Tom Baker sculpture to be revealed

Saturday, 26 July 2014 - Reported by Marcus
Hyde Fundraisers is to reveal a new likeness of the Fourth Doctor, as played by Tom Baker, at its charity display at Spaceport, Merseyside.

The new sculpture will be unveiled at 10am on Sunday 3 August and will join the collection of replica characters created to raise funds for BBC Children In Need and other charities.

The Fourth Doctor has been sculpted by Phil Robinson, the man responsible for re-creating the Davros mask for the 2005 stageshow The Trial of Davros. The sculpture will include a replica costume from Season 18 as the Doctor is stepping from the Police Box.

On the day there will also be the chance to meet Robinson and see some of his other sculpted work, meet Hyde Fundraisers and get some photographs.

The official BBC exhibition with genuine props and costumes from the TV series is the Doctor Who Experience in Cardiff.




FILTER: - Fourth Doctor - Special Events - Tom Baker - UK

Big Finish: Fourth Doctor novel adaptations for January

Thursday, 17 July 2014 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Big Finish have released the covers for two upcoming Fourth Doctor adventures that have been adapted from original novels written for the Virgin Missing Adventures range by Gareth Roberts. The two stories are set during the Graham Williams era of the television show, featuring Tom Baker as the Doctor, Lalla Ward as Romana, and John Leeson as the voice of K-9.

The Romance of Crime (Credit: Big Finish)The Romance of Crime
Written by Gareth Roberts, adapted by John Dorney
Directed by Nicholas Briggs


The TARDIS brings the Doctor, Romana and K9 to the Rock of Judgement; a court, prison and place of execution built into a rocket-powered asteroid. When involved in an investigation by the system's finest lawman, they begin to seek answers to some disturbing questions.

Cast: Tom Baker (The Doctor), Lalla Ward (Romana), John Leeson (K9), Graham Seed (Pyerpoint), Miranda Raison (Margo/Xais), Phil Mulryne (Shom, Hogan, Ogron 6), Marcus Garvey (Frank Spiggot), Michael Troughton (Stokes), James Joyce (Zy, Ogron 5, Barman), Joshua Silver (Charlie Nisbett), John Dorney (Eddie Nisbett/Ogrons), Jane Slavin (Blakemore, Bailiff, LIbrarian)
The English Way of Death (Credit: Big Finish)The English Way of Death
Written by Gareth Roberts, adapted by John Dorney
Directed by Nicholas Briggs


The Doctor, Romana and K9 arrive in 1930s London to return some overdue library books. They plan to take a rest after their recent adventures, but Romana detects a distress signal from the future and the Doctor is attacked by a suffocating green mist.

Cast: Tom Baker (The Doctor), Lalla Ward (Romana), John Leeson (K9), Terrence Hardiman (Stackhouse), Derek Carlyle (Orlick), Richard Braine (Percy Closed), Abigail McKern (Felicia), Annabel Mullion (Julia), Mark Bonnar (Porteus), Tim Bentinck (Colonel Radlett), Andrew Bone (Woodrow), Jane Slavin (Harriet)

The adventures are due to be released in January 2015 as both standard editions and also in a limited edition that comes in special packaging and a bonus behind-the-scenes disc.





FILTER: - Audio - Big Finish - Fourth Doctor - Merchandise

Philip Hinchcliffe Presents ...

Tuesday, 11 February 2014 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Big Finish have announced a new set of adventures featuring Tom Baker as the fourth Doctor with Louise Jameson as Leela, written by the pair's original producer Philip Hinchcliffe alongside Ghost Light writer Marc Platt.

Philip Hinchcliffe Presents (Credit: Big Finish)Philip Hinchcliffe Presents
Starring Tom Baker and Louise Jameson
Written by Philip Hinchcliffe and Marc Platt
Released September 2014

Former Doctor Who producer Philip Hinchcliffe has been reunited with his stars, Tom Baker and Louise Jameson, for ten brand new episodes of Doctor Who made for audio at Big Finish.

Doctor Who: Philip Hinchcliffe Presents will consist of two epic full-cast stories, filled with all the drama and chills that marked Hinchcliffe’s era of the TV show.


The Ghosts of Gralstead is a six-part adventure, and it finds the Doctor and Leela returning to Victorian London, in the year 1860:
At St Clarence’s Hospital, respected surgeon Sir Edward Scrivener requires the bodies of the dead… At Doctor McDivett’s Exhibition of Living Wonders and Curiosities, miracles are afoot… And in Gralstead House, the ghost will walk again. Mordrega has come to Earth...
Carolyn Seymour – who is known for Quantum Leap, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Voyager and, notably, for playing Abby Grant in the original Survivors – plays Mordrega. Sir Edward is played by Gethin Anthony (Game of Thrones).


