The Master’s deeds have caught up with him and he finds himself imprisoned in this latest audio drama box set, the ninth of The War Master range.

Solitary Confinement features guest appearances from Dame Siân Phillips, Jason Flemying, Eva Pope, Lois Chimimba, Silas Carson, Neve McIntosh, Jacob Dudman and Kae Alexander.

Sir Derek Jacobi said: “The Master is such a wonderful character. His view on life and death is so unique and so funny. That's what's so attractive about him, because he loves his work. He enjoys the mayhem and the murder and the power. The more he's around, the better.”

The Drane Institute is home to the galaxy’s most criminally deranged. Patients are kept locked away for the protection of themselves and the rest of the universe... with their most dangerous kept in active isolation.

The Master is one such convalescent. He has no memory of how he came to be there. All he knows for certain is he should be: his presence is part of a greater design.

Confiding in the institute’s staff, the Master shares stories of love and loss, madness and glory... but there’s still a final twist in the tale: one the Master’s waiting to share with his enemies.

The Walls of Absence

The Code Purgers of Chift have made a fortune cleaning up the galaxy’s code: subroutines assessed, and errors repaired. So when the Master loses his mind, quite literally, there is only one place he can turn.

Writer James Goss said: “This is an attempt to do a love story – a romance for the War Master. So, I’ve created a character who we believe could fall in love with him. We know it’ll end badly, but it’s a small story about love in the middle of a Time War.

“It’s a delight that [producer] Scott Handcock pulled off such a coup and reunited Sir Derek with Dame Siân from I, Claudius. And they’re just magnificent together. There comes a point where you’re not sure who is playing against who!”

The Long Despair

On the ocean world of Mehr Kee, the Master enlists the help of a captain to voyage across its seas. Their target: a beacon on a distant isle, shining across the waves. But what deadly trials await?

Writer Tim Foley said: “Writing for Sir Derek Jacobi is a treat and it’s a privilege to put words in his mouth. To take advantage of his silky voice, I thought I’d put him in a nautical tale that’s semi-narrated by the War Master. It’s an evocative performance.”

The Life and Loves of Mr Alexander Bennett

Alexander Bennett lives a normal life. He has a job, a girlfriend, a plan for the future... and a new home assistant — Maisu — that offers all the advice he could ever need... whether he wants it or not.

Writer Alfie Shaw said: “The War Master is such a joy to write for as he’s so thoroughly evil and ruthless while also being capable of great charm. You can go a lot darker with the stories than in the ranges that are led by heroes. I like taking things as close to the line as we can in terms of darkness.”

The Kicker

When a member of the Temporal Inquisition arrives at the Crane Institute, they discover more to the Master’s madness than meets the eye — and his secrets now threaten them all.

Writer Trevor Baxendale said: “This was a chance to dig into a story that was more of a character piece, something I probably haven’t done much of before, and come up with interrogation scenes that were basically two-handers to allow Sir Derek full reign with his Master to be as charming, cunning, clever and wicked as possible.”

The War Master: Solitary Confinement is now available to own for just £24.99 (collector’s edition 4-disc CD box set + download) or £19.99 (download only), exclusively here.

Big Finish listeners can save money by pre-ordering Solitary Confinement plus two forthcoming War Master box sets, Rogue Encounters and Future Phantoms, together in a bundle for just £72 (collector’s edition CD box set + download) or £58 (download only).

All the above prices include the special pre-order discount and are subject to change after general release.

Plus, for a very limited time, selected releases featuring Sir Derek Jacobi are discounted up to 50% on collector’s edition CD and download, exclusively here. These offers expire at 23:59 (UK time) on 11 June 2023.

Big Finish is currently operating a digital-first release schedule. The mail-out of collector’s edition CDs may be delayed due to factors beyond our control, but all purchases of this release unlock a digital copy that can be immediately downloaded or played on the Big Finish app from the release date.