From space pilot to king – the 1966 Doctor Who TV story The Savages ended with Steven Taylor leaving the TARDIS to become ruler of a newly united planet. But his adventures didn’t end there. 

Peter Purves returns to the role of Steven in The First Doctor Adventures: The Living Darkness, a full-cast audio drama which sees the beloved companion, in his later years, trapped on a dangerous spaceship – and reunited with the Doctor. 

This is the first time that Steven has been paired with Big Finish’s recast First Doctor, played by Stephen Noonan. There’s another reunion in store too, as the adventure also stars Lauren Cornelius as the Doctor’s companion Dodo Chaplet. 

It’s been almost eighty years for Steven since he left the Doctor and Dodo, and the old friends have a lot to catch up on, as well as new danger to deal with. 

Doctor Who – The First Doctor Adventures: The Living Darkness is written by Jacqueline Rayner and is a six-part audio drama told over one three-disc box set. It is now available to pre-order for just £24.99 (collector’s edition CD box set + download) or £19.99 (download only), exclusively here. 

Steven Taylor thought he’d left a life of adventure behind when he said goodbye to the Doctor and forged his future as the leader of a world. But decades later, when a broken and grieving Steven awakes aboard a mysterious spacecraft, terror is close at hand. 

What is the purpose of the ship’s voyage and why has it collected a random group from different points in time and space? What sinister presence lurks within the darkness that smothers its corridors? And can Steven really trust the new arrival claiming to be the Doctor…? 

Also on the cast list of The First Doctor Adventures: The Living Darkness are Dido Miles as Arva, Laura Rollins as Umbriel, Jack Ayres as Qyz, Helen Phillips as Nanny, Daon Broni as Mish, and Trevor Littledale as Compuvac. 

Producer Mark Wright said: “What an honour to reunite Steven Taylor with the First Doctor in an adventure paying tribute to that rich era of 1960s Doctor Who. The Living Darkness is a terrific script from Jacqueline Rayner, full of suspense, terror and rich emotion. 

“Peter Purves is a true icon of not just Doctor Who but of British popular culture, and it was a joy to see Peter and our First Doctor, Stephen Noonan, working together so effortlessly. We also had a superb company of guest actors joining us for this epic story, adding to the warm and collaborative atmosphere that typifies the Big Finish green room.” 

Big Finish listeners can pre-order The Living Darkness along with 2025’s Second Doctor Adventures box set (title TBC) together in a bundle for just £47 (collector’s edition CD box set + download) or £38 (download only). 
 
The Living Darkness is also available to pre-order as part of a 15-release 2025 Classic Doctor bundle for just £335 (collector’s edition CD box set + download) or £275 (download only). 

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

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.