Sir Rory Joins Camelot!

Rory is set to switch the Roman robes for the glistening armour of the Knights of the Round Table. 

The Lone Centurion is back in Volume Two: Camelot, set for release in July 2022.

This second volume of full-cast audio adventures finds Rory Williams in the court of King Arthur, where wizardry and quests await him, all whilst he protects the Pandorica. This box set also features Hugh Skinner (W1A, Mamma Mia 2: Here We Go Again) as Sir Lancelot, Luyanda Unati Lewis-Nyawo (Devs, The War Master) as Queen Guinevere, Sam Stafford (The Box of Delights, Philip Hinchcliffe Presents) as King Arthur and Richard Clifford (It’s A Sin, The Crown) as Merlin. 

The cast are completed by Barnaby Edwards (Gallifrey, Sherlock Holmes), Rosie Baker (Torchwood, The Sixth Doctor Adventures), Harley Viveash (The Robots, Cicero), Maanuv Thiara (Line of Duty), Henry Nott (The War Master, Cicero) and Tom Alexander (UNIT, The Eighth Doctor Adventures). 

The Lone Centurion – Volume Two: Camelot is now available to pre-order as a collector's edition CD or digital download at www.bigfinish.com.

Rory Williams – the Lone Centurion. A man trapped in a body not his own and stranded in history. His one job is to guard the Pandorica, the tomb of his fiancée. But life gets in the way, even when you're immortal.

The Once and Future Nurse by Alfie Shaw

Camelot is in trouble. Lancelot is wounded and Merlin warns that dark times are ahead. The wizard’s convinced the solution lies in the mythical Pandorica. Meanwhile, Lancelot owes his life to a humble servant named Rory.

The Glowing Warrior by Tim Foley

Arise Sir Rory! Every new knight must embark upon a quest, and soon Sir Rory (and his noble squire Lancelot) head out to solve the mystery of the Glowing Knight and save a damsel in distress. But are they walking into a trap?

The Last King of Camelot by Kate Thorman

Camelot is under attack. Arthur and Guinevere have fled and Merlin's direst prophecies have come true. Can Rory prevail before the kingdom falls?

Director and producer Scott Handcock said: “It was lovely reintroducing Rory to the Doctor Who universe in the first volume of The Lone Centurion and now we follow the character a few centuries on to his adventures in Camelot. It’s a brilliant backdrop for an alternative-timeline universe. We get to play with the legend of King Arthur and have assembled a brilliant supporting cast alongside our other Arthur (Darvill) including Sam Stafford, Luyanda Unati Lewis-Nyawo, Richard Clifford and a scene-stealing performance from Hugh Skinner as Lancelot!”

The Lone Centurion – Volume Two: Camelot is now available to pre-order as a collector's edition CD or digital download), exclusively from the Big Finish website.

Big Finish listeners can save money by ordering both volumes of The Lone Centurion: Rome & Camelot together in a bundle.

Matthew Waterhouse Writes Adric Audiobook!

We’re time-travelling back to 1981 for the second audiobook in the Doctor Who – The Audio Novels range, set for release in January 2022.

Matthew Watterhouse (c) Tony Whitmore

Best known in the Doctor Who universe as Alzarian maths whizz Adric, Matthew Waterhouse narrates his own audiobook, Watchers, which finds the Fourth Doctor and his boy companion trapped in the Time Vortex. With time running out, they encounter one of the Doctor’s most terrifying foes – and in the shadows, someone is watching...

This enhanced audiobook of over seven hours takes place between two 1981 Doctor Who television stories, The Keeper of Traken and Logopolis. It also features specially composed music and sound effects, plus a guest appearance by Nicholas Briggs as the voice of the Daleks.

Doctor Who – The Audio Novels: Watchers is now available to pre-order as a digital download exclusively from www.bigfinish.com.

When the TARDIS is trapped in the Vortex, the Doctor and Adric realise that there is something immensely powerful that is draining time itself from the universe. 

The wrecks of other time ships – the products of countless experiments in time – exist in a fused cluster in the Vortex. None of them can escape and many of their crews are dead. As the Doctor tries to free the TARDIS, he and Adric encounter threats from other groups, desperate to escape, including a hostile reptile species, mechanically enhanced cyborgs – and Daleks! 

But there is someone from the Doctor's own world who is watching. 

