In the run-up to her onscreen return in Doctor Who, Ace will again encounter Torchwood‘s Mr Colchester. 

Former Doctor Who companion Ace is enjoying a multi-media resurgence. While Sophie Aldred has been reprising her character for Big Finish audio dramas since 2000. a line in The Sarah Jane Adventures set up a whole future for Ace as head of a foundation called “A Charitable Earth”.

It’s this more mature version character who seems to have legs. Since that onscreen mention in 2010, she’s appeared on audio, we’ve glimpsed her in a Blu-Ray promo and she’s even branched out into prose; she appears in At Childhood’s End, a novel written by actress Sophie Aldred and also featuring the Thirteenth Doctor, released in 2020.

Of course, it’s also this version of Ace who’s set to appear in the upcoming Doctor Who BBC Centenary Special too, where Jodie Whittaker will take her final bow.

Torchwood

Like Martha and Jo before her, or should that be after, Ace has also made the jump to Torchwood. In 2021, she starred in ‘The Red List’ – reluctantly teaming up with Paul Clayton’s Mr Colchester. Now the mismatched pair are to be reunited for ‘Death in Venice’.

Here’s the synopsis:

Dorothy McShane once travelled with the Doctor. She misses those days. Sure, she still saves the world, but less by beating up Daleks and catapulting Cybermen and more through running a massively successful charity.

Only, she’s on the run for her life and her charity is in trouble. Someone wants Dorothy dead. And Torchwood are coming to the rescue. Can Mr Colchester keep her safe on the magical streets of Venice?

Of her Torchwood return, Sophie Aldred says:

“You cannot imagine just how much fun it is to be returning not only to  the best job of my life at Doctor Who, but also to branch out once more into Torchwood with the incomparable Paul Clayton. I could quite happily listen to him all day… wait, there, I did! Lucky me.” 

He co-star Paul Clayton adds:

“To find that Mr Colchester was going to have more adventures teamed with Ace was absolutely magical. Sophie is just the most gorgeous actress to work with and there’s a beautiful, simple truth about her work. In the space of barely two stories Colchester and Ace have created a magical chemistry. It’s a joy to be part of.”

Torchwood: Death in Venice by James Goss is released on CD and download in September 2022. It’s available to pre-order now from Big Finish.