Jo Martin has been confirmed to return to the Whoniverse in a brand new adventure as the Fugitive Doctor. The fan favourite incarnation of the Time Lord has popped up sporadically since her debut in the main Doctor Who series back in 2020.
It has now been confirmed that the actor will reprise the role in new Big Finish audio adventure series Doctor Who – Rutans vs Sontarans, which explores many points in the war between the Sontarans and Rutans.
Her special Betrayal at the House of Sontar sees the Doctor “on the run from the mysterious organisation called Division” as she arrives on the planet Sontar, which is home of the Kaveetch Empire and armed forces, the Sontarans.

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“She wants sanctuary… and she’s offering the secrets of the Time Lords in exchange,” the synopsis adds. “But with the whole of time and space up for grabs, the stakes are high. Can everyone on Sontar be trusted?”
Excitingly, the special is available now for £9.99 via digital download, and £14.99 for digital download and collector’s edition CD – though the latter only available as part of a limited 1,500 copies.
“The great thing about this incarnation of this Doctor is that she can pop up anywhere!” Martin said. “The fans have loved the other audios I’ve done with Big Finish – I thought the writing was so strong, as it is in this one.”
“It’s great fun writing for the Fugitive Doctor,” added writer John Dorney. “Jo’s a marvellous actor, and it’s an exciting era to explore because there isn’t a massive amount of lore about it, it’s completely open-ended. You can get the opportunity to tell stories you wouldn’t be able to tell anywhere else in the Doctor Who universe.

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“And I’m not sure I’d have wanted to tell this kind of story with any other Doctor – something about the Kaveetch and the slightly unusual circumstances of the Sontaran origins as recounted in The First Sontarans really lent themselves to this feeling of not-quite-like-your-standard-Doctor-Who.”
Back for the drama is Anthony Howell as Kaveetch scientist Meredit Roach, who returns from 2012 audio adventure The First Sontarans, while the adventure also features Abi Harris (Kaveetch Empress Annaz Zachar), Nigel Fairs (General Stahl), and Jonathon Carley (Vrag and Drammal).
The whole Rutans vs Sontarans series will consist of four instalments, with other Doctors and companions appearing in the future. In May’s Rendition, fans can expect Michael Troughton as the Second Doctor, Paul McGann as the Eighth Doctor, Frazer Hines as Jamie and Wendy Padbury as Zoe.
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Sam is a freelance reporter and sub-editor who has a particular interest in movies, TV and music. After completing a journalism Masters at City University, London, Sam joined Digital Spy as a reporter, and has also freelanced for publications such as NME and Screen International. Â Sam, who also has a degree in Film, can wax lyrical about everything from Lord of the Rings to Love Is Blind, and is equally in his element crossing every ‘t’ and dotting every ‘i’ as a sub-editor.