'Mavis' and Gatiss join The Doctor

Former Coronation Street regular Thelma Barlow and The League of Gentleman's Mark Gatiss have been confirmed for appearances in the next series of Doctor Who.

Barlow, who played Mavis Wilton in the popular soap for 26 years, will play a character called Lady Thaw. Meanwhile, Gatiss will play a scientist, stepping in front of the camera following his earlier scriptwriting for the series on season one's 'The Unquiet Dead' and last year's 'The Idiot's Lantern'. No further details have been revealed about their characters.

The upcoming presence of an ex-Coronation Street star follows several former EastEnders actors who have featured in the revived science-fiction series.

Tracy-Ann Oberman (Chrissie Watts) and Raji James (Ash Ferreira) both appeared in the 'Army of Ghosts/Doomsday' two-parter, whilst Edna Dore (Mo Butcher) played a supporting role in 'Fear Her'.

Meanwhile, a spokesman for the BBC show told Digital Spy that there is "no truth whatsoever" in a reports of a Doctor Who movie that will reunite Billie Piper with David Tennant following their parting of the ways last season.