Nicholas Briggs
Nicholas Briggs wears many hats: actor, composer, director, presenter, producer, sound designer, and writer. Nick has written for comic strips, television, print media, and theatre, but the bulk of his work has been in radio and audio dramas.
Nick has been the voice of the Daleks, the Cybermen, the Judoon, and the Ice Warriors in the New Series of Doctor Who as well as various monsters in the arena tour of Doctor Who Live (with Nigel Planer) in 2010, has provided voices for monsters and other characters in Doctor Who: The Adventure Games (a 2010 BAFTA Cymru Award winner), as well as being featured in the Doctor Who Experience, and the Doctor Who Proms at Royal Albert Hall.
Nick was a founder of Big Finish Productions and currently produces and acts in titles for Big Finish.
Benji Clifford
Known for his music and sound design work on various stories for Big Finish Productions, Benji also features as the co-host for the Big Finish Podcast with Nicholas Briggs. Benji has also served as a producer on the TV shows Words of Woodman and Today’s Detectives; even starring in a role in the former.
Before his official involvement in Doctor Who, Benji starred as The Doctor in a series of fan audios under his own production company, Timetunnel Media.
You can follow Benji on Twitter at @la_bonj.
Jenna Coleman
(Appearing Friday and Saturday.)
Best known for her roles as Jasmine Thomas in the soap opera Emmerdale, Clara Oswald, companion to the Eleventh and Twelfth Doctors in Doctor Who, Joanna in The Cry, and Queen Victoria in the ongoing ITV biographical drama series Victoria, Jenna Coleman is a familiar face on television screens.
Born in Blackpool, Lancashire, England, she began her acting career at an early age as a member of a theatre company called In Yer Space. While auditioning for drama schools in 2005, she was chosen to play Jasmine Thomas in Emmerdale. She received critical acclaim for her performance and was nominated for the Most Popular Newcomer award at the 2006 National Television Awards. Jenna has gone on to be nominated for several of her television roles, winning for her portrayal of Clara Oswald in Doctor Who and Queen Victoria in Victoria.
Jenna has been involved with charity work in South Africa raising awareness of HIV with One To One Children’s Fun as an ambassador. She is also an ambassador for Place2Be, a charity providing emotional and therapeutic services in schools.
You can find Jenna on Twitter at @Jenna_Coleman_ or on Instagram at @jenna_coleman_.
Tony Curran
Scottish born actor Tony Curran began his career with appearances in British productions Being Human, starring Robin Williams and Shallow Grave, the directorial debut of Academy Award winner Danny Boyle. Following those roles, Curran rose to fame in the BBC television series This Life as the character Lenny.
After establishing himself as a notable television star, Curran began appearing in high profile film roles including The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen alongside screen legend Sean Connery. As The Invisible Man, Curran needed to wear a blue screen suit that covered him from head to toe in order to achieve the extraordinary effects seen in the film. Genre fans will also recognize Curran from his roles as vampire in Guillermo del Toro’s Blade II as Priest and Underworld: Evolution as Marcus.
Doctor Who fans fondly remember Curran for his portrayal of the painter Vincent van Gogh, in the Doctor Who episode “Vincent and the Doctor”, written by Richard Curtis. Although appearing in only one episode as the artist, Curran’s performance endeared him to the loyal Doctor Who fan base. Eagle eyed fans will also recall Curran’s cameo appearance in the episode “The Pandorica Opens”.
In 2011, Curran appeared as Lieutenant Delcourt, in Steven Spielberg’s entirely CG production of The Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn and also voiced the character of Captain MacMillan in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.
In 2013, Curran appeared in the hit sequel Thor: The Dark World and since then has made appearances in Sons of Anarchy as well as in the SyFy series Defiance as the character Datak Tarr. Other film roles include Gladiator, The 13th Warrior and Boardwalk Empire.
Coming in November 2018, Tony can be seen alongside Chris Pine in the Netflix original movie Outlaw King.
Simon Fisher-Becker
A versatile character actor, Simon’s work has covered a wide spectrum, from Shakespeare to pantomime, film, television, radio and theatre. He is best known for his appearance in movies such as Harry Potter and The Philosopher’s Stone and Les Misérables, a starring role in the TV series Puppy Love, and as Dorium Maldovar during the Eleventh Doctor’s run in Doctor Who.
