Multiple sources have announced that Indira Varma, who has been in many productions but is best known to me as “Suzie Costello” in Torchwood, has joined the cast of Human Target as a series regular.

She will play “Ilsa,” the new boss of Christopher Chance and his crew.

For more on Human Target, visit our HT portal at Target419.com.

TV Guide’s William Keck has posted some cool new exclusives about new characters being cast for shows, but what caught our eye the most was the excerpt about Torchwood, which will have a new series on the Starz channel next year.

It’s not a “new U.S. update,” but several media sources are now reporting that a new 10-episode cycle for Torchwood is slated to air in Summer 2011 on the Starz cable channel in the U.S. and on BBC One in the U.K.

It sounds more like a similar setup to how the show aired around the same times for Children of Earth last year.

John Barrowman is expected to return as Captain Jack Harkness, as will Eve Myles as Gwen. The only change to the series is that it will be on a more “international scope.”

Here’s the official press release, first posted by the Chicago Tribune’s Maureen Ryan. (Note: The Tweet pointing to this originally credited EW’s Michael Ausiello; it seems Ryan had this up first.)

STARZ FIRED UP FOR A NEW SERIES OF 
THE BBC’S HIT FRANCHISE ‘TORCHWOOD’

New Installment From BBC Worldwide Productions to Add 
To Starz’ Premium Programming Lineup in Summer of 2011

Key Cast – John Barrowman (Capt. Jack), Eve Myles (Gwen) – 
To Return for the Next Installment, Along With New Faces

Los Angeles, CA – June 7, 2010 – Starz Entertainment has acquired U.S. television rights to the next installment of the BBC’s audience sensation “Torchwood,” developed and produced by BBC Worldwide Productions. Starz will debut the 10-episode series exclusively in the U.S., and BBC One will debut it in the U.K., both in summer, 2011. This is a co-production between Starz, BBC Cymru Wales and BBC Worldwide, and BBC Worldwide will distribute the show outside the U.S. The deal was jointly announced today by Starz, LLC, President and CEO Chris Albrecht and BBC Worldwide Productions EVP Jane Tranter.

The stars of the previous versions of “Torchwood,” notably John Barrowman (Capt. Jack Harkness) and Eve Myles (Gwen Cooper), will return for the new version. Additional key cast, reflecting the more international scope of the series, will be announced soon.

“’Torchwood” is a drama that puts extraterrestrial threats into a very real world, and asks how humanity deals with the danger – while fighting mankind’s darkest instincts. The series’ previous three seasons aired on BBC America in the U.S. and garnered record-breaking ratings for the network. Created by visionary writer/producer Russell T Davies, “Torchwood” has to date been located primarily in Cardiff, Wales. The new series will allow Davies and his writing team to tell a more explosive and global story, one that takes advantage of the unlimited narrative opportunities of a premium television service like Starz.

Davies and BBC Worldwide Productions’ SVP Scripted Julie Gardner return as executive producers, with Davies also serving as show-runner for the new “Torchwood.”

“We’re committed to programming exceptional television that is entertaining, imaginative and provides a premium TV experience, and by any measure the new concept for ‘Torchwood’ fits that mandate,” Starz, LLC, President and CEO Chris Albrecht said. “I’ve been part of successful partnerships with Jane Tranter and the BBC previously, and I’m very much looking forward to working with them again.”

“‘Torchwood’ has attracted remarkable attention and loyalty in both the UK and U.S., and in this new partnership with Starz, the next chapter will not only reward our current fans, but also introduce new viewers to the most impressive installment yet,” said Jane Tranter, EVP, BBC Worldwide Productions. “Chris Albrecht and his team are committed to delivering quality premium programming to their subscribers, also a core attribute of the BBC, and we are excited to be working with them as the ‘Torchwood’ adventure continues.”

“Russell, Jane and Julie came to us with a compelling vision for the evolution of the ‘Torchwood’ saga that really takes the story into whole new areas,” added Carmi Zlotnik, Managing Director of Starz Media – the production and development division of Starz. “The compelling story and characters this trio created provide a strong template for driving this narrative in exciting ways.”

