November 27th, 2019
24 comments
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Big Finish Class Volume 03
Available to order from www.bigfinish.com
Big Finish is going back to Coal Hill Academy for six new full cast audio adventures, based on the television series created by Patrick Ness, in arrangement with BBC Studios.
Class is back in session! Due for release in April 2020, the Doctor Who spin-off series returns for two new volumes, each available for pre-order now as a limited edition box set for £19.99, or on download at £14.99.
Alongside the series regulars, Greg Austin (Charlie Smith), Fady Elsayed (Ram Singh) and Sophie Hopkins (April MacLean), two new faces are joining the cast.
Dervla Kirwan, familiar to many as the star of TV series Ballykissangel and Good night Sweetheart, takes over from Katherine Kelly in the role of witty alien exile, Miss Quill. And Joanna McGibbon steps into the shoes of Vivian Oparah as student prodigy, Tanya Adeola.
The six new stories included in the forthcoming Class box sets are as follows:
Volume Three
- The Soers’ Ditch by Carl Rowens
- Catfish by Kate Thorman
- Sweet Nothings by Michael Dennis
Volume Four
- Mock by Alfie Shaw
- The Creeper by Lizzie Hopley
- The Queen of Rhodia by Blair Mowat
Producer and director of Class, Scott Handcock, said: “When we first announced we were reviving Class on audio, I think the response took everyone by surprise, and it became clear to everyone there was an appetite for more adventures with these characters. And now we have even more! As before, they’re set within the television series, tackling urban legends, intergalactic romances, mock exams and an abandoned Shoreditch house on Halloween!
“Greg, Sophie, Fady and Jordan return as Charlie, April, Ram and Matteusz respectively, with a couple of new cast members lending their vocals to familiar characters. Although we were unable to secure the talents of Vivian Oparah and Katherine Kelly, I’m thrilled to welcome Joanna McGibbon as Tanya Adeola and Dervla Kirwan as Miss Quill into the Class family. They’re both such brilliant actors and really capture the unique attitudes of their characters.”
Class Volumes Three and Four are available for pre-order now at £19.99 each as a limited edition CD box set (only 1,000 will be pressed of each volume) or £16.99 each on download from the Big Finish website. Both volumes will remain at this price until general release when they will be available for £24.99 on CD or £19.99 on download.
Class: The Audio Adventures can also be purchased as a bundle together at the price of £38 as a limited edition CD and £28 on download. All CD purchases from the Big Finish website unlock a download exclusive from the Big Finish website and app.
To mark this announcement, and the appearance of the Class cast at the Chicago TARDIS convention this weekend, Class Volumes One and Two have been reduced in price and are now each £14.99 (usually £19.99) on download, or £28 if bought together. This offer will be available until 23:59 (UK time) on 03 December 2019 at www.bigfinish.com
Categorised under: Big Finish, CD, spin-offs
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Anonymous
November 28th, 2019 - 1:57pmBecause releasing a story where those characters just aren’t in them just wasn’t possible?
Maybe they’re off sick or there’s a substitute teacher.
Nope.
Recast.
Whofan44
November 28th, 2019 - 2:30pmThey did speak with the actors but they actively declined to return to the roles after long talks. The original actors are aware of the recast. It seems they have no interest in returning so recast is the best option to still be able to enjoy the characters
Anonymous
November 28th, 2019 - 8:28amIt’s criminal Katherine Kelly isn’t in it. She was the saving grace of Class. Honestly if you couldn’t secure her for that date. Skype record her lines through a voice memo.
booboo
November 28th, 2019 - 8:32amlike others have said maybe she didn’t want to do it anymore.
lege
November 28th, 2019 - 11:17amscott handcock said on the bigfinish listeners page that the 2 were approached and turned down the offer to star again. rather than can 6 stories they decided to proseed with recasts. as a stout bigfinish listener for 20 years I can say all their recasts have been well thought out.