The second, four-part adventure is called The Devil’s Armada:
The TARDIS materialise in Sissenden Village in the sixteenth century. Catholic priests are hunted, so-called witches are drowned in the ducking stool, and in the shadows the Vituperon are watching… and waiting...

Doctor Who: Philip Hinchcliffe Presents also includes a special hour-long documentary featuring interviews with Tom, Louise, Philip and the cast, and is released in September.

The CD boxed set will be launched at Big Finish Day 5 in Slough on Saturday 13th September, which Tom, Philip and Carolyn are attending.




FILTER: - Merchandise - Audio - Tom Baker - Fourth Doctor - Big Finish

Big Finish: The Light at the End cast update

Wednesday, 18 September 2013 - Reported by Chuck Foster
A pack shot has now been released for the forthcoming 50th Anniversary audio adventure The Light at the End from Big Finish. Tom Baker, Peter Davison, Colin Baker, Sylvester McCoy and Paul McGann unite as the Doctor(s), accompanied by Louise Jameson, Sarah Sutton, Nicola Bryant, Sophie Aldred and India Fisher as their companions. Geoffrey Beevers plays The Master, and there are also cameo appearances by Carole Ann Ford, William Russell, Maureen O’Brien, Peter Purves, Jean Marsh, Anneke Wills, Frazer Hines, Wendy Padbury, Katy Manning, Mark Strickson and Janet Fielding.

The Light at The End (pack shot) (Credit: Big Finish)

The five disc box set, which includes deluxe packaging and a lavish booklet, comprises:
  • Discs 1 and 2 – The Light at the End
  • Disc 3 – The Making of the Light at the End, featuring interviews with the actors and production crew
  • Disc 4 – This is Big Finish, a look at the current Doctor Who audio output of the company, with interviews with the actors and producers.
  • Disc 5 – The Companion Chronicles: The Revenants – William Russell performs as Ian Chesterton in a First Doctor story originally released as a download with Doctor Who Magazine.

Producer David Richardson said:
The edits are in, the designs are done and this story has now gone off to reproduction. We’re hugely proud of it – an epic story in which all our Doctors get to shine… and spend some very interesting times in each others’ company! Nick Briggs has done himself proud with the script, and Jamie Robertson’s sound design and music are phenomenal. Get ready for a very special audio celebration of 50 years of Doctor Who...

The Light at the End is available for pre-order.





FILTER: - Sixth Doctor - Audio - Eighth Doctor - Seventh Doctor - WHO50 - Fourth Doctor - Fifth Doctor

DVD: The Monster Collection

Tuesday, 17 September 2013 - Reported by Chuck Foster
BBC Worldwide have released details on their collection of DVDs featuring the monstrous foes of the Doctor.

Doctor Who: The Monster Collection

These six real "hide behind the sofa" collections bring together episodes of the scariest and most iconic monsters from Doctor Who's classic and recent series.

Each title concentrates on a deadly enemy - The Daleks, Cybermen, Sontarans, The Master, Davros and The Silurians - and features two separate stories from popular incarnations of the Doctor, including Matt Smith, David Tennant, Tom Baker and Jon Pertwee. These collections are perfect for younger viewers just discovering the scary delights of fifty years of Doctor Who.

Monster Collection: The Daleks (Credit: BBC Worldwide)The Monster Collection: The Daleks (pre-order)

THE DALEKS are the most feared race in the entire universe. The hideous mutant creatures contained inside almost indestructible casings conquer and exterminate wherever they go...

The Daleks (1963): On the planet Skaro, the mutated Daleks plan a final assault on the Thals. Starring William Hartnell as the First Doctor.

Asylum of the Daleks (2012): Kidnapped by his oldest foe, the Doctor is forced on an impossible mission - to a place even the Daleks are too terrified to enter ... the Asylum. Starring Matt Smith as the Eleventh Doctor.
Monster Collection: The Cybermen (Credit: BBC Worldwide)The Monster Collection: The Cybermen (pre-order)

THE CYBERMEN were once human but chose to replace all living tissue with plastic and steel. Seeing emotions as a weakness, they removed those too and now massive Cyber armies try to upgrade the universe...

The Tomb of the Cybermen (1967): The TARDIS arrives on the planet Telos where an Earth archaeological expedition, led by Professor Parry, is attempting to uncover the lost tombs of the Cybermen. Starring Patrick Troughton as the Second Doctor.

