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It’s 1963, but not as we know it, in The Second Doctor Adventures: The Haunted Windmill, starring Michael Troughton, Frazer Hines and Wendy Padbury, due August 2026. The post-War Games adventures of the Second Doctor (Michael Troughton) continue this August in The Haunted Windmill, a brand-new box set of full-cast Doctor Who audio drama. The Doctor’s travelling once more with Jamie (Frazer Hines) and Zoe (Wendy Padbury), as well as his Time Lord handler Raven (Emma Noakes). Together they’ve just scuppered the Daleks’ latest deadly scheme – as heard in 2025 release The Potential Daleks. But now they’re on the run from the Doctor’s own people, and to escape being recalled to Gallifrey, they take the TARDIS to Earth, 1963. But this is a different Earth, one where the Doctor had never arrived... Doctor Who – The Second Doctor Adventures: The Haunted Windmill is now available to pre-order for just £19.99 (download to own) or £24.99 (download to own + collector’s edition CD box set), exclusively here. Please note: the collector’s edition CD box set is strictly limited to 1,500 copies and will not be re-pressed. To escape the Time Lords’ justice – or lack of it – the Doctor, Jamie, Zoe and Raven take a desperate gamble: a jump to planet Earth, in 1963… But not the Earth as the Doctor knew it. This is the world as it would have been if he’d never, ever landed there at all. An Earth free of his influence, in which old friends are strangely changed. If he tries to save this Earth, or escape it, the Time Lords will find him. Hidden away in a haunted windmill, on the edge of a marsh, all he can do is observe. But the monsters are coming… The three episodes in this box set, all scripted by Alan Barnes, are: The Haunted Windmill The Crystal Ship The Hungry Glass Script editor and director Nicholas Briggs said: “This is an exciting new direction for our Second Doctor Adventures. We left the Doctor – along with the older versions of Zoe and Jamie, plus the Time Lord agent Raven – in a right old pickle at the end of The Potential Daleks. They thought they'd solved everything! But now they’re in trouble with the Time Lords – again! “Their audacious escape plan takes them somewhere entirely unexpected, where nothing is as you’d presume. This time round, I’ve entrusted the range to one of Big Finish’s most celebrated writers, Alan Barnes. And as you'd expect, he’s come up with something genuinely startling. “It’s steeped in nostalgia but at the same time completely brand new. There are old monsters in brand-new situations and brand-new characters finding themselves facing classic Doctor Who dilemmas. Just who are ‘the Colonel’ and ‘Miss Heriot’ and what have their young relatives, Lucius and Roberta, got to do with the Doctor and Raven?” Big Finish listeners can also purchase The Haunted Windmill for less in a multibuy bundle with March 2026’s First Doctor Adventures box set, Beware the City of Illusions, for just £38 (download to own) or £47 (download to own + collector’s edition CD box set). Alternatively, listeners can buy this series as part of a bundle of all 15 Classic Doctor Who box sets released in 2025 for just £285 (download to own). All the above prices (including pre-order and multibuy bundle discounts) are fixed for a limited time only and guaranteed no later than 30 September 2026. Please note that 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.

