Doctor Who back online

The Daleks are arch enemies of the Doctor

Doctor Who is back on the BBC in a new online adventure after last summer's successful pilot series.

The timelord is taking on more arch villains in an audio drama through BBCi.

A series of 12 weekly episodes, available in RealPlayer format, will complete the drama Death Comes to Time, which begins with a special episode entitled St. Valentine's Day.

Sylvester McCoy returns as the Doctor with Anthony Stewart Head, who plays Giles in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, also joining the cast.

The pilot online series was massively popular

In the new online epic, fans will follow the Doctor, weakened by battles against a succession of enemies and plagued by ominous dreams, continuing his dogged struggle to save the universe.

As well as the new audio story, specially commissioned drawings give a visual taste of the action.

'Romantic'

The audio programme was produced by BBC's Fictionlab. Head Richard Fell said he was "excited" to see the Doctor again.

"The old romantics of us think that it's great that he's coming back on Valentine's Day - saving the galaxy seems to be more on his menu than a intimate dinner for two."

When the pilot was launched last July there were more than one million page impression requests for the real audio files.

Stephen Fry reprises his role of the Minister of Chance from the pilot and said he was delighted to be involved.

"I love Doctor Who with a passion bordering on insanity and there's something peculiarly English about the Doctor.

Sylvester McCoy revives his role as the seventh Doctor

"My character, the Minister believes there is too much wickedness, and that the powers of the time lords should be used."

Doctor Who is the longest running science-fiction series in the world with the first episode transmitted in November 1963.

The Doctor's ability to regenerate himself has led to several actors playing the role over the decades, including William Hartnell, Patrick Troughton, Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker.

The show's best-remembered monsters include the Daleks and Cybermen.

The Doctor's last appearance on television was in 1996 in a TV movie starring Paul McGann.