It’s been another busy year in the universe of Doctor Who audio drama..
Big Finish Productions have been producing officially licenced Doctor Who stories on audio since 1999 and cater for most eras of the show. From William Hartnell right up to Jodie Whittaker, the stories feature many of the series’ original cast, reprising their onscreen roles alongside some well-chosen recasts.
While it would be impossible to cover everything, we’ve reviewed a number of releases in 2025. In no particular order, here are our recommendations…
The Fifth Doctor Adventures: ‘Hooklight’
From writer Tim Foley, Hooklight is a 12-part, two box set epic, featuring the shows Season 18 line-up of Adric, Nyssa and Tegan.
Set in the realm of Morning, a realm where the normal rules of the universe don’t quite apply, it concerns a lamp that should never be lit.
Splitting out heroes across multiple time zones plays out, they encounter cryptic robots, cloned rulers and the mysterious sisters of the Dawn Bride with their Quantum Enchantments. Alongside the regulars, Celia Imrie also stars as Dr Kessica Myles, as does a familiar Whoniverse voice as the mysterious Oracle.
The Ninth Doctor Adventures – ‘The Last Days of the Powell Estate’
Timothy X Atack pens the second of the new Ninth Doctor and Rose series, which takes us to Rose’s South London Estate in the future.
With a futuristic podcaster documenting the creepy urban myth of Mr Fingers, the action plays out in both 2036 and 2006, as Jackie Tyler and her pal Brainly Betty assist the time travellers from the past.
The Fourth Doctor Adventures: ‘The Last Queen of the Nile’
Rounding out Tom Baker’s remarkable 14th series of audio adventures, this is a terrific pure historical tale, channelling the Golden Age of Hollywood. It’s the title story from a box set which also features a clever 2-part encounter with The Silence).
David K Barnes’ four-parter takes the Doctor, Leela and K9 back to the ancient world, they become embroiled in the fate of Mark Anthony and Cleopatra as the wheels of fate inexorably turn. As K9 becomes an oracle, and Leela the Queen’s protector, the Doctor fights to keep history on track.
Doctor Who: The Lost Stories: ‘Genesis of the Cybermen’
Drawing on Cyber creator Gerry Davis’ outline, first published in the 80s, David K Barnes creates a 4-part tale for the doomed denizens of Mondas.
It’s a dark tale with a time jump, as the Season 19 team struggle against the inevitable progress of technology.
The Thirteenth Doctor Adventures: ‘Vampire Weekend’
Opening up a new era, the debut story for Jodie Whittaker and Mandip Gill on audio reunites the pair at a Hen do, in a Tim Foley script.
Slasher shenanigans ensure and it’s a great reintroduction to this dynamic duo with Yaz finally getting plenty to do as a solo companion.
Dark Gallifrey: Missy
In the wider Whoniverse, the Time Lord villains series Dark Gallifrey has provided two more trilogies of tales. Our pick is Missy, which trapped Michelle Gomez’s mistress of mayhem on a steampunk-inspired backwater planet where her technology does not work.
Writer Rochana Patel plots a tricksy temporal tale which casts Missy in a (sort of) heroic role despite her best intentions. Naturally, she remains an unpredictable and deadly operator, with plenty of opportunity for Gomez to do what she does best. There’s also an appearance from Sylvester McCoy’s Seventh Doctor too.
Further favourites…
Also, on our list of favourites for the year is ‘The Dying Breed’. Tim Foley’s 4th Doctor, Leela and K9 story which expands the history of the canine Lupari from 2021’s Flux.
It came as part of the Classic Doctors New Monsters 5: Faithful Friends box set.
Plus, there’s the impressively creepy ‘The Legend of Baba Yaga’ by Rochana Patel, from The Fugitive Doctor Adventures: Most Wanted.
It stars Jo Martin’s Doctor in a tale of Slavic folklore and contains a terrific performance from Jacqueline King.
A Special mention from the world of audio books…
From writer Paul Morris, The Lord of Misrule features the 4th Doctor and Romana I. They star alongside those redoubtable Victorian investigators of the infernal, Henry Gordon Jago and Professor George Litefoot. Together, the foursome are embroiled in a plot across two times, which begins with a haunted carriage…
We described it as “part gothic mystery, part Jane Austen with a side order of folk horror, part science fiction.” Jon Culshaw narrates, and the story sits as a fitting tribute to all those wonderful Jago and Lifefoot tales.
Of course, there’s been plenty more to listen to across the year. Tell us your favourites…