Simon Callow to play Dickens in new Doctor Who

Out actor Simon Callow (Bright Young Things, Four Weddings and a Funeral) will play Charles Dickens in the upcoming revival of Doctor Who, reports BBC News. Producer Russell T. Davies, the openly gay creator of the original Queer as Folk, told the BBC, "As soon as the words 'Charles Dickens' appeared in the script, there was only one actor we wanted to approach. We're genuinely honored that Simon has accepted, and I know that [leads] Chris [Eccleston] and Billie [Piper] are delighted too. This sets the standard for a Doctor Who with wonderful casts, exciting scripts, and the highest production values. It's wonderful to welcome an actor of Simon Callow's caliber on board the Tardis." The new Doctor Who is set to air in the United Kingdom in 2005.