Rise of the Cybermen and The Age of Steel (2006): Lurking in the shadows are creatures made to destroy - one of The Doctor's greatest fears have come true ... the Cybermen are reborn. Starring David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor.
Monster Collection: The Sontarans (Credit: BBC Worldwide)The Monster Collection: The Sontarans (pre-order)

THE SONTARANS are a short, battle-loving race from the planet Sontar. Bred for war, these cloned creatures have produced one of the most powerful armies in the universe.

The Time Warrior (1973): Missing scientists have been kidnapped by a Sontaran, Linx, and taken back to medieval England, where they are working under hypnosis to repair his crashed spaceship. Starring Jon Pertwee as the Third Doctor.

The Sontaran Stratagem and The Poison Sky (2008): With planet Earth choking under the poison sky, the Doctor must stop the Sontarans' threat to the planet. Starring David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor.
Monster Collection: The Master (Credit: BBC Worldwide)The Monster Collection: The Master (pre-order)

THE MASTER is a dangerous, power-mad Time Lord and one of the Doctor’s deadliest foes. He brings death, danger and chaos to every story in which he appears.

Terror of the Autons (1971): The Master arrives on Earth at a circus run by a man named Rossini and steals a dormant Nestene energy unit from a museum. He reactivates it using a radio telescope and uses his hypnotic abilities to take control of a small plastics firm. Starring Jon Pertwee as the Third Doctor.

The End of Time parts one and two (2009-10): With almost everyone on Earth now recast in his image. The Master controls the world. He's shocked however when he realizes that one person hasn't changed... Starring David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor.
Monster Collection: DavrosThe Monster Collection: Davros (pre-order)

DAVROS is a genius scientist responsible for creating the most dangerous races in the universe – the Daleks. Ruthless and dangerous, he is determined that his creations will always win.

Genesis of the Daleks (1975): The Time Lords intercept the transmat beam taking the Doctor, Sarah and Harry back to Nerva and deposit them instead on the planet Skaro at an early point in its history. Starring Tom Baker as the Fourth Doctor.

The Stolen Earth and Journey's End (2008): The return of an old enemy leaves Earth along with 26 other planets stolen from their places. As the Doctor and Donna look for the whereabouts of Earth, former companions of the Doctor assemble a resistance against the new Dalek Empire. Starring David Tennnant as the Tenth Doctor.
Monster Collection: The Silurians (Credit: BBC Worldwide)The Monster Collection: The Silurians (pre-order)

THE SILURIANS lived on Earth millions of years before humans. This reptile race was forced to hibernate and lay undiscovered for years until they eventually started to wake up...

The Silurians (1970): Investigating a nearby cave system, the Doctor discovers it is the base of a group of intelligent reptiles, termed Silurians, who went into hibernation millions of years ago but have now been revived by power from the research centre. Starring Jon Pertwee as the Third Doctor.

The Hungry Earth and Cold Blood (2010): The Doctor tries to get everyone to Rio, but nothing quite goes as planned. They arrive in a small Welsh village where the Doctor immediately senses that the ground isn't quite right. Starring Matt Smith as the Eleventh Doctor.

The collections are due out in the United Kingdom on 30th September 2013.




FILTER: - UK - Third Doctor - Second Doctor - First Doctor - Eleventh Doctor - Fourth Doctor

DVD Update

Friday, 30 August 2013 - Reported by Chuck Foster
BBC Worldwide have announced details for the forthcoming release of The Tenth Planet on DVD. The two-disc set has been provisionally scheduled for release on 18th November August 2013 for R2, 19th November for R1, and 20th November for R4.

The Tenth Planet
Release date: 18 Nov 2013 UK

The Tenth Planet - DVD R2 Cover (Credit: BBC Worldwide)Starring William Hartnell as Doctor Who, Anneke Wills as Polly, and Michael Craze as Ben
Written by Gerry Davis and Kit Pedler
Directed by Derek Martinus

Broadcast: Sat 8 Oct - Sat 29 Oct 1966

The TARDIS brings the Doctor and his friends Ben and Polly to the South Pole in 1986. Their arrival coincides with the appearance of Earth’s forgotten twin planet Mondas and visitors from that world – emotionless beings called Cybermen. It’s up to the Doctor and his friends to stop these creatures before they convert Earth’s population into similar cyber creations – but the encounter will have a devastating effect on the Doctor...