You can follow Simon on Twitter at @fisherbecker.
Jason Haigh-Ellery
Jason Haigh-Ellery founded Big Finish Productions in 1998 and the company has grown to be the largest independent producer of audio dramas in the world. They have worked regularly with media corporations such as the BBC, MGM and ABC on Doctor Who, Torchwood, Stargate, Judge Dredd, and on original series such as Graceless and The Confessions of Dorian Grey. In 2013, Big Finish won the BBC Audio Drama Award for Best Drama for Doctor Who.
In 2011, Jason also founded the animation house Planet 55 Studios in Sydney, Australia, working first with the BBC on two animated versions of Doctor Who and now producing the original 26 part drama Prisoner Zero for ABC.
For television, Big Finish Entertainment has produced two reality shows – Nadia Goes to Hollywood and Nadia: Chasing the Dream for TV3 and been involved with reality shows Strictly Dance Fever (BBC) and Fame – the Musical (RTE).
Theatre (tour): Henry V, As You Like It, Days of Hope, Tomorrow Morning, Spring Awakening, By Jeeves, Snoopy the Musical, Love Shack, High Society, Fly me to the Moon, Debbie Does Dallas – the Musical, Teenage Kicks, The Steamie, Guess How much I love You?, The Wedding Singer, West End Men, Fame – the Musical (Eire), Yes Prime Minister, The Ladykillers, Never Forget and Footloose – the Musical.
Theatre (West End): Life Coach, Wolfboy, Footloose – the Musical, Shout!, A Christmas Carol, Third Floor, Shoshana Bean at the Ambassadors Theatre, Idina Menzel at the Royal Albert Hall, The Whatsonstage Theatregoer Awards (since 2007), Never Forget –The Take That Musical, West End Men, Yes Prime Minister (Theatregoer Award – Best New Comedy), The Ladykillers (4 Olivier nominations) and the sell-out West End debut of Nicholas Hoult in New Boy.
Theatre (USA): Cinderella, Aladdin, Sleeping Beauty and her White Night, Sleeping Beauty, A Snow White Christmas and Peter Pan and Tinkerbell in Los Angeles with Lythgoe Family Productions each Christmas.
More Info: bigfinish.com
Graeme Harper
Best known for his directorial work on Doctor Who, Graeme Harper has directed several episodes of both the New and Classic Series. Doctor Who Magazine has called him, “the longest-serving crew member on Doctor Who.”
Working in the 1950s in early television and theatre, Graeme decided that he would put aside acting and, instead, work behind the scenes on productions. He first started at the BBC Television Centre in London as a floor assistant in 1966. In this position, he worked on The Power of the Daleks among other BBC programs. From there, he was promoted through the BBC production ranks until he ended up working as director on 1983’s Doctor Who serial The Caves of Androzani.
This would be the first of many episodes he would direct – many of them fan favorites.
In addition to Doctor Who, Graeme has directed episodes of Juliet Bravo, Bergerac, Star Cops, The New Statesman, The House of Eliott, The Bill, The Detectives, Casualty, EastEnders, and Robin Hood – among other programs.
Hattie Hayridge
Getting her start with the late-1980s/early-90s wave of alternative comedians of the British comedy circuit, Hattie Hayridge is possibly best known for her role as Holly in Red Dwarf.
A comedian first and foremost, Hattie’s stand-up television appearances include Live at Jongleurs (1997), Rove (Australia ) 2002), and most notably The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson CBS in 2009, and Stewart Lee’s The Alternative Comedy Experience on Comedy Central. She has also appeared on countless British variety televsion programs.
Aside from her time in Red Dwarf, she has had roles in television shows Jonathan Creek with Alan Davies, the North American sci-fi series LEXX in 2001, and has appeared in sketch shows with Jon Culshaw (Alter Ego), and Kevin Eldon (It’s Kevin).
She continues as a stand-up comedian and has traveled the world attending festivals in Melbourne, Adelaide, Sydney, the first Latitude Festival, and part of Best of Edinburgh Festival season in New York City. She has written a storied autobiography titled Random Abstract Memory.
Frazer Hines
Best known in the Doctor Who universe as Jamie McCrimmon, companion to the Second Doctor, Frazer Hines is a fan favorite at Chicago TARDIS.
