Get ready, get set, Dodo!

Lauren takes on the role of Judith ‘Jude’ Shakespeare, William’s sixteen-year-old daughter who’s trying to pursue an acting career – the problem is, only men can be actors in 1601. But Jude’s got some tricks up her sleeve... 

Doctor Who: The First Doctor Adventures – Volume 5, due for release in April 2021, is now available to pre-order as collector's edition box set (on CD at £24.99) and a as digital download (at £19.99), exclusively HERE! 

Then later in August 2021, listeners can finally hear Lauren as iconic companion Dodo Chaplet in Doctor Who: The Early Adventures – The Secrets of Det-Sen.  

As Lauren exclusively revealed in Doctor Who Magazine issue 562, available from retailers or direct from Panini UK now, playing the role of Dodo Chaplet is a real dream come true. She said: “When I first got the call from my agent offering me the role of a Doctor Who companion, oh my gosh, I think I cried! It was a real moment because it’s always something I’ve dreamed of being and doing. So, it was a real honour to be given the role of a companion. I’ve been lucky enough to have gone on a couple of other Doctor Who adventures, playing different roles over the last few years, and I’ve always just had the most amazing time, so be in the shoes of a companion is just a dream come true.   

“I think it’s a really exciting time to have brought Dodo back and be developing her as a character. Because she wasn’t around for very long back in the 1960s, it’s been really nice to jump in, look at what Jackie [Lane] did with Dodo and how she portrayed her. I’ve been taking lots of inspiration from Jackie, but then reading up more on Dodo and delving into her life and backstory, and bringing my own twist and take on her. It’s been really cool to have a start point, and I’ve been watching a lot of what Jackie was doing and what Dodo got up to in those early adventures, and it’s nice to bring her back to life in my own way now. I’m looking forward to continuing to bring her to life.”   

Big Finish Creative Director Nicholas Briggs added: “Having directed Lauren before, in The Further Adventures of Lucie Miller, I was really pleased when her name came up during the discussions about finding our new Dodo. She has a really unique energy about her. She’s done a great job of this Early Adventure with Peter Purves, and I’m looking forward to working with her in our brand new, full-cast First Doctor Adventures. Storylines are being worked up now, so I know how exciting her new adventures with us are going to be.” 

Doctor Who: The Early Adventures – The Secrets of Det-Sen is now available to pre-order alongside Doctor Who – The Early Adventures: After the Daleks as collector's edition box sets (on CD at £14.99 each) or digital downloads (at £12.99 each), exclusively HERE!  
 
Big Finish listeners can save money by pre-ordering both Early Adventures stories together in a bundle for £28 on CD or £25 on download. 

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.