Power of 3

New Target novelisations are out! Hurrah! We start our look at these new paperbacks with a look at the Ninth Doctor novelisation of Aliens of London. We speak to writer Joseph Lidster, editor Steve Cole, and feature an excerpt from the audiobook release. The paperback and audiobook are out now!

We speak to the writers of two of the latest BBC Audiobooks releases in our latest episode. We're joined by John Peel - the writer of the first original licensed piece of Doctor Who fiction, about The Mind Trap, and newcomer Paul Hayes, about his adventure, Star Flight. And we've got two five minute samples, courtesy of our friends at BBC Audiobooks.

"Physician, heal thyself..." "It's the end, but the moment has been prepared for..." "I don't want to go..." "Carrot juice, carrot juice, carrot juice..." The last one of these, is not the most appropriate final words for any incarnation of the Doctor, and in today's book club, we look at the final Sixth Doctor adventure, in print form. Gary Russell joins us to discuss this novel, and its ending, and the factors that made it darker than he planned it to be. We feature our usual readings, the DWM review at the DWM, and contemporary thoughts from Goodreads.

The Doctor Who missing episode count has dropped to 95, thanks to the generous donation of The Daleks' Master Plan parts one and three, from the estate of a deceased film collector. These were returned to the BBC by Film is Fabulous! But do The Nightmare Begins and Devil's Planet live up to the hype and expectations? Can Douglas Camfield's work be as good as we hoped? Kenny, Dave, John and Steevie discuss, and are joined by a group of friends who offer their insights. Remember, you can support Film Is Fabulous! here - https://filmisfabulous.org.uk/

The Fifth Doctor, Tegan, Turlough and Kamelion feature in today's book club release, The Crystal Bucephalus. Kenny and guest co-conspirator Si Hart discuss Craig Hinton's first Doctor Who novel, from the Virgin Missing Adventures range. We feature two archive interviews with Craig, which are read for us, plus we're delighted to be joined by Craig's old friend and colleague Peter Anghelides, who shares his memories of the writer.

We're all excited - Sophie Aldred is coming to Scotland in a couple of weeks. Sophie's headlining An Ace Afternoon, which is taking place in Dunfermline - the home town of Ncuti Gatwa! She joins us to talk about her love of Scotland and memories of visiting, plus event organiser Chris Cassell and master of monster making Stephen Mansfield talk about what to expect. Ever wanted to meet Fifi or see a Haemovore up close? This is your chance! Get your tickets at: https://www.onfife.com/event/sci-fife-an-ace-afternoon-with-sophie-aldred-22801a/

The Fifteenth Doctor's latest original adventure is The Moon Cruise. It's a fun adventure set on a spaceship, which has a VERY dark secret, and possibly goes to areas you may not expect a new series adventure to go to. We feature a brief conversation with editor Steve Cole, and an extract from the BBC Audiobooks release, which is available now. The Moon Cruise is available as a hardback, and also as an eBook.

The Fourth Doctor and Leela are front and centre in today's episode, as we returned to Chris 'the Bouch' Boucher's Doctor Who novels. The Irredeemable Shag leaves the Fire and Water Podcast Network as he joins Kenny again, as the look at the third of the Bouch's books. We feature the full interview that DWM's David Darlington carried out with the late author for his preview of the book, with huge thanks to Davy for his help. Plus, we feature the usual couple of readings from the novel too.

BBC Audio has returned in 2026, with a busy start to the year so far. With original audio adventures, soundtrack releases, Target novelisations and more, there's a feast for your ears. We speak to Michael Stevens about what's coming in the first half of the year - and teases what might be ahead later in 2026!

Given that many Doctor Who fans are working their way through their Doctor Who - The Collection: Season 21 blu-rays, we thought we'd have another book tie-in to the release. The Scale of Injustice, by Gary Russell, introduced concepts such as the Silurian Triad with Icthar, Silurian battle cruisers and the Myrka, into Doctor Who, before Season 21. We find out why Liz Shaw left UNIT, and how Mike Yates was promoted to captain - plus some events in the life of young Kate "Tiger" Lethbridge-Stewart!

We bring you a bonus episode on the creation of the new content for Doctor Who - The Collection: Season 21. We're delighted to be joined by the brilliant broadcaster that is Dr Matthew Sweet, as we interview him about interviewing and interviewees. It's rather meta, isn't it...?

With Season 21 now out on blu-ray, we take a look at another Doctor Who story that never was. Today, our team of fantastic readers bring us The SCI, a four-part story by William Emms. This was proposed by the writer of Galaxy 4 for Season 21, but was never developed - we bring you another lost story, courtesy of Richard Bignell.

