Ace and Tegan have been plucked from their twenty-first century lives and stranded in 1860. But who is responsible, and why is River Song mixing in nineteenth century society too? 

Somebody is out to eliminate the three of them, as Ace and Tegan realise that this may not be their first meeting with River. Their lives are entangled, and to escape, somebody must pay the ultimate price... 

In her latest set of adventures, Professor River Song (Alex Kingston) is joined by two other tough time-travelling heroines – the Doctor’s former companions Ace (Sophie Aldred) and Tegan (Janet Fielding). 

When we saw them together in 2022 TV episode The Power of the Doctor, Ace and Tegan were already good friends. The story of how they came to know each other involves hauntings in Victorian London, a doomed spaceship, a planet where colonists are mysteriously resurrected, and throughout it all, a certain archaeologist from the future. 

The Death and Life of River Song: Ace and Tegan is now available for pre-order exclusively here, as a collector's edition four-CD box set (plus digital download) for £29.99, or as a digital download only for £22.99.   

The four exciting episodes in this box set are: 

Castaways by James Moran 

Adrift in the past, Ace and Tegan are looking into supposed hauntings on London’s new underground railway lines. But how and why are they there? Their memories are not what they were, and they are about to encounter River Song, perhaps not for the first time. One thing is certain – River knows more than she is telling! 

Driftwood by Roland Moore

Back in her TARDIS travels, Ace is cut off from the Doctor, on a stricken spaceship with sixty minutes to live. Something has invaded the vessel – something that travels along wires and can control its metal structure. 

As time runs out, Ace’s only hope may be a mysterious woman with a blaster and fantastic hair. 

Dead Rising by Roland Moore

With the Doctor and Turlough on ice, Tegan faces interrogation from the Pilot of Vrexel colony. Something is making the colonists drop down dead... 

Tegan claims she is just in the wrong place at the wrong time. But when River Song arrives and the dead start rising, Tegan’s problems get a whole lot worse... 

The End is the Beginning is the End by James Moran 

River, Ace and Tegan must stop Gregor Ganley from changing their past again, and again... and again. But he’s always one step ahead. And River’s new friends want to convince her that assassination is not always the best option. But first, they have the matter of imminent certain death to deal with... 

The box set’s guest cast includes Jonny Weldon (House of the Dragon) as the villainous scientist Gregor Ganley, as well as Kerrie Taylor (The Bay), Alan Cox (Young Sherlock Holmes), and Simon Kane (That Mitchell and Webb Look). 

The first and fourth episodes are written by James Moran, known for films including Severance and Cockneys vs Zombies, as well as the Doctor Who TV episode The Fires of Pompeii. Moran said: “I am beyond delighted and thrilled to be writing for these legendary characters (and actors) – Ace, Tegan and River, thrown into the same storyline by temporal shenanigans? What’s not to love about that? 

“Ace and Tegan set the standard for the modern companions to follow, there’s a direct line from them to River – so of course they’re going to get along like a house on fire. And then actually set it on fire, while they’re arguing about the best way to blow it up. No spoilers, but there’ll be ghosts, mayhem, bad manners, revelations, plots in the wrong order, floofy Victorian outfits, plenty of explosions, and a whole lot of mischief.” 

The other two episodes are written by Roland Moore, creator of the BBC TV series Land Girls. Moore said: “The opportunity to write adventures in which both Tegan and Ace meet River for the first time was a great privilege, though I had to resist the temptation of them just sparring for the running time! 

“I love Ace’s dynamism and heroism. In Driftwood, she is isolated from the Doctor and facing imminent death on a spaceship as it drifts into the atmosphere of a nearby planet. That ticking clock and the pressure of defeating an unusual monster gave me a lot to play with. 

“And writing for Tegan was delightful – she’s a brilliantly opinionated and straight-talking character. In Dead Rising, she has to work out why people are dying and being resurrected, and one of my favourite moments is her response to River saying ‘Spoilers’!” 

Big Finish listeners can also pre-order Ace and Tegan in a multibuy bundle with The Death and Life of River Song: Last Words, which was released in August 2024, and a third volume (Title TBC) due August 2025, for just £80 (collector’s edition CDs + downloads) or £66 (downloads only). 

All the above prices include the special pre-order discount and are subject to change after general release. Please note: the collector’s edition CD box set is strictly limited to 1,250 copies and will not be repressed. 

Please note that Big Finish is currently operating a digital-first release schedule. The mail-out of collector’s edition CDs may be delayed due to factors beyond our control, but all purchases of this release unlock a digital copy that can be immediately downloaded or played on the Big Finish app from the release date.