I have heard rumours last year that the new series of Doctor Who, starting next month, was filmed in HD for the BBC HD channel?

Is there any truth in this, as I've heard nothing since?

Yes and Yes
The last 4 specials were in HD too.
They had to re-build the tardis for HD which is why they got to blow it up!

Seeing as the last four specials were all broadcast in HD, why would you even doubt that the next series will be? It would be madness to step backwards.

Figured because it was the beginning of the end of Tennant's rein as the Doctor. RTD making it all sparkly and what-not.

Glad it's in HD

Is that "starting next month" bit confirmed?

Yes, Saturday 13th March on BBC 1 & BBC HD.

Confirmed by whom?

Absolutely no one. It will not be confirmed until two weeks before the eventual transmission date.

Confirmed by IMDB, eh? Any vandal can edit that, it's as untrustworthy as Wikipedia.

I'm pretty sure it will be more than two weeks.

I do not remember. Might have been Digital Spy.

Rest assured, I'll try and find out a source of ya all.

From what I've read in DWM and The Writer's Tale, the start date for previous series has been set, then changed last minute, so it wouldn't make sense to announce it much earlier than that.

Just discovered it was imdb. However they had the correct episode titles that were announced at the beginning of the week, so who knows.

Anyway, I've emailed the BBC looking clarification. Not so much to leak me exclusive information regarding it, but rather if the schedule has been announced already and Saturday 13th March is correct.

those titles were widely rumored long before they were announced.

The BBC won't announce the official start date till a couple of weeks before the first episode airs, which is standard procedure for all shows. No point e-mailing them, they won't tell you anything since they probably don't know themselves precisely when it will start yet. They are, after all, still filming atm.

And even if they did know, they would not give out the information ahead of any official press release (and because we are here speculating about any start date, it means that no such press release has been issued, or else someone would have quoted from it by now )

Think start date will be first weekend in April - 3rd maybe? Doesn't it normally start at the Easter weekend - will check!

Yes, it will either be then or March 27 at the earliest. There's no room in the schedules before that due to Six Nations Rugby and Let's Dance For Sport Relief.

The March 13 date some are claiming is just wishful thinking. It is listed on IMDB, but that's open to anyone to contribute to.

Official confirmation, when it comes, will only come from the BBC Press Office.