Special Features: Disc One
  • Episode Four - animated version of the missing episode
  • Commentary, with actors Anneke Wills (Polly), Christopher Matthews (Radar Technician), Earl Cameron (Williams), Alan White (Schultz), Donald Van Der Maaten (Cybermen Shav and Gern), Christopher Dunham (R/T Technician) and designer Peter Kindred. Moderated by Toby Hadoke.
  • Frozen Out - Cast and crew look back on the making of the story. With actors Anneke Wills, Earl Cameron and Reg Whitehead, designer Peter Kindred and vision mixer Shirley Coward.
  • Episode 4 VHS Reconstruction - The reconstruction of the missing fourth episode using audio, stills and surviving clips, which featured on the BBC Video VHS release of the story back in 2000.
  • Radio Times listings - Episode listings for The Tenth Planet from the BBC listings magazine Radio Times (DVD-ROM only – to be viewed on PC/Mac).
  • Production subtitles - Subtitles provide the viewer with cast details, script development and other information related to the production of The Tenth Planet.
  • Photo gallery - A selection of production, design and publicity photographs from this story.
  • Coming soon - An exclusive new trailer for a forthcoming DVD release.
Special Features: Disc Two
  • William Hartnell Interview - Shortly after leaving Doctor Who, star William Hartnell joined the 1966 Christmas pantomime tour of Puss in Boots. Interviewed in his dressing room for the BBC Bristol’s Points West programme, Hartnell talks frankly about Daleks, the merits of pantomime and his own thoughts on his future career in this extremely rare glimpse into the mind of the man who first brought the role of the Doctor to life...
  • Doctor Who Stories – Anneke Wills - Anneke Wills look back on her role as Polly in the series, in an interview recorded for the BBC’s Story of Doctor Who in 2003.
  • The Golden Age - Historian Dominic Sandbrook examines the myth of a ‘Golden Age’ of Doctor Who.
  • Boys! Boys! Boys! - Peter Purves, Frazer Hines and Mark Strickson reminisce about their time as companions to the First, Second and Fifth Doctors respectively.
  • Companion Piece - A psychologist, writers and some of the Doctor’s companions over the years examine what it means to be a Time Lord’s fellow traveller . With actors William Russell, Elisabeth Sladen, Louise Jameson, Nicola Bryant and Arthur Darvill, writers Nev Fountain and Joseph Lidster, and psychologist Dr Tomas Charmorro-Premuzic.
  • Blue Peter: Doctor Who's Tenth Anniversary - Two weeks before the show’s tenth anniversary, the Blue Peter team take a look back at Doctor Who’s history. Ironically, the strict preservation of Blue Peter’s history means that the clip of the first regeneration has been preserved, but the final episode of The Tenth Planet that it came from was never again seen after its use here.

Next month sees two DVDs released: 16th September will see the 2003 animated adventure Scream of the Shalka, featuring the 'forgotten' Ninth Doctor as played by Richard E Grant; then on 30th September the final complete Doctor Who story arrives on the shelves with Fourth Doctor adventure Terror of the Zygons. Internationally, Shalka is released in R1 on 17th September, and Zygons in R1 on 8th October.

Scream of the Shalka
Release date: 16 Sep 2013 UK

Scream of the Shalka - DVD R2 Cover (3D) (Credit: BBC Worldwide)Starring Richard E Grant as the Doctor, with Sophie Okonedo as Alison, and Sir Derek Jacobi as The Master
Written by Paul Cornell
Directed by Wilson Milam

Broadcast: 13 Nov 2003 - 18 Dec 2003 (online), Tue 30 Dec 2003 - Sun 4 Jan 2004 (BBC Red Button)

The TARDIS lands in a small English village in 2003, where the population are living in fear of a malevoelent alien force. With the help of UNIT and his new friend Alison, the Doctor discovers that a race called the Shalka are residing underground, preparing to strip away the earth's ozone layer and embark on a full-scale invasion of the planet ...

Special Features:
  • Commentary, with writer Paul Cornell, director Wilson Milam and producer James Goss.
  • Carry on Screaming - behind-the-scenes personnel discuss the making of Scream of the Shalka
  • The Screaming Sessions - cast and crew interviews recorded at the time of production in 2003
  • Interweb of Fear - a brief history of the BBC website and the important role that Doctor Who has played over the years
  • Soundtrack Album
  • Production information subtitles
  • Photo gallery
  • Coming Soon trailer
Terror of the Zygons
Release date: 30 Sep 2013 UK

Terror of the Zygons - DVD R2 Cover (3D) (Credit: BBC Worldwide)Starring Tom Baker as the Doctor, with Elisabeth Sladen as Sarah, and Ian Marter as Harry, and Nicholas Courtney as The Brigadier.
Written by Robert Banks Stewart
Directed by Douglas Camfield

Broadcast: Sat 30 Aug - Sat 20 Sep 1975

Returning to Earth, the Doctor, Sarah and Harry arrive in the Scottish Highlands to investigate the mysterious destruction of several oil rigs in the North Sea. Local superstition speaks of a deadly threat that lurks in the mists on Tulloch Moor, but the truth is even more disturbing: the legendary Loch Ness Monster is a terrifying cyborg beast which is controlled by the Zygons, an advanced alien race who are desperate to ensure their own survival, at any cost...

