Stephen Noonan and Lauren Cornelius are back as the First Doctor and Dodo in Doctor Who: The First Doctor Adventures: The Demon Song, a new Doctor Who box set of audio dramas from Big Finish next month, a release featuring smashing cover art by Christopher Naylor.

The Doctor and Dodo explore two very different time periods in the stories, both stories set on Earth: the first, “The Demon Song”, by Bob Ayres, his first for Big Finish, is set in modern-day Camden Town, the second, “The Incherton Incident” by Nicholas Briggs, in a post-war seaside town.

Both stories are directed by Nicholas Briggs.

The first stories featuring Stephen and Lauren as the Doctor and Dodo were released last April, as Doctor Who: The First Doctor Adventures: The Outlaws, “The Outlaws” by Lizbeth Myles set in 13th century Lincoln, “The Miniaturist”, by Lizzie Hople, set in a contemporary salt mine.

Across a successful career, character actor and former Royal Shakespeare Company member Stephen Noonan has also appeared in TV dramas such as Peak Practice, The Bill and London’s Burning, and played the title role in the 2004 television mini-series The Divine Michelangelo. He did his dramatic training at Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art, London.

In addition to several roles in various Big Finish dramas, Lauren Cornelius’ credits include playing Helena Fletcher in Martin Jameson’s First World Problems on BBC Radio 4 alongside Jeremy Swift and Maureen Beattie, and Hedvig in Christopher Hampton’s adaptation of The Wild Duck by Henrik Ibsen (alongside David Threlfall and Samuel West). New writing theatre work includes FXXK 18 by Matthew Roberts at the Centre17 in Walthamstow.

• Pre-order Doctor Who: The First Doctor Adventures: The Demon Song here from Big Finish

1.1 The Demon Song by Bob Ayres (Two Parts)

Managing to land the TARDIS in Dodo’s far flung future, the 2020s, the Doctor detects a haunting melody on the streets of Camden. People are going missing, and one of them is Dodo!

1.2 The Incherton Incident by Nicholas Briggs (Four Parts)

Something intercepts the TARDIS in space. Attempting to escape its grip, the Doctor inadvertently drags it through time to coastal England in 1947. As the nation recovers from World War Two, an alien force threatens total destruction.

• Pre-order Doctor Who: The First Doctor Adventures: The Demon Song here from Big Finish

• Big Finish: Stephen Noonan is the First Doctor!

John Freeman

The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.

He’s the writer of “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, Television

Tags: Big Finish, Bob Ayres, Christopher Naylor, Doctor Who, downthetubes News, Lauren Cornelius, Nicholas Briggs, Stephen Noonan