The Master’s State of Decay

This spooky episode’s cast also includes Kate Copeland as housemaid Niamh and Diana’s mother Lady Blount, as well as Barnaby Edwards as the mysterious Oro and the patriarchal Reginald Blount. 

Co-writer Lauren Mooney said: “Beevers’ Master is one of the darkest incarnations of the Master, which really allowed us to play in the gothic horror sandbox and create something a bit more mature and complex than the characters can sometimes feel.

“I think that living in constant pain makes him a version of the Master that is wilder, more desperate, more likely to surprise himself and us. He’s like a cornered animal. That’s what pain does – it reduces us – but then, he’s still the Master, he’s still someone who enjoys power.” 

The story’s other co-writer, Stewart Pringle, added: “He’s such a shadowy, ambiguous figure in this incarnation so we felt we had licence to lean into horror elements and tell something of a ghost story. Geoffrey’s take on the Master feels like it embodies the character at his most desperate, and that pushed us to create a story which showcases his power but also his vulnerability. 

“The brief we got was incredibly open – we were told that these Dark Gallifrey stories should be unlike anything else that Big Finish has ever done, totally free in terms of not just the subject matter but also the narrative form. This is an experimental trilogy that’s about pushing to the edges of the universe and also to the edges of Big Finish’s output.” 

Praise for the previous Dark Gallifrey trilogy, The Meddling Monks: 

“The set has been thoroughly enjoyable, and goes down as one of the most inventive and satisfying releases in quite a while.”
Doctor Who Magazine 

“The Meddling Monks Part 3 was an immensely satisfying finale. I can’t wait for the next trilogy.”
Sci-Fi Pulse  

“Absolutely superb, magical and impressive stuff. I just love it.”
Tin Dog Podcast 

Big Finish listeners can pre-order all three instalments of the Decayed Master trilogy in a multi-buy bundle for just £24 (download to own) or £30 (download to own + collector’s edition CD).  

Alternatively, a bundle comprising all six of 2026’s Dark Gallifrey instalments – which includes the Decayed Master trilogy as well as the previous trilogy, which starred The Meddling Monks – is available for just £50 (download to own) or £60 (download to own + collector’s edition CD). 

Other bundles are available: the complete Dark Gallifrey pre-order bundle, including all eight trilogies, each following a different renegade Time Lord, is just £188 (download to own). 

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

Big Finish is currently operating a digital-first release schedule. The mailout of collector’s edition CDs will be delayed, 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.