Filming on the upcoming Doctor Who special, due to be screened in Spring, has been dealt such a severe blow that Russell T Davies is in the process of re-writing Planet of the Dead.

But why? It seems that a red double decker bus (integral to the plot) was shipped overseas (reportedly to Dubai) but was so badly damaged that the vehicle is now unusable for filming. This has forced the writer into some hasty re-writes of the script, co-written with Gareth Roberts.

Another red double-decker bus has been spotted cruising around the streets of Cardiff with David Tennant and Michelle Ryan on board. It is rumoured this bus transports its human passengers to an alien world. The story also stars comedian Lee Evans who revealed that his character, Malcolm, is a professor during an interview with Jonathan Ross.

Showrunner Russell T Davies is on record as saying that although this is the "Easter Special", there is no guarantee that Planet Of The Dead will be broadcast at that time; hence the use of "Spring" in the BBC press releases.

This is not the first time Doctor Who has faced problems with overseas production. During the filming of Fires Of Pompeii, some of the production crew arrived a day late due to border problems. Let's hope these current problems don't hinder the production of another excellent adventure for the Time Lord.