UNIT: Assembled

Big Finish has announced details on a new UNIT story featuring Neve McIntosh and some of the classic UNIT characters.

As first exclusively revealed in this month's Doctor Who Magazine, Big Finish have some very special news indeed about the fourth set of UNIT - The New Series...

New and classic eras of UNIT will come together in Big Finish’s four-disc audio drama UNIT: Assembled, which is released in May 2017. The ongoing series, which tells the further adventures of Kate Stewart (Jemma Redgrave) and Osgood (Ingrid Oliver) gains three special recruits for the box set - Jo Jones (Katy Manning), John Benton (John Levene) and Mike Yates (Richard Franklin).

‘We went into our UNIT audio dramas with the aim of keeping them centred on the new series era of the organisation,’ says producer David Richardson. ‘But after two years of releases, the time has come to look fondly to the past… and when an old enemy threatens the world, Kate Stewart needs the help of her father’s colleagues.’

The old enemy in question is the Silurian race, here represented in their new series form and played by Richard Hope and Neve McIntosh (who worked together as Silurians in The Hungry Earth and Cold Blood).

‘A hibernating population of reptiles has awoken,’ David reveals, ‘and their leader Jastrok has a very different plan for getting the world back and ridding it of the pesky apes.’

One episode in the box set also centres on the Sea Devils, as Jo Jones must try and fill the shoes of her Doctor in order to save the world. Nicholas Briggs, the voice of the Daleks, plays the Sea Devil leader Krellix.

‘I’m so thrilled by this box set,’ says David. ‘It’s a great big story but full of heart and loving references to the past - little Easter Eggs that will delight everyone who has seen the era of the Third Doctor. And it was wonderful to have such legends as Katy, John and Richard with us at the recording, acting together in those roles for the first time since 1974. For everyone involved, this was very special indeed.’

UNIT: Assembled is written by Matt Fitton and Guy Adams, and directed by Ken Bentley. A fifth disc in the box set features behind the scenes interviews with the cast and crew. The cover (revealed today) is by Tom Webster.

The set is currently at a pre-order price of £20 for either Download or CD, or can be bought as part of a UNIT - The New Series bundle which collects together the four UNIT - The New Series sets for £80 on CD or Download.

UNIT: Silenced Synopsis

Big Finish has released details on the third story in their UNIT: The New Series range. Silenced is written by Matt Fitton and John Dorney and is directed by Ken Bentley. It will be released in November priced US$29.13 for a CD and $20 for digital.

Kate Stewart faces a forgotten invasion in Big Finish' upcoming New Series box-set. Silence Will Rise!

This Autumn, the Earth will once again come under threat from the arch-enemies of the Eleventh Doctor, the Silence. These alien parasites have been trapped on Earth since the events of The Impossible Astronaut/Day of the Moon, but Big Finish's new box-set will see them breaking through the Time Lord's trap, leaving the world defenceless!

Commanding the defence against the extraterrestrial invaders is Kate Stewart (Jemma Redgrave), the daughter of legendary UNIT leader Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart. Kate will once again be supported by her loyal technical advisor Petronella Osgood (Ingrid Oliver) and heroic UNIT Captain Josh Carter (James Joyce).

Reinforcing the UK team is international troubleshooter Lieutenant Sam Bishop (Warren Brown). Returning to duty after the apocalyptic events of UNIT: Extinction is Colonel Shindi (Ramon Tikaram), whose battle against the Autons has taken a heavy toll.

Together, the UNIT team will have to take on the resurgent threat of the Silence, now voiced by master-of-monsters and Big Finish Executive Producer Nicholas Briggs.

Keeping a close eye on both sides of the conflict is journalist Jacqui McGee (Tracy Wiles), desperate to uncover UNIT's activities to the public after her encounter with the Nestene Consciousness. But Jacqui's investigation uncovers a far greater conspiracy...

Second Season of UNIT Stories Announced

Big Finish has released details on the second season of UNIT audio adventures, titled UNIT: Shutdown. The box set will be released in May for US$28.68 for CD and $20 for digital. Read the synopsis below.

Kate Stewart and her UNIT team investigate and confront alien attacks on the planet Earth in the new 5 disc boxset.