It's a new Doctor Who - The Collection blu-ray release week, and, as ever, we've tied today's book club into it. Today, we're looked at an adventure set during Season 21, and we speak to author Christopher Bulis about Imperial Moon. It starts in a Scottish glen, with the Emperor Queen - and continues on the moon with the Fifth Doctor, Turlough and Kamelion.

A day later than planned (we had to mark the return of missing episodes!), we bring you the second part of our preview of the Doctor Who - The Collection: Season 21. We're delighted to speak to Paul Scoones about writing (and re-writing!) the subtitles for five of the stories in this season, we learn about the new special effects on Warriors of the Deep with Chris Thompson, and finally, the brilliant Chris Chapman returns to discuss his involvement in three special features across the discs. Phew! It's been a busy week - we hope you enjoy!

It's happened at long last - more missing episodes have been returned to the BBC! Episodes one and three of The Daleks' Master Plan are back in the archives, after being found in the estate of a private film collector. Join us as we share our excitement. And you can find out more about the work of Film is Fabulous at their website - https://filmisfabulous.org.uk/

We're just days away from the 1980s being complete on Blu-ray as part of Doctor Who - The Collection. To celebrate, we're looking at how some of the new content has been brought together, as well as restorations of the episodes themselves. In this episode, we speak to the hero that is Mark Ayres, on his work to restore and remaster the audio, PDF king Richard Bignell shares some of the highlights of his researches for the ongoing production archive, while Derek Handley talks us through the photographic galleries. Part two of this preview will arrive later this week.

We're heading into UFO territory, as Doctor Who meets The X Files! Today's book club looks at David A McIntee's First Frontier, a novel which has become known for its shock twist in the years which have followed - the return and regeneration of the Anthony Ainley incarnation of the Master! We feature some archive interviews with the author, which have been read for us by Dr John Bollan, plus the usual reviews and reactions.

We love our Doctor Who animations at the Power of 3. So, we're turning the clock back to 2013, when The Ice Warriors was completed, thanks to the power of animation from Qurios Animation. We speak to the team behind it, Chris Chapman and Niel Bushnell, about their work on it. And Kenny and Dr John discuss their love of the adventure.

Doctor Who goes strange... stranger than ever! Today, we're looking at Simon Messingham's sole entry into the canon of the New Adventures, Strange England. Simon joins us for a discussion on writing the book. As ever, we feature the Doctor Who Magazine prelude and a couple of readings from later in the novel.

The Power of 3 reaches its 500th episode - woohoo! For a podcast that started in 2019, we've done not too badly, with our mix of regular co-conspirators, including Tom Harris, David Steel, Kenny Smith, Dr John Bollan and Steevie Day, plus lots of semi-regulars too. To mark episode 500, we've decided to take a look at an unmade Doctor Who story you've possibly never heard of, featuring the Fifth Doctor, Tegan and Turlough, for a story suggested for Season 21. We've brought it to life with guest readers Craig Brawley, James Hadwen-Bennett, Peter Watson and Ken Moss, plus music from Peter Howell. Thanks for sticking with us for the journey - and we've got some great exclusives lined up for the next 100 episodes! (Episode title graphic: Will Brooks)

Remember the good old days, when one of the first features you'd turn to in Doctor Who Magazine was The Time Team? Oh yes, that group of four fans, Jac Rayner, Peter Ware, Richard Bignell and Clayton Hickman, who went through ever episode of classic Who, and sharing their thoughts on them (plus the Dalek movies too). Those features were accompanied by Adrian Salmon's unique artwork, and now, those illustrations have been compiled - along with a host of new images - into a new book, The Time Team Unearthed. We're joined by designer Will Brooks, to discuss the publication, and how it's been brought to life. Plus, Will also shared details about the next book in the Go Figure series, looking at obscure American sci-fi show Star Trek. Order The Time Team Unearthed here - https://www.cutawaycomics.co.uk/publications/the-time-team-unearthed

Terrance Dicks returns to the New Adventures for his second novel featuring the Seventh Doctor, in Blood Harvest. Courtesy of archival interviews with Doctor Who Magazine, and Terrance's biographer Simon Guerrier, and read by Nev Fountain, we bring you the Doctor Who legend's thoughts on his work set in prohibition America. Kenny is joined by James Hadwen-Bennett to discuss this book, which also features James reading the DWM Prelude, plus two extracts from the novel.

We heartily encourage you to sing this episode's title to Ian Levine's seminal classic Doctor In Distress, so here's the first two lines for you... Doctor on Display - Let's All Go To The USA! We're joined today by Keith Barnfather from Reeltime Pictures, plus Brandon Peters, to discuss how the latest Doctor on Display release came about. They reveal details about the big truck that left the UK, and featured in Doctor Who Monthly - but few of us know much more about what happened after that. It's time to tell that story! You can order this release from https://timetraveltv.com/programme/614

Putting the Doctor and Sherlock Holmes together? An elementary idea! Join us as Andy Lane returns to the Power of 3, to talk about two of his favourite fictional heroes, and putting them together in one adventure - All-Consuming Fire. We also have a brief chat with cover artist Jeff Cummins, and feature an excerpt from the audio adaption too. Plus, we have the DWM prelude and a reading from the novel.

