Expect multiple Doctors, familiar creatures and one or two surprises along the way as Big Finish returns to Peladon, a world with its own royal line, regularly visited by an assortment of alien species including a certain Time Lord. 

On 29 January 1972, the first episode of The Curse of Peladon aired on BBC television and viewers thrilled as the Third Doctor (Jon Pertwee) and his companion Jo Grant (Katy Manning) crash-landed on the medieval planet, into a world of political intrigue... and monsters.  

Now, half a century later, four new exciting full-cast audio dramas explore Peladon – member of the Galactic Federation – across multiple generations, with a different protagonist leading each of the stories. Once a world of intrigue and adventure, as the years pass industrial exploitation and deadly political games are taking their toll. It’s a huge tapestry – and one that will feature many familiar friends, foes and heroes. 

The stellar cast includes David Troughton – reprising the role he created on screen in 1972 – as King Peladon, Colin Baker and Paul McGann as the Sixth and Eighth Doctors respectively, Alex Kingston as River Song, Bonnie Langford as Melanie Bush, and Nicholas Briggs as the menacing, ssssssibilant Ice Warriors.  

Guest stars include Meera Syal as Arla (Peladon’s last great seamstress), Jason Watkins as Chancellor Barok, Liz White as Helais, Sara Powell as Queen Minaris, and Jane Goddard as Alpha Centauri, the hermaphrodite hexapod delegate from the Galactic Federation.  

Doctor Who – Peladon is now available to own as a collector’s edition 4-disc box set (on CD + download for just £24.99) or as a digital download only (for just £19.99), exclusively here. 

Journey to Peladon, member world of the Galactic Federation and home to intrigue and adventure. With each passing generation, the toll of industrial exploitation and deadly political games is taking its toll on the planet. Can the Doctor and his allies guide the course of history towards a hopeful future? Or is Peladon's fate in the lap of the gods? 

The four explosive stories in this box set are:  

The Ordeal of Peladon by Jonathan Barnes and Robert Valentine  

When King Peladon hears of a holy man with seemingly magical powers and the gift of foresight, he resolves to discover the truth of it for himself. But his quest to understand the shifting loyalties of his people is one from which he cannot return unchanged.  

The Poison of Peladon by Lizzie Hopley  

River Song has infiltrated the court of Queen Thalira in the guise of a high priestess. With rumours swirling that Peladon is on the brink of a republican uprising, River joins forces with her new best friend, Alpha Centauri, to get to the bottom of the mystery.  

The Death of Peladon by Mark Wright  

The Sixth Doctor and Mel arrive on Peladon to discover a world on the brink of environmental disaster. Civil war looms and a dark plot brews in the shadows of the court. Unless they can help avert catastrophe, there seems to be little hope left for one of the Doctor's favourite planets.  

The Truth of Peladon by Tim Foley  

Arla, last of Peladon’s great seamstresses, is commissioned to make a great cloak for the latest coronation. She’ll need a new assistant to complete her work in time, and one appears: the Eighth Doctor! Determined to show Arla the truth of Peladon, the delicate threads he's drawing together will change Peladon forever. 

Producer David Richardson said: “The Peladon box set is a party. We love an anniversary at Big Finish and Peladon seemed like something worth celebrating. It’s a really interesting story world and we got excited when looking at what we could do, where we could go, and the characters we could run with.” 

David Troughton, who plays the ruler of Peladon, said: “The script brings a lot of elements of who King Peladon was before to who he is as an older man – carrying on certain characteristics, his naivety, and wanting to be loved by everyone. It was a pleasure to do.” 

Colin Baker added: “The Doctor occasionally visits somewhere he’s been before, which always helps to drive the story forward. I do remember watching The Curse of Peladon, so it was nice to tie into that and to personify Mr Pertwee.” 

Alex Kingston, who returns as River Song in The Poison of Peladon, said: “It’s an unusual episode because it’s not immediately about killing aliens and it explores some of the elements from our world that can go very wrong. It’s lovely to be involved in a story where River gets to meet Alpha Centauri too.” 

Paul McGann stars in the final story in this box set. He added: “I love this script. We see a more serious side to the Doctor with Arla and get the heart of him. I’ve always wanted to work with Meera Syal and it was a privilege.” 

Doctor Who: Peladon is now available to own as a collector’s edition box set (on CD + download, at £24.99) or digital (download only, at £19.99), exclusively from the Big Finish website. 

All the above prices include the special pre-order discount and are subject to change after general release. 

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.