The TARDIS visits BBC Sounds in new spin-off podcast Doctor Who: Redacted
Doctor Who enters a new dimension as new spin-off podcast, Doctor Who: Redacted lands on BBC Sounds.
The 10-part series will begin alongside the television Easter special on April 17, giving fans a brand new podcast of action-packed adventures ‘left’ of the much loved science-fiction series. Listeners will be introduced to characters, Cleo Proctor (Charlie Craggs), Abby McPhail (Lois Chimimba) and Shawna Thompson (Holly Quin-Ankrah) – alongside some familiar faces including the Doctor (Jodie Whittaker), Rani Chandra, Kate Stewart, Petronella Osgood and Madame Vastra.
Doctor Who: Redacted follows Cleo, Abby and Shawna – three broke university drop-outs from different cities across the UK who remain connected via their paranormal conspiracy podcast, ‘The Blue Box Files’. The trio speculate over Abby’s favourite conspiracy theory – intent on finding out the truth behind the mysterious ‘Blue Box’ that keeps cropping up across history. What if this random police public call box was actually an alien ship?
They don’t know who the Doctor is, or if aliens are real, but soon find themselves caught in a supernatural conspiracy as they learn that everyone who’s ever met the Doctor is disappearing and being forgotten. Essentially, they’re being redacted from reality. The Blue Box Files is so unsuccessful that our heroes are the last ones to be affected by the redaction, making Cleo, Abby and Shawna the world’s only hope. Now it’s a race against time to uncover the truth.
Set in the Doctor Who universe, the series entangles past and current storylines, cameos from the Doctor’s friends and allies, as well as appearances from monsters and aliens, identifiable to fans and non-fans alike.
When Cleo’s brother Jordan, (played by comedian Jacob Hawley), gets redacted, they spend the rest of the series trying to find him. In the meantime Cleo is dealing with a mother who kicked her out for being trans when she was 16, whilst trying to find out what happened to her Dad – who mysteriously ‘disappeared’ when she was a kid. As the series unfolds we find Abby – the resident believer and Shawna – the sceptic, grapple with their own tribulations on the edge of a will-they, won’t-they romance, despite Abby’s controlling boyfriend.
Doctor Who: Redacted is scripted by bestselling author Juno Dawson, alongside a host of new and experienced writing talent, with a strong emphasis on diversity and regionality. The audio drama primarily explores the relationships between ordinary people unknowingly immersed in the Doctor Who universe.
Juno Dawson, lead writer says:
“Doctor Who was my first love, and it’s an absolute thrill to add to the ever-expanding mythology in podcast form for the first time ever. What a total privilege to write for something so beloved, and put my own little flag on the landscape.”
The acclaimed cast for Doctor Who: Redacted includes Jodie Whittaker (Doctor Who), Charlie Craggs, Jacob Hawley, Lois Chimimba (Doctor Who, Vigil), Holly Quin-Ankrah (Coronation Street, Grange Hill), Ken Cheng, Jemma Redgrave (Doctor Who), Ingrid Oliver (Doctor Who), Doon Mackichan (Good Omens, Smack The Pony) and more.
Doctor Who: Redacted is available first on BBC Sounds weekly from April 17th. Episode 1 will be available following Doctor Who’s Legend of the Sea Devils on Easter Sunday.
Cast and Creatives
Cleo Proctor – Charlie Craggs
Abby McPhail – Lois Chimimba
Shawna Thompson – Holly Quin-Ankrah
The Doctor – Jodie Whittaker
Madame Vastra – Doon Mackichan
Jordan Proctor – Jacob Hawley
Monica Proctor – Sarah Thom
The Floater – Alasdair Beckett-King
Rani Chandra – Anjili Mohindra
Kate Stewart – Jemma Redgrave
Petronella Osgood – Ingrid Oliver
Extended Cast: Ambika Mod, Kieran Hodgson, Natasha Hodgson, Siena Kelly, Clare Perkins, Ken Cheng, Juno Dawson,Pip Gladwin, Karim Kronfli.
