Big Finish, the company behind a huge range of audio dramas, including Doctor Who, and more, have launched their annual Short Trips competition, giving newcomers the opportunity to write their first story for the First Doctor.
The Big Finish Paul Spragg Memorial Short Trip Opportunity honours the memory of a much-loved colleague and friend, a stalwart of the Big Finish production office who passed away suddenly on 8th May 2014.
Bug Finish are searching for an emerging talent to write a Doctor Who short story that will be released as an audiobook at Christmas – and this year, the topic is “The First Doctor”.
The competition runs for five weeks, closing in the middle of June.
Their most recent First Doctor full length adventure, Beware the City of Illusions, was released in March.
Commemorating Paul Spragg
Paul Spragg was a producer’s assistant at Big Finish Productions from 2009 to his death in 2014. His work behind the scenes on contracts, script distribution, proof-reading, cover layout, studio management, CD Extra interviews, the website, and more, made him vital to the company’s operations. He was also, along with Nicholas Briggs, the host of the Big Finish Podcast, as well as editor of Vortex magazine, and co-edited The Big Finish Companion: Volume 2 with Richard Dinnick.
The Paul Spragg Memorial Short Trip Opportunity competition began in 2016, created to honour his memory, and has seen some thoroughly enjoyable stories win, including the most recent, The Wednesday that Wasn’t by Luke Hollands.
“It’s always a special time to remember our dear friend Paul,” says Big Finish’s Executive Producer Nicholas Briggs. “It’s particularly exciting for me this year as we’re focussing on the First Doctor, who has been something of a passion of mine recently. Can’t wait to read the story submissions for this!”
The First Doctor
Range producer Peter Anghelides said: “In the ten years since we launched this memorial competition, we’ve never had a winning story featuring the First Doctor. This is the year we’re changing that.
“We want to read your proposal for a standalone Short Trip with a brand new idea that showcases him in a short story for a single reader that we’ll publish at the end of this year.
“Your story will be inspired by the character of the First Doctor as we saw him on TV. It’s an era when each story naturally offered a new perspective on the continuing series – so we want your proposal to demonstrate that kind of originality and inventiveness. What fresh characters, adversaries, locations, concepts and perspectives can you devise for a compelling short story?”
In addition to naming a winner, Big Finish will also identify a shortlist of commendations. “In recent competitions, the standard of entries has been wonderful,” said Peter Anghelides. “Although we will have only one winner, we thought it appropriate this year to name and commend other strong contenders.”
Big Finish look forward to reading your entries. Good luck!
All entries must be submitted electronically to competitions@bigfinish.com, either as a Word-compatible document or a PDF document, formatted as per these guidelines, and received by Big Finish before 23:59 (UK time) on Thursday 11th June 2026.
Read the Rules!
Before you enter the competition, you need to carefully read the 2026 guidelines here and the accompanying terms and conditions on the Big Finish website. They contain important information that explains eligibility, theme, word count, deadline, and how to submit your story idea.
Helpful Advice from Previous Winners
You can get a feeling for what a successful competition entry looks like by checking out the previous ten winners.
“I couldn’t quite believe it,” said Luke Hollands of winning the competition last year, with the Thirteenth Doctor story, The Wednesday That Wasn’t, the released story narrated by Clare Corbett, producer of the Doctor Who: Short Trips range, who was also one of the competition judges.
“I was working at home when the email came through and I had to walk around the house about ten times. I sat down, stood up, sat down again, stood up again, made a cup of tea, and it took me at least two or three hours to pluck up the courage to reply. It was by far one of the best emails I’ve ever had.
“I’d entered ten times, but the first few times I entered, I wrote stories involving characters like the Brigadier or the Master or K9, which were not allowed by Big Finish, and I only realised after about four times of entering, that I should have properly read the rules.”
His advice to aspiring writers? “Most importantly, it’s never give up. This was the tenth time I’d entered the competition and I very nearly didn’t. It’s remarkable that every year, Paul Spragg, a wonderful man I never met, inspired me to try again, and has given me hope in my writing ability. Hope is a wonderful legacy to leave and possibly the most Doctorish of qualities.”
Big Finish Paul Spragg Memorial Short Trip Opportunity: Past Winners
Recordings of each are available on the Big Finish website as free downloads, along with the final script and the original winning submissions from each year.
