Doctor Who news: Free short story Free Speech is out now
By James Aggas
A brand new Doctor Who short story has been released by Big Finish – and you can listen to it for free right now!
If you’re looking for a brand new Doctor Who story to enjoy – one that’s completely free – then today, you’re in luck. A new short story has been released by Big Finish called Free Speech. Written by Eugenie Pusenjak and performed by Jacob Dudman, the story is the winner of the annual writing competition the Paul Spragg Memorial Short Trips Writing Opportunity for 2020.
The opportunity was created as a way of remembering Paul Spragg, a man greatly loved at Big Finish who passed away on May 8, 2014. The opportunity was created as a way of giving brand new writers the chance to write for Big Finish.
Entering its fifth year, over 1,000 entries were submitted to Big Finish, with Eugenie Pusenjak’s story being selected as the winner. On the judging panel were producer Alfie Shaw, writer Emily Cook, Big Finish Creative Director Nicholas Briggs, and author Robert Shearman. Here’s what Shearman had to say about Free Speech:
"Great, funny, original, and written with verve!"
Jacob Dudman performs this brand new short story.
Image courtesy Big Finish Productions
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Winning entry
Unsurprisingly, writer Eugenie Pusenjak is extremely happy about her winning entry.
"I love Doctor Who and I love writing short fiction, so those two things combined seemed like a dream gig. I hope people enjoy listening to the story just as much as I enjoyed writing it."
So what made Free Speech stand out compared to all the other entries? Short Trips producer Alfie Shaw discusses the new short story.
"Free Speech stood out because of how it plays with the way that we tell stories, as well as featuring one of the Doctor’s greatest strengths. Not only was it wittily written with a theme that resonates in the modern world, but it demonstrated a clear understanding of how to create a story that is written to be performed."
Certainly, previous entries have stood out as truly original stories. Last year’s winning entry The Best-Laid Plans by Ben Tedds was a fantastic Twelfth Doctor story that introduced a rather unusual kind of villain (if you could call him that). The Last Day At Work – Harry Draper’s winning entry for 2018 – provided a unique look at an important part of Doctor Who.
What will Free Speech bring? We can’t wait to give it a listen and find out. Expect a review of this new release later this week. In the meantime, you can listen to the story yourself by going to Big Finish’s website and downloading it for free.
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Have you checked out other free releases from Big Finish? Which ones have stood out to you? Have you submitted an entry of your own for the Short Trips Opportunity? Let us know in the comments below.