'Doctor Who' audio download service launches

Fans of the classic Doctor Who series can now download new audio adventures featuring the show's original cast.

Big Finish Productions has released a popular range of plays via CD during the past decade, but this new venture marks the first time they are available online. Four of the surviving actors who have played The Doctor on television - Peter Davison, Colin Baker, Sylvester McCoy and Paul McGann - have starred in the stories, which are officially licensed by the BBC.

"The new download service is a major step forward," stated Company Director Jason Haigh-Ellery. "By making our productions available instantly, in a convenient format and at a competitive price, we very much hope that we will not only retain our existing customers but that we will also attract new ones from around the world."

Two original Big Finish stories have been adapted by the current television incarnation of Doctor Who. Rob Shearman's 'Jubilee' was transferred to the small screen in 2005's 'Dalek', while Mark Platt's 'Spare Parts' was the inspiration for the 'Rise of the Cybermen/The Age of Steel' two-parter the following year.