Osgood joins Big Finish UNIT cast

Monday, 8 June 2015 - Reported by Harry Ward

Ingrid Oliver is to bring fan favourite Osgood to the world of Big Finish where she'll join Jemma Redgrave as Kate Stewart and a whole new team of UNIT members for the spin-off series UNIT: Extinction. Last month is was announced that Osgood was returning to the TV series along with Kate Stewart and the Zygons.

Producer David Richardson said:

We’re so happy to have Kate and Osgood joining us at Big Finish. This team has been so captivating to watch on TV, and we’re looking forward to throwing some deadly challenges in their paths in these kinetic new episodes.

Also confirmed for the series is Warren Brown (Luther, By Any Means, Good Cop) who plays new character Sam Bishop, "an international trouble-shooter for UNIT who is sent to the world’s most dangerous hotspots".

We’ve worked with Warren several times before, and even though he’s one of the busiest leading men around, he’s said he’ll be there for Big Finish. So we’ve created a principle role in UNIT especially for him, and he’ll be an essential member of the global team.

The ensemble is also joined Ramon Tikaram (Stella, Fortitude, Happy Valley) as Colonel Shindi.

Ramon also is busy on so many great things, but we’ve tempted him to the ranks of UNIT! He’s a lovely man to have around, and an extraordinary actor.

Completing the team is James Joyce (Downton Abbey, The Musketeers, Holby City) who plays the role of "loose canon UNIT officer" Josh Carter. Joyce has appeared in many Big Finish productions including Charlotte Pollard.

James has done so much brilliant audio work for us, he’s earned his place in UNIT!

In UNIT: Extinction, Kate and her team confront an alien invasion by the Nestene Consciousness and its army of plastic Autons. The box set is released in November 2015 and is available for pre-order; three further UNIT releases will then follow at six monthly intervals.

FILTER: - Audio - Big Finish

Big Finish to Produce New Torchwood Audio Plays

Sunday, 3 May 2015 - Reported by Marcus

Big Finish Productions, have announced they have secured the rights to Torchwood, and that they will produce six new stories starring Captain Jack and the team, this Autumn.

The licensing deal with BBC Worldwide will allow the team to recreate the series with members of the television cast, and the range will be launched in September with the return of John Barrowman as the irrepressible Captain Jack Harkness.

Conceived as a spin-off from Doctor Who, Torchwood was created by Russell T Davies and made its début on television in 2006. The top secret organisation Torchwood saved Cardiff (and often the world) from alien menaces and terrible forces, trying to keep the city safe from the inter-dimensional rift that ran through it. In charge of Torchwood was Captain Jack, a man who has been called: “A companion to the Doctor, a rogue Time Agent, an immortal, a dangerous con-man, and very good at parties.” Captain Jack can't be exterminated or trusted, and there's just no stopping him.

The new series of audio dramas will each focus on different members of the Torchwood team, exploring the impact that a mysterious event has on them. Starting off the range will be John Barrowman, who stars in The Conspiracy, a deadly thriller by David Llewellyn.

Torchwood creator Russell T Davies says:

Torchwood has been to the Moon, and America, and the Himalayas, but now I think it's finally coming home, to the brilliance of Big Finish.

Producer James Goss added

What's great about Torchwood is that it is as unstoppable as Captain Jack and just as persuasive. Torchwood has been a ratings success on nearly every BBC channel, and it's one of the few UK series to translate to America. It's already been a series of iPlayer-topping audio plays, and we are thrilled to continue it. It’s just so exciting to be starting off the range with a drama starring John Barrowman – he leapt at the chance to display a whole new side to Captain Jack.

Executive producer Jason Haigh-Ellery says:

It's fantastic that we will be bringing Captain Jack back to life (for perhaps the thousandth time!) with Big Finish. There are many new Torchwood tales to be told and I can't wait for Jack and his team to defend the Earth once again. I am very grateful for the continuing faith that both the BBC and Russell T Davies has shown in us and very excited to enter into a new world for Big Finish.

Executive producer Nicholas Briggs says:

Torchwood is something we’ve wanted to do for ages. It has great characters and there are many stories to be told. Our mission is to bring a whole new series of dramatic adventures to life. We’re starting off with these more intimate, focused releases and will then move on to bigger casts and even wider scope. We’re very much looking forward to working with all the cast and it’s been such a pleasure liaising with Russell T Davies about this. He couldn’t have been more supportive and helpful. Our Torchwood producer, James Goss, has really hit the ground running and his tangible enthusiasm is already proving rather an inspiration to us.

