The Fifth Doctor (Peter Davison) today embarks on his biggest adventure yet, as the first part of the epic audio drama Hooklight is released. The Fifth Doctor Adventures: Hooklight 1 comprises episodes one to six of this epic twelve-episode tale. 

With his companions Tegan (Janet Fielding), Nyssa (Sarah Sutton) and Adric (Matthew Waterhouse), the Doctor finds himself trapped in a mysterious corner of the universe known as Morning. Here, the time travellers become split up from each other, and must make new friends in order to navigate this strange realm. 

These new friends include Dr Kessica Myles (voiced by Celia Imrie, known for Better Things, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, and Doctor Who: The Bells of St John) and the pilot and buccaneer Davlin Crux (Kieran Bew – House of the Dragon, Beowulf: Return to the Shieldlands, Doctor Who: Oxygen). 

But will their uneasy new alliances allow the heroes to survive the dangers of Morning – and the ancient foe on the rise? 

Doctor Who – The Fifth Doctor Adventures: Hooklight 1 is now available to buy for just £19.99 (download to own) or £24.99 (download to own + collector’s edition CD box set), exclusively here. Please note: the collector’s edition CD box set is strictly limited to 1,500 copies and will not be repressed. 

There is a light that must never be lit... 

When the TARDIS runs aground in the ancient realm of Morning, the Doctor learns that a powerful force has reemerged. A lamp filled with a mythical substance known as Hooklight has been discovered – and this could mean the end of everything. 

A great quest begins against the forces of chaos, encompassing many new friends and foes. Without their ship and without each other, the time travellers will be tested on their journey to the Dark Forge. And not everyone will survive... 

The guest cast of Hooklight 1 also includes Alan Cox, David Holt, Issy Van Randwyck, Theo Solomon, David Shaw-Parker, Ruby Crepin-Glyne, and Harriet Kershaw. 

Writer Tim Foley said: “Producer David Richardson came to me and said, ‘Let’s do a big twelve-part epic,’ and gave me free rein to come up with my own world – a big, vast universe in which we could put the Doctor and his companions and send them off on their journeys. 

“I got thinking about what kind of epics one would have seen in the 1980s; at the moment there’s a resurgence of the likes of Foundation and Dune, and the epic I was most drawn to was the BBC audio adaptation of The Lord of the Rings. So, I was digesting these stories but then trying to take it one step further and put things on a bigger scale.” 

Actor Sarah Sutton added: “It’s unusual to have something this long; twelve episodes in two separate chunks. It’s a true epic. It’s a bit like Lord of the Rings in space – there’s a quest and we all get split up and we’re all doing different things.” 

And, her co-star Matthew Waterhouse said: “This is a really enjoyable one to play – the scenes are fun, it’s exciting, there’s some nice humour. The Hooklight is really quite mysterious and strange. I like that combination of the science fiction story with the fantasy, gothic atmosphere, and the frightening bits. Elements of this are actually quite scary.” 

Big Finish listeners can save money by purchasing Hooklight 1 with Hooklight 2, which is due for release in May, as a multibuy bundle, for just £38 (download to own) or £47 (download to own + collector’s edition CD box sets). 

Both box sets can also be purchased as part of a bundle of all 15 Classic Doctor Who box sets released in 2025 from just £275 (download to own) or £335 (download to own + collector’s edition CD box set).  

All the above prices (including pre-order and multibuy bundle discounts) are fixed for a limited time only and guaranteed no later than 31 January 2025.

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.