Radio Times

The Bulldog takes on the Hamster as Ashes to Ashes' distinctly un-PC copper DCI Gene Hunt collars diminutive Top Gear star Richard Hammond for Children in Need (BBC1 Friday 14 November).

In RT's exclusive photo shoot celebrating the auspicious occasion, Hammond admitted of Hunt's pride and joy, "The Audi Quattro is a car I would have loved to have owned in the 80s, only I never had enough money." Lucky for him, then, that in the Children in Need film, Hunt is obliged to hand over the keys to Hammond.

But what about on the RT shoot - did Gene Hunt and co let him fire up the Quattro? Not a chance. As Hammond was eyeing up the car, "straight away, they all slotted into character and started to walk toward me, with their undone ties and snakeskin boots…" "That's right," grinned Hunt (aka Philip Glenister), "we were giving him all this abuse, for being so short and rodent-like."

The gloating didn't last long though, as Hammond began to reminisce about Glenister's woeful performance on the track in Top Gear's Star in a Reasonably Priced Car. "You clocked a rather slow 1min 54.3 secs, putting you behind Helen Mirren, Kristin Scott Thomas and Jennifer Saunders," he recalled with some degree of satisfaction. And Hunt's excuse? "It was wet!"

Doctor Who - the two Doctors

Meanwhile, as Hammond and Hunt go bumper to bumper on Children in Need, the charity extravaganza offers up another equally intriguing encounter. In an exclusive preview of this year's Doctor Who Christmas special The Next Doctor, David Tennant comes face to face with a man claiming to be a future incarnation of himself, as played by David Morrissey…

To see the RT photo shoot reprising Hammond and Hunt's meeting, get the new edition of Radio Times, on sale now.

Hilarious but too short...!

Could have been a tad longer :/

Throw in some naked ladies and you have my perfect "fantasy TV' cast - good work BBC

sounds brilliant can't wait till friday!!!

nice looks brilliannnttttt!

If it's as good as they promise, I'll donate DOUBLE!

That looks like it's going to be brilliant!