Additional cast members for the series will be revealed later. Torchwood: The Conspiracy will be released in September 2015, with the remaining five instalments following monthly from January 2016.

FILTER: - Big Finish - Leading News - Torchwood

Big Finish Fourth Doctor Stories on BBC Radio 4 Extra

Saturday, 2 May 2015 - Reported by Marcus

The first season of Big Finish's Fourth Doctor adventures, is coming to BBC Radio 4 extra later this month.

The season starts with Destination Nerva, first released in January 2012, which reunites Tom Baker with his former companion Louise Jameson, in a story written and directed by Nicholas Briggs, and which sees the Doctor return to the location first seen in the 1975 story The Ark in Space

After saying their goodbyes to Professor Litefoot and Henry Gordon Jago, the Doctor and Leela respond to an alien distress call beamed direct from Victorian England. It is the beginning of a journey that will take them to the newly built Space Dock Nerva… where a long overdue homecoming is expected.

A homecoming that could bring about the end of the human race.

The series continues with The Renaissance Man, The Wrath Of The Iceni, Energy Of The Daleks, Trail Of The White Worm and The Oseidon Adventure.

Tom Baker previously revived the character of the Fourth Doctor in a series of stories for BBC Audiobooks, which were broadcast on Radio 4 extra in 2011. Since 2012 he has started in four seasons of Fourth Doctor stories for Big Finish, with a fifth Season planned for release next year.

The series begins on Radio 4 extra on Saturday 16th May at 6pm. Radio 4 extra can be heard globally on the BBC iPlayer.

FILTER: - Big Finish - Radio

Big Finish - The First Doctor Companion Chronicles Box Set

Saturday, 18 April 2015 - Reported by Marcus

Big Finish has revealed the story details and writers for June's Doctor Who - The First Doctor Companion Chronicles Box Set...

The set stars original series companions Carole Ann Ford, Maureen O'Brien and Peter Purves, performing stories set within and beyond the adventures of the First Doctor (as portrayed by William Hartnell).

The Sleeping Blood by Martin DayWhen the Doctor falls ill, Susan is forced to leave the safety of the TARDIS behind. Exploring a disused research centre in search of medical supplies, she becomes embroiled in the deadly plans of a terrorist holding an entire world to ransom – and the soldier sent to stop him.

The Unwinding World by Ian PotterOffice life is tough, the commute is a grind, nothing works quite as well as you'd like. Vicki seems to remember things being better once, before the little flat. It’s time she put some excitement back in her life. It’s just a shame the Doctor can’t help.

The Founding Fathers by Simon GuerrierThe TARDIS lands in Leicester Square in the summer of 1762. When the Doctor, Steven and Vicki find themselves locked out of the TARDIS, only one man can possibly help them. But the American, Benjamin Franklin, has problems of his own...

The Locked Room by Simon GuerrierSteven Taylor left the Doctor and the TARDIS to become king of an alien world. But it's now many years since he gave up the throne and went to live in a cell in the mountains, out of sight of his people. He's not escaping his past – quite the opposite, in fact. As his granddaughter, Sida, is about to discover...

Doctor Who - The First Doctor Companion Chronicles Box Set is released in June on CD and Download, and until July 1st is at a pre-order price of £20 on CD and £15 on Download.

FILTER: - Big Finish

Big Finish May Releases Arrive Early

Friday, 10 April 2015 - Reported by Marcus

Big Finish have announced that the release date of May's Doctor Who novel adaptations titles has been brought forward - to next Monday, for those who order at bigfinish.com.

On Monday 13th April, Big Finish will release Doctor Who - The Novel Adaptations Volume 2. Originally scheduled as May releases, it's been brought forward exclusively through the Big Finish site, with other retailers keeping the May date.

Doctor Who - Damaged Goods is Jonathan Morris' adaptation of a novel by Russell T Davies, the writer and producer who brought Doctor Who back to hugely popular televisual life in 2005.

It stars Sylvester McCoy as the Seventh Doctor, accompanied this time by Roz Forrester (Yasmin Bannerman) and Chris Cwej (Travis Oliver)

The year is 1987 and there’s a deadly new narcotic on the streets of London. As part of their investigations the Doctor and his companions Chris and Roz move into the Quadrant, a rundown housing estate. An ancient alien menace has been unleashed, a menace somehow linked to a local gang leader known as The Capper, a charmed young boy called Gabriel and his mother Winnie, the enigmatic Frei Foundation, and Eva Jericho, a woman driven to the brink of madness. As London descends into an apocalyptic nightmare, the Doctor must uncover the truth about the residents of the Quadrant and a desperate bargain made one dark Christmas Eve.

