It has been a long while since the Torchwood ended its third season, the exciting and thrilling five part Children of Earth, and at the final moments of its shocking finale we were left craving more but with no fourth season in sight we waited, and hoped, that we would see more of Captain Jack Harkness and PC Gwen Cooper.  And so it seems that our prayers have been answered and Torchwood will reappear in its fourth season.

Here are some of the details and the new characters:

Returning Characters

• Captain Jack Harkness – John Barrowman
• Police Constable Gwen Cooper – Eve Myles

New Characters

• Rex Matheson  – Joining the pair full time is Agent Rex Matheson, and agent of the CIA who is “… born to make waves” and possesses a “wicked” sense of humour.
• Esther Katusi – This reoccurring character is young CIA agent “who learns what she’s really made of only when she’s forced to”
• Oswald Jones – This reoccurring character is both a convicted murderer and pedophile.

Development

• Russell T Davies will return as head writer
• Russell T Davies and Julie Gardner will be continuing in their Executive Producer roles
• Torchwood Series 4 will be produced by BBC America, BBC Wales and Starz Entertainment (the US TV network responsible for Spartacus: Blood and Sand).
• Rumoured to be broadcast in summer 2011 on both BBC1 and Starz .
• Andrew Cartmel, a long time script editor for Doctor Who and author of Torchwood and Doctor Who novels, will be writing an episode, called ‘The Jinx’, for series 4.
• American Television writer Bryan Fuller (Heroes, Star Trek DS9, Pushing Up Daisies) was spotted in a meeting with Russell T Davies and Julie Gardiner and is rumoured to be writing an episode.
• Eve Myles has stated that filming for Series 4 will begin early January 2011 and that the whole team will be moving to America for 7 and half months.
• It will be set partially in Wales and the United States of America

Story Elements

• Gwen Cooper may be working ‘freelance’ with Martha and Mickey before recruiting them to Torchwood on Jack’s return.
• Torchwood Three will not retrieve the SUV, strengthened by the fact that the SUV used for filming was sold at an auction at Bonhams on 24/02/10 for £18,000.
• Despite widespread demand for his return Ianto Jones will remain dead.

Rumoured Appearances

• The Weevils
• Rhys Williams
• Andy Davidson
• Lois Habiba
• Dekker
• John Hart
• Agent Johnson
• Dr. Martha Jones-Smith
• Mickey Smith
• Johnny
• Rhiannon Davies
• Midshipman Alonso Frame