Doctor Who audio producers Big Finish suspend recording amid coronavirus pandemic
Recording on new releases has been halted, though "minimal disruption" is promised
Big Finish – best known for its ranges of Doctor Who audio plays – has taken the decision to suspend all recording sessions in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.
Though recording has been temporarily halted, pre- and post-production on productions already in the can will continue apace with staff working remotely.
In a statement, Big Finish chairman Jason Haigh-Ellery said: "We have always worked considerably in advance – indeed some of our series have recordings dates that are up to four years in advance of their release date. So we are lucky enough to have many productions already 'in the can'.
"Subsequently, pausing recordings will cause minimal disruption to this year’s releases."
Haigh-Ellery continued: "The majority of Big Finish’s staff are freelance and work from home and so are fully able to continue to work remotely, whether writing productions for when we re-open the studios, or editing and sound designing those productions already recorded.
"However, the safety of our actors is of paramount importance and, given the advice by public health experts to limit the risk of transmitting the virus, we have taken the decision to suspended our recording schedule in consultation with the studios that we use on a regular basis.
"We will obviously continue to review all productions on a case-by-case basis and take further expert advice where necessary."
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Insisting that it's very much "business as usual for Big Finish", Haigh-Ellery added that there are currently no plans to postpone the annual Big Finish Day fan gathering at Quad, Derby, which is currently scheduled for 6th June 2020.
"At the moment, it is our hope to proceed with the annual Big Finish Day... if the situation changes, we will inform those who have bought tickets as early as possible," he said.
Big Finish also produce audio plays based on classic TV properties including The Prisoner and Gerry Anderson's Space: 1999 and are also branching out into original productions, including sci-fi thriller The Human Frontier written and directed by Nicholas Briggs.
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Morgan Jeffery is the Digital Editor for Radio Times, overseeing all editorial output across the brand's digital platforms. He was previously TV Editor at Digital Spy and has featured as a TV expert on BBC Breakfast, BBC Radio 5 Live and Sky Atlantic.