Special Features:
  • Commentary, by producer Philip Hinchcliffe, writer Robert Banks Stewart, production unit manager George Gallaccio, make-up artist Sylvia James and sound effect producer Dick Mills, moderated by Mark Ayres.
  • Scotch Mist in Sussex - Cast and crew look back at the making of this story. With actors John Levene and John Woodnutt, Philip Hinchcliffe, Robert Banks Stewart, designer Nigel Curzon, costume designer James Acheson, visual effects assistant Steve Bowman, writer and historian Simon Farquar and the director’s son, Joggs Camfield.
  • Remembering Douglas Camfield - The life and work of respected director Douglas Camfield is remembered in this documentary. With actors Celia Imrie, Peter Purves, Jonathan Newth and John Levene, Philip Hinchcliffe, Robert Banks Stewart, director Graeme Harper and Joggs Camfield. Narrated by Glen Allen.
  • The UNIT Family Part 3 - The concluding part of the series looking at the stories featuring the United Nations Intelligence Taskforce. With actors Tom Baker, Nicholas Courtney, Katy Manning, John Levene and Richard Franklin, producer Barry Letts and script editor Terrance Dicks.
  • Doctor Who Stories: Tom Baker - Tom Baker talks about his work on the series in this interview originally recorded for 2003’s The Story of Doctor Who.
  • Doctor Who Stories: Elisabeth Sladen - Elisabeth Sladen remembers her time as Sarah Jane Smith in this interview recorded for The Story of Doctor Who.
  • Merry-Go-Round: The Fuel Fishers - Elisabeth Sladen flies out to visit North Sea oil rigs and learn about the process of oil exploration in this schools programme from 1977.
  • South Today - Tom Baker interviewed on location in Sussex during the Terror of the Zygons filming by the BBC’s regional news programme South Today.
  • Disney Time - featuring the The Fourth Doctor (easter egg)
  • Isolated Score
  • Dolby 5.1 - option to listen to the episode in surround sound
  • Photo Gallery
  • Radio Times Billings
  • Coming Soon
  • Production Subtitles

The Moonbase

It has now been confirmed that the Second Doctor adventure The Moonbase will be released in 2014, enabling animation work to be completed. The animation is once again being undertaken by Planet 55, who rendered the missing episodes for both First Doctor adventures The Reign of Terror and The Tenth Planet; Pup Ltd have released two headshot images to illustrate how the principal characters will look:

The Moonbase - head animation image (Credit: Pup Ltd/Twitter) The Moonbase - head animation image (Credit: Pup Ltd/Twitter)

DVD Artwork

The DVD Artwork for recent and new releases have been published by Tea Lady Design via their Facebook Page:

The Visitation SE - DVD Cover Artwork (Credit: Tea Lady Design) Spearhead from Space - Bluray Cover Artwork (Credit: Tea Lady Design) The Green Death SE - DVD R2 Cover Artwork (Credit: Tea Lady Design) Terror of the Zygons - DVD R2 Cover Artwork (Credit: Tea Lady Design) The Tenth Planet - DVD R2 Cover Artwork (Credit: Tea Lady Design)





FILTER: - Merchandise - Second Doctor - First Doctor - Fourth Doctor - Blu-ray/DVD

The Light at the End: limited collector's Vinyl edition

Thursday, 22 August 2013 - Reported by Chuck Foster
The 50th Anniversary audio adventure Light at the End from Big Finish is to be released in a limited edition Vinyl edition.

The Light at the End (cover) (Credit: Big Finish)The Light at the End
Starring Tom Baker, Peter Davison, Colin Baker, Sylvester McCoy and Paul McGann
With Louise Jameson, Sarah Sutton, Nicola Bryant, Sophie Aldred and India Fisher
Featuring Geoffrey Beevers as The Master

November 23rd 1963 proves to be a significant day in the lives of all eight Doctors…

It's the day that Bob Dovie's life is ripped apart…

It's also a day that sets in motion a catastrophic chain of events which forces the first eight incarnations of the Doctor to fight for their very existence. As a mysterious, insidious chaos unfolds within the TARDIS, the barriers of time break apart…

From suburban England through war-torn alien landscapes and into a deadly, artificial dimension, all these Doctors and their companions must struggle against the power of an unfathomable, alien technology.

From the very beginning, it is clear that the Master is somehow involved. By the end, for the Doctors, there may only be darkness.