Someone who will prove useful when this Doctor reaches the end of his life…

Producer David Richardson said: “I’m always excited by brilliant story ideas, and when Matthew delivered his pitch for Watchers I was hugely excited indeed. The script truly delivered on that – Matthew has created the most brilliant story world, with rich, interesting and bold characters and breathtaking visuals. We’ve all wanted to see where the Doctor and Adric headed after Traken – and now we can, as the TARDIS lands within the vortex itself and the preparations begin for the Doctor’s end.”

Writer and narrator Matthew Waterhouse added: “It’s been very exciting to do this project. When we decided we were going to do a novel set in the second half of Tom Baker’s last year, specifically between The Keeper of Traken and Logopolis, I wanted to write something that would fit with the tone of that season – that slightly minor-key, mournful quality – something that fits in to that spirit.”

Doctor Who – The Audio Novels: Watchers is now available to pre-order as a digital download exclusively from the Big Finish website.

Linda Thorson is BACK in the World of The Avengers

 Tara-ra Boom-de-ay!

There’s espionage aplenty in the new series of The Avengers, as legendary actress Linda Thorson returns to the series in a brand-new role.

Linda Thorson (c) Tony Whitmore

Released today from Big Finish, Julian Wadham is back as spy-about-town John Steed alongside Emily Woodward as his trusty sidekick, Tara King, who was originally played in the 1960s TV series by Linda Thorson. These four brand new, full-cast audio adventures are adapted from The Avengers comic strips originally published in TV Comic.

The Avengers – The Comic Strip Adaptations Volume 5: Steed & Tara King is now available as a collector’s edition four-disc box set or digital download at www.bigfinish.com. 

The four fables in this fantastic volume are as follows: 

Whatever Next? By John Dorney

After an eccentric scientist correctly predicts an imminent asteroid collision, John Steed and Tara King are dispatched to uncover the basis of his precognitive powers. The answer is stranger than they could possibly have expected...

How Does Your Garden Grow? By Dan Starkey

When the plants around an Air Force base grow to prodigious proportions over-night, an explanation is required. The trail leads to an out of the way farm and a potential scientific break-through - but there might just be a snake in the grass...

A Very Civil War by Roland Moore

Steed and King are summoned to investigate a most unusual robbery - where the robbers don’t seem to have been interested in taking the money. How does the mystery tie in to a local Civil War reenactment society?

Mother’s Day by Sarah Grochala

Mother has been called back to his Alma mater to present the school prizes - but someone doesn’t want him to survive the ceremony. It’s down to Steed and King to go undercover and stop the assassins from spoiling the day...

Of working with Linda Thorson, actress Emily Woodward said: “She’s just the loveliest lady – so generous with her time, she’s interesting and very complimentary – any kind of fears I had were completely burst because she was just fab!”

“Recording these adventures is never a chore, always a joy, with the added fact of meeting the real Tara King which has been amazing!”

Actor Julian Wadham added: “I came in a bit later than the other actors, so the girls had already had a chance to establish their relationship, and I could hear immediately Linda’s special affection for Emily and how relaxed and easy it was between them, with such a sense of the fun!”

“The Avengers is always a pleasure – it’s just one of those jobs which is relaxed, fun and playful, so I always look forward to it!”

Actress Linda Thorson added: “The back-and-forth between Tara and Steed is there wonderfully in these scripts. I’m thrilled to be a part of it. What a wonderful thing that this classic series has this new life with these wonderful actors, Julian Wadham and Emily Woodward.”

Producer David Richardson said: “Picture this: there I was booking Emily for the recording days, and her lovely agent Phil just happened to say, ‘I also represent Linda Thorson, I’m sure she’d love to do one of these.’ I could not reply fast enough! And so thanks to Phil, Linda is our guest star in the episode Mother’s Day, and what an utter joy she is to work with.

“She was so delighted to be acting with Julian and Emily (she’s been a friend of Emily’s mum Michelle Dotrice for many years), and she kept us laughing and shared many stories of her time on the TV series. What a legend – I’d love to work with her again.”

Joining the cast alongside Christopher Benjamin (Jago & Litefoot) as Mother are Mina Anwar (The Lone Centurion, The Sarah Jane Adventures), Timothy Bentinck (The Archers, The Box of Delights), Jacob Dudman (The Eleventh Doctor Chronicles, The Lives of Captain Jack), Dan Starkey (The Paternoster Gang, The Ninth Doctor Adventures) Samuel Clemens (Callan, Gallifrey: Time War), Louisa Clein (Emmerdale, Survivors), Nicholas Day (UNIT, Minder), Clive Hayward (The Diary of River Song, Timeslip), Glen McCready (Master!, The Robots), Greg Patmore (Coronation Street, Dark Shadows), John Scougall (Missy, Unforgotten) and Robert Whitelock (Marcella, Transference).

