After a gap of two years, Miranda Raison and Lisa Greenwood will finally be returning to the Doctor Who audios as companions Constance and Flip in 2020!
I have been waiting two years for this news! In 2020, Miranda Raison and Lisa Greenwood are returning as Constance Clarke and Phillipa “Flip” Jackson in Big Finish’s Doctor Who audios. This particular pairing hasn’t been heard since 2017’s Sixth Doctor story Static, so their return has been long overdue! In fact, Miranda Raison, who plays Constance, gives us a pretty good idea of how long it’s been:
"It must be over two years since we’ve been in a Big Finish studio, because the last time I was here I was eight months pregnant, and now my daughter is over two years old!"
Why is this exciting news for audio fans? Because not only are both Constance and Flip fantastic companions to the Sixth Doctor in their own right. But they’re also such a brilliant pairing, despite being such an odd couple – or even because of it. As Big Finish’s executive producer Nicholas Briggs explains:
"Their backgrounds are so different, but they just hit it off. Constance is very prim and proper and from World War Two. Flip is a proper Cockney from the early 2000s."
That’s a pretty solid introduction to both characters. They’re amazing to listen to together, even though we’ve only had four stories of this particular TARDIS team. That will change in 2020, when they’ll feature in three brand new four-part adventures!
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Long journeys
Unsurprisingly, Lisa Greenwood (who plays Flip) is excited to once again play this key role.
"It’s great to be back! I love playing Flip and it’s lovely to be working with Miranda and Colin again."
Each companion has been travelling with the Doctor for quite a while now. Flip initially met the Doctor when he was still travelling with Evelyn Smythe in The Crimes of Thomas Brewster back in 2011. A year later, she was reunited with him and became a full-time companion. However, when she decided to get married, it seemed that their travels together were over – until she found herself reunited with the Doctor on her wedding day…
Constance first appeared in the epic box set The Sixth Doctor: The Last Adventure, although it was immediately clear that they had been travelling together for quite some time. We then learned how the two actually met in Criss-Cross, and the two had many adventures. The return of Flip in 2016’s Quicksilver initially lead to sparks between the two companions, but they soon became extremely good friends.
The last time we’ve heard from this team, Constance went through a rather traumatic experience in the brilliant story Static. How has it affected her? Will it change her relationship with the Doctor and Flip? We can’t wait to find out in 2020!
Have you listened to any stories featuring Constance or Flip? Do you have a particular preference for the companions? Let us know in the comments below.