2.1 Power Cell by Matt Fitton
On the trail of missing alien technology, Kate Stewart encounters the ambitious Felicity Lyme. Who are Cerberus – and what are they doing in the London Docklands?

2.2 Death in Geneva by Andrew Smith
With Tengobushi assassins on their tail, Kate and Osgood retreat to UNIT Command in Geneva. High in the mountains, Captain Josh Carter comes face to face with the enemy...

2.3 The Battle of the Tower by Andrew Smith
As London sleeps, an alien horde rises from the shadows. The Tower has been infiltrated – and UNIT must hold the line. At any cost. Lock and load...

2.4 Ice Station Alpha by Matt Fitton
Caught between human greed and an unstoppable alien power, Kate Stewart leads her forces on one last mission to the Antarctic. It's UNIT against the world....

UNIT: The New Series Cast Revealed

Big Finish has announced the rest of the cast members in their upcoming range about the Unified Intelligence Taskforce. In addition to the already announced Jemma Redgrave, Ingrid Oliver will be reprising her role from the television series as Osgood. Joining them will be Warren Brown (Captain Webb, X Company) as UNIT troubleshooter Lieutenant Sam Bishop, Ramon Tikaram (Game of Thrones, Jupiter Ascending) as Colonel Shindi, and James Joyce (Downtown Abbey, The Musketeers) as loose cannon Captain Josh Carter. Producer David Richardson commented,

We're so happy to have Kate and Osgood joining us at Big Finish. This team has been so captivating to watch on TV, and we're looking forward to throwing some deadly challenges in their paths in these kinetic new episodes.

We've worked with Warren several times before, and even though he's one of the busiest leading men around, he's said he'll be there for Big Finish. So we've created a principle role in UNIT especially for him, and he'll be an essential member of the global team.

Ramon also is busy on so many great things, but we've tempted him to the ranks of UNIT! He's a lovely man to have around, and an extraordinary actor.

James has done so much brilliant audio work for us, he's earned his place in UNIT!

UNIT - Extinction

Big Finish has announced a new audio range featuring the adventures of Kate Stewart and her team at UNIT. The series will be released in November for US$30.35 for CD and $20 for digital.

Big Finish is delighted to announce that Kate Stewart and her UNIT team from the Doctor Who TV series will be starring in a brand new series of audio dramas, in a licensing deal with BBC Worldwide.

Kate is the daughter of Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, and Head of Scientific Research at the Unified Intelligence Taskforce, which investigates and confronts alien attacks on the planet Earth. The role is portrayed by Jemma Redgrave (Dracula, Frankie, Cold Blood) who has appeared opposite Matt Smith and Peter Capaldi on television, and returns for the audio series.

“We’re thrilled that Jemma is on board for our brand new UNIT adventures,” says series producer David Richardson, “and we feel privileged to work within the universe of New Series Doctor Who for the first time. UNIT: Extinction will showcase all the excitement, drama and wit that viewers of Doctor Who love.”

“Having worked with the greatly missed Nicholas Courtney and his magnificent portrayal of the Brigadier since the early days of Big Finish, it is wonderful to see the return of UNIT under the Brig’s daughter,” says executive producer Jason Haigh-Ellery. “We are all very excited about bringing UNIT back to Big Finish with the next generation and look forward immensely to working with Jemma again, who appears in this month’s Doctor Who main range release Doctor Who - Mistfall.”

“I’m really excited to hear Jemma and her team battling to save the Earth,” says executive producer Nick Briggs. “They’ve been such an important part of the many exciting things to come out of the Doctor Who TV series in recent years.”

Additional cast members for the first box set, UNIT: Extinction, will be revealed later. This first box set release comprises four hours of adventure, in which Kate and her team confront an alien invasion by the Nestene Consciousness and its army of plastic Autons.

UNIT: Extinction will be released in November 2015, and is available for specially-priced pre-order, with all pre-orders getting a copy of Nicholas Courtney's memoirs A Soldier in Time as a free download as Supplementary content in Big Finish accounts.

Three additional box sets will be available at six monthly intervals, with all four available for a Bundled pre-order. For many more details, watch this space in coming months.