The Avengers – The Comic Strip Adaptations Volume 05: Steed & Tara King is now available as a collector’s edition four-disc box set or digital download, exclusively from the Big Finish website. Big Finish listeners can save money by purchasing volumes 3-5 together as a single bundle.

The Fifth Doctor Turns Forty!

We’re smelling a flower, watching a sunset, eating a well-prepared meal and releasing two brand-new volumes of full-cast audio adventures to celebrate forty years of Peter Davison’s Fifth Doctor.

Comprising two anniversary box sets released in April and September 2022 respectively, Doctor Who: The Fifth Doctor Adventures – Forty celebrates four decades since the Fifth Doctor made his first regular appearance in Doctor Who. 

The dynamic dramas are plucked from various points in the Fifth Doctor’s timeline, as he adventures alongside beloved companions Tegan (Janet Fielding), Turlough (Mark Strickson), Nyssa (Sarah Sutton), Adric (Matthew Waterhouse) and Kamelion (Jon Culshaw) across the episodes. 

Doctor Who: The Fifth Doctor Adventures – Forty Volume 1 and Doctor Who: The Fifth Doctor Adventures – Forty Volume 2 are now available to pre-order individually as a collector’s edition CD or on download, exclusively at www.bigfinish.com.

Expect to hear fearsome adversaries, the Cybermen, Ice Warriors and Autons in the trio of TARDIS tales across the two volumes.

 Volume 1

Secrets of Telos by Matt Fitton

God of War by Sarah Grochala

Volume 2

The Auton Infinity by Tim Foley

Opening story, Secrets of Telos, is a direct sequel to the Doctor Who television episode Tomb of the Cybermen (1967).

Producer David Richardson said: “It’s always fascinated me that Tomb of the Cybermen isn’t a story that definitively ends. There’s a loose strand of story left floating at the end of episode four – and that strand of story launches us straight into Forty, a lavish celebration of forty years of the Fifth Doctor. What strange force is pulling the Doctor forwards through his incarnation? The mystery will be solved but along the way enjoy spending time with Tegan, Nyssa, Adric, Turlough and Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart. As birthday parties go, this is going to be a spectacular one!”

Doctor Who: The Fifth Doctor Adventures – Forty Volume 1 and Doctor Who: The Fifth Doctor Adventures – Forty Volume 2 are now available to pre-order individually as a collector’s edition CD or on download from the Big Finish website.

Big Finish listeners can save money by ordering both volumes of Forty together in a bundle.

Jenna Stannis takes on The Paluma Project in Blake's 7

We’re down and safe with Sally Knyvette, as she reads a terrifying new tale from the Blake’s 7 audiobook range.

Due for release in July 2021, The Palluma Project is written by Tim Gambrell (Bernice Summerfield) and read by Sally Knyvette, who has played smuggler-turned-freedom fighter Jenna Stannis in Blake’s 7 on television and audio since 1978. This audio adventure takes the crew of the Liberator to a mysterious outpost in the far-flung reaches of the galaxy, where the Federation seem to be torturing mysterious aliens to find the secret of their powers.

Blake's 7: The Palluma Project is now available to pre-order as a digital download exclusively from www.bigfinish.com.

When the Liberator discovers a mysterious penal outpost in an obscure part of the galaxy, the crew soon find themselves fighting for their lives - not only against the convicted criminals the Federation are using as scientists, but against the horrifying results of their experiments. 

What is the deadly secret of the people of Palluma 25 and why is it so valuable to the Federation? Only Gan holds the key to unlock what is really going on...

Writer Tim Gambrell said: “For someone who played Blake’s 7 with his Star Wars figures as a child, imagine the thrill of being asked to write an actual Blake’s 7 story. Then, imagine the thrill of knowing that Sally Knyvette – the amazing Jenna herself – is going to narrate that story. It’s one of those mad situations where you can’t quite believe things are true. 

“With The Palluma Project, I wanted to write a story that gave Gan a chance to shine, and where his having a limiter was a positive for a change. But most of all, I set out to write a story that I thought would work well as part of the TV series, and wouldn’t seem out of place during the first half of the second series.”

Producer Xanna Eve Chown added: “The Palluma Project is a great story - there's lots going on, and some very challenging situations facing the Liberator crew at a spooky Federation laboratory with more than one dark secret. And it's a real treat to hear Sally Knyvette's familiar voice reading it to us.”

