Russell on the future of Torchwood

Torchwood creator Russell T Davies has the future of the hit Doctor Who spin-off all planned out, he has told the new issue of Torchwood Magazine.

"I could write you scene one of series four right now", says Davies in a
revealing interview with Torchwood Magazine. "I know exactly how to pick it
up. I've got a shape in mind, and I've got stories. I know where you'd find
Gwen and Rhys, and their baby, and Jack, and I know how you'd go forward
with a new form of Torchwood."

The news will come as a tonic to fans of the show, which enjoyed runaway
success in the ratings when the latest series Children of Earth screened
over five nights in July this year. The dramatic finale and the death of
much-loved team member Ianto Jones had fans fearing the worst for the future
of the show, but Davies' positive comments will re-ignite hopes that
Torchwood will once again return to television screens.

Davies is also confident of writing another compelling series of Torchwood,
regardless of the format the BBC decides to choose for the show.

"If the BBC asked for another 13 one-part stories, that's what we'd do",
Davies goes on to explain to Torchwood Magazine. "I'm ready for anything,
but I think it works well as one continuous story. But if the BBC decide
they want 13 one-offs, I'll suddenly decide that's the best format in the
world!"

The prolific writer, widely credited with sparking the recent revival of
parent show Doctor Who, goes on to talk candidly about the origins of
Torchwood, and why he thinks the timing was all important for the success of
the show.

"It's been a very intelligent decision to make hay while the sun shines", he
says. "Look at the recession that's sweeping in now. If I'd tried to get
Torchwood off the ground now, they would say there's no money for it. So
while we had one very successful show, we made a strategic decision to push
our advantage. Julie [Gardner, then Head of Drama at BBC Wales] passionately
wanted a big, strong Welsh drama department but one show is not a drama
department, You've got to have more, so we did it while those doors were
open to us."

After Davies' incredible successes on British shores, where he has also
penned the acclaimed drama serials Queer as Folk and The Second Coming, the
writer is looking forward to his next challenge across the Atlantic.

Davies tells Torchwood Magazine he believes his trade is taken much more
seriously in the USA than it is at home in the UK:

"The attitudes towards drama there are very different, and their outlook is
more professional in terms of how they approach the job. I heard this
brilliant quote from [acclaimed British screenwriter] Frank Cottrell Boyce
recently, where he said that British writers are essentially amateur and
they want to go home or go to the pub, but in America they can¹t wait to go
in to the office."

You can read the full interview in issue 17 of the Torchwood Magazine which is released on Thursday at the price of £4.99.