The BBC has confirmed that the previously announced 2026 Christmas Special of Doctor Who has been cancelled. The corporation has decided to put Doctor Who out to competitive tender this year, in the hope of guaranteeing its long-term future. The decision, made in consultation with Russell T Davies and Bad Wolf, means that the pre-planned edition of the show, due to continue the series after the departure of the fifteenth Doctor, will no longer be made. The BBC issued the following statement Doctor Who remains an important part of the BBC and this tender underpins the BBC’s continued commitment to Doctor Who ensuring audiences will enjoy the show for years to come. This decision to cancel was not taken lightly, and we know it will be disappointing for fans, but in order to set the show up for future series, it was decided that rather than bridge the gap with a one off special, we are choosing to push forward to invest in the long-term future of the show which ensures that when the TARDIS lands once more, it does so in all its glory. Details of the tender will be announced in due course. The BBC retains all IP in Doctor Who. BBC Studios will continue to lead the global distribution of Doctor Who as well as licensing, consumer products, digital and immersive experiences on behalf of the BBC. A previously announced new Doctor Who animation series for CBeebies is currently in production

Big Finish The Second Doctor Adventures:The Haunted Windmill A world without the Doctor! It’s 1963, but not as we know it, in The Second Doctor Adventures: The Haunted Windmill, starring Michael Troughton, Frazer Hines and Wendy Padbury, due August 2026. The post-War Games adventures of the Second Doctor (Michael Troughton) continue this August in The Haunted Windmill, a brand-new box set of full-cast Doctor Who audio drama. The Doctor’s travelling once more with Jamie (Frazer Hines) and Zoe (Wendy Padbury), as well as his Time Lord handler Raven (Emma Noakes). Together they’ve just scuppered the Daleks’ latest deadly scheme – as heard in 2025 release The Potential Daleks. But now they’re on the run from the Doctor’s own people, and to escape being recalled to Gallifrey, they take the TARDIS to Earth, 1963. But this is a different Earth, one where the Doctor had never arrived… Doctor Who – The Second Doctor Adventures: The Haunted Windmill is now available to pre-order for just £19.99 (download to own) or £24.99 (download to own + collector’s edition CD box set), exclusively from www.bigfinish.com. Please note: the collector’s edition CD box set is strictly limited to 1,500 copies and will not be re-pressed. To escape the Time Lords’ justice – or lack of it – the Doctor, Jamie, Zoe and Raven take a desperate gamble: a jump to planet Earth, in 1963… But not the Earth as the Doctor knew it. This is the world as it would have been if he’d never, ever landed there at all. An Earth free of his influence, in which old friends are strangely changed. If he tries to save this Earth, or escape it, the Time Lords will find him. Hidden away in a haunted windmill, on the edge of a marsh, all he can do is observe. But the monsters are coming… The three episodes in this box set, all scripted by Alan Barnes, are: The Haunted Windmill The Crystal Ship The Hungry Glass Script editor and director Nicholas Briggs said: “This is an exciting new direction for our Second Doctor Adventures. We left the Doctor – along with the older versions of Zoe and Jamie, plus the Time Lord agent Raven – in a right old pickle at the end of The Potential Daleks. They thought they’d solved everything! But now they’re in trouble with the Time Lords – again! “Their audacious escape plan takes them somewhere entirely unexpected, where nothing is as you’d presume. This time round, I’ve entrusted the range to one of Big Finish’s most celebrated writers, Alan Barnes. And as you’d expect, he’s come up with something genuinely startling. “It’s steeped in nostalgia but at the same time completely brand new. There are old monsters in brand-new situations and brand-new characters finding themselves facing classic Doctor Who dilemmas. Just who are ‘the Colonel’ and ‘Miss Heriot’ and what have their young relatives, Lucius and Roberta, got to do with the Doctor and Raven?” Big Finish listeners can also purchase The Haunted Windmill for less in a multibuy bundle with March 2026’s First Doctor Adventures box set, Beware the City of Illusions, for just £38 (download to own) or £47 (download to own + collector’s edition CD box set). Alternatively, listeners can buy this series as part of a bundle of all 15 Classic Doctor Who box sets released in 2026 for just £285 (download to own). Categorised under: Big Finish, CD, Special Releases