This Special Edition will feature deluxe premium packaging, and includes:
  • Discs 1, 2 and 3 – The Light at the End
  • Disc 4 – The Making of The Light at the End (approx 40-minute documentary exclusive to this release)
  • All discs on heavy 180g vinyl
  • Limited and numbered to 500
  • Four-way gatefold sleeve
  • Rigid slipcase
  • an array of professional photos of the cast.
  • includes an exclusive 30cm x 30cm lenticular image.
The Light at the End (lenticular image) (Credit: Big Finish)

Big Finish trailer, via You-Tube

The Light at the End will also be available as a limited edition five-disc CD, which features:
  • Discs 1 and 2 – The Light at the End
  • Disc 3 – The Making of The Light at the End (70 minute documentary)
  • Disc 4 – This is Doctor Who at Big Finish (70 minute documentary)
  • Disc 5 – Doctor Who – The Companion Chronicles: The Revenants performed by William Russell as Ian

The Light at the End is scheduled to be released on 23rd November 2013; the standard version is currently available to pre-order via our shop.





FILTER: - Sixth Doctor - Audio - Eighth Doctor - Seventh Doctor - WHO50 - Fourth Doctor - Fifth Doctor

Big Finish: July releases

Friday, 19 July 2013 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Big Finish have released details about the latest adventures for the Doctor and his companions in July.

Doctor Who: Persuasion returns former Nazi scientist Klein to the Seventh Doctor's life as the pair become embroiled in a quest for a very dangerous object. And this time there's room for another person in the TARDIS: Klein's assistant Will Arrowsmith. It stars Sylvester McCoy and sees Tracey Childs reprise her role as Klein, with Christian Edwards playing Will. It has been written by Jonathan Barnes, author of Sherlock Holmes story The Adventure of the Perfidious Mariner, and the upcoming The Ordeals of Sherlock Holmes box set.

Persuasion (Credit: Big Finish)Persuasion (available to order)
Starring Sylvester McCoy as The Doctor, with Tracey Childs as Dr Elizabeth Klein

The Umbrella Man is back. But when the Doctor recruits UNIT's Scientific Adviser Elizabeth Klein for an off-the-books mission to the apocalyptic final days of Hitler's Germany, he isn't expecting Klein's hapless young assistant, Will Arrowsmith, to be joining them too.

The Doctor isn't the only alien creature seeking to loot a very particular secret from a Nazi base in Dusseldorf, however. Strange and sinister beings are converging on the same time/space location in search of the scientist Schalk, whose experiments are the key to a devastating power...

The power of Persuasion.
Producer David Richardson says:
We love working with Tracey Childs at Big Finish, and in Klein – originally created by Steve Lyons – we have found the most wonderfully complex and nuanced character to play with. If you think you knew it all about Elizabeth, then you’re in for a few shocks in this new trilogy, which continues with Starlight Robbery in August (with features the Sontarans) and Daleks Among Us in September (with the return of Davros).


Doctor Who - The Companion Chronicles: Mastermind takes us back to the UNIT Vault and the lives of Ruth Matheson (Daphne Ashbrook) and Charlie Sato (Yee Jee Tso), guardians of its secrets. Alongside all the artefacts, though, is a highly deadly prisoner: the Master (Geoffrey Beevers). And he has a story to tell which is certainly not guaranteed to have a happy ending. Writer Jonathan Morris locks himself back into the Vault for an in-depth look at quite possibly the Doctor's most dangerous foe...

The Companion Chronicles: Mastermind (Credit: Big Finish)Mastermind (available to order)
Starring Daphne Ashbrook as Ruth Matheson, Yee Jee Tso as Charlie Sato, with Geoffrey Beevers as The Master

The Vault – an archive of alien artefacts securely stored deep beneath the Angel of the North.

There's also a prisoner in the Vault. An extraterrestrial known as the Master. He has been on Earth for some time, but now he's under lock and key.

This is his story.

Or, as Captain Ruth Matheson and Warrant Officer Charlie Sato discover… perhaps it is theirs.
David Richardson says:
After the success of Tales from the Vault, which introduced Ruth and Charlie, we were determined to revisit the Vault – and Jonny Morris has found the most fascinating way to do so. I’m thrilled that already it has been so well received, as people are responding to a labyrinthine script that reveals a lot of new information about the Doctor’s arch enemy. And Geoffrey Beevers is, of course, magnificent.


The Fourth Doctor’s second season ends with The Final Phase, in which the mysterious Cuthbert's plan for the Proxima System is reaching its climax. The Doctor and Romana have been separated. The Doctor is aiding the Proximan fight-back. Romana and K9 are prisoners of the Daleks. And as the countdown to the opening of the Quantum Gateway begins, the Daleks reveal their true intentions.

