Big Finish has announced the next series of Short Trips, concise download-only tales typically with one narrator, reaching far into 2017 – including stories starring the First, Third, Fourth, and Eighth Doctors!
Nicola Walker (Spooks; Last Tango in Halifax) narrates January 2017’s The World Beyond the Trees, which kick-starts Series 7 of the Short Trips range. You’ll be familiar with Walker playing Liv Chenka, the Eighth Doctor’s companion in Dark Eyes and Doom Coalition, but this is her first Short Trips, an audio written by Jonathan Barnes:

MedTech Chenka is alone. No Doctor. No TARDIS. No Molly O’Sullivan. But the strange environment she’s stranded in is about to get even stranger, with Liv the only one who can help out. There’s a message here, for her, and for someone very far away…

In February, we’re once more treated to Tim Treloar’s Third Doctor for George Mann’s Gardeners’ Worlds:

Strange occurrences plague the village of Colston Burghley – a mediaeval monument has appeared on the village green, postboxes have disappeared…and there’s trouble in Meredith Bright’s back garden. When Mike Yates finds himself at a loss, it’s down to the Doctor and Jo Grant to get to the root of the trouble…

If you enjoyed The Blame Game – and we certainly did – you’ll be pleased to hear that Rufus Hound is back as the Monk for March’s How to Win Planets and Influence People, written by prolific Big Finisher, James Goss:

9AM: Registration.

10AM: Our Opening Guest Speaker discusses Strategic Invasion Plans, including things to look out for, Time Lords to avoid, and tips on crushing the lesser races

11AM: Biscuits and Coffee

12AM: Continuing on from his opening talk, our Guest Speaker discusses bringing the universe to its knees

1AM: Lunch

A dynamic talk with slides. The Meddling Monk has lectured widely for several centuries, and his wisdom is contained in the following bestsellers “The 7 Habits Of Truly Terrible People”, “Who Moved My Sun?”, “Feel The Fear And Detonate It Anyway” “The One Million Year Manager”, “Ice Men Are From Mars, Karate Is From Venus.

Furthermore, it’s a welcome return for Sheridan Smith, aka the Eighth Doctor’s companion, Lucie Miller, who previously read The Curse of the Fugue for Short Trips. Flashpoint is written by Andrew Smith (Full Circle):

Cerberin – the famous storm world. Seen from space, it’s a spectacle of light and colour that draws tourists in their thousands.

Escaping an attack by gangster assassins, and separated from the Doctor, Lucie Miller finds herself stranded on the surface. The killers are in pursuit, she has a child to protect, and lightning is striking all around.

Then a shape approaches through the storm, moving with heavy footsteps…

Jonathan Barnes bookends this first batch of announcement, having also scripted the First Doctor adventure, Falling, read by the lovely Anneke Wills:

Long, long ago, Mrs Polly Jackson travelled in the TARDIS with her friends, the Doctor and Ben. Together, they saw many remarkable things – some magical, some terrifying, some filled with awe and wonder. Only one incident, however, was truly inexplicable, a single encounter which failed at the time wholly to make sense. At least, that is, until today…

Certainly sounds intriguing, eh!
Big Finish has also just announced the new Short Trips Rarities range, so anyone looking for an extra fix of Doctor Who goodness should check out these download-only audios.
12 regular Short Trips in total will be released throughout 2017,  including December’s O Tannenbaum, so expect further news soon!