a way of learning and sharing poetry”.

“The fact that it’s set to some of the most iconic Disney animations just makes the whole experience so enjoyable.”

Actor Richard Briers, comedian David Walliams and Downton Abbey actress Michelle Dockery will also lend their voices to the show, which begins on 30 April on the Disney Junior UK cable channel.

Jennifer Garner, Whoopi Goldberg, Kenneth Branagh and Owen Wilson are among the performers who have contributed to previous editions.

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A galaxy of legends including Torchwood star John Barrowman and Life on Mars hero Philip Glenister will boldly go where no stars have gone before as Peterborough hosts a spectacular sci-fi exhibition weekend for the first time ever in May.

Trekkies and Doctor Who disciples alike will be in Blake’s 7th Heaven as a multitude of stars from the small and silver screen as “The Greatest Show in the Galaxy” lands at Peterborough Arena next month.

Torchwood star John Barrowman, Philip “Gene Hunt” Glenister, Spooks stalwart Peter Firth – who played Harry Pearce, iconic Bond girl Honor “Pussy Galore” Blackman and three incarnations of Doctor Who – Colin Baker, Sylvester McCoy and Paul McGann – will be among those appearing at the East of England Showground on May 12 and 13.

Fans of several iconic sci-fi shows and films will get the opportunity to meet their heroes and even Klingon to them as they pose for pictures.

Keith Dalton, managing director of Peterborough Arena, has said bringing the exhibition to the city was a major coup and is hoping for bumper crowds over the weekend.

He said: “This is a first for the venue and something completely new that we are delighted to be hosting in the city.

“The line up of stars attending this show is unprecedented for any venue in Peterborough, and it guarantees to be a weekend of true star gazing.”

A veritable smorgasbord of Star Trek stars will be appearing, including “Seven of Nine” actress Jeri Ryan from Voyager and “Chief Miles O’Brien” actor Colm Meaney, who also starred in Layer Cake alongside Daniel Craig and Con Air with Nicholas Cage.

The cast of Torchwood will be in attendance with Eve Myles, Burn Gorman, Naoko Mori and Gareth David-Lloyd joining “Captain Jack Harkness” John Barrowman, as will Ashes to Ashes stars Keeley Hawes, Dean Andrews and Marshall Lancaster.

There will be a huge array of memorabilia up for grabs, as well as trade stands, stage talks and free gifts.

Peterborough Star Trek fan Frank Rockley will be among those fans in attendance as he joins some of his fellow Trekkies in full Klingon garb.

He said: “I’ve been to these kind of events in London and Milton Keynes and they’ve been absolutely packed.

“It’s great for Peterborough to have this event, people will come from all over the country and even other countries to visit.

“I’ve already been getting calls from people asking where the best places to stay in the city area.”

Even though next month’s exhibition is a first for Peterborough, talks are believed to be ongoing for another exhibition at the showground this autumn.

Jemma Woolfall, of organisers Treble Ace Events, said: “We are thrilled to be bringing The Greatest Show in the Galaxy to Peterborough Arena, which is a first class venue in which to hold an event of this size.

“The line up of celebrity guests certainly has the wow factor, and we look forward to welcoming sci-fi fans from around the region and the rest of the country at the event.”

Ticket prices vary according to admission times and whether there is a preference to have an autograph or photograph with your favourite star. Prices vary from free for under 14s on standard entry tickets to £180 for a Fast-Track Weekend Pass.

For details visit www.trebleaceevents.co.uk/ or call 01480 451792.

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Favourite TV role?

Gwen Cooper on Torchwood because she is a full-on action hero and I get to do all that fun stuff because I do all my own stunts. I also get to do great domestic scenes because I am a married woman with a baby. So I get to save the world and be the girl next door. The mix is wonderful.

Favourite role on stage?

I would say Emma [in All New People], and not just because I am doing it now, but because I have never done comedy before. This has been a whole new learning curve for me. The weird, wonderful, eccentric, wacky Emma.

Role you covet on stage?

I’d love to do Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? or Cat on a Hot Tin Roof – I do enjoy playing big, strong, feisty females. I am too old, but I would have loved to play Dorothy.

Is it different acting for stage and TV?

Yeah, massively. You have an instant reaction with a live audience and also you can stop and start throughout the day for television. And there is a beginning, middle and end every night with stage, but television can spread over weeks, months.

Your acting technique has to change. For TV, an in breath can be too big, you have got to watch how many winks you do, you have to keep everything really small. On a stage you have to make sure people at the back can see you, it has to be big.

TV role you covet?

Sherlock – it is really hot. I also love Upstairs Downstairs. I am proud it gets made in Cardiff.

Have you ever got the giggles while performing?

Yes, all the time – I just think of death.

Eve Myles is playing Emma in All New People at the Duke of York’s Theatre.

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Billie Piper and Laurence Fox have revealed they have have named their newborn son Eugene Pip Fox.

The Lewis actor, 33, excitedly revealed their one-week-old baby’s name on his Twitter account.

And he gave a sneak peek at some of their new arrival as he tweeted photos of Eugene’s little feet and hands.

