Carnival time for River Song

River Song is behind-the-scenes in this reimagining of the Third Doctor television episode, Carnival of Monsters.

Originally written by Robert Holmes and broadcast in 1973, River now has her own battles in the miniscope to contend with.

And in the third episode of River Song series 6, Peepshow by Guy Adams, River will be trapped in a battle between classic Doctor Who monsters the Ogrons and Sontarans, plus the Drashigs will be making a reappearance. But will she cross paths with the Third Doctor and Jo Grant?

Writer Guy Adams told us more about the original story: “Robert Holmes sprinkled the most beautiful and wonderful dialogue, ideas and characters through Doctor Who’s entire history. Carnival of Monsters is the most beautiful combination of purely mad Doctor Who ideas, these wonderful locations, the impossible situations, ships sailing in oceans inside a small machine…”

Joining River in her adventures in the miniscope is companion, Dibbsworth, a security guard played by Clive Wood. Clive also starred in Press Gang which, as many Big Finish listeners may know, is how Big Finish got its name!

“I liked the idea of giving River a companion…”, continues Guy Adams. “I liked the idea of creating a companion who would be absolutely terrified, but then approach everything with a bizarre middle-England relaxed air about them!”

River Song actor, Alex Kingston, told us more: “I’ve worked with Clive before on Doctor Who. In the episode where I play Cleopatra, The Pandorica Opens, we were stuck on a night shoot in cold, windy, wet fields in Wales with a Roman legion... it’s lovely to work with him again!”

Big Finish will be confirming the story details for the final episode of series six in the coming weeks, but you can read the story details for episode one, The Web of Time by John Dorney set around The Web of Fear here. And episode two, The Talents of Greel, set just before the classic Fourth Doctor story, The Talons of Weng-Chiang, here.

You can pre-order The Diary of River Song Series Six and Series Seven now, ahead of their release in August 2019 and January 2020, priced at £25 on CD or £20 on download.

Or why not save money in a bundle of Series Six and Series Seven together for £48 on CD or £40 on download.

Don't forget that next year we’ll see River facing off against four incarnations of the Master in The Diary of River Song Series Five, out in January.

The Doctor isn’t the only Time Lord River runs into on her travels up and down the timeline.

The Master, in all of his – or her – guises, also has a chequered history with Professor Song. And whenever they meet, it’s a close call as to who comes out on top…

It’s something River must get used to: there are three people in her marriage – at the very least!