Starring Tom Baker as the Doctor, John Leeson as K9 and, sadly, for the final time Mary Tamm as the first Romana, Doctor Who: The Final Phase brings the second series of The Fourth Doctor Adventures to a shattering conclusion. It also stars David Warner and Toby Hadoke as Cuthbert and his ever-faithful sidekick Mr Dorrick, and the incomparable Nicholas Briggs as the ever-malevolent Daleks.

Fourth Doctor Adventures: The Final Phase (Credit: Big Finish)The Final Phase (available to order)
Starring Tom Baker as the Doctor and Mary Tamm as Romana, with David Warner as Cuthbert

'The raw power of the very fabric of reality itself. And you dare to think you can conquer it?'

Cuthbert's plan for the Proxima System is reaching its final phase.

The Doctor and Romana have been separated. The Doctor is aiding the Proximan fight-back. Romana and K9 are prisoners of the Daleks.

And as the countdown to the opening of the Quantum Gateway begins, the Daleks reveal their true intentions.
David Richardson says:
Mary loved this script. And when we recorded it, she specifically asked to record the final scene again – just because she felt it was a pivotal moment for Romana, and she wanted to get it exactly right. It’s heartbreaking to think that would be the last time we saw her. But we’re all so grateful to Mary for driving this second season of The Fourth Doctor Adventures through, despite her illness. A remarkable lady.


Finally, the second season of Counter-Measures stars Simon Williams, Pamela Salem and Karen Gledhill reprising their Doctor Who Remembrance of the Daleks roles of Gilmore, Rachel and Allison, Counter-Measures - Series Two brings four more tales of Sixties-set 'black and white' espionage, conspiracy and derring-do. It also stars Hugh Ross as the team's mysterious boss, Sir Toby Kinsella.

UNIT: Counter Measures 2 (Credit: Big Finish)UNIT: Counter Measures 2 (available to order)
Starring Pamela Salem as Rachel Jensen, Simon Williams as Group Captain Gilmore, and Karen Gledhill as Allison Williams

The British government has created the Counter-Measures group, a specialist team that investigates strange phenomena and dangerous technology. This box set contains four of their adventures plus a behind-the-scenes documentary.

Manhunt by Matt Fitton
Group Captain Gilmore is on the run for murder; Sir Toby is dealing with his unctuous new assistant, Templeton; and Allison and Rachel are investigating a bizarre series of deaths across the country. A maniac is on the loose, but for Counter-Measures it's business as usual.

The Fifth Citadel by James Goss
People are falling ill near Holborn and displaying a sickness with all the hallmarks of radiation poisoning. While Gilmore and Allison look into a graveyard, Sir Toby and Rachel venture underground to meet an old friend with a desperate scheme.

Peshka by Cavan Scott and Mark Wright
A visit to an international chess tournament isn't quite the relaxing experience the Counter-Measures team might have hoped for. With a defection to arrange and violence erupting on the streets it's time for a dangerous gambit. What pieces will be left on the table when the Endgame approaches?

Sins of the Fathers by John Dorney
When a massacre results from the ruins of an old case, it poses more questions than it answers. But with Sir Toby stonewalling, Gilmore and Rachel are forced to investigate alone. The past is catching up with Counter-Measures. With decades old secrets about to be revealed, can anyone survive the fallout?
David Richardson says:
I’m hugely proud of this series, which I think has really hit its stride now. The first series went down a storm, so we're delighted to be able to release the five-disc box set early.

These four tales take the Counter-Measures group into some dangerous new situations – in which the biggest threat is humanity itself... You can experience Gilmore's brush with the wrong side of the law, an illness that looks like radiation sickness, a chess match that leads to defection and the revelation of a long-kept secret - can the team stay together in the face of adversity?


Win a copy of Mastermind!

This month's competition thanks to Big Finish is to win one of five copies of Mastermind. To be in with a chance to win, please answer the following question:
Mastermind features both the Master and UNIT personnel - and on television Geoffrey Beevers has played both! Name the role he played within UNIT.
Send your answer to comp-mastermind@doctorwhonews.net with the subject line "You Will Obey!", along with your name, address, and where you saw the competition (the news website, twitter, facebook, etc.). Only one entry per postal address will be accepted. The competition is open worldwide, and the closing date is 31st July 2013.