Doctor Who - The Well-Mannered War is the fourth adaptation of the novels of Doctor Who writer Gareth Roberts

Adapted by John Dorney, it stars Tom Baker, Lalla Ward, and John Leeson as the Fourth Doctor, Romana and K9

The edges of space, the far distant future, an era even the Time Lords are not supposed to visit. Laid claim to by disputing factions of humans and Chelonians, the planet Barclow has become the catalyst for an unusual war. In two hundred years of hostilities not a shot has been fired, and the opposing combatants are the best of friends. But when the Doctor, Romana and K9 arrive, they discover the peace is not going to last. Something dangerous is happening behind the scenes. An election looms. Bodies are piling up. Tensions are growing. Someone, somewhere is trying to make this wellmannered war very angry indeed. Only the time-travellers can save the day. But that might be their biggest mistake.

Doctor Who - The Novel Adaptations Volume 2 is a limited edition, five-disc release (also available as a download) bringing together the content of Doctor Who - The Well-Mannered War, Doctor Who - Damaged Goods, and not only a fifth disc of interviews about the making of these tales, but for anyone buying through the Big Finish site, there's an exclusive download version of the fifth disc, featuring an additional 40 minutes of conversations with Russell T Davies and others.

FILTER: - Big Finish

Big Finish: Doom Coalition

Saturday, 28 March 2015 - Reported by Marcus

Big Finish have announced a new Eighth Doctor Series, Doom Coalition will be released in the Autumn.

Starring Paul McGann as the Doctor and Nicola Walker as his companion Liv Chenka, the series will see the TARDIS recalled to Gallifrey by the Time Lords, where they will be battling a new foe known only as The Eleven.

Doom Coalition is an epic saga that will span four box sets (a total of sixteen episodes) forming one breathtaking inter-connecting saga that will push the Doctor’s bravery and resourcefulness to its limits.

Producer David Richardson explained

The overall story of Doom Coalition was devised by myself and Ken Bentley over the course of many walks to the studio. Our framework has been fleshed out by a fantastic team of writers, and realised by a brilliant cast – and I can’t wait for the roller-coaster to begin in November

The series will be directed by Ken Bentley

Doom Coalition is unlike anything we’ve attempted before. It’s on a scale that we hope will satisfy loyal listeners. It’s also a new, completely stand-alone adventure, making it a great place to start if you’re listening to Doctor Who on audio for the very first time.

The first box set will see a new addition to the TARDIS team when gifted philologist Helen Sinclair steps aboard in the second episode. Helen is played by Hattie Morahan, whose many leading credits include Bodies, Eternal Law, The Bletchley Circle and the upcoming film Mr Holmes.

Richardson explained the premise behind the character

Helen is from 1963. She was, in part, inspired by Doctor Who’s first producer Verity Lambert – she’s a driven, career-minded woman in a male-dominated profession. And she’s a head-strong and capable companion in the mould of Barbara Wright, Sarah Jane Smith and Tegan Jovanka.

Hattie had been on our radar for some time and we’d been waiting for the right role to come along. When we were recording Dark Eyes 4 Hattie’s name came up during conversation and Paul got very enthusiastic, telling us how much he’d like to work with her. The pieces just fell into place. It was the most effortless casting ever.

Doom Coalition’s first episode also introduces a brand new villain – albeit one that the Doctor has been batting throughout his lives. The Eleven is a Time Lord who retains each one of his personalities every time he regenerates; now in his Eleventh incarnation, he is an insane sociopath. Captured by the Seventh Doctor and placed in confinement on Gallifrey, the Eleven has been contained for many years. But now he has escaped.

The Eleven is played by Mark Bonnar, who was recently seen in Channel 4’s Catastrophe, and won critical acclaim in The Line of Duty. His other leading credits include Shetland, Psychoville and Paradox.

The first volume’s cast also includes Robert Bathurst (Downton Abbey, Toast of London, Blandings), Caroline Langrishe (Dominick Hide, Lovejoy, Judge John Deed), Ramon Tikaram (Stella, Jupiter Ascending, Game of Thrones), David Yelland (Chariots of Fire, Poirot), John Woodvine (Doctor Who: The Armageddon Factor), Harry Myers (Bernice Summerfield), Esther Hall (Queer as Folk, Spooks, Rome) and Matthew Cottle (Game On, Citizen Khan).

Doom Coalition 1 is released in October 2015. The remaining three volumes will follow at six month intervals through 2016 and into 2017

FILTER: - Big Finish - Eighth Doctor

Big Finish Licence Extended to 2020

Friday, 27 March 2015 - Reported by Marcus

Big Finish Productions has announced that its licence from BBC Worldwide to make original Doctor Who dramas on audio has been extended until 31st March 2020.

