Freema 'dumped' from Torchwood?

Doctor Who star Freema Agyeman will not appear in the third season of hit spin-off Torchwood after signing up to appear in a new drama for ITV.

Freema has apparently been 'ditched' from Torchwood after landing a role in a new version of the hit US drama Law & Order, according to reports in The Sun.

She was set to reprise her role as Martha Jones in a five-part mini-series of Torchwood, starring John Barrowman, after appearing in several episodes of the show earlier this year.

Freema's decision is believed to have annoyed Torchwood creator Russell T Davies, who plucked Freema from obscurity to play Doctor Who's sidekick in series three.

A source told the paper: "This has really mucked things about. We've had to go back and re-edit loads of scripts because she's not going to be in it."

And it seems that the fact she has signed for ITV has added insult to injury.

The insider added: "They're the Beeb's bitter rival, so the fact she's going over there to star in a big new project has not gone down well at all."

Freema is expected to play a prosecutor in Law and Order: London, which ITV hopes will be a huge success.