No Good Deeds

The War Master – the thoroughly evil incarnation of the Doctor’s arch-enemy played by the legendary actor Sir Derek Jacobi – returns today in Deeds Without Name, a brand-new box set of fantastically fiendish tales. 

The Master is on the run from Daleks and Time Lords alike, and has decided that, since there’s no chance of the Time War ending well for him, he might as well have some fun. Of course, what’s fun for the Master usually involves torment and pain for others. 

Across the four full-cast audio episodes set in the universe of Doctor Who, the Master experiments on the minds of retirees, is captured by space scavengers, brings reliable energy to a world shrouded in darkness, and even finds time to release his memoirs.

The Worlds of Doctor Who – The War Master: Deeds Without Name is available to purchase now for just £24.99 (download to own) or £30.99 (download to own + collector’s edition 4-disc CD box set) exclusively here. Please note: the collector’s edition CD box set is strictly limited to 1,250 copies and will not be re-pressed.

The four masterful new adventures are: 

In His Anecdotage’s cast are Kathryn Drysdale (Bridgerton) as Jeannie Keen/Blanche, Chizzy Akudolu (Holby City) as Sister Sedge, Will Keen (Wolf Hall) as Captain Bartlett, Samira Ahmed as herself, and Jon Culshaw as Terry Wogan. 

Sir Derek Jacobi said: “The villains are always the best parts, absolutely. Being nasty and evil has somehow more depth than being good and heroic. And there’s a heroic aspect, certainly, to the Master. He’s got all the answers, all the exits and entrances. He’s the powerful one, he’s strong and assured and he knows he’s a winner.” 

The first story’s writer Alison Winter added: “The Master at this point is no longer making plans for the future because he’s realised there isn’t one. He’s always wanted to survive the Time War but now that he’s accepted it can’t be survived, he’s indulging in wanton wickedness in the face of his own inevitable destruction. 

“I found that premise fascinating. When someone knows the end is coming, it focuses the mind. The Master acts as if he’s immortal, but he is also highly intelligent and recognises the end is nigh. So what does he do with the time he has left? Does he reflect at all? I imagined he might find himself haunted and, perhaps to manage that, decide to experiment on the ghosts of others.” 

And, Matthew Sweet, author of the final story, said: “The idea of writing for Derek was something not to be refused. I thought, ‘What if the Master publishes his memoirs?’ And if he was publishing his memoirs, that would mean he’d be on light entertainment shows and panel games, in that strange way we had in the 1970s and 1980s. When the Master appears on Call My Bluff, I think almost everything he says is from Derek’s appearance on Call My Bluff!” 

Big Finish listeners can save money by purchasing Deeds Without Name in a multibuy bundle with the previous War Master box set, October 2025’s His Greatest Trick, for just £48 (download to own) or £58 (download to own + collector’s edition CD). 

All the above prices (including pre-order and multibuy bundle discounts) are fixed for a limited time only and guaranteed no later than 31 December 2026. 

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.