Doctor Who (series 1) months of speculation. In the April 2004 issue of "Doctor Who Magazine", Davies announced that Eccleston's Doctor would indeed be the Ninth Doctor, relegating Richard E. Grant's Shalka Doctor to non-official status. Russell T Davies revealed that Eccleston asked for the role in an e-mail. After the announcement that the show would be returning, Davies revealed that the new companion would "probably" be called Rose Tyler in an edition of "Doctor Who Magazine" published in November 2003. This name was confirmed in March 2004, and it was announced at the same time that former pop star Billie Piper was being
Doctor Who spin-offs was produced by animation company Nelvana in the 1980s, but the series was not produced. CBBC originally expressed an interest in a "Young Doctor Who" series, chronicling the childhood of the Doctor. Russell T Davies vetoed this concept, saying "somehow, the idea of a fourteen-year-old Doctor, on Gallifrey inventing sonic screwdrivers, takes away from the mystery and intrigue of who he is and where he came from,". He instead suggested "The Sarah Jane Adventures" (see above). A further spin-off of "Doctor Who"—"Rose Tyler: Earth Defence", a 90-minute special that could possibly become an annual event—was cancelled by Davies at a