Post-Doctor Who, Frazer starred in Emmerdale – the long-running ITV soap opera – for just over 20 years.
Frazer has been featured as both Jamie McCrimmon and the Second Doctor in countless Big Finish Audio productions. His role as Jamie McCrimmon is ongoing.
Author Diana Gabaldon credits watching Frazer Hines in the Doctor Who serial The War Games (and finding him fetching in a kilt) as the inspiration for her first novel Outlander, which is now on screen via the TV netword STARZ. Frazer even made a guest appearance in the first season of the show.
You can follow Frazer on Twitter at @WhoFrazer.
Rosie Jane
Rosie Jane played companion Bill Potts’ mother in the tenth series of Doctor Who. Before this, she made her Doctor Who debut as a member of the High Council in 2013’s 50th Anniversary special The Day of the Doctor.
We are welcoming Rosie to Chicago TARDIS for the first time.
You can follow Rosie on Twitter at @the_rosie_jane and Instagram at @the_rosie_jane.
Christopher Jones
Christopher Jones is a comic book artist who drew the recent Third Doctor mini-series for Titan Comics; written by Paul Cornell.
He is best known for his work on Young Justice and The Batman Strikes for DC Comics. His other DC Comics work includes Batman ’66, Justice League Adventures, Batman & Robin, Day of Judgment, and the cult series Young Heroes in Love. Christopher‘s work for Marvel Comics includes Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes and Marvel Superhero Squad. His other comics include the graphic novels Also Known As (written by Tony Lee), Kolchak: Fever Pitch, the SF series Parallel Man, Gargoyles: Bad Guys, and the comic book adaptation of the cult horror favorite Re-Animator. He is also the co-creator of Dr. Blink Superhero Shrink with writer/cartoonist John Kovalic.
His upcoming work includes another Doctor Who project for Titan Comics, which will soon be announced.
You can follow Christopher on Twitter at @ChrisJonesArt.
Tony Lee
A #1 New York Times Bestselling Author of comics, novels, audio adventures, film, and TV, Tony Lee has written stories centered around some of the most recognizable fandoms in the modern day. These include Battlestar Galactica, Spider-Man, X-Men, MacGyver, Super Boy, and Dracula.
His series, Sherlock Holmes: The Baker Street Irregulars, has been deemed “canon” in the Sherlock Holmes universe.
Tony has written for countless other on-screen projects – several of which are still in the works. You can follow him on Twitter at @mrtonylee.
Pearl Mackie
(Appearing Saturday and Sunday.)
Pearl Mackie grew up in Brixton in south London. She earned a degree in Drama from the University of Bristol. She speaks three languages: English, French and Spanish. During her studies she went to workshops and took part in many extra-curricular plays.
Alongside Martin Freeman, Maxine Peake, Morwenna Banks and Matt Berry, Mackie appeared as a front of house girl in the 2013 music comedy Svengali. In 2014, Mackie played Anne-Marie Frasier in Doctors and the young computer genius Mia in Crystal Springs at the Park Theatre in London.[ She has also been seen in the political satire Obama-ology at the Finborough Theatre, the National Theatre’s West End production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time, and the short film Date Aid by Bond. Pearl has worked as an acting tutor for Troupers, a company that teaches theatre skills to children and young people.
Pearl was brought to our screens in 2017 as Bill Potts, companion to the Twelfth Doctor. She blew audiences away with her portrayal of Bill, who brought never before seen queer representation to Doctor Who. She is the last companion to the Doctor who has appeared on screen to date, with her last appearance being the 2017 Christmas Special, Twice Upon A Time.
You can follow Pearl on Twitter at @Pearlie_mack and Instagram at @therealpearlmackie.
Ian McNeice
Ian McNeice’s television breakthrough was as Harcourt in the award-winning series Edge of Darkness. He has also played the alcoholic sous chef Gustave LaRoche on the television series Chef!, the evil Baron Vladimir Harkonnen in Frank Herbert’s Dune and, later, Children of Dune, Burt Large in eight seasons of Doc Martin, and the Newsreader in the HBO/BBC production Rome.
McNeice has also appeared in a number of films throughout the past few decades, including 84 Charing Cross Road, Day of the Dead, No Escape, From Hell and The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain, Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls, Around the World in 80 Days, White Noise, and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.
