Available to buy and download today exclusively from the Big Finish website, Doctor Who – The War Doctor 1: Only the Monstrous is our first epic box-set to star John Hurt as the War Doctor. The legendary secret incarnation of our favourite Time Lord blazes into action against the Dalek war machine – and discovers a plot that could end the Time War once and for all!

Critics have been raving about our new blockbuster release, which co-stars Jacqueline Pearce, Lucy Briggs-Owen, Carolyn Seymour, Beth Chalmers and Nicholas Briggs. Check out the reviews below:

'An epic, brutal, but sometimes beautiful set, wonderfully acted and written with an epic sweeping score and a great martial re-imagining of the theme song'

Ed Watkinson, Planet Mondas

'John Hurt is still phenomenal as the War Doctor, still capturing the dark complexity and world-weariness he embodied in the 50th Anniversary. More brilliant is that, despite coming across as rude or abrasive, Hurt never makes his Doctor come across as a cold and calculating warrior who wasn’t any different to both the Time Lords and Daleks, instead making him more of a tragic and sympathetic figure.'

Ryan Pollard, Starburst

'What we also get is a delightful war story with wonderfully cast characters, and somehow… SOMEHOW Nicholas Briggs manages to throw us a Dalek curve ball! I’m constantly impressed with Big Finish’s ability to come up with strange new angles for the devious Daleks to explore.'

Jesse Kiefer, Grawlix Podcast

'It's all a brilliant, cohesive, well thought out story... it fits, it works, it's just very, very good.'

Tin Dog Podcast 

'Ollistra (Jacqueline Pearce) is also fantastically dry and cryptic towards The Doctor; her Machiavellian actions and attitudes are truly chilling as is her fierce determination to win. Pearce is one of the highlights of the series and is in many ways the true villain of the piece.'

Will Barber Taylor, The Consulting Detective

Doctor Who – The War Doctor 1: Only the Monstrous, available to buy and download now – exclusive to the Big Finish website!

You can still order this release as part of the Time War Saga bundle. The bundle contains all four box sets from the War Doctor series, along with the five-disc prequel Doctor Who - The Eighth Doctor: The Time War starring Paul McGann. And remember, when you buy any of these titles on CD directly from Big Finish, you will also unlock access to a digital copy for download from day of release.

To celebrate the release, Big Finish is pleased offer a once in a lifetime prize to three lucky winners! We have script covers for all three instalments of Only the Monstrous to give away, signed by the entire cast of each episode – including John Hurt!

To be in with a chance of winning one of these three incredible prizes, head to the Big Finish Facebook page and answer the simple question to be in with a chance of winning! Entries close at Noon on Christmas Eve (Thursday 24th December).

The War Doctor's battles continue in Doctor Who – The War Doctor 2: Infernal Devices, coming February 2016.