Blake's 7 (audio drama)
There have been three producers of Blake's 7 audio dramas: BBC Radio, B7 Productions and Big Finish Productions.
BBC Radio
[edit]In 1998, the series returned to the BBC on the radio. The stories are set between the season D episodes "Stardrive" and "Animals". They were broadcast on BBC Radio 4. The roles of Dayna and Soolin, played by Josette Simon and Glynis Barber in the TV series, have been recast with Angela Bruce and Paula Wilcox.[1]
| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Released | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The Sevenfold Crown" | Brian Lighthill | Barry Letts | January 1998 | |
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Raiding their old enemy Servalan's HQ, the crew discover that she possesses a jewel that belongs to an ancient, longlost crown - a mystical artifact of indescribable power. The crown had the power to amplify the wearer's own psychic energies a millionfold - and with one jewel safely in her possession, Servalan is determined to acquire the circlet of metal containing the other six. But the rebels are in pursuit of the ultimate goal - the total freedom that the Sevenfold Crown can give. And if Avon does reach the Crown before Servalan, will absolute power corrupt him absolutely? | |||||
| 2 | "The Syndeton Experiment" | Brian Lighthill | Barry Letts | April 1999 | |
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Avon and the Crew are tired of running. They want to negotiate with the Federation, gain protection and settle down on a planet of their own. And the wealthy Syndexia seems just the place to do it. Or so they think. It turns out that the Crew's arch enemy Servalan is ahead of them - but it's not the wealth of Syndexia she's after. Servalan is on the trail of a certain Doctor Rossum, inventor of the nanochip. Easily implanted in the brain, the nanochip will give its controller total power over that person. And if nanochips were embedded in a whole population...? The race is on in the deadly game. Who will reach Doctor Rossum first - Avon or Servalan? | |||||
In 2006, B7 Productions announced that it had recorded a series of 36 five-minute audio adventures with an entirely new cast. The new series was broadcast on BBC Radio 7 as three hour-long episodes.[2]
| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Released | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Rebel" | Andrew Mark Sewell, Duncan McAlpine, Dominic Devine, Alistair Lock | Ben Aaronovitch | December 2007 | |
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In the third century of the second calendar, the galactic Federation, once a beacon of democracy and peace, has become a corrupt tyranny. Freedom and Justice are things of the past. Roj Blake stood up for ordinary people. When the establishment tried intimidation, he laughed in their faces; when they tried to crush him, he fought back. They tried to brainwash him into obedience, but he broke their conditioning. Finally, they framed him for crimes he didn't commit and sentenced him to permanent exile on the notorious prison planet of Cygnus Alpha. The Federation thinks it has seen the last of Roj Blake... The Federation will wish it had. | |||||
| 2 | "Traitor" | Andrew Mark Sewell, Duncan McAlpine, Dominic Devine, Alistair Lock | Marc Platt | December 2007 | |
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Roj Blake is on the run... He has a ship, but the ship has plans of its own. He has a crew, but who are his friends and who are his enemies? Blake thought space meant freedom, but space is cold, cruel and steeped in blood. The power of the Federation reaches further and deeper then Blake dared imagine... Freedom is nowhere to be found. | |||||
| 3 | "Liberator" | Andrew Mark Sewell, Duncan McAlpine, Dominic Devine, Alistair Lock | James Swallow | January 2008 | |
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The Federation's grip is tightening and Roj Blake and the crew of the Liberator have nowhere left to hide. As time runs out, old friendships are shattered and new alliances are forged. Choices are made and battle lines are drawn across the galaxy. A path of betrayal, lies and deceit leads to only one destination... Toward a deadly confrontation that will change everything. | |||||
The early years
[edit]B7 Productions also produced series of 30-minute prequel audio episodes, which explored the earlier histories of the central characters. These were broadcast on BBC Radio 4 Extra from 2010.[3]
| # | Title | Cast | Writer | Broadcast Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.1 | When Vila Met Gan | Michael Keating as Vila, Owen Aaronovitch as Gan and Alistair Lock as Zen | Ben Aaronovitch | 4 June 2010 |
| 1.2 | Point of No Return | Craig Kelly as Travis, Jake Maskall as Sub. Lt. Garcia and Peter Guinness as Carl Varon | James Swallow | 31 December 2011 |
| 1.3 | Eye of the Machine | Colin Salmon as Avon, Keeley Hawes as Anna Grant, Geoffrey Palmer as Ensor and Alistair Lock as Zen | Ben Aaronovitch | 31 May 2010 |
| 1.4.1 | Blood & Earth | Jan Chappell as Aunty Cally Secundus, Amy Humphreys as Ariane Cally, Barbara Joslyn as Jorden Cally and Julian Wadham as Commissioner Van Reich | Ben Aaronovitch | 1 June 2010 |
| 1.4.2 | Flag & Flame | Susannah Doyle as Katrina "Skate" Cally, Natalie Walter as Merrin Cally and Michael Cochrane as Commander Gresham | Marc Platt | 7 January 2012 |
| 1.5.1 | The Dust Run | Carrie Dobro as Jenna Stannis and Benedict Cumberbatch as Max Townsend | Simon Guerrier | 2 June 2010 |
| 1.5.2 | The Trial | Carrie Dobro as Jenna Stannis, Stephen Lord as Nick and Benedict Cumberbatch as Max Townsend | Simon Guerrier | 3 June 2010 |
| 2.1 | Escape Velocity | Zoe Tapper as Pilot, Jason Merrells as Healer, Sam Woodward as Gunner, Pamela Banks as Tech, Tracy-Ann Oberman as Avatar and Alistair Lock as Zen | James Swallow | 24 December 2011 |
BBC Audiobooks
[edit]Audiobook readings novelising episodes from season A of the TV series released by BBC Audio.
