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Today, the press are full of stories about comedian Peter Kay appearing in the next run of ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ ONE sci-fi series Doctor Who, due to start at the end of this month.

Kay is best known for playing the bad tempered wheelchair-using nightclub owner Brian Potter in Channel 4's Phoenix Nights.

Disabled people have found an affinity with the ruthless wheeled Daleks and with Davros, their evil half-humanoid, mobility and sight impaired creator.

"The casting of Peter came about after he wrote me the most brilliant letter to say how much he'd enjoyed series one of Doctor Who," said writer Russell T Davies, the man responsible for the return of the programme. "From that point on, we started talking about a guest appearance."

Speculation now mounts for disabled fans of the show who remember Peter Kay suggesting that he'd like to turn his Brian Potter character into Davros. Could this finally be the bridging of the gap between wheelchair users and Daleks? Will we see him morph out of a Spazz chair and into the globular metallic hybrid alien we all know and love/hate? Will he be exterminated?

What we do know is that the new series starts later this month on ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ ONE. Kay will feature in episode 10, playing a dark character known as Victor Kennedy.

For US readers of Ouch, series one of the new updated version of Who is coming to the Sci Fi Channel this month.