'Doctor Who' Season 5 postponed until 2010

LONDON, Sept. 4 (UPI) -- The fifth season of the British sci-fi series, “Doctor Who,” won't hit the small screen until 2010, the Daily Telegraph reported Tuesday.

The fourth season of the BBC show, starring Scottish actor David Tennant, is in production and slated to premiere next year.

Tennant is also expected to portray the time-traveling hero in a special Christmas episode co-starring Australian pop star Kylie Minogue and set to air on BBC1 in December, as well as three "Doctor Who" BBC1 specials, written by Russell T. Davies, in 2009.

The fifth season of the series has been postponed so the actor can play Hamlet with the Royal Shakespeare Company from July through November of next year, the Telegraph said.

A “Doctor Who” spokesman said it was too early to comment on whether Tennant would return for a fifth season.

The actor took over the role from Christopher Eccleston who left the revival of the classic show after one season in 2005. Eccleston went on to join the cast of NBC's supernatural series, “Heroes.”