It's not often that a friend of yours becomes the producer of Doctor Who... but that's exactly what happened with Derek Ritchie. From his days in the Glasgow Doctor Who group, to overseeing episodes of Peter Capaldi's Doctor, working on Class, Wizards vs Aliens, working with Idris Elba, and a host of other shows, Derek Ritchie joins us on the Power of 3. And stand by for some fantastic new facts!

Who would have thought that Theatre of War would have had such an impact on the Whoniverse? It's famous for introducing Irving Braxiatel, the Doctor's REDACTED, who would go on to appear in Gallifrey, Bernice Summerfield and a host of other audio ranges from Big Finish, as well as original novels. We have interviews with writer Justin Richards, his son Julian, cover artist Jeff Cummins, and audio adaptation cover artist Will Brooks, plus our usual readings and reactions from readers, then and now.

Hot off the presses, the latest publication from Obverse Books's Black Archive series has been released this week. Philip Purser-Hallard takes a look at Paul Erikson and Lesley Scott's The Ark, and how the First Doctor, Steven and Dodo fare when they encounter the future of humanity - and the Monoids. Is it a story of benevolent masters and slaves who turn on them? Join us as we find out more. Order your copy at https://obversebooks.co.uk/product/81-the-ark/

The Power of 3 Book Club returns to the New Adventures for the new few weeks. We return to the Seventh Doctor, Ace and Bernice, and a trip to Peladon with the return of some familiar faces - The Ice Warriors. Gary Russell talks to us about his first novel, and we feature readings of the DWM prelude and an excerpt from the novel.

Hypothetical situation - the faces of four people involved with Doctor Who are to be carved onto a mountain, like Mount Rushmore. So, we asked our team which four faces they would choose - everyone is eligible, whether in front of the camera or behind it. We've got a surprising range of replies from Kenny, Steevie and John (plus Dave pops in via the Space-Time Telegraph). Who would you choose? Let us know!

Under the microscope today is a novel by the godfather of Doctor Who fiction, Mr Terrance Dicks. Today, Catastrophea, his Third Doctor and Jo Past Doctor Adventure for BBC Books, is examined. We're delighted to feature never before seen (or in this case heard!) material from Terrance's archive, courtesy of his widow Elsa and biographer Simon Guerrier. Editor Steve Cole drops by too, to reveal how this novel was commissioned.

Our new irregular series speaking to the Scots who've made Doctor Who on TV continues. We're today joined by Saul Metzstein, who directed five of Matt Smith's stories in Series 7, as well as three of the shorts. Plus, he talks about directing hit TV show Slow Horses.

The Second Doctor, Jamie and Zoe find themselves in a dead end town on an alien world, in Colony of Lies. Author Colin Brake returns to join us once more, as we take a look at his BBC Past Doctor Adventures novel. Plus, we reveals where Dimensions in Time stands in EastEnders canon, and teases what he may have done if he had taken the script editor's job in Doctor Who if Series 27 had gone ahead!

You may not have realised this, but the Power of 3 is a Doctor Who podcast based in Scotland. We're kicking off an irregular series discussing the show with the Scots who have worked on it, with a conversation with concept artist Peter Mckinstry. Peter's book, The Art of Time Travel, has recently been released, and in his only podcast interview, he joins us here on the Power of 3 to discuss his work on the TV show, from Series Two through to Series Five. Peter also tells us how his fant-art-stic book came about. Plus, Steve Cole pops by to tell us about his work on the book too.

What's that you say, child? You need to know about Damnation, erm, Salvation? Well, my boy, it's a good job the Power of Four podcast is here, is it not? They're bringing you a look at the creation of this book featuring myself, with the editor Stephen Cole, and that charming young man who wrote it, young Steve Lyons. Now, off you go and listen to it on your musical boxes or vinyls playing device. Go on, shoo, shoo!

As the nights are cold and dark, what could be a better time to listen to a story set in a spooky old house at night? Craig and Kenny discuss Big Finish's masterpiece, erm, Master, from 2003. And they're joined by producer Gary Russell, writer Joe Lidster, actress Charlie Hayes, and you will obey him... Mr Geoffrey Beevers!

We're back with the Eleventh Doctor on his adventures with Amy and Rory. Today we put Extra Time under the microscope, as the Doctor and his friends battle to ensure England win the World Cup. (The Twelfth Doctor would not have helped here!) We have an exclusive interview with author Richard Dungworth, who kindly replied to some emailed questions, which we've had read out on his behalf by our friend James Hadwen-Bennett. Plus, we have two readings from the book.

