The Ninth Doctor is about to enter the Sphere of Freedom.

Christopher Eccleston’s return to Doctor Who might have been announced back in August, but it’s still rather exciting to get our first confirmation that the Ninth Doctor’s big comeback is actually, properly, officially happening.

That moment has now arrived, with Eccleston proudly displaying a copy of a script from audio drama producers Big Finish in a new Instagram post, which they later shared on Twitter.

He's back! https://t.co/I4XiXBpcrL pic.twitter.com/YMIHwRMS6Y

— Big Finish Insider (@bigfinish) December 14, 2020

Eccleston’s post came without a caption – not even a token “Fantastic!” – but eagle-eyed fans have been able to spot some details about the story he’s recording from the script page on show.

As it stands, it appears that the first volume of the upcoming Ninth Doctor Adventures bears the subtitle ‘Ravengers’, with the first story (written by Nicholas Briggs) being called ‘Sphere of Freedom’.

The page also reveals details of a character who appears in the story alongside the Ninth Doctor, a skilled chef from the Sphere of Freedom enlisted by the Time Lord to stop a dastardly plan.

Each of the four volumes in Big Finish’s Doctor Who: The Ninth Doctor Adventures will be released as a 4-disc collector’s edition box set or download containing three brand-new full cast audio adventures, plus a selection of behind-the-scenes extras.

Doctor Who fans worldwide can now pre-order all four volumes, which are available in three formats – collector’s edition CD, digital download or limited edition gatefold triple LP vinyl  (limited to a pressing of 1000 per volume) – exclusively from the Big Finish website.

In a quote released back in August, when news of his return to Doctor Who after 15 years away first broke, Eccleston said:

“It will be exciting to revisit the Ninth Doctor’s world, bringing back to life a character I love playing.”

Eccleston was Doctor Who’s leading man when the series made its grand relaunch in 2005. He departed the show after an initial series of 13 episodes.

Doctor Who: The Ninth Doctor Adventures – Volume One will be released in May 2021.