Please join us in raising our glasses to wish Burn Gorman a very happy birthday!

The actor is known in the Doctor Who universe as the late Owen Harper from Torchwood’s first and second series, and he is today celebrating his 36th birthday. We hope he has a fantastic day!

Feel free to leave your own birthday messages to Burn in a comment on this post.

Starz  – the US network who will be co-producing Torchwood: The New World with the BBC – have released a synopsis and character biographies for the series!

John Barrowman, Eve Myles and Kai Owen will be reprising their respective roles of Jack Harkness, Gwen Cooper and Rhys Williams for the 10-part story, which begins filming in January for a Summer 2011 transmission on BBC One (UK) and Starz (US). Read on for the official series overview, but watch out for spoilers.

When C.I.A. agent Rex Matheson investigates a global conspiracy, he finds himself unearthing a threat which challenges the entire human race. The answers seem to lie within an old, secret British institute, known only as Torchwood. But Torchwood was destroyed, years ago, and the keys to the institute are held by its only two survivors – former Police Officer Gwen Cooper, who has long since disappeared along with her husband and child, and the mysterious Captain Jack Harkness, a man whose history seems to stretch back centuries.

With Rex under attack from all sides in both the US and the UK, he soon discovers there are forces at work within every level of society, determined to stop Torchwood’s return. As a chain of events across the world links together the most disparate and unlikely individuals – including a surgeon, a killer, senators and CEOs – a new Torchwood team takes shape. But this time, the threat is much closer to home, as they realize that their greatest enemy is mankind itself…

In addition, character biographies have been issued for Jack Harkness, Gwen Cooper (confirming her baby is called Anwen!) and new team member Rex Matheson…

JACK HARKNESS (played by John Barrowman)

Jack looks like a hero. But he’s so much more than that…

He’s American, handsome, with a killer smile and a classic coat. But you don’t expect heroes to be this much fun. He’s witty, fast, subversive and there’s a reason for that glint in his eye – he’ll sleep with women, he’ll sleep with men; if aliens invade, he’ll sleep with them too. Got a problem with that? Tough!

His dashing style hides a secret. There are mysteries about Jack – a man going under his name seems to have a history stretching back to World War 2, or even earlier, to the Nineteenth century, the Eighteenth…

Truth is, Jack Harkness is immortal. A fixed point in time and space. The only one of his kind. For thousands of years, he has never been able to die. When killed, he comes back to life – seconds later. Though his tragedy is, he feels every death. It hurts – and so does the passage of time. He can never love anyone for too long, because he will always lose them. As a result, he’s lived many lives. He’s been a conman, a thief, an adventurer – though more a rogue than a villain, because his perspective on human life makes him appreciate this world all the more.

Jack once ran the Torchwood Institute, a British organization dedicated to fighting the strange and bizarre. He was king of his own little world for a while, the happiest he’d ever been. But Torchwood fell. His friends were killed. The Institute closed down, and Jack disappeared, to start yet another of his many new lives. And yet…

The only thing that could call Jack Harkness back is his unstated love for Gwen Cooper. And when a new, epic danger affects the whole planet, Jack finds himself back at the center of events, fighting not just for his own life, but for everyone on Earth. But this time, are the stakes too high?

GWEN COOPER (played by Eve Myles)

All Gwen wants is a quiet life. Honest.

She’s Welsh, lives in seclusion, far away from the city, on a cliff top in the wilds of South Wales with her devoted husband, and baby Anwen – it’s a rural idyll.

And it’s a lie. Gwen is in hiding, because she once lived the most extraordinary life. She was the heart and soul of an organization called Torchwood, a freelance band of fighters who fought the strange and unexplained. She was a defender of the human race.

But no more. Torchwood was destroyed. Her colleagues died, or fled. And Gwen hid herself away, for the rest of her life, to protect her loved ones. But knowing, just knowing, that one day trouble would come calling again.

She lives the ultimate double life: the funny, salty, earthy woman who loves home and family, combined with the tough, ruthless warrior, who loves the thrill of the fight. She’s both selfish and selfless. And never doubt it – when Gwen’s in a crisis, she is magnificent. Gun in both hands, baby strapped to her chest, she’ll run and fight and never give up.