Former Doctor Who star Billie, 29, gave birth to a sibling for their three-year-old son Winston last Thursday.

Following Eugene’s birth, Laurence tweeted: ‘One born every minute. We had our minute today. Couldn’t be happier. Beautiful boy. Everything fine.’

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Our newest poll is now up and will hopefully be a much easier one to answer than the last one: Should the character Sky Smith and actress Sinead Michael from The Sarah Jane Adventures be added to the site in an official capacity? Scroll down and look to the right sidebar to answer!

Actress and former popstar Billie Piper has given birth to her second son.

Billie’s husband Laurence Fox announced the couple’s happy news with the tweet: “One born every minute. We had our minute today. Couldn’t be happier. Beautiful boy. Everything fine.”

The couple – who are already proud parents to three-year-old Winston – have not yet revealed their newborn’s name.

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Congratulations to Billie and Laurence!

I hope you like it!

Also, Jenna-Louise Coleman, the Doctor’s next companion, has been officially added to the site.

Over this weekend I hope to continue adding new images to the gallery, I’ve gotten sidetracked by some family issues.

As always, if you have any updates or new ideas for the site, please feel free to contact us or leave a suggestion on our LiveJournal.

Former Emmerdale actress Jenna-Louise Coleman has landed the role of the Time Lord’s new companion in Doctor Who, the BBC has confirmed.

Producer Steven Moffat announced the actress will replace Karen Gillan’s character Amy Pond when she leaves the show in the next series.

Coleman, 25, has also appeared in Waterloo Road and Julian Fellowes’ four part mini-series Titanic.

The star said: “I am beyond excited. I can’t wait to get cracking.”

Coleman, who will make her first appearance in the Christmas special, added that she is a “huge fan” of the show.

The actress, who is from Blackpool, revealed she auditioned alongside Matt Smith, who plays the 11th Doctor.

“It was fun and I felt like we were in it together.”

Smith is set to return as the Time Lord in the new series of Doctor Who, which starts later this year.

“It always seems impossible when you start casting these parts, but when we saw Matt and Jenna together, we knew we had our girl. She’s funny and clever and exactly mad enough to step on board the Tardis,” Moffat said.

“It’s not often the Doctor meets someone who can talk even faster than he does, but it’s about to happen. Jenna is going to lead him his merriest dance yet. And that’s all you’re getting for now.

“Who she’s playing, how the Doctor meets her, and even where he finds her, are all part of one of the biggest mysteries the Time Lord ever encounters. Even by the Doctor’s standards, this isn’t your usual boy meets girl.”

The BBC said the Doctor will meet Coleman’s character in a “dramatic turn of events as the show builds towards its enormous, climactic 50th anniversary year”.

Filming for the seventh series of the sci-fi drama started last month in Wales.

The new series will contain 14 episodes, featuring “new monsters and some familiar foes”, split across two years.

In December, Gillian announced she would be leaving the popular programme, saying it had been a mutual decision between herself and producers.

“We both opened up about where we were at with it and then came to the conclusion that this was the best time to go,” she said.

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Congratulations to Jenna-Louise! Now that this has been announced, she will be added to our site and gallery in the very near future!

Torchwood and Doctor Who star John Barrowman will take a key role in upcoming period drama pilot Gilded Lilys, says the Hollywood Reporter.

Barrowman’s character, Julius Ashford Lily, is the charming son of the Lily family, leading lights of New York’s elite in the late 19th century – though a recent scandal has done some damage to their standing in society.

As well as taking in family rivalries and some juicy secrets, the drama will follow social developments at that time, set against the backdrop of the opening (in 1895) of the first luxury hotel in the city we now know as the Big Apple.

Barrowman’s co-stars include veteran actress Blythe Danner, Friday Night Lights’s Matt Lauria, Maury Sterling (currently on UK screens as Max in Homeland), Brian F O’Byrne, who played Kate Winslet’s husband in mini-series Mildred Pierce, and Californication’s Madeline Zima.

The drama is the brainchild of Grey’s Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes, who is acting as executive producer alongside Betsy Beers. Gossip Girl’s KJ Steinberg will write the script.

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Freema Agyeman has joined the pilot for Sex and the City prequel The Carrie Diaries.

The former Doctor Who star will play Larissa, an easy-going party girl who works at Interview magazine.

The character will serve as a mentor for the young Carrie (AnnaSophia Robb), according to Deadline.

Agyeman played Martha Jones on Doctor Who and spinoff Torchwood between 2006 and 2010 and also stars in ITV’s Law & Order: UK.

Newcomer Brendan Dooling will appear in The Carrie Diaries as Walt, the title character’s best friend.

Likely gay but unable to come to terms with his sexuality, Walt has trouble fitting into mid-1980s society.

Life Unexpected actor Austin Butler has also joined the pilot, alongside The Killing‘s Katie Findlay and Scott Pilgrim vs. The World star Ellen Wong.

The Carrie Diaries is being developed by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, who have previously collaborated on shows such as Gossip Girl, The O.C. and Hart of Dixie.

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