Blake’s 7: The Palluma Project is now available to pre-order as a digital download exclusively from the Big Finish website.

55. JOE SIMS - Seven of Mark

It is our privilege to welcome Joe Sims as our guest, who stars alongside David Tennant and Tom Baker in Doctor Who: Dalek Universe, a 10-part epic audio adventure that premiered in April 2021 with prequel Fourth Doctor story "The Dalek Protocol" and the first part of a 3-part box set series featuring the Tenth Doctor, all under the banner "Dalek Universe".  

Joe speaks passionately about his acting career including his breakthrough television part in Broadchurch, and he speaks in depth about working in the audio medium.   

Philip recommends Doctor Who: Planet of the Spiders (audiobook read by Elisabeth Sladen)    

Dwayne recommends Daleks: The Destroyers (audio adaptation by Big Finish)

Listen to Dwayne's guest appearance on The Doctor Who Show - Primary Sources.

Dwayne appeared on the All of Time and Space podcast this week, talking about classic series 2 episode, The Rescue.

Mark Seven image by Simon Holub

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Volume 5 of The First Doctor Adventures is OUT NOW

All the world’s a stage in the fifth volume of Doctor Who – The First Doctor Adventures, two brand new full-cast audio dramas released today from Big Finish Productions.

David Bradley returns as the first incarnation of the Doctor, along with companions Susan (Claudia Grant), Barbara Wright (Jemma Powell) and Ian Chesterton (Jamie Glover) in a pair of stories that take them from the sewers of a desperate planet to the great Globe itself, where rebellion is in the air!

Alongside the previously announced Wendy Craig and Lauren Cornelius, the cast is completed by Nicholas Asbury (Space: 1999, The Paternoster Gang), Ian Conningham (The Robots, The Diary of River Song), Susie Emmett (Gallifrey: Time War, Doctor Who: Ravenous), Amanda Hurwitz (Derry Girls, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang), Phil Mulryne (The Avengers, The Omega Factor), Phyllida Nash (Doctor Who: The Monthly Adventures), Clive Wood (Doctor Who: Stranded, The Human Frontier) and Big Finish newcomer Liane-Rose Bunce.

Doctor Who: The First Doctor Adventures – Volume 5 is now available as a collector's edition box set (on CD at £24.99) and as a digital download (at £19.99), exclusively from www.bigfinish.com.

The two TARDIS tales are as follows:

For the Glory of Urth by Guy Adams

The TARDIS has barely landed in an alien sewer when a distant scream sends Susan racing to give aid, and the crew split up. 

Trying to reunite, the travellers find themselves in something resembling a monastery led by a man half-way between an Abbot and a warlord. They discover that they are in Urth, a barbaric place clinging on to its former glory. 

It's somewhere its populace are never allowed to leave, somewhere keeping many secrets from its people. 

And today those secrets will be revealed...

The Hollow Crown by Sarah Grochala

When the TARDIS lands in Shoreditch, 1601, the Doctor suggests going to see a play at the Globe Theatre and his friends readily agree. 

But this is a turbulent time. There is violence in the street, plots against the Queen, and rebellion is in the air. At the centre of it all stands the most famous playwright in British history - William Shakespeare - who is having troubles of his own. 

As tensions mount and wheels turn within wheels, the travellers are about to discover if the play really is the thing...

Of writing The Hollow Crown, Sarah Grochala said: “I loved writing for [Shakespeare and Queen Elizabeth I], they’re two characters that I’m fascinated with! It was also interesting writing for them within the context of what other writers have done for Doctor Who. There is a nod to Elizabeth’s previous relationship with the Doctor and to the fact that Shakespeare has met the Doctor before. The First Doctor, however, looks very different to the Tenth Doctor so neither of them recognise this incarnation.”

Writer of For the Glory of Urth Guy Adams added: “When I’m writing for the First Doctor, the voice in my head is somewhere between William Hartnell and David Bradley. I find it very hard not to let my ears get a little bit infected by the performance, and David’s is brilliant – it’s his performance of the First Doctor as well as a beautiful channelling of William Hartnell. 

“David’s a great actor, and great actors don’t just do impressions. They can’t – the quality will always shine through and it will become something more multi-layered and textured. Listen carefully and you will hear the delightful elements that are more Bradley than Hartnell.”

Doctor Who: The First Doctor Adventures – Volume 5 is now available exclusively from the Big Finish website.