The third episode in the brand-new audio adventures of the Thirteenth Doctor is a historical trip for the Doctor (Jodie Whittaker) and Yaz (Mandip Gill), as the TARDIS takes them to December 1183, where King Henry II is preparing to spend the festive season with his family. 

Due to be released in November, The Thirteenth Doctor Adventures: Lionesses in Winter by Lisa McMullin kicks off Big Finish’s Yuletide celebrations for 2025. 

But the Plantagenets aren’t the kind of family who have peaceful Christmases – there's plenty of drama and intrigue in the king’s court, and that’s before the Doctor and Yaz discover they’re not the only visitors from somewhere else in time and space. 

Doctor Who – The Thirteenth Doctor Adventures: Lionesses in Winter is now available to pre-order for just £9.99 (as a digital download to own) or £11.99 (download to own + collector’s edition CD), exclusively here. Please note: the collector’s edition CD is strictly limited to 1,500 copies and will not be repressed. 

England, 1183 – The court of Henry II. The Doctor and Yaz gatecrash a right royal – if terrifyingly dysfunctional – family Christmas as Henry’s estranged wife Eleanor returns to spend Yuletide with the fam. The Doctor and Yaz uncover an imposter amongst them, but who are they really? And what do they want? 

Lionesses in Winter guest stars Kevin Mathurin (Emmerdale) as Henry II and Prince Richard, and Debra Baker (Supacell) as Eleanor of Aquitane, as well as Dolly Webb as Henry’s ward Alys, and Ammar Duffus as Prince Philip and Prince John. 

Writer Lisa McMullin said: “Since the Thirteenth Doctor was all about her ‘fam’, I wanted to write a story with family at the very heart of it. And Henry II, Eleanor of Aquitaine and their children are the ultimate dysfunctional family. The most melodramatic soap has nothing on them. 

“Eleanor has been banished from court after helping her son raise an army against his father (the King – her husband!), but she's been allowed home for Christmas. And then the Doctor and Yaz rock up. 

“On the surface it’s a festive romp – deck the halls and grab a mince pie for a right royal family Christmas. But the banter is barbed and, underneath, the story is an exploration of how a family copes with grief and loss.” 

Lionesses in Winter is the third of twelve full-cast audio drama adventures for the Thirteenth Doctor and Yaz, released bimonthly.

There is a special offer for Big Finish listeners who can pre-order all twelve releases in a multibuy bundle for just £102 (digital download to own) exclusively from the Big Finish website. Additional three-release multibuy bundles are available from just £27 (download to own) and £33 (download to own + collector’s edition CD), exclusively here. 

All the above prices (including pre-order and multibuy bundle discounts) are fixed for a limited time only and guaranteed no later than 30 November 2025. 

Please note that Big Finish is currently operating a digital-first release schedule. The mail-out of collector’s edition CDs may be delayed due to factors beyond our control, but all purchases of this release unlock a digital copy that can be immediately downloaded or played on the Big Finish app from the release date.