He made his Doctor Who debut when he guest-starred as villain Zeus in the Big Finish BBC Digital Radio 7 drama Immortal Beloved. Later McNeice would become well known in the Who universe for portraying Winston Churchill in the TV series from 2010 – 2011. However, this wasn’t the first or last time he would play Churchill. He had previously played Churchill in the 2008 premiere production of the Howard Brenton play Never So Good, and later played him again in the 2012 stage version of The King’s Speech.
You can follow Ian on Twitter at @ianmcneice1950.
Sarah Louise Madison
Best known in the Doctor Who universe for her numerous portrayals of Weeping Angels and Time Zombies, Sarah Louise Madison has also starred in several other movie and TV roles.
Shortly after her first appearance on Doctor Who, Sarah had roles in films such as The Amityville Asylum and Night of the Living Dead: Resurrection.
She has gone on to appear in the TV series Cops and Monsters and Twisted Showcase – with several projects up and coming.
You can find Sarah on Twitter at @SarahLouMadison.
Ross Mullan
Ross Mullan began his performing career working mostly in mask and physical theatre companies. He has worked in theatre for National and International tours of shows such as East of Eden, David Copperfield, Christmas Carol and Sherlock Holmes. Ross also played Orsino, in Bath Theatre Royals production of Twelfth Night, the title role of the Selfish Giant for Leicester Haymarket Theatre, and brought the critically acclaimed play Thick from the Edinburgh festival to New York City with sold out performances.
Ross is also an established puppeteer and voice over artist having trained with Jim Henson’s company many years ago. He is the voice and spirit behind Nev the Bear on CBBC’s Bear Behaving Badly. He is The White Walker on HBO’s Game of Thrones, The Silence and The Teller on Doctor Who, and in Clash of the Titans he plays Pemphredo one of the three blind Stygian witches. More recently, he had a role in the most recent installment of the cult science fiction made-for-TV series Sharknado.
Originally from Montreal, Canada, Ross has been residing in the UK for more than 20 years.
You can follow Ross on Twitter at @rossmullan.
Wendy Padbury
Wendy Padbury trained at the Aida Foster Stage School and made her TV debut on the BBC arts program Monitor soon after starting the course. More TV work followed and, by the age of seventeen, she had landed a regular role in the ATV soap opera Crossroads.
Soon after this, she applied for the role of “Zoe” on Doctor Who. After several rounds of auditions and a screen test at Lime Grove, she was given the job. Although the production team tried to persuade her to stay on at the end of season six (and she was tempted to do so), she decided to leave at the same time as her co-stars Patrick Troughton and Frazer Hines. She then worked in the theatre and, in the early seventies, appeared in three seasons of the Southern TV children’s series Freewheelers.
In the 1990s she became a theatrical agent, and has counted several fellow former Doctor Who cast members as part of her roster.
She continues her role of Zoe in the Doctor Who audio adventures recorded by Big Finish Productions.
Colin Spaull
Known for playing characters in both the New and Classic Series of Doctor Who, Colin Spaull trained at what was then the Italia Conti School, now the Conti Academy of Theatre Arts.
His credits include Z-Cars (in which he played three characters between 1964 and 1969), Dixon of Dock Green, Boon, Goodnight Sweetheart, Inspector Morse, The Bill (in which he has played seven characters between 1985 and 2003), Casualty, and Holby City. More recently, he appeared in one episode of The Inbetweeners as Roy, Will’s neighbor.
Colin started as a child actor and has a number of leading roles to his name, including that of Noddy in Noddy In Toyland, Venables in Jennings Goes To School, young Pip in Great Expectations and Dickon Sowerby in The Secret Garden.
Kelly Yates
Kelly Yates is principally a penciller and inker who was used heavily during the Tenth Doctor‘s run at IDW Publishing. He provided pencils for issues
4 and 6 of The Forgotten and inked the last issue as well. He drew and inked Ground Control and pencilled Autopia, for which he also co-created the cover. However, the “purest” example of his cover skills can be found on the 2010 IDW annual, for which he was solely responsible.
He currently does work on Doctor Who comics through Titan Publishing. He also currently publishes his creator-owned projects, MonstHer and Amber Atoms.
More Info: kellyyatesart.com