Ben Stephenson, Controller, BBC Drama Commissioning said: “We have a long history of working with many U.S. networks, but it is incredibly exciting to be working with Starz for the first time, as well as to be reunited with the best of British in Russell, Jane and Julie. ‘Torchwood’ will burst back onto the screen with a shocking and moving story with global stakes and locations that will make it feel bigger and bolder than ever.”

“Torchwood” is the latest piece of notable programming from Starz. It follows on the heels of the recently concluded first season of the epic “Spartacus: Blood and Sand,” this summer’s highly anticipated event series “The Pillars of the Earth,” based on author Ken Follett’s international bestseller, and the recently announced series “Camelot,” which Starz is co-producing with GK-TV and will air early in 2011.

“Torchwood” originally debuted in the UK on BBC One in 2006. All five episodes of “Torchwood: Children of Earth” reached the Top 10 list in TV Episodes across the entire iTunes TV Store, with episode 1 of the series reaching the top spot the week of launch in August, 2009.

Those of you who were against the idea of a U.S.-based Torchwood for FOX, be happy: It’s no longer happening; at least not on FOX.

James Hibberd’s The Live Feed broke the news.

“BBC Worldwide Productions and the FOX Broadcasting Company have mutually agreed not to progress together with a 13-episode serialized ‘Torchwood’ format,” BBC Worldwide said in a statement on the site. “We are currently in discussion with several interested networks.”

BBC Worldwide programming and production VP Jane Tranter also recently said a U.S. incarnation of Doctor Who is not in the works.

“It may well be confusing to have a British Doctor and an American Doctor at the same time,” she said. “There is only one Doctor, so I don’t see that happening.”

Me, I still like the idea of an American Torchwood, so it’ll be interesting to see if another network (The CW, perhaps?) bites.

Talk about this news on the KryptonSite Forum!

Entertainment Weekly‘s Michael Ausiello today posted news that Torchwood‘s John Barrowman will be guest starring on ABC’s Desperate Housewives later this season for “a minimum of five episodes.”

You can read the full Ausiello article with more details here. Hrm… if Barrowman is branching out to TV in the United States, maybe his starring in the U.S.-based Torchwood could be a possibility after all?

BBC Worldwide has confirmed to C21 Media that a U.S. Torchwood script has been written.

“BBC Worldwide Productions has written a Torchwood pilot script for Fox,” a BBC spokeswoman confirmed to the site. “It’s too early to comment on any further details.”

The blogosphere has exploded (or as Brian Bendis would say, “the Internet has cracked in half”) with the news that the FOX network might be doing their own version of the BBC series Torchwood.

The idea that some of the same creative people from its original incarnation does sound promising, though may aren’t convinced. Where do you stand? Should they do it, or is Torchwood best left as a BBC Wales production?

The Hollywood Reporter’s Live Feed posted a HUGE scoop today – that the BBC’s Doctor Who spin-off Torchwood could be coming to American audiences, and possibly with lead actor John Barrowman along for the ride.

Fans of the Doctor Who universe, however, might be scared that it’s FOX, considering the debacle that was the Doctor Who TV-movie in 1996. (There were some good elements, though – it DID give us a fantastic first half hour with Sylvester McCoy, and Paul McGann was a great Eighth Doctor).

BBC Worldwide will be producing the series with original series creator Russell T. Davies writing the script. Davies’ producing partner Julie Gardner will also be involved.

If Torchwood is ordered to pilot, THR intimates that some of the current cast – including most likely John Barrowman as Captain Jack Harkness – might star.

The article also implies that the BBC’s Jane Tranter may try to do an American version of Doctor Who – which is a series that is so innately British that it just wouldn’t fly. And I mean that in a nice way. However, a spin-off with an American-sounding Time Lord that is not the Doctor could be interesting…

Stay tuned for more Torchwood developments when and if they become available. Talk about this news on our forum!