So, 2025... that was an eventful one in Doctor Who terms, wasn't it? We lost a Doctor, apparently gained a new one, had a spin-off show to watch, a new Doctor arrived at Big Finish, missing episodes were rumoured to be returning, and a host of great merchandise was released. John, Kenny and Steevie go through some of these big Who news stories and discuss them. What was your Who highlight of 2025? Tell us on our social media!

It's our final episode of 2025 - and we end with the Tenth Doctor taking on an old foe. Today's book club sees us joined by writer David Llewelyn, as he discusses The Taking of Chelsea 426, an adventure set in the gap year, as the Doctor travelled solo after losing Donna. As well as hearing from David, we have two excerpts from the official audiobook, read by Christopher Ryan, plus reviews and ratings.

Merry Christmas, everybody! There may not be any new Doctor Who on TV this festive season, so we're turning back the clock to look at some of our festive favourites. Steevie and Kenny are joined by a plethora of pals, as they pick their favourite Doctor Who adventures set at Christmas.

Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without The Chimes of Midnight, if you ask any Big Finish fan. And Eighth Dcotor tale Chimes has been given a 2025 makeover in print form by author Robert Shearman, who's also novelised his Sixth Doctor plauy Jubilee, for BBC Books. We're joined by Rob and editor Steve Cole, for a festive treat.

The final Black Archive release from Obverse Books is now available - Mawdryn Undead. We speak to writer Kara Dennison about why she chose this often overlooked Fifth Doctor adventure to put under the microscope. You can order a copy here - https://obversebooks.co.uk/product/80-mawdryn-undead/ Plus, we reveal what's coming next year from Obverse as the Black Archive continues in 2026, its tenth year of publishing. Follow Kara on her blog - https://karadennison.blogspot.com/

Given how few full Doctor Who novels there are set at Christmas, we today speak to the writer of a very wintry book. Joining us from across the pond is Lloyd Rose, discussing her Seventh Doctor PDA The Algebra of Ice, which features Ace and the Brigadier. Please excuse the quality of the interview, as the conversation with Lloyd took place using a traditional phone line, which we've tried to clean up as best as we can. Please, we feature a pair of readings from the novel, as usual.

Today marks the final episode of The War Between the Land and the Sea. And to commemorate it, we look at the first performed Sea Devil story! We speak to producer Gary Russell and writer David Bailley about Big Finish adventure Professor Bernice Summerfield and the Poison Seas, and the difficulties of bringing Sea Devils to life on audio.

As we prepare for the final encounter between the Earth Reptiles and humanity in The War Between the Land and the Sea, we're heading back to Big Finish territory. We take a look at the making of Bloodtide, the 22nd Big Finish Doctor Who release, which pitted the Sixth Doctor and Evelyn Smythe against the Silurians - and a Myrka. Joining us to discuss it are writer Jonathan Morris, producer/director Gary Russell, actors Miles Richardson and Helen Goldwyn, plus musician and sound designer Alistair Lock.

We travel back to 2009 today, to talk about the plastic fantastic. We're joined by not just Character Options's Al Dewar but Dave Turbitt, who was at BBC Licensing at the time. They talk us through the creative process for David Tennant's final season as the Doctor.

Today, we met writer Al Ronald, who's recently had three releases from Big Finish. He's written a Paternoster Gang, for the Seventh Doctor and Ace, and also a Comedy Playhouse release. Oh, and he's Scottish...

We're celebrating a Doctor Who Christmas story from Big Finish today, with a Doctor whose TV reign was not as long as it should have been. No, we're not discussing THAT one, we're looking at Blood on Santa's Claw and Other Stories. We're joined by writer Nev Fountain.

If there's one item a Doctor Who fan needs every year, it's the annual! We speak to Paul Lang, the writer and designer of the Official Doctor Who Annual, about this year's publication. And he teases what's coming next year too!

We make a rare trip into Paul McGann territory today, for a look at the BBC Eighth Doctor Adventure Vanderdeken's Children. Christopher Bulis returns for another appearance as he shares his memories of writing this novel. Chris previously spoke to Kenny on Pieces of Eighth about this book, but this is an all-new interview with him, plus we also hear from editor Steve Cole and cover artist Colin Howard.

Our 12 Krynoid Pods of Christmas has begun! We're counting down to December 25 with a podcast each day - some short, some long, to help pass the time before Santa arrives. Today, Al Dewar from Character joins us to discuss the latest release - the Wrarth Warriors, from The Star Beast.

It's official - Season 21 will be the next Doctor Who release from The Collection. We've used our timescoop to find Tom Harris, our founding father, and bring him from his rose garden of retirement, to join Dave and Kenny, as is our tradition each time a new box set is revealed. What do our team think of these stories? And did they like the trailer? Find out by listening in!