A new Doctor Who audio spin-off has been announced starring Indira Varma and Jason Watkins.
Big Finish’s Torchwood: Bad Connection will see Varma return to her Torchwood role of Suzie Costello, as a call she places to a phone box is picked up by a fussy librarian called Emlyn Crook (Watkins).
She rings “to warn Emlyn of a dangerous creature stalking the streets”, though the synopsis teases whether he can trust her.
“He’ll have to if he wants to survive the night,” the synopsis adds.
Varma, who played The Duchess on Doctor Who earlier this year, said: “I like Suzie. She’s a loner and she’s trying to reach out to people, but she’s so abrasive that nobody wants her. But there’s nuance in there – it’s fun to show the light and the dark, when there’s more layers to a character.”
Watkins added: “Emlyn’s a librarian. Who doesn’t want to play a librarian? It’s quite touching between them, because he comes under the influence of Suzie and is led by her. They’re two sides of the same coin, and maybe that’s why they bounce off each other so well, but along the way, they’re both heroic.”
“Bad Connection is probably the most high-concept idea I’ve ever had,” writer Aaron Lamont said. “It started off as ‘The Mist in a phone box’ but perhaps it’s better described as ‘Alien in a phone box’, specifically the scene where Sigourney Weaver’s trapped in a cupboard with a big nasty monster looking in on her. And that’s probably all you need to know!”
Bad Connection is available now via CD or digital download.
The audio drama also stars Ulrika Butt, Alex Hewitt, Arthur Hughes, Rhys Jennings, Bharti Patel, Rameet Rauli and Matthew Woodyatt.
Torchwood: Bad Connection is available to buy via CD and download or digital download now via Big Finish. Doctor Who airs on BBC One in the UK and Disney+ elsewhere. Classic episodes of Doctor Who are available on BBC iPlayer in the UK.
