The War Doctor Rises reaches its finale

The full-cast audio drama series The War Doctor Rises will come to its climax in its sixth and final box set-length adventure. 

This series has seen the Time War incarnation of the Doctor (Jonathon Carley) grow in strength and reputation as he’s fought off not just the Daleks, but Morbius, the Cybermen, the Rani, and more. And there’s one more old foe lying in wait... 

In Serpent’s Nest by Matt Fitton, the Doctor travels to Kyloska on the trail of a missing squad of Time Lord warriors. He’s reunited with his Gallifreyan ally Veklin (Beth Chalmers), but the planet has fallen victim to an ancient spirit of chaos – the Mara. 

In this epic finale to The War Doctor Rises, the Doctor faces one of his toughest battles yet, as he fights the Mara across Kyloska and in the depths of the Time Lord mind... 

The War Doctor Rises: Serpent's Nest is now available to pre-order for just £19.99 (download to own) or £29.99 (download to own + three-disc collector’s edition CD), exclusively here. Please note: the collector’s edition CD box set is strictly limited to 1,000 copies and will not be re-pressed. 

The three episodes in this epic story, all scripted by Matt Fitton, are: 

Wheel of Corruption 

On the trail of a vanished Time Lord regiment, the War Doctor arrives on Kyloska – a doomed world, where civilisation is entering its death throes. 

But something dark lurks here, looking for escape. Something that knows the Doctor of old… 

Broken Mirrors 

The Doctor has found what he was searching for on Kyloska – only to discover that the Mara may have got there first… 

Domain of the Snake 

The Mara emerges triumphant, with Gallifrey in its sights. And in Time Lord minds, the Dark Places are bigger on the Inside… 

The War Doctor Rises: Serpent's Nest guest stars Belinda Lang (2point4 Children), Silas Carson (Star Wars), Nicholas Asbury (Alma’s Not Normal), and Kiran Sonia Sawar (Slow Horses), as well as George Naylor, Venice Van Someren, and Richard Reed.

Producer David Richardson said: “The circle is complete: we’ve reached the end of The War Doctor Rises. I’m very proud of our six writer-led stories, each of them very different, each with its own high concept, and I’m so hugely proud of the work Jonathon Carley has done on this series. 

“I sit in the control room at the studio, and do a double take every single day because I’m always surprised to hear the War Doctor’s voice coming out of Jonathon’s mouth. The character’s voice is so unlike the actor’s own voice, and yet he channels it so skilfully, and he’s grown into the most accomplished actor. We’re so lucky to have him.” 

Lead actor Jonathon Carley added: “We’re at the end of another run, which feels incredible. It feels second nature and really part of me now, and it continues to bring me joy every time. And the lovely thing is that it’s far from being all over… 

“This journey has been about the War Doctor rising and gaining that confidence in what he needs to do and who he is. We’re getting ever closer to that final day where he has to press the button. The journey continues, which is exciting, and I can’t wait to find out what happens next.” 

More details on the War Doctor’s future adventures will be revealed at a later date. 

The War Doctor Rises: Serpent's Nest is now available to pre-order for just £19.99 (download to own) or £29.99 (download to own + collector’s edition CD), exclusively here. 

Big Finish listeners can save money by purchasing Serpent's Nest in a bundle with the previous War Doctor Rises box set (Fear of the Light, released in May 2026), for just £38 (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 28 February 2027. 

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.