The BBC has extended Big Finish Productions’ contract, so we have more fresh audio adventures to enjoy until at least 31st March 2030!
The company’s first Doctor Who title came out in 1999, the Main Range kicking off with The Sirens of Time, then expanding exponentially to incorporate the first 12 Doctors, plus the War Doctor, a huge number of companions, and even spin-offs like Torchwood.
Big Finish has been doing this for so long, and its output has been so consistent, that we’ve almost forgotten that they actually have a contract with BBC Studios and that the plug could be pulled one of these days. Fortunately, that day has got further away, so we have nearly nine years of stories to experience — most likely even more than that, fingers crossed!
Jan Paterson, Director of Books and Audio at BBC Studios, said:
“Our partnership with Big Finish has been going for over 20 years. Over this time the team there has created the most extensive range of original Doctor Who audio dramas and readings, working with the original casts. This renewal of our long-term licence secures our partnership to allow Big Finish to create fantastic new adventures for the Doctors and their friends for many more years.”
Jason Haigh-Ellery, Big Finish Chairman and Co-Executive Producer, added:
“We are very grateful to the BBC for once again placing their faith in Big Finish and extending our license into another decade – this time up to 2030. This allows us to really plan ahead and create long term story lines and character development not just for the Doctors and the companions but also for new series and elements that we can’t talk about yet! We are excited about the next decade and the adventures we are going to create in the TARDIS for us all to enjoy together.”
Nicholas Briggs, Big Finish Creative Director and Co-Executive Producer, said:
“This rather lovely licence extension from the BBC for us to continue making Doctor Who audio drama until 2030 takes me past my official retirement date — although I have no plans to retire from anything. I look forward to working with Big Finish’s great creative team and our colleagues at BBC Studios for many years to come!”
Big Finish has produced CDs, vinyls, cassette tapes, and a new form of storytelling called “downloads” — no, we’ve never heard of it either, but they’re claiming it’s the future. Pfft, it’s cave paintings or nothing for me.
Seriously, though, this is fantastic news. Congratulations, Big Finish!
