BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER - BUFFY STAR TO JOIN TORCHWOOD

Buffy the Vampire Slayer star James Marsters is to make a guest appearance in the new series of Torchwood, the BBC has announced.

The American actor, who played Sid Vicious-styled vampire Spike in the long-running supernatural drama, will play the bad guy in the opening episode of the second series of the Doctor Who spin-off.

Torchwood, which stars John Barrowman as Captain Jack Harkness, gave BBC3 its biggest-ever audience of 2.5 million earlier this year, and as expected the Russell T Davies-penned show will move to BBC2 when it begins its new run in early 2007.

Marsters, 44, admits he contacted Torchwood producers about the prospect of featuring in an episode.

"I am a huge fan of Doctor Who and Torchwood so it was me who knocked on their door," he said.

"I am really excited about the character I am playing. I can't say too much about him, except he is naughty and a bit of a psychopath."

Regular cast members Eve Myles, Burn Gorman, Naoko Mori and Gareth David-Lloyd all return for the second series of Cardiff-set Torchwood, which will also see guest appearances from Alan 'Jim Robinson in Neighbours' Dale and Freema Agyeman, who reprises her role as Doctor Who's companion Martha Jones.

Commenting on Torchwood's second season, its creator Davies said: "It's too early to start giving things away, but we've got some amazing guest stars, fearsome new aliens, and compelling new storylines that will push the Torchwood team further than ever before."