| # | Title | Narrator | Writer | Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Way Back | Gareth Thomas | Trevor Hoyle | April 2009 |
| 2 | Cygnus Alpha | Paul Darrow | Trevor Hoyle | April 2009 |
| 3 | Project Avalon | Jacqueline Pearce & Paul Darrow | Trevor Hoyle | May 2013 |
The Liberator Chronicles
[edit]A series of enhanced audiobooks from Big Finish Productions with members of the TV series reprising their roles.[4]
Volumes 1, 4, 7 and 10 are set during Season A. Volumes 2, 5, 8 and 11 are set during Season B. Volumes 3, 6, 9 and 12 are set during Season C. The special episode "Remnants" is available only on the Big Finish website.
| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Released | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volume 1 | ||||||||||||
| 1 | "The Turing Test" | Lisa Bowerman | Simon Guerrier | February 2012 | ||||||||
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After evading an attack by Cassini Pirates, the Liberator heads to the rogue moon of Quentil, where Avon and Vila infiltrate a top secret Federation science facility. Vila assumes the guise of Doctor Yarding Gill, an expert in digital memory. And Avon is his 'creation' - a super-advanced android that could pass for human. In fact, he does... Can they maintain the ruse for long enough to complete their mission? And will the Cassini Pirates catch up with them? | ||||||||||||
| 2 | "Solitary" | Lisa Bowerman | Nigel Fairs | February 2012 | ||||||||
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Vila is in solitary confinement. His friends have abandoned him, his only contact with the world outside is Nyrron, a scientist from the planet Auron. Amnesiac and confused, Vila attempts to piece together recent events... A mission to Dulcimer 4. An important meeting. And a visit to the jungle world of Terrulis Major. In the depths of the foliage, the truth is waiting. And it's more terrifying than Vila could possible have imagined... | ||||||||||||
| 3 | "Counterfeit" | Lisa Bowerman | Peter Anghelides | February 2012 | ||||||||
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The Bovee Mining Facility: A Federation slave camp worked by disgraced scientists. The planet shouldn't be of interest but it is: Avon's investigations reveal that it's rich in Illusium, a mineral that can change from one substance to another. With it, the Federation could be invulnerable. Blake teleports down to Bovee, but gets more than he bargained for. There's another visitor to the facility - and his presence changes the whole game... | ||||||||||||
| Volume 2 | ||||||||||||
| 1 | "The Magnificent Four" | Lisa Bowerman | Simon Guerrier | August 2012 | ||||||||
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A mission to steal data from the planet Mogul goes badly wrong when Cally and Avon are outflanked and outgunned. And then they are teleported to safety - to an alien spaceship stolen from The System, which is crewed by Gilden Trent and his small team of rebels. For Avon it’s the opportunity to start over again without Blake. But can Trent be trusted? | ||||||||||||
| 2 | "False Positive" | Lisa Bowerman | Eddie Robson | August 2012 | ||||||||
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Dr Lian has a mysterious new patient – a man who was found shot in the leg near Engel City, a man who is delirious and talking about the most extraordinary acts of rebellion. She prescribes drugs and the use of the alleviator – a device that will dig deep into his memories – to unlock the truth about Carlin Guzan. But the truth that she exposes is far more shocking than she bargained for... | ||||||||||||
| 3 | "Wolf" | Lisa Bowerman | Nigel Fairs | August 2012 | ||||||||
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Some time ago, Blake and his crew were helped by a revered Auron scientist named Gustav Nyrron. He stayed aboard the Liberator for a time and then disappeared. Cally wants to know what happened to Nyrron, and only Servalan knows the answers. | ||||||||||||
| Volume 3 | ||||||||||||
| 1 | "The Armageddon Storm, Parts 1-3" | Ken Bentley | Mark Wright and Cavan Scott | February 2013 | ||||||||
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Del Grant, mercenary. Kerr Avon, freedom fighter. Former friends. Former enemies. Linked forever thanks to Grant's sister, the woman Avon loved. The woman Avon killed. Now their paths cross again. Grant has learnt of the existence of the Armageddon Storm, a terrifying new Federation superweapon. Avon finds himself in a race against time, with his crew's lives hanging in the balance. But what will Grant do when he finds out about the blood on Avon's hands? | ||||||||||||
| Volume 4 | ||||||||||||
