The Avengers is coming back with a series of audio adventures from Big Finish Productions based on the comic strips in TV Comic! In these new releases, John Steed will be reunited with Mrs Emma Peel and Ms Tara King in three boxsets of adventures created in association with STUDIOCANAL.
The iconic sixties series returns with audio adventures for the 21st century. This time Steed will be jumping between assistants Emma Peel and Tara King across three volumes, which will be released annually. The role of the legendary dapper spy John Steed (originally played by Patrick MacNee in the television series), will be reprised by Julian Wadham (The English Patient, The Iron Lady, Outlander) who has played the role in all 35 of The Avengers episodes produced by Big Finish Productions.
Olivia Poulet (Back, In the Loop, The Thick of It, Sherlock) reprises her role as Mrs Emma Peel (the role originally played by Dame Diana Rigg in the television series) for Big Finish’s The Avengers Comic Strip Adaptations. Emily Woodward (Heroes and Villains, The Lock-In, Doctors) re-joins the cast as Tara King (originally played by Linda Thorson), reprising the role from this year’s release The Avengers: Too Many Targets. The stories, adapted for audio by John Dorney, Phil Mulryne, and writing duo Robert Khan and Tom Salinsky, are all based on comics featured in the UK-published weekly magazine, TV Comic!, released around the airing of the original TV show. Out for release in February 2019, The Avengers: Steed and Tara King Volume 1 sees John Steed and Tara King continuing their capers in four stories:
It’s a Wild Wild Wild West by John Dorney
Under the Weather by Phil Mulryne
Spycraft by Robert Khan and Tom Salinsky
…Now You Don’t by John Dorney
Following annually thereafter, Steed and Mrs Peel will be reunited in The Avengers: Steed and Mrs Peel Volume 3, out in 2020, and Steed and Tara King will continue in a second volume, The Avengers: Steed and Tara King Volume 2, out in 2021.
The new Tara King, Emily Woodward, spoke about returning to the role:
“I’m very excited to be returning to the role of Tara King for a full series. She’s a lot of fun to play and we certainly had a lot of fun recording it. I’m very proud to be a part of The Avengers and of Big Finish.”
Producer David Richardson adds:
“There’s nothing quite like The Avengers at Big Finish. It’s just such vibrant and colourful fun – both in the finished productions and behind-the-scenes. The laughter we have in studio translates into a brilliant energy in the episodes, and our writers have excelled themselves with the fantastic larger than life scripts.”
Script editor, John Dorney, explains more about these on-going adventures into the world of The Avengers:
“This batch of stories are as colourful and crazy as Avengerland gets! Cowboys at large in the New Forest, weather-controlling scientists, unusual coups and vengeful magicians all get a look in against Steed, Mrs Peel and Miss King (working under the ever watchful eye of Mother). If they’re even half as fun to listen to as they were to make, you’ll have a blast!”