The longtime showrunner appears to have confirmed he is stepping back (Picture: PA) It’s an uncertain time for Doctor Who fans now that it’s been officially announced that the long awaited Christmas special has been cancelled and showrunner Russell T Davies is on his way out. Although it’s horrible that the show’s very future is on a knife-edge and its biggest champion, Russell, is exiting stage left – I can’t help but feel relieved that the British TV legend has bowed out. Not because I think he’s bad at his job – he’s an amazing showrunner – I think his talents are better used elsewhere. And it’s all because of one show: Tip Toe. For those who have their finger on the TV pulse, you won’t have missed Russell’s new groundbreaking LGBTQ+ Channel 4 show that aired at the end of May this year. Get personalised updates on Doctor Who Wake up to find news on your TV shows in your inbox every morning with Metro’s TV Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your show in the link we’ll send you so we can get TV news tailored to you. It has received widespread praise, with many hailing it as a timely and urgent reckoning on the rapidly declining state of LGBTQ+ rights in the UK today. And it’s all thanks to Russell. It remains a startling wake-up call to the general public that we’re sleepwalking into a dark, dark world (Picture: Channel 4) Starring Alan Cumming and David Morrissey, the series follows polar opposite neighbours – Leo, an older gay man and Clive, an aggressively heterosexual handyman – whose differences breed homophobia, bigotry, and hostility. Although his socio-political commentary, especially when it comes to the trans community, is still a work-in-progress – it remains a startling wake-up call to the general public that we’re sleepwalking into a dark, dark world when it comes to achieving any unity in our rights. And I’m not surprised it’s picking up such glowing reviews. After ending his first round as Doctor Who showrunner in 2010, the TV icon known as RTD had a run of stellar limited series over the next decade or so. As brilliant as his time on Doctor Who was, his return to the show in 2023 had not quite reached the heights many hoped (Picture: David Fisher/Shutterstock) His 2015 trilogy – Cucumber, Tofu and Banana – were edgy shows, which have gone down as cult classics, especially among LGBTQ+ viewers. Then, you have his more mainstream work, still with gay and queer characters at their heart, such as A Very English Scandal starring Hugh Grant and Ben Whishaw, which secured an Emmy, Golden Globe and Bafta. That’s not mentioning his harrowing drama Years and Years – a post-Brexit reckoning with the UK’s descent into fascism, which still rings out as an eerie prophecy for the state the world is in today, with the rise of Reform and reign of Trump. POLL Poll What are your thoughts on Russell T Davies stepping down from Doctor Who? It's the right decision for him and the show. Check I'm sad to see him go, he brought a lot to Doctor Who. Check I think it's a mixed situation, but I'm optimistic. Check I'm not sure what this will mean for the future of Doctor Who. Check Want to get bespoke updates on the TV shows you love? Sign up to Metro's TV newsletters and tell us which ones you can't get enough of Show Expand Options ? Select your shows for TV news tailored to you Close Select All Select All Big Brother Big Brother Britain's Got Talent Britain's Got Talent Celebrity Big Brother Celebrity Big Brother Doctor Who Doctor Who Great British Bake Off Great British Bake Off I'm A Celeb I'm A Celeb Love Island Love Island Netflix Netflix Strictly Come Dancing Strictly Come Dancing The Apprentice The Apprentice The Traitors The Traitors Email I agree to receive newsletters from Metro I agree to receive newsletters from Metro Sign Up Sign Up This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Your information will be used in line with our Privacy Policy Rounding off this brilliant line-up was It’s A Sin, already a beloved LGBTQ+ show that will break your heart while putting it back together again. It reflected on the HIV/AIDs crisis of the 1980s – an era Russell T Davies remembers well, as a gay man growing up in Thatcher’s UK. As brilliant as his time on Doctor Who was, his return to the show in 2023 had not quite reached the heights many hoped. He faced a lot of criticism, ending in Ncuti’s abrupt departure and the scattered future of the show. Where his storylines, dialogue and character-building at times fell flat in the past two seasons of Doctor Who, he doesn’t face the same extent of trouble when it comes to his limited series – which I now consider as his superior format. He faced a lot of criticism, ending in Ncuti’s abrupt departure and the scattered future of the show (Picture: BBC Studios/Bad Wolf/James Pardon) This was proven when he released the Doctor Who spin-off, The War Between the Land and the Sea – and it was a standout in his Doctor Who repertoire, which tackled everything from climate change to forbidden love. I personally loved it, and it marked a return to Russell’s brilliant writing, after finding himself in a difficult place. Then, of course, we have Tip Toe. It’s veritable proof