On 29th September 1967 the arrival of The Prisoner, starring Patrick MacGoohan as the charismatic, angry anti-hero Number 6 marked a new, brilliant, surreal milestone in classic British cult TV - one still discussed, analysed and enjoyed today nearly 50 years on.

In January this year, Big Finish's first audio release of The Prisoner (starring Mark Elstob and written and directed by Big Finish Executive Producer Nicholas Briggs) was a critical hit. Says Nick:

‘I don’t think I’ve made any secret of the fact that our initial announcement of Big Finish producing The Prisoner received one of the most negative responses any announcement we’d made had ever received. People love The Prisoner and they didn’t want anyone mucking about with it. Totally understandable. Which is why it was so doubly fantastic for us when, upon release, the series received almost universal praise and great reviews. And as the months have passed, more and more Prisoner fans have told us of how they overcame their trepidation, gave our audio reimagining a go and ended up loving it. It feels like a thoroughly rewarding vindication of the risk we took, remaking such a well-loved classic on audio.'

To mark the 50th anniversary of the broadcast of the first episode of The Prisoner, the release of The Prisoner - Volume 2 is being moved to August 2017, letting us celebrate the anniversary in Big Finish style, as well as having the title on general release for the anniversary itself.

‘I’m working on the scripts now,’ says Nick, ‘and I’m really excited about this being a special, anniversary release. I’ve always promised the same mix of three adaptations and an entirely new episode, but things have slightly altered during the writing process. We’ll be releasing some story titles and details soon!'

If you've yet to hear any of Big Finish's celebrated take on The Prisoner, then the first episode from The Prisoner: Departure And Arrival in its entirety is available from today for free as a download.

The Prisoner - Volume 1 is available on Download (instantly unlocking a digital version and a stunning collection of download-only extra features) or as a CD set in luxurious hardback packaging with exclusive notes and photography. The Prisoner - Volume 2 can be pre-ordered now for £25 on CD, and £20 on Download. Watch this space for more updates in coming months.