We thought long and hard about which book would start our publishing programme for Jodie Whittaker’s first series of Doctor Who – and Christel and Simon’s book is the perfect choice. It’s bold and fresh in its approach, it makes a strong statement, it’s beautifully written, and stunning in its design. It represents everything we love about Doctor Who, and we couldn’t be happier to be publishing The Women Who Lived on the BBC Books list.

With Jodie Whittaker’s Thirteenth Doctor arriving this autumn, we thought this would be the perfect time to reflect upon the wealth of incredible female characters from Doctor Who’s 55 year history – because there are so many! We hope the stories in this book will inspire a whole new generation of fans and existing fans too.

We hope this offers a fresh perspective on the history of Doctor Who, a chance to celebrate the richness of past episodes as well as looking forward to the series’ exciting future. I thought I knew Doctor Who backwards, but we discovered loads of new things in our research for the book.

It has been a long-term ambition of the team to be able to bring about Doctor Who-themed escape rooms. Our main role here at BBC Studios is to continually extend the fans enjoyment of our brands, and so to be announcing six new live entertainment games across the country to fans is something really exciting.

Following the success of our original Escape Hunt games, we are thrilled to be partnering with BBC Studios to create Doctor Who - The Live Escape Game. Going on an Escape Hunt is all about stepping into and experiencing new worlds so strength in the science fiction genre is absolutely key to our content strategy. Doctor Who represents the very best in British action adventure and has a loyal and dedicated fan base that spans all generations. We look forward to bringing the show to life for all of them in its first ever live escape game experience at Escape Hunt venues across the UK.

It’s a privilege to have been asked to redesign the iconic sonic screwdriver for the Thirteenth Doctor and a new generation of audiences. I can’t wait for people to see how the Doctor acquires it!

The US and UK toy versions of the Sonic Screwdriver have been created by Seven20 and Character Options, respectively. The new, electronic 8” collectible is a perfect replica of the Doctor’s device, features a light crystal and haa two buttons which control the light and sound elements of the Sonic.

Candy Jar Books is pleased to announce the winner of the Lethbridge-Stewart Short Story Competition. The winning story, Boys Don’t Cry, is written by Sean Alexander from Holyhead, north Wales.

Shaun Russell, head of publishing at Candy Jar, says:

Andy Frankham-Allen, range editor of the Lethbridge-Stewart series of books, agrees:

Sean Alexander says:


The book also features eight other exclusive short stories featuring Lethbridge-Stewart at various stages in his life. This is a chance for fans to see the Brigadier like they’ve never seen him before!

The eight stories are:

• The Stranger Paradox by Thomas Firth
• Soldier in Time by Martin Gregory
• Burning Daylight by Paul Chase
• The Brigadier Rides Again by Ross Hastings
• In Machina Exspiravit by Anthony Robertson
• Special Responsibility by Gary Tinnams
• Shadows in the Glen by Richard Brewer
• The Man with the Red Case by Matthew Ball

The idea for the Lethbridge-Stewart Short Story Competition came from the company’s commitment to shedding light on fresh writing talent. Since 2015 the Lethbridge-Stewart novels have championed previously unknown authors such as Jonathan Macho and Gareth Madgwick, alongside famous writing names in the Doctor Who universe including John Peel, Nick Walters, Simon A Forward and David A McIntee.

All royalties from each book will be donated the Velindre Cancer Centre in Cardiff. Shaun, who received chemotherapy treatment at the centre, says:

I think if we hadn’t done it, we would have been behind the world – and Doctor Who has to be out front leading the world, showcasing all the amazing things out there. So it was never a question in my mind. It was time.

And now it isn’t just attainable for half of the population. The other half can be the Doctor as well. Girls will no longer just think, ‘Oh, I could be a companion.’ Being the first female Doctor and showing children that their heroes in shows don’t always look the same is a huge honour for me.

If you’ve never seen Doctor Who, or want to introduce your children or family and friends to it, this series is the perfect point to start. It was really important to me that there’s no barrier to entry. You don’t need to know about anything that’s come before. We’ve got a new Doctor, all-new characters, all-new monsters, all-new stories. It’s going to be exciting, emotional and the most enormous fun.

Doctor Who has a special place in popular culture. It’s a global juggernaut with a faithful following. This upcoming season marks the beginning of a new era for the extraordinary Time Lord, with the first ever female Doctor at the helm of the TARDIS.

The time felt right to bring the series back to TVNZ. We can’t wait to share all the action, adventure and humour the show is known and loved for with our viewers, as well as the exciting new twists and turns that are coming their way.

We’re delighted that Doctor Who is returning to its original New Zealand home, with TVNZ being an excellent partner to join us for the new era of The Doctor.

Since acquiring the rights to the character of Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart in 2014, as well as other iconic Doctor Who figures such as the Great Intelligence, Candy Jar has published over twenty works of fiction in the Lethbridge-Stewart series, with more titles already in the works. Given the enthusiastic response of Doctor Who fans the world over, it would be fair to say that the series has met a long unfulfilled demand.

Head of Publishing, Shaun Russell, says:
But as all fans of Doctor Who know, the story is just the start of the appeal; the legions of fan forums, Meet-up Groups, or a brief glance at social media in the wake of new episodes, attest to the fact that unpicking storylines – why did this character do that? What are the implications of this? How does X relate to Y? – is half the fun.

Andy Frankham-Allen, range editor of the Lethbridge-Stewart range, says:

Accordingly one of the centrepieces of the book is a collation of the Brig’s television adventures over the years, establishing the definitive chronology of the character for the first time. Put together by Simon A Forward, a Doctor Who writer for over two decades, the piece takes its place alongside a raft of pieces by established Doctor Who names, not least an exclusive interview with John Levene, who played the Brig’s long-time sidekick John Benton, giving a rare behind the scenes look at the experience of shooting Doctor Who’s golden era.

Other contributors include Darran Jordan, Philip Clarke, and a host of names still to be announced. Between them, they explore topics including the Doctor’s relationship with the Brig (and vice versa), the life of Nicholas Courtney (through thirteen objects of personal significance), as well as tackling the thorny question of whether or not the Brigadier counts as an official companion. With a comprehensive approach encompassing all BBC, Big Finish and Candy Jar media, the book looks set to become the definitive reference for this staple of the Doctor Who universe for years to come.