that Russell’s time is best spent working on bespoke ideas that speak to the era we’re in, rather than tying himself up with a show and a fandom that will be impossible to please. Not only that, but he embodies the perfect example of how the TV industry can work at its very best. Russell was a bright young writer in 1999 when he made his name on Queer as Folk and was given the springboard to mainstream notoriety with Doctor Who. He’s gone on to use the status that he gained all those years ago to pen politically urgent pieces, and for that I am grateful. Now, he can hand over the Doctor Who mantle to an up-and-coming writer, who could possibly be the next Russell T. Davies, for this generation. I’ll always have a love and respect for Russell and all he’s done for Doctor Who up until now, but I can’t help but feel his exit is for the best, not just for the show, but for him as well. I am sad to see him go, but excited not just for what he will do next, but for what will happen to Doctor Who. Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing [email protected]. Share your views in the comments below. Arrow MORE: Were you horrified by Tip Toe? Here are 7 urgent TV shows to watch next Arrow MORE: Doctor Who star joins EastEnders as serial killer Gray returns Arrow MORE: You can call Madonna disgusting, but shooting lasers from vaginas is a revelation

Second Sight films bring us a new box-set Blu-Ray release of the three films in the Ginger Snaps trilogy. I've long been a fan of the first film, called simply Ginger Snaps (2000) as it came along at a time when horror seemed to be retreading a lot of old ground (is that ever not the case) and presented something new and refreshing.Karen Walton penned the screenplay, and John Fawcett directed this tale of two sisters. The basic idea, as are all the best ideas, is simple: take a girl coming into puberty and starting her periods and so on, and align it with the idea of being bitten and turning into a werewolf for the first time. The loss of person, the unexpected mood swings, the personality changes, and of course the blood. It's a beguilingly simple premise, and the film works extremely well to present the transformation that Ginger (Emily Perkins) goes through. Her sister Brigitte (Katharine Isabelle) does her best to try and help her sister, but both end up trapped in the cycle that can only really end with the death of Ginger in her wolfen form.There's so much to love about this film. The performances from the two leads are pitch perfect, from Emily Perkins' slow transformation from teen rebel to vamp to full blown werewolf, to Katharine Isabelle's sulky younger sister, missing out on all the 'fun' and ultimately needing to align with a local drug dealer to find a potential 'cure' for her sister.The werewolf lore here is new, not following the established 'transform at the full moon', 'silver bullets and wolfsbane' type approach that many other films follow. We have a slow transformation which takes place over several days/weeks, and the idea that monk's hood (a toxic plant) could provide the 'cure' for Ginger. The effects are all well done, and the film is the goriest of the three, with many scenes of stomach churning graphic gore. Wisely the director seems to have realised that the weakest element was the actual full size werewolf itself, and so it is edited around and never shown for too long. Although what you do see is quite effective.It's something of a tour de force for the team behind it, and so there was no real surprise that a sequel came along in 2004. Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed is curious in that it doesn't really rely on the original film for its plot. The film reinterprets the ideas and Brigitte, after the events of the first film, ends up confined in a drug rehabilitation centre for women, where she tries to understand her life. Key to the film is a new character, Ghost (Tatiana Maslany), a 12 year old child, who helps Brigitte. Brigitte is now turning into a werewolf herself (apparently because she drunk some of Ginger's blood in the first film) and is trying to work out how the Monks Hood can save her. But there's more afoot, and Ghost too is not quite as she seems. There's also the spirit of Ginger hanging around and talking with Brigitte.It's a more confused film than Ginger Snaps and as it doesn't really rely on the source for it's plot and development, can be seen as stand alone. This time Megan Martin wrote the screenplay and it's directed by Brett Sullivan. The standout performance here is from Tatiana Maslany, playing Ghost. As with her future barnstorming performance(s) in Orphan Black, Maslany immerses herself in the character and she's intensely watchable and nuanced. It was a surprise to realise that Maslany was around 18 or 19 years old when she played the part, and yet she is utterly convincing as a 12 year old child.Again the effects are well done, but the film is a little muddled