, its series of full-cast audio plays adapted from scripts that were written for television in the 1980s but never made. Colin Baker will reprise the role of the Sixth Doctor and Nicola Bryant will return as Peri in the eight adventures, that begin monthly release in November 2009.1: The Nightmare Fair
Out: November 2009
Written by Graham Williams, adapted by John Ainsworth
The Story: The Doctor and Peri battle the Celestial Toymaker among the rides and games of Blackpool Pleasure Beach.
Producer’s Notes: “The Nightmare Fair was novelised by Graham Williams,” says David Richardson. “So John Ainsworth has used a few scenes from that book, as well as the original script, in his adaptation.We’ve got a new Toymaker – the original, Michael Gough, is long retired and nearing his centenary year! – in the form of David Bailie, who many will know as Dask from The Robots of Death. We felt that David had just the right mix of cold authority and charismatic presence for such an iconic role.”
2: Mission to Magnus
Out: December 2009
Written by Philip Martin
The Story: The female rulers of the planet Magnus want time travel technology from the Time Lords; meanwhile Sil and the Ice Warriors are on the planet for their own ends.
Producer’s Notes: “Like the previous story, this one was novelised,” says Richardson, “so many may already be familiar with it. But, with the recording now in the can, it’s great to hear it brought to life by Colin, Nicola, and the inimitable Nabil Shaban as Sil. Philip Martin’s story has some huge set pieces,which I’m sure may have tested the limits of special effects back in the ‘80s, but on audio they’re all in the mind’s eye!”
3: Leviathan
Out: January 2010
Written by Brian Finch, adapted by Paul Finch
The Story: The Doctor and Peri arrive in a medieval village terrorised by the local Baron. But is everything what it appears?
Producer’s Notes: “A bonus Lost Story, and one we’d not heard of before. After we first announced the series, Paul Finch – a novelist and scriptwriter – got in touch via DWM to tell us about his father’s script, which was commissioned and written for Season 22. You may remember Brian Finch’s name for The Tomorrow People (he wrote The Vanishing Earth) and a host of other TV dramas. Paul sent me the script, I read it, and commissioned an adaptation right away. “
4: The Hollows of Time
Out: February 2010
Written by Christopher H Bidmead
The Story: The TARDIS arrives in the sleepy town of Hollowdean, where the Doctor meets an old friend, while there are sightings of mysterious sand creatures out on the dunes...
Producer’s Notes: “An intriguing story from Bidmead (Logopolis/Castrovalva), which finds the Doctor once again up against the Tractators (Frontios). The story has a very unusual structure – but beyond that I’m not willing to give much away.”
5: TBA
Out: March 2010
Producer’s Notes: “The one story we can’t quite announce yet, as we’re in the process of negotiating the delivery date on the script.”
6: Point of Entry
Out: April 2010
Written by Barbara Clegg and Marc Platt
The Story: The TARDIS lands in England in 1589, where the travellers meet Kit Marlowe and the Doctor and Peri must foil an attempt by the Omnim to escape their ancient prison.
Producer’s Notes: “Many will remember Barbara Clegg for Enlightenment, one of the very best stories from the Peter Davison era. Point of Entry is actually the only story from this series that is not taken from an original script in any form – instead Barbara sent us a detailed story breakdown, which was too good not to make. We’ve drafted in Marc Platt (Ghost Light) to complete it, as Marc’s great imagination seemed a wonderful match for Barbara’s.”
7: Paradise 5
Out: May 2010
Written by PJ Hammond and Andy Lane
The Story: The Doctor and Peri investigate mysterious disappearances on the holiday planet Paradise 5.
Producer’s Notes: “PJ Hammond originally wrote Paradise 5 for Season 24: he got as far as a detailed storyline and the script of episode one. It was Gary Russell who suggested I contact PJ,who then sent me his materials and I was struck by a great story that was waiting to be made – albeit one that would need a few changes, as we’d have to lose the Trial of a Time Lord framing sequences. PJ was too busy to complete the script, but I brought in one of my favourite writers, Andy Lane, to do the job, with PJ involved every step of the way. The result looks like being something very special indeed.”
8: The Space Whale
Out: June 2010
Written by Pat Mills
The Story: The TARDIS is sucked into a factory spaceship, where Captain Greeg and his crew are luring the Ghaleen – the only creatures capable of living in the vacuum of space – to their doom.
Producer’s Notes: “The Space Whale was a story with a long and complicated gestation – it was originally written for the fourth Doctor, then the Fifth, and then the Sixth. It was during the recording of the Paul McGann story The Scapegoat that I invited Pat Mills to finally finish the script, and he admitted that the Sixth Doctor version was by far his favourite as early attempts had been complicated by having too many companions.”