Vincent Nichols to be new Dr Who

We can reveal exclusively that the BBC has offered the role of the 12th Doctor Who to Vincent Nichols, 67, Archbishop of Westminster and part-time spiritual leader.

The new Doctor poses outside his Tardis.

It is thought that Pope Francis had a hand in Archbishop Nichols's appointment, which can be seen as a consolation prize for his failure to obtain a role in the long-running soap opera The Cardinals.

Some people had suggested that the Dr Who role might go to a woman - actresses such as Tina Beattie and Catherine Pepinster were suggested - but, in the end, the BBC producers decided to remain with tradition, feeling that they did not have the authority to ordain a woman as Dr Who; our Lord Sidney Newman had explicitly called a grumpy old man to be the first Doctor, and the appointment of Nichols is seen as a return to that tradition.

One of the first adventures will involve lesbian lizards in Farm Street, London.

Armed with his new-style sonic screwdriver, modelled on the pectoral cross, the new Doctor will of course be facing his traditional enemies, such as Daleks and Cybermen. However, it may be that some of his adventures will have a more religious emphasis: in particular, we may see the return of the Meddling Monk, who was active in the 1960s.

The Meddling Monk - an old adversary who tried to block Vatican II reforms.

Another foe sure to re-appear before long is the Weeping Angels. In his current role, Vincent Nichols is of course well used to weeping angels - after all, the cries of woe in Heaven whenever a new issue of the Tablet is produced can be heard even in Westminster.

The new Doctor confronts the weeping angels.

It is likely that a new version of the classic Dr Who theme tune will also be produced, and here it is virtually certain that we shall have Paul Inwood's brilliant new arrangement: Wubbledy-wum wubbledy-wum wubbledy-wum ch-ch.

Today the new Doctor was delighted with his new role, especially because of the new opportunities it gives for having his photograph taken.

The new Doctor engages in mind-warfare with a sinister yogi.

Weepin stattues

I has always been a bit septical of dese Cathlic claims dat stattues can weep, but Bosco says dat his stattue of St Cristina, which he won in a compettion, is keepin him awake at nihgt, cryin dat it wants to go home. I aint actaully seen it cryin, but Bosco never tells lies, and here is a pitcher of his bedroom flooded wiv tears.

We took advices from Pastor De Mentia of de Calumny Chappel, and he came along to see the stattue. Of course it weren't cryin when he saw it in Bosco's bedroom, and de Pastor said sternly "Bosco, we know you aint tellin lies, as saved people can't ever do dat. But it's still very mysterrious."

Last nihgt I was sleepin sweetly in my bed, and dreemin of de Pop swimmin in de Lake of Fire. He was shoutin "My it's hot in here. I is beginnin to susspect dat I aint saved. I shoulda dressed up as a clown like dat Bosco told me to!" Den I heard a loud screem from Bosco's room, so I went to investtigate.
"Whats bin happenin, Bosco, darlin bruvver?" I asked. "Has Anti Moly bin practisin her Banshee shreiks? She takes her new job very seriously. De feersome cry of 'sockpoppet' freezes poeple to de spot."
"No, Eccles, you blokchead," replied my affecktionate bruvver. "I was tryin to cheer up de weepin stattue by readin it some humerus excertps from my luvvly blog, but it went off into historics."

I is wonderin whether this could all be Bosco's imaggination, cos I aint seen de stattue weepin yet. Anyways, we can forgit dis for de moment, as tomorrow is Sundday and we gonna save lotsa poeple, who aint expectin it.

Bosco, if you gotta minute, I is still worried about dis pitcher of some Cathlics with an iddle. It aint cemment, but seems to be tin. Is it still wrong to kiss it?

Anti Moly's new job

Well Bosco, we is lookin forward to Sunday, when we is gonna luanch our coop against de Cathlics, and save dem all by singin hynms. But until den Bosco and me is wonderin how Anti Moly will cope wiv her new job as a Banshee.

"Who exackly is we workin for?" Anti Moly asked de Angle of Death. "Is it Jessus or Sattan? Not dat I is prejudissed one way or de uvver, I is very open-minded."
"We is a freelance buisness," replied de Angle, "and we does contracts for all sorts of poeple. God, Sattan, de Democrates, de Republickans, de Bhuddists, de Salivation Army, de Lost Angles Dodgers, de Mafia, de Barclays bruvvers, Joanne Hairy, James Dellingpoll, anyone who wants to scare poeple to death. But I is never allowed to reveel who is de client."
"Does I have to dress up and look horrid?" asked Anti Moly.
"Nope, you is scarry enough already," said de Angle of Death (her real name is Mrs Riddle, so I is gonna use dat from now on).

Here is Anti Moly goin out to work, she is a dere old lady and we is very fond of her.

I'd quite like to go wiv her some time to see how she gits on.

Well, it's bin a quiet day, except dat Bosco is havin trouble wiv one of de ornnaments in his bedroom. He entered de Tellegraph's "Geuss de next 3 blogg topicks of Damain Thopmson" compettition. Bosco he said dey was gonna be Joanne Hairy, de Ordinariet, and den Joanne Hairy again, so he won de prize, it's a stattue of St Cristina de Odd One. However, he says de stattue is cryin real tears, in fact it keeps sobbin in de night dat it wants to go home again rather than be in purggatory, viz Bosco's beddroom. I spose dats a mircale Bosco but its a bit of a niusance, innit?

So if annyone knows how to cheer up a homesick stattue, we will be very pleased, won't we Bosco?