Big Finish’s Torchwood range explores what happens to the institution in the far future — and in doing so, brings back Shaun Parkes as Zachary Cross Flane from The Impossible Planet/ The Satan Pit.

You might know Parkes from a range of other high-profile roles, including in Moses Jones (with Matt Smith), Line of Duty, The Mummy Returns, Casanova (with David Tennant), and, most recently, Small Axe. But in the 2006 Doctor Who two-parter, he played the acting captain of Bowie Base One, and an agent of the Torchwood Archive.

He’ll be back in Torchwood: Empire of Shadows. Here’s the synopsis:

In the far future of the Earth Empire, Torchwood is forgotten. So it’s a surprise when Zachary Cross Flane of the Torchwood Archive finds himself summoned to the opening of the late Empress’s Library. 

Her son believes that the conspiracy which deposed his mother is still active, and that the key to it is hidden somewhere in the library. But does Zachary want to find it? 

Writer and producer James Goss said:

“We’ve wanted to do this for ages! Now seemed a great time to explore the future of Torchwood, especially as fans of the show are now growing up and discovering the Earth Empire through the Doctor Who Blu-ray Collections.  

“How does Torchwood fit into this devious expanse of emperors and courtiers and corrupt systems? What happens to Zachary Cross Flane after The Impossible Planet? It was an absolute delight to find out that Shaun Parkes was interested in coming back to the part, and we had a great day with him in studio. He’d stayed up into the small hours the night before re-watching his episodes and was full of happy memories of fighting the Devil all those years ago.”  

Empire of Shadows is now available to pre-order on CD at £10.99 or on download from the Big Finish website at £8.99.