FILTER: - Merchandise - Audio - Seventh Doctor - Competitions - Fourth Doctor - Big Finish

The Fourth Doctor Time Capsule

Tuesday, 9 July 2013 - Reported by Chuck Foster
The Fourth Doctor Time Capsule - Set (Credit: BBC Worldwide)
The Fourth Doctor Time Capsule - Letter from Tom Baker (Credit: BBC Worldwide)
BBC Worldwide have announced the release of a limited edition set to celebrate the Fourth Doctor, as played by Tom Baker. The Fourth Doctor Time Capsule will contain exclusive merchandise and memorabilia:

  • An Interview with the Time Lord - a newly commissioned interview with Tom Baker.
  • Terror of the Zygons - an advance "vanilla" release of the restored story, which is due out later in the year.
  • Fourth Doctor Action Figure - an exclusive post-regenerative Fourth Doctor, wearing Jon Pertwee’s trademark frill-fronted shirt.
  • Fourth Doctor sonic screwdriver.
  • Genesis of the Daleks - an audio version of the classic Dalek "origin" story.
  • Tomb of Valdemar - a novel by Simon Messingham, set during the Doctor’s search for the Key to Time.
  • Art cards - featuring all the Fourth Doctor’s companions.
  • A letter from Tom Baker.

The Fourth Doctor Time Capsule is limited to 5000 copies, and is due to be released in the UK only on 29th July.


The set was subject to a Twitter campaign over the last week using the #thefourth hashtag, which also saw a couple of intriguing teaser trailers released to promote interest:





FILTER: - Merchandise - Tom Baker - Fourth Doctor - Blu-ray/DVD

AudioGo: July Releases

Thursday, 27 June 2013 - Reported by Chuck Foster
AudioGo's ongoing celebration of 50 Years of Doctor Who reaches the Seventh Doctor in July, with he and Ace facing a Shockwave in the Destiny of the Doctor series. Meanwhile, the Fourth Doctor visits The Leisure Hive alongside Romana in the latest Target novelisation adaptation, and the Eleventh Doctor goes back to 1963 in the audio adaptation of BBC Books novel Shroud of Sorrow.

Destiny of the Doctor: Shockwave (Credit: AudioGo)Destiny of the Doctor: Shockwave
Starring Sophie Aldred, with Ian Brooker (pre-order)

In the far future, the inhabitants of Tarsus Six face a desperate struggle to evacuate their world before their sun, Tarsus Ultra, collapses into a cataclysmic spatial anomaly.

When the Doctor navigates the TARDIS to a space station orbiting Tarsus Six, Ace assumes that he intends offer their assistance. But it soon becomes clear that the Doctor has an agenda of his own.

With the TARDIS immobilised, Ace realises that their own lives are as much in danger as those of the fleeing inhabitants. The race is on to escape the destruction of Tarsus Six and the devastating shockwave that will follow, reaching out and destroying everything in its wake.

Celebrating 50 years of Doctor Who, a brand new adventure for the Seventh Doctor. Sophie Aldred - Ace in the BBC TV Doctor Who series - and Ian Brooker perform this original story by James Swallow.
Doctor Who and the Leisure Hive (Credit: AudioGo)Doctor Who and the Leisure Hive
Written by David Fisher
Read by Lalla Ward (pre-order)

An exciting novelisation of a classic 1973 Doctor Who serial The Leisure Hive, featuring the Fourth Doctor - Tom Baker.

The Doctor and Romana visit the Leisure Hive on the planet Argolis, the surface of which is uninhabitable following a twenty minute nuclear war between the Argolins and their enemies, the Foamsi. The Argolins themselves are now sterile. Pangol, the youngest, was created by the Tachyon Recreation Generator, a machine that runs games in the Hive. He now secretly plans to use the Generator, modified by an Earth scientist named Hardin, to recreate himself many times over, forming an army of duplicates to destroy the Foamsi. Pangol's mother Mena, the controller of the Hive, is meanwhile coming under pressure from a supposedly human finanacier, Brock, to sell it to the Foamasi …

Read by Lalla Ward, who played Romana in the original TV series.
Shroud of Sorrow (Credit: AudioGo)Shroud of Sorrow
Written by Tommy Donbavand
Read by Frances Barber (pre-order)

23 November, 1963. It is the day after John F. Kennedy's assassination - and the faces of the dead are everywhere. PC Reg Cranfield sees his late father in the mists along Totter's Lane. Reporter Mae Callon sees her grandmother in a coffee stain on her desk. FBI Special Agent Warren Skeet finds his long-dead partner staring back at him from raindrops on a window pane. Then the faces begin to talk, and scream...and push through into our world. As the alien Shroud begins to feast on the grief of a world in mourning, can the Doctor dig deep enough into his own sorrow to save mankind?

A thrilling new adventure from the spectacular BBC series, starring Matt Smith and Jenna-Louise Coleman.
 




FILTER: - Audio - Seventh Doctor - Eleventh Doctor - WHO50 - Fourth Doctor