Writers
Lead Writer (Episodes 1, 2, 3 & 10): Juno Dawson, Episode 4: Catherine Brinkworth, Episode 5: Sasha Sienna, Episode 6: Ken Cheng, Episode 7: Àjoké Ibironke & Juno Dawson, Episode 8: Doris V. Sutherland, Episode 9: David K. Barnes
Production
Producer and Director: Ella Watts, Executive Producer: James Robinson, Sound Designer: David Thomas, Additional Sound Design: Arlie Adlington, Original Composition: David Devereux, Sound Engineer: Paul Clark, Studio Assistant: Jacob Tombling, Production Co-Ordinators: Sarah Sharpe and Sarah Nicholls, Script Editor: Tasha Dhanraj, Production Company: BBC Studios, Recording Studio: Sonica Studios Clapham
Commissioning Executive: Louise Kattenhorn.
Doctor Who: Redacted is a BBC Studios production for BBC Sounds.
Cast Q&As
Jodie Whittaker (The Doctor)
What was it like being a part of Redacted?
It was absolutely brilliant, I loved meeting Charlie (Craggs) and Juno (Dawson), their energy is ace, the writing is brilliant. It was wonderful to be a part of and great for me to revisit the character, having not really done anything apart from ADR since October. I think for Doctor Who fans they’ll really love the adventure, it’s ace!
Can anyone listen to the podcast even if they’ve not watched Doctor Who before?
Yeah definitely, I think that’s the joy of Doctor Who, with each world that we visit whether in a podcast, an escape room, the TV show, audio book or anything like that – it’s got enough for everyone in it. It’s got enough for Whovians but it’s also got enough for people visiting it for the first time. It never loses that wonderful Doctor Who identity which makes it unique, but it also never excludes.
Was it hard to portray the Doctor without the visuals or other characters around you?
Absolutely not! No it was fine, I don’t know if it will ever leave me, like I immediately start speaking at a hundred miles an hour. I think she (Juno) wrote me really brilliantly, I’m used to Chris’ voice being across everything I’ve done as the Doctor, so it was really interesting to have someone else’s version of my Doctor and it felt completely natural.
Charlie Craggs (Cleo)
How does it feel being a part of Doctor Who: Redacted?
There are no words to express how huge it is, and how grateful I am, being a trans actress playing the lead role in something so special, but more so how significant the fact that my character is trans, and the lead role, too. This is a huge step for the trans community, and I’m so honoured to be part of this moment.
Were you already a ‘Who’ fan or has the podcast converted you?
I’d (shamefully) never watched Doctor Who before, which I think makes it even more hilarious that I’m the main character in this. On one of the first days our incredible director Ella gave me the homework of watching the first episode on BBC iPlayer and I’m obsessed ITS SO CAMP, naturally by ‘it’ I mean Billie Piper, but I honestly think I give her a run for her money. It was an honour to work with Doctor Who icons like Jodie (Whittaker) and Juno (Dawson), I may not have watched Doctor Who before this, but I know what a big deal it was to be cast in this – especially as the main character, I understand how sacred the series is to the fans – now I leave as a fan myself!
Was it hard to portray Cleo without the visuals or other characters around you?
It wasn’t just hard to play Cleo because of the lack of visuals, but because it’s my first ever acting gig. I was thrown in the deep end, really having to pretend I’m fighting these monsters and saving the world. I’m probably going to go for an easier role next time!
Jacob Hawley (Jordan)
How did it feel being a part of the Doctor Who universe?
It was massively exciting to join the Doctor Who Universe. Doctor Who fans are almost as infamous as the doctor themself so I’m really buzzed to be a part of a new series for them to enjoy.
What can listeners expect from Doctor Who: Redacted? (No spoilers please!)
Redacted touches upon topics that I don’t think people would normally expect in a Doctor Who script. And it’s an amazing script. On top of that there’s a lot of new talent featured in the series, it all feels very fresh.
How does the podcast relate to the TV series?
The podcast manages to capture all the best bits of the TV series, the humour, the suspense, the Britishness. It’s got everything you’d have loved watching The Doctor on your telly with a lot of new stuff to surprise you too.