It’s passion, in the end: Gwen’s all about passion. She loves her man, she loves her child, she loves this mad old world, and maybe she loves Captain Jack Harkness just a little too much. But when the events of this story push Gwen to the limit, she’ll need to call on resources she never knew she had, to take action and make the most terrible decisions, on behalf of all mankind.

Rex Matheson (played by TBC)

He’s 28, the golden boy. Has been, all his life. Harvard education, fast-tracker in the C.I.A., destined for success. Though he’s never taken it easy – Rex hustles, seduces and campaigns to get where he is today. He can talk his way into anything, then charm his way out, fast. He’s made a lot of enemies, but his friends and lovers would defend him to death.

His choice of career is significant. Someone like Rex could make a fortune in Wall Street, or Hollywood. But choosing the C.I.A. says a lot about him: that for all his swagger, he does believe in justice. And will fight for it.

Slowly but surely, we see him make friends. He’s thrown together with a bunch of people known as Torchwood, the only people who might have the answer to a global mystery. To Rex, at first, they’re a bunch of freaks. Welsh women and World War 2 Captains, what’s that about?! But as they race from one crisis to another, dodging assassins, blackmail, corruption and conspiracy, from Washington to Wales and the slums of Shanghai, Rex forges friendships in the heat of fire. He learns to trust his new colleagues. And they realize that this dangerous, dazzling, reckless man is the best friend they could ever have, in a world going to hell.

They frighten us, men like Rex. We wish we were him; we never will be.

What do you think of the new details? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

As more Torchwood news from yesterday’s Television Critics Association Starz panel continues to make its way online, fans of Rhys will be pleased to hear that he won’t just be appearing briefly in Series 4!

As we reported yesterday, Gwen’s husband will be back in the newly named The New World, and Blastr has posted quotes from Russell T Davies discussing the return of Kai Owen’s character. He said: “Gwen has a lovely husband called Rhys, and now a baby between the two of them.”

He continued: “The sight of Gwen Cooper with a baby in one arm and gun in the other is going to be our poster, I hope, because that’s just going to be irresistible, but I can’t imagine Gwen without him, and so he’s back. He’s a very big part of events.”

“Rhys is now ahead of the game, as it were. There are no secrets. They’re a team. It’s a really lovely thing to write in a storyline – a husband and wife team who love each other. They have fun with each other. It’s kind of sexy. It’s kind of sexy in a really unusual way. So I love that coupling. He’s right up there with the team.”

Its head writer also teased that the team will be facing “far more than just a monster” in the 10-part story, and that Captain Jack’s first appearance is “running and fighting and being brilliant”, having moved on from the guilt he felt at the end of Children of Earth.

Meanwhile, Julie Gardner has indicated that the series won’t lose its established Welsh feel, explaining: “The Welsh setting still features in a significant way as we move forwards, so we will start filming in Wales. There’ll be beautiful landscapes. Gwen Cooper is still that character. She’s still Welsh. Her story will take place in the US but also very much in the UK, so that flavor of Wales will be very apparent.”

Torchwood: The New World begins filming in the UK and the US at the start of 2011.

Russell T Davies and Julie Gardner have revealed lots of exciting tidbits about Series 4 of Torchwood during a Starz panel at the Television Critics Association press tour!

As we previously reported, the new 10-part series will be titled The New World. Kai Owen will be back as Gwen’s husband, Rhys, and we’ll also meet their baby, however Russell has squashed the speculation surrounding Captain John’s return, at the same time reassuring his fans that he’s ”always off stage waiting to make an appearance”.

Meanwhile, we have confirmed details of two new and yet-to-be-cast characters who will be joining the team, in the form of CIA agent Rex Matheson and CIA watch analyst Esther Katusi. Biographies for them were leaked last month, but Russell has explained that their introduction will benefit viewers who are watching for the first time as they’ll be able to watch them become “embroiled” in the organisation:

“The fact it’s new to a lot of people is something being used. Rex has no idea what Torchwood is. It’s like a legend now, spoken of only in whispers, and the two of them investigate. They find themselves on the run from that point on. The two teams coming together is a big part of the story. Are they friends or enemies?”

