In 1950s London, there’s danger lurking under the surface that only one team can stop – Torchwood Soho return in a brand-new adventure set for release in October 2021
Big Finish have released the cover, full cast and episode descriptions for Torchwood Soho: Ashenden. The 1950 set Doctor Who spin-off continues to explore the earlier incarnation of Torchwood One. One before it relocated from Soho to the Docklands and where the denizens of Room 13 battle aliens and middle management alike. This new six episode boxset finds Samuel Barnett’s Norton Fulgate navigating strange goings-on in the commuter belt, alongside Sergeant Andy Davidson (Tom Price), Lizbeth Hayhoe (Dervla Kirwan) and Gideon Lyme (Joe Shire).
Joining them, the other inhabitants of Ashenden include Laura Riseborough (Cicero) as Miss Satterthwaite, Jacob Dudman (The Stranger) as Fotheringay, Rachel Atkins (The War Master) as Miss Pinkerton, Shvorne Marks (Endeavour) as Matron, Diveen Henry (Manhunt) as Amanda, Raj Ghatak (Ghosts) as Speaker, Daniel Brocklebank (Coronation Street) as Ornadel and Russell Bentley (Doctor Who: Nikolai Tesla’s Night of Terror) as Bowers.
Lethal picnics, murderous matrons, and sinister landladies
All six episodes come from the gently steaming keyboard of the prolific James Goss. “Ashenden is a saga about aliens and town planning,” he reveals. “We realise something’s happening across the bomb sites of London; we find out that Norton Folgate is being hunted down; and we’re led to the very strange new town of Ashenden which was once a radio research station until someone contacted alien life…
“Along the way Torchwood Soho go up against lethal picnics, murderous matrons, sinister landladies and a very 50s government notion of ‘How much is a life worth and what do we do with the ones that are below par?’ It’s a tribute to the alien paranoia movies of the period but it’s also a celebration of how a bunch of unusual outsiders really can save the day.”
“Sam and Tom are a delight”
Meanwhile Ashenden’s drector Scott Handcock praises the cast of regulars and guest actors assembled for the boxset. “It goes without saying that Sam and Tom are a delight – individually and together,” he says, “so the prospect of recording with them again was an instant thrill. Along with the fantastic Dervla and Joe reprising their roles from the first box set, we’re so, so lucky to have actors of that quality wanting to come back and record more – but even luckier that they’re genuinely lovely and fun to work with.
“The same goes for the guest cast. We’ve a lot of really great talent populating this world, all of whom just got what the tone of the box set is about. They’re all familiar Big Finish faces so you know you can throw almost anything at them and they’ll instinctively run with it. It was also enormous fun to reunite Sam with his Cicero-spouse Laura Riseborough, playing a character who couldn’t be further away from Terentia! It’s a really fun, bold, bonkers world.”
Torchwood Soho: Ashenden
Pimlico
Sergeant Andy finds himself chased through the ruins of London with only a dead woman for company.
O Little Town Of Ashenden
Ashenden was once a listening station. It’s become something far worse.
The National Health
Sergeant Andy must fight his way out of a hospital that offers care from the cradle to the grave.
Rivers Of Blood
Miss Satterthwaite always dreamed that the stars were listening to her, and now they’re changing her life forever.
Now Is The Time For All Good Men
Lizbeth Heyhoe is looking for help from those in power. But they are turning a deaf ear.
The Hour Of The Hollow Man
Some things in life cannot be escaped. Death, taxes, and a picnic on the beach.
Please note that Torchwood contains adult material and may not be suitable for younger listeners.
Torchwood Soho: Ashenden is available to pre-order as a collector’s edition CD at £19.99 or on download from the Big Finish website at £16.99. Big Finish listeners can also save more by ordering this tale with Torchwood Soho: Parasite as a bundle for £38 on CD and £33 on download.
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.