| 1 | "Promises" | Lisa Bowerman | Nigel Fairs | May 2013 | ||||||||
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Saurian Minor. A dead rock in space. Cally is alone with Travis, Blake's mortal enemy, both trapped on this desolate world - and someone has brought them here for a reason. As they delve into the past, a long-hidden secret that links them both is uncovered. Gradually, the truth about Scetona Clorensis will be revealed... | ||||||||||||
| 2 | "Epitaph" | Lisa Bowerman | Scott Harrison | May 2013 | ||||||||
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When the Liberator picks up a distress call from a stricken strip, Jenna and Vila teleport across. For Jenna, it's the chance for a reunion with a fellow smuggler. But the cry for help is not what it appears, and Jenna will meet the surviving members of her family. The reunion will take her on a deadly mission - one from which not everyone will come out alive... | ||||||||||||
| 3 | "Kerr" | Lisa Bowerman | Nick Wallace | May 2013 | ||||||||
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Supreme Commander Servalan believes she has a vital insight into the Liberator crew - a clone of Avon. He looks the same. He sounds the same. He even appears to think the same. And he offers to spring a trap that will bring down Blake and his crew. But can the clone be trusted? | ||||||||||||
| Volume 5 | ||||||||||||
| 1 | "Logic" | Ken Bentley and Lisa Bowerman | Simon Guerrier | August 2013 | ||||||||
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Pol Astat Constable is an ordinary woman living an ordinary life in a domed city on Earth. Her very ordinary job involves looking for errors of logic in computer code. Then one day an intruder breaks into her rooms and changes everything forever. His name is Kerr Avon, and he is taking her outside to face a terrible secret. Pol's life is ordinary no more. | ||||||||||||
| 2 | "Risk Management" | Ken Bentley and Lisa Bowerman | Una McCormack | August 2013 | ||||||||
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Blake and Jenna come to the aid of the planet Sutskar, which has fought off the shackles of the Federation and won independence and freedom. But the ruined world needs finance, and so the sale of rare Galveston crystals is vital to its future and any hope of rebuilding. The only person trusted to broker the deal is Roj Blake... But Blake is not prepared for the secrets and lies he will uncover. | ||||||||||||
| 3 | "Three" | Ken Bentley and Lisa Bowerman | James Goss | August 2013 | ||||||||
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Cullen is a journalist in search of a big story - and he has landed the scoop of a lifetime. An interview with Supreme Commander Servalan herself. Summoned to Space Command Headquarters, Cullen is able to ask the Supreme Commander any question he chooses. But as Servalan takes him through her life, little does Cullen know how his own story will actually end... | ||||||||||||
| Volume 6 | ||||||||||||
| 1 | "Incentive" | Ken Bentley | Peter Anghelides | October 2013 | ||||||||
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The Liberator crew are recovering from a Galactic War and searching for their lost members Blake and Jenna. But it’s a search that leads them into terrible danger… | ||||||||||||
| 2 | "Jenna's Story" | Ken Bentley | Steve Lyons | October 2013 | ||||||||
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Jenna's story is finally told - from her escape from the Liberator during the Galactic War, to her determination to continue the fight against the Federation alone… with the odds stacked against her. | ||||||||||||
| 3 | "Blake's Story" | Ken Bentley | Mark Wright and Cavan Scott | October 2013 | ||||||||
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Blake's story is finally told - from his escape from the Liberator during the Galactic War, to his new life as a troubled, scarred man on a distant rebel world… | ||||||||||||
| Volume 7 | ||||||||||||
| 1 | "Spy" | Ken Bentley and Lisa Bowerman | Simon Guerrier | February 2014 | ||||||||
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Cally and Vila are undercover on the Federation-controlled world Cortol Four. It's a mission with an irresistible prize. And it's a mission that goes horribly wrong... | ||||||||||||
| 2 | "Disorder" | Ken Bentley and Lisa Bowerman | Eddie Robson | February 2014 | ||||||||
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Division Three. A space station in the process of being decommissioned. Its archives contain key records of the Federation's enemies - and Vila and Avon intend to steal it. | ||||||||||||
| 3 | "The Hard Road" | Ken Bentley and Lisa Bowerman | James Swallow | February 2014 | ||