In addition, Julie Gardner has promised that they “have a really big story to tell”, teasing a “fast-paced” self-contained adventure which will make the spin off feel ”new again”. It’ll air on BBC One (UK) and Starz (US) in the second half of 2011.

What do you make of the developments? Have they made you more/less excited?

The new series of Torchwood begins filming in the UK and the US at the start of 2011.

The title of the fourth series of Torchwood has reportedly been revealed!

According to an article posted on the Televisionary Blog, the new series will be called Torchwood: The New World, and, in a similiar fashion to last year’s Children of Earth, the 10 episodes will make up one story which Russell T Davies has promised will reach a “most remarkable conclusion”. Yesterday its list of writers was seemingly confirmed by The Chicago Tribune.

What do you think of the proposed title? Feel free to post your thoughts below!

The new series of Torchwood begins filming in the UK and the US at the start of 2011.

The Chicago Tribune has released details of the list of writers who will reportedly be penning the fourth series of Torchwood alongside its lead writer Russell T Davies.

The report suggests that John Shiban, Doris Egan, Jane Espenson and John Fay will all be putting pen to paper for the new 10-part series, which will begin filming in January for transmission next summer. Shibnan has previously worked on The X Files and Smallville, and Doris Egan is best known for her work on House.

Jane Espenson’s writing credits include Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Battlestar Galactica and The O.C., while John Fay has worked on Coronation Street and Robin Hood, and he also penned two episodes of the 5-part Children of Earth which aired last year.

What do you make of the line-up? Please bear in mind that it’s still yet to be confirmed.

We’re pleased to announce that our Torchwood mini-site has now undergone its revamp!

With the knowledge that it’s fourth series will begin filming next January (and with our new-found spare time since Series 5 of Doctor Who finished!), we’ve been working to get it ready to cover the latest Series 4 developments – and its fresh new look has also brought with it some new features, including a guide to the ever-growing series of Torchwood novels.

Plus, following the success of our Who Am I? feature on WhovianNet, we’ve launched a similar quiz for Torchwood fans, which enables you to discover which member of the team you most identify with. Will you be Jack, Gwen, Ianto, Tosh or Owen?

We’ll now begin our makeover on our Sarah Jane section in time for the next series later this year. But for now, we’d love to hear from you, so if you want to comment on the new look or report a bug we’ve missed, please let us know in a comment below.

Titan Magazines have released a trailer for their forthcoming Torchwood comic series, which is set to launch in comic stores across the US next week.

As we previously reported, issue one features Captain Jack and the Selkie, written by John Barrowman and his sister, Carole E. Barrowman, as well as part one of Gary Russell’s 5-part adventure Broken, which sees an old villain from the TV series return when Jack, Gwen and Ianto find themselves trapped inside a cosmic hotel.

Artwork is provided by Tommy Lee Edwards and Adrian Salmon, and each issue will be released with a choice of two collectible covers, one with an art cover and one with a picture cover. The first issue is published in the US on August 10th.

James Marsters has revealed that he’s hoping to be asked to return as Captain John Hart in Series 4 of Torchwood.

The character was introduced in Series 2 of the spin off, but the actor has told io9 that he’s hatching a scheme to get him back with Jack. 

He said: “No, I haven’t heard anything, but Russell’s over here [in LA] trying to find American cast for it. If he doesn’t call me, I will find him. I will tickle him until he bleeds!”

Would you like to see John make an appearance in Series 4? Let us know below…

The new series of Torchwood begins filming in the UK and the US at the start of 2011.

Russell Tovey has admitted that he has no idea what the future holds for his character, Midshipman Frame.

As DigitalSpy reports, the actor revealed during a Being Human panel at San Diego Comic Con that he doesn’t know if he’ll be appearing in Series 4 of Torchwood.

“[I have] genuinely no idea,” he said. ”There’s been lots of rumours. I did that scene and I never really thought anything of it.”

He explained: “To be honest, I’ve never really watched Torchwood. But I’ve been bombarded with messages asking ‘Are you gonna be Jack’s lover?’”

He was introduced in Voyage of the Damned, and was seen again in The End of Time, during which he met Captain Jack. The brief scene has led to speculation that he’ll be joining the team – something he’s previously told SFX he’d be ‘open’ to.

Would Alonso be a good addition to the team? Share your thoughs below. Allons-y!