and it doesn't really work as a sequel, mainly because Ginger Snaps set the bar so high that nothing could really reach it. It is a very enjoyable watch though.The third part of the trilogy, Ginger Snaps Back: The Beginning (2004) is another film with only a tenuuous connection to the original story. This time it's a prequel, showing how the werewolf curse all started, and the film was made back to back with Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed.Ginger and Brigitte are sisters in 1815, travelling the Canadian wilderness. They arrive at a fort which is beseiged by werewolves, and of course Ginger is bitten and begins her transformation. There are various comings and goings and werewolf attacks and we end with the two sisters escaping from the destroyed camp, and sharing blood together: the implication being that this creates the werewolf line which ultimately infects Ginger in Ginger Snaps.It's another enjoyable film, and another for which you don't really need to have seen the previous two. The two leads are played by the same actresses, and some of the cast here are the same as Unleashed as the films were made at the same time. The effects are excellent, and the plot, while again a little confused, with seers and predictions and native visions coming into play to try and give the piece more of a mythalogical footing.Written by Stephen Massicote and Christina Ray, and directed by Grant Harvey, the film is another worthy look at the werewolf myth. It's enjoyable and well made, and makes the most of the two leads.Alongside the three films, the Second Sight release also contains a host of extras including many commentaries, interviews with the creative teams, deleted scenes and much more. It's a great way to appreciate and enjoy these three cracking films.Available from: https://secondsightfilms.co.uk/products/the-ginger-snaps-trilogy-blu-ray-pre-order-available-may-25th

The BBC has announced that there won’t be a Doctor Who Christmas special this year, that Russell T Davies has left the show, as has Bad Wolf, and that the franchise is “out to competitive tender this year.” Brace yourselves, folks… As part of securing the next phase of the show for future generations, and in line with the BBC’s Charter and Agreement requirements, the BBC will put Doctor Who out to competitive tender this year. Doctor Who remains an important part of the BBC and this tender underpins the BBC’s continued commitment to Doctor Who ensuring audiences will enjoy the show for years to come. After careful consideration, the BBC, Russell T Davies and Bad Wolf have collectively decided not to go ahead with the previously announced Doctor Who Christmas episode. This decision was not taken lightly, and we know it will be disappointing for fans, but in order to set the show up for future series, it was decided that rather than bridge the gap with a one off special, we are choosing to push forward to invest in the long-term future of the show which ensures that when the TARDIS lands once more, it does so in all its glory. The previously announced new Doctor Who animation series for CBeebies is currently in production. Details of the tender will be announced in due course. The BBC retains all IP in Doctor Who. BBC Studios will continue to lead the global distribution of Doctor Who as well as licensing, consumer products, digital and immersive experiences on behalf of the BBC. So Davies’ era ends with a divisive cliffhanger that just might never be picked up again… And here’s what Russell T Davies had to say on Instagram: “And so GOODBYE from me to Doctor Who but HELLO to a big new future for the show, as the BBC announces it’s putting the show out to tender. As a result, there won’t be a Christmas Special — we only cooked that up to guarantee a future when no one knew what would happen, but now we do know, there’s no need for it… “You’ll have to wait a bit longer for new Doctor Who… but you’ll be waiting for MORE Doctor Who than a one-off. So it’s worth it! “For the record: there was no script, I never wrote it, and no actor was ever approached to play the next Doctor. You may disagree; fine, sit in that chair and wait to be proved right. You’ll wait a lonnng time 🪑 Now I’m as excited as anyone to see what comes next! Will they keep the theme tune? Will they lose the blue box? Will they bring back the Drahvin?! It’s all up for grabs, which is so Doctor Who, exciting and unpredictable and new! Here comes the future, vworp vworp.” So, for the record: he was lying a lot before, about, for instance, the BBC being “wowed” by the script. It’s a lot of lies to cover up the frankly poor situation: Doctor Who has, for now, been axed. We await a new series. They said the same thing in 1989. This time, I feel things are more optimistic and that we will actually get a new season at some point in the next, maybe, five years. But we shall see. We all have a lot of thoughts about this, I’m sure… Like this: Like Loading...

