Written by David Bartlett (Doctor Who - Subscriber Short Trips, The Integral for Doctor Who - The Companion Chronicles: The Second Doctor Volume 1), Across the Darkened City is the second story to be confirmed for June's Doctor Who - The Companion Chronicles: The First Doctor Volume 2 set, and was recorded last month with Peter Purves as Steven Taylor, and Helen Goldwyn not only directing but playing the fearsome, loathsome Chaons:

On the planet Shade, The Chaons, an invading race of strange, amorphous creatures that ravenously absorb energy, have reduced the city there to a desolate ruin. Separated from the Doctor and Vicki, Steven has to join forces with an unexpected ally to find his way back to the TARDIS. Ahead, lies a nightmare journey through the dark - a test of endurance and trust.

Range producer Ian Atkins comments, "In the busy run up to the end of the year, normal Companion Chronicles director Lisa Bowerman was sadly unavailable, but I was really lucky to have Helen Goldwyn step into her shoes and let us record just before Christmas. Across the Darkened City is a really good example of the Companion Chronicles format, putting a companion actor front and centre, and really letting us focus on the performance and a person's story."

"I've really loved the work that Peter Purves has done for the range and there's a lot of pressure to give him another script that delivers as much as - for example - Simon Guerrier's brilliant writing for Steven. David Bartlett's story works with a strong idea I'm surprised we've not done before, and is a tense, intimate power-play of a piece."

Doctor Who - The Companion Chronicles: The First Doctor Volume 2 is released in June on Download and CD and can currently be ordered for £15 and £20 respectively. Check out the Doctor Who - Companion Chronicles range here, and watch out for more news on June's set in coming weeks.