Anonymous
November 28th, 2019 - 11:48amI wish people would stop assuming that actors want to play the role they played in who and/or the related series. People seem to think you can just demand that an actor return!
TARDIS Traveller
November 28th, 2019 - 12:07pmIt’s hardly surprising Katherine Kelly didn’t return. She’s a highly talented and in demand actor who has at least two new series due early 2020. Why would she return to a show which was deemed unsuccessful and relegated to a late night dead slot on bbc1 with no promotion.
booboo
November 28th, 2019 - 12:15pmthis has nothing to do with the TV show, i doubt it was unsuccessful for Big Finish otherwise they wouldn’t have gone for another 2 volumes
TARDIS Traveller
November 28th, 2019 - 3:46pmI have no doubts the big finish boxsets were successful and profitable but I doubt someone as high profile as Kelly would have returned for an audio series on a role she played 5 years ago on a TV show canceled after one series. I hope she will do big finish work in the future as I have enjoyed everything she’s been in. Just find it unsurprising that she declined to return
booboo
November 28th, 2019 - 3:53pmyou do realise she actually did Big Finish volumes 1 and 2 released just last year? Its only in volumes 3 and 4 she is being replaced by another actor.
Anonymous
November 28th, 2019 - 4:03pmI think tardis traveller is just determined to say that class was a failure. Not everything is going to to successful but these CDs are great for people who enjoyed the show. I couldn’t really get into it but the fact it only lasted one series doesn’t mean katherine Kelly is dismissive of it. People should remember that for the actors it really is just a job. My favourite example of that is Timothy dalton who when asked about his time as bond said it was just about years worth of work over the course of three years, it wasn’t that important to him. Actors will do big finish or return to TV who if they want to. I hope people who buy these enjoy them.
booboo
November 28th, 2019 - 4:09pmI think it was on TV, but through no fault of its own, the digital platform it was aimed at was just not big enough at the time.
Anonymous
November 28th, 2019 - 5:20pmI would just save the stories for a later date if she wanted to return. Sorry I find it hard to imagine a recast as the same character as the original. Sorry but Katherine was the highlight of class. I think that’s a massive hole to fill in audio series. I don’t mind the other person that recast.
Anonymous
November 27th, 2019 - 5:46pmThe previous box sets were set before the TV series two parter, I’m hoping that these ones are set after the two parter and before detained.
Anonymous
November 27th, 2019 - 5:35pmYES!!! YES!!! I’M RUNNING AROUND MY HOUSE, CELEBRATING THIS NEWS RIGHT NOW!!!
Anonymous
November 27th, 2019 - 5:09pmJust pre ordered. I am looking forward to this but part of my excitement has been taken away because Katherine and Vivian aren’t returning.
DalekAgent
November 27th, 2019 - 4:33pmNice to see Blair is writing one and i hope it includes the Weeping Angels so we get answers about the cliffhanger from the tv series
MJS
November 27th, 2019 - 5:15pmSet during the series, as per Big Finish’s licence terms. That cliffhanger will have to be resolved another time!!
DalekAgent
November 27th, 2019 - 5:55pmOh yeah true, i hope it does get resolved eventually
DalekAgent
November 28th, 2019 - 2:26pmIve just realised my mistake, Blair did the music for Class while Patrick Ness wrote some of the episodes and i thought it was Blair who wrote the episodes haha, still im looking forward to hearing what Blairs episode is like
Doctor Stu
November 27th, 2019 - 4:14pmI’m an audio snob now I won’t be able to listen to these if it’s not the original cast members. Don’t know why they didn’t just leave it until everyone’s diaries synced up
TARDIS_H63
November 27th, 2019 - 4:32pmThey don’t even need to sync up tbh… They could always have recordes them individually.
But we don’t know why Vivian and Katherine didn’t return… Maybe they just didn’t want to do it anymore…
Anonymous
November 27th, 2019 - 4:36pmOriginal cast members may be too busy or may just not want to do it anymore
Anonymous
November 27th, 2019 - 4:05pmShame katherine Kelly left, she’s the best one