Where We Stand, Where We Fall The politics of Doctor Who Available to order from www.amazon.co.uk or direct from www.hernebooks.com Where We Stand, Where We Fall The politics of Doctor Who by Lizbeth Myles ‘A brilliant take on the history of Doctor Who’ ~ Sophie Aldred, Ace in Doctor Who ‘The definitive work on the subject … I adored it’ ~ Paul Cornell, writer of Doctor Who, Saucer County, and Witches of Lychford ‘Intelligent and thought-provoking’ ~ Steven Moffat, head writer and executive producer of Doctor Who This book demonstrates that cultural icon Doctor Who is, always has been, and always should be, a political narrative. As this much-loved science- fiction show, now in its 63rd year, continues to entertain audiences around the world, some people have complained that the writing, themes and presentation are too political. But, claims Lizbeth Myles, Doctor Who has always explored important and controversial political issues, and it is vital that it continues to do so. This insightful, intelligent and entertaining book looks back at some of the most prominent political themes that the series has tackled over the decades – including Nuclear Annihilation, Feminism, Colonialism, Environmentalism, Scientific Responsibility, and Transhumanism – the historical context in which they have been framed, and how the messaging has changed in different eras of the show’s history. PRAISE for Where We Stand, Where We Fall: ‘A brilliant take on the history of Doctor Who, this is no dry political essay. It’s an engaging, thoughtful, deeply researched and heartfelt look at our beloved programme which has always reflected and sometimes even prophesied the state of our universe.’ Sophie Aldred, Ace in Doctor Who ‘Where We Stand, Where We Fall is a very apt title for a book that clearly delineates, possibly for the first time, the six central debates of Doctor Who, the ideas the show keeps returning to. It’s wise, ambitious and funny, and clearly written with an enormous love for and knowledge of the series. It’s the platform upon which much future scholarship will be built, the definitive work on the subject, pulling together a vast number of threads. I adored it.’ Paul Cornell, writer of Doctor Who, Saucer County, and Witches of Lychford ‘Doctor Who has been many things over the years. This book offers an intelligent and thought-provoking look at one of the most debated aspects of it – its politics. Liz Myles knows her stuff.’ Steven Moffat, head writer and executive producer of Doctor Who (2010-2017) ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Lizbeth Myles is an award-winning podcaster, writer, and editor. She’s a three-time Hugo award finalist: she was nominated twice for her work on the Verity! podcast, and once for editing the Doctor Who essay anthology Chicks Unravel Time. She’s written Doctor Who and Blake’s 7 for Big Finish and the BBC and contributed articles to SFX and Doctor Who Magazine. She lives in Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland. Categorised under: Books, Reference books

Today the BBC announced their plans for the future of Doctor Who. As part of securing the next phase of the show for future generations, and in line with the BBC’s Charter and Agreement requirements, the BBC will put Doctor Who out to competitive tender this year. Doctor Who remains an important part of the BBC and this tender underpins the BBC’s continued commitment to Doctor Who ensuring audiences will enjoy the show for years to come. After careful consideration, the BBC, Russell T Davies and Bad Wolf have collectively decided not to go ahead with the previously announced Doctor Who Christmas episode. This decision was not taken lightly, and we know it will be disappointing for fans, but in order to set the show up for future series, it was decided that rather than bridge the gap with a one off special, we are choosing to push forward to invest in the long-term future of the show which ensures that when the TARDIS lands once more, it does so in all its glory. On his Instagram account Russell T Davies said this… And so GOODBYE from me to Doctor Who but HELLO to a big new future for the show, as the BBC announces it’s putting the show out to tender. As a result, there won’t be a Christmas Special – we only cooked that up to guarantee a future when no one knew what would happen, but now we do know, there’s no need for it. You’ll have to wait a bit longer for new Doctor Who… but you’ll be waiting for MORE Doctor Who than a one-off. So it’s worth it! For the record: there was no script, I never wrote it, and no actor was ever approached to play the next Doctor. You may disagree; fine, sit in that chair and wait to be proved right. You’ll wait a lonnng time 🪑 Now I’m as excited as anyone to see what comes next! Will they keep the theme tune? Will they lose the blue box? Will they bring back the Drahvin?! It’s all up for grabs, which is so Doctor Who, exciting and unpredictable and new! Here comes the future, vworp vworp 🌪️ @bbcdoctorwho ♥️ The previously announced new Doctor Who animation series for CBeebies is currently in production. Details of the tender will be announced in due course. The BBC retains all IP in Doctor Who. BBC Studios will continue to lead the global distribution of Doctor Who as well as licensing, consumer products, digital and immersive experiences on behalf of the BBC.