When you add them to your Big Finish account, you also unlock bonus content that includes downloads of the original winning submissions and the final studio scripts.
2016: Forever Fallen by Joshua Wanisko (Seventh Doctor)
Until now, an offered chance from the Doctor has never stopped the villain’s schemes.
Until now, the android armies, the powerful space stations, the mind-control rays, have gone unchecked to disastrous effect.
Until now…
… But then what happens?
2017: Landbound by Selim Ulug (Third Doctor)
He was the captain of a ship once. Since being stripped of his authority, he is lost. Landbound. Then he meets a kindred spirit, a man who has also lost something.
In a small seaside town, both Ronald Henderson and the Doctor want to move forward, but one of them must first come to terms with his past…
2018: The Last Day at Work by Harry Draper (Second Doctor)
Constable Bernard Whittam is in for a special evening. Finally retiring from a lifetime in the police force, he’s celebrating with friends, family and the woman he loves. It’s all perfect. Apart from the noise in his head, the wheezing, groaning noise that has haunted his entire life. That and the unusual gatecrashers.
It’s going to be a night to remember…
2019: The Best Laid Plans by Ben Tedds (Twelfth Doctor)
Dracksil Forg sells ideas. For the right price, he’s got a solution to every possible problem. His reputation is impeccable, and whilst his ideas aren’t flawless, he has a 100% money-back guarantee.
Dracksil has started selling to a new type of customer. They are dictators, warlords; species having trouble conquering galaxies or controlling populations. However, for these clients, Dracksil’s ideas keep falling apart.
There’s something that unites these failing ideas. A name, screamed and whispered angrily among the rants of Dracksil’s new clientele: the Doctor, the Doctor, the Doctor…
2020: Free Speech by Eugenie Pusenjak (Tenth Doctor)
On Skaz, speaking costs money.
Aymius Todd is trapped in a police interrogation. They want to know about his links to the Garrulous Liberation, and his encounter with a man called the Doctor. But, Aymius is running out of words, and if he can’t afford to finish his story, then he’ll never be able to speak again.
2021: The Lichyrwick Abomination by Joe Vevers (Ninth Doctor)
Every night, a creature stalks the streets of Lichyrwick. Everyone in town knows that catching sight of it is a death sentence, and no one knows this better than Malcolm. Yet, he won’t be able to hide away much longer. The Doctor’s in town, and it’s time Malcolm finally faced the Lichyrwick Abomination.
Even if it kills him.
2022: The World Tree by Nick Slawicz (Eleventh Doctor)
Nora Wicker is forgetful. Not big things – not yet, anyway. She remembers her address and where the shops are. She remembers people when they come to visit, no matter how rare that is.
But she doesn’t remember where the bush with the red leaves in her garden came from – and she definitely doesn’t remember asking for a house call from the Eleventh Doctor.
2023: The Hoxteth Time Capsule by Paul Davis (Sixth Doctor)
George White experienced exciting, sometimes dangerous escapades throughout his professional and personal life. Now he loves to arrange public talks to share memories and pictures from his adventures around the world. At an event in Hoxteth, he meets a colourful stranger for the very first time.
But if George can’t recall ever meeting this man before, how can it be that the Sixth Doctor clearly appears in so many of the photographs that George took more than a decade ago?
2024: War Stories by Patrick Ross (Twelfth Doctor)
The Intergalactic Fringe Festival spans a whole planet. Its programme offers millions of shows, so the Doctor and Bill can choose anything from anti-grav acrobats to the quantum cabaret.
But the Doctor is alarmed when he attends a play about the Time War. It’s not just that it tells his personal history – its performance could unravel the universe.
2025: The Wednesday that Wasn’t by Luke Hollands (Thirteenth Doctor)
The Galactic Lost Property Office is where the universe stores what it has misplaced. But instead of a scarf from Trenzalore or an umbrella from Peladon, someone has handed in a Wednesday. A whole missing day.
The Doctor says she was keeping it safe before someone wished it away. Now it’s loose and dangerous – with a treacherous crowd who claim ownership ahead of her in the queue.
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John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.
He’s the writer of comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.
Categories: Audio, Digital Media, Doctor Who, downthetubes News, Other Worlds, Science Fiction, Television
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