Executive producer Jason-Haigh Ellery said

Last year saw Big Finish celebrate 15 years of producing new Doctor Who audio drama. A fantastic milestone for our company. I am delighted to be able to announce that our license has now been extended to 31st March 2020. We are very much looking forward to producing at least another five years of adventures with the Doctor and his companions, as we help them fight Daleks, Cybermen and Voord across the Universe.

Executive producer Nicholas Briggs added:

Working with the Big Finish team on the BBC’s and our beloved Doctor Who is a true privilege. We’re so glad to be continuing the adventure well past the 15 year landmark.

Line producer David Richardson gave some idea of future plans

We’re already underway, planning Doctor Who stories into 2017 and 2018. There will be more adventures from the Fifth, Six and Seventh Doctors in the monthly range, more stories for the Fourth Doctor and his companions in The Fourth Doctor Adventures, and a new era for the Eighth Doctor, Liv Chenka and their new friend Helen Sinclair in Doctor Who: Doom Coalition. Plus we will continue to explore the contrasting worlds of our different and very popular spin-off series.

Big Finish Productions have been producing audio dramas based on the original Doctor Who series since 1999.

FILTER: - Big Finish

Big Finish announce New Series UNIT Spin-off

Monday, 9 February 2015 - Reported by Marcus

Big Finish have announced that Kate Stewart and her UNIT team from the Doctor Who Television series will be starring in a brand new series of audio dramas

The deal with BBC Worldwide gives Big Finish the right to use a character from the revived series of Doctor Who for the first time.

Kate is the daughter of Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, and Head of Scientific Research at the Unified Intelligence Taskforce, which investigates and confronts alien attacks on the planet Earth. The role is portrayed by Jemma Redgrave (Dracula, Frankie, Cold Blood) who has appeared opposite Matt Smith and Peter Capaldi on television, and returns for the audio series.

Big Finish series producer David Richardson says

We’re thrilled that Jemma is on board for our brand new UNIT adventures, and we feel privileged to work within the universe of New Series Doctor Who for the first time. UNIT: Extinction will showcase all the excitement, drama and wit that viewers of Doctor Who love.

Executive producer Jason Haigh-Ellery added

Having worked with the greatly missed Nicholas Courtney and his magnificent portrayal of the Brigadier since the early days of Big Finish, it is wonderful to see the return of UNIT under the Brig’s daughter. We are all very excited about bringing UNIT back to Big Finish with the next generation and look forward immensely to working with Jemma again, who appears in this month’s Doctor Who main range release Doctor Who - Mistfall.

Executive producer Nick Briggs says

I’m really excited to hear Jemma and her team battling to save the Earth. They’ve been such an important part of the many exciting things to come out of the Doctor Who TV series in recent years.

The first box set release, due in November, comprises four hours of adventure, in which Kate and her team confront an alien invasion by the Nestene Consciousness and its army of plastic Autons. Three additional box sets will be available at six monthly intervals.

FILTER: - Big Finish

Crowdfunding campaign of the first Doctor Who convention in Germany launched

Monday, 12 January 2015 - Reported by Pascal Salzmann

A crowdfunding campain on indiegogo launched yesterday to fund the first ever Doctor Who convention held in Germany. At the same time the website to the event went online. The organisers previously only communicated via Facebook to the fans.

The event will take place in Kassel, on 24th to 25th October 2015. Guests announced so far are:

Catrin Stewart ("Jenny Flint")
Nicola Bryant ("Peri Brown")
Terry Molloy ("Davros")
Toby Hadoke (Actor, Comedian, Podcaster for Big Finish)
Jason Haigh-Ellery (Co-executive producer of Big Finish)
Terrance Dicks (Writer, Script-editor)
Andrew Cartmel (Writer, Script-editor)

Other guests include german dubbing-actors and -producers. According to the organisers of TimeLash, there are still more guests to be added to the line-up in the coming weeks.

Tickets are available on indiegogo. Since the launch of the campaign yesterday, the convention already achieved 40% of its goal and sold 112 weekend-tickets out of 500 available. The campaign on indiegogo runs for 60 days.

FILTER: - Big Finish - Conventions - Germany

Big Finish: Destiny of the Doctors offer

Monday, 5 January 2015 - Reported by Chuck Foster

The Big Finish range of special offers over Christmas is reaching its end, and for the twelfth day they have the complete 50th Anniversary audio anthology Destiny of the Doctor available for download for the next couple of days at the discounted price of £2.99 each or £30 for the set.