Gareth David Lloyd said: “It all started last summer, when I said to James that I had an idea for a script and he said he had another couple of thoughts, so would I mind having a look at those as well.

“James gave me a few starting points for other ideas, and I chose a pair of them, adapted them, and added my own one, which became Disco.”

“Disco has been a long time coming. Ianto's dad has been this nameless entity so far who seems to have been quite a negative force in Ianto’s life. So, I thought it was about time that we made him a three-dimensional character and really looked to who he was and at the reasons Ianto is so affected by him.”

Producer James Goss said: “Disco is a remarkable play. Gareth David-Lloyd tells the story that Torchwood fans have always wanted to know – what's up with Ianto's dad? The answer is joyous and sad. Torchwood at its best takes a classic idea and does something unexpected with it. This is a time travel story about two blokes building a literal fence. It's an epic about the web of time but there's also dancing, darts, and a trip down the dole.

“The play is also linked to the Torchwood One box set I Hate Mondays, released the same month. We've pulled off a coup where a mystery set up in I Hate Mondays is answered in Disco. You can enjoy both titles completely separately, but put together they complete a picture of a truly terrible fortnight in Ianto's life.

“Honestly, Disco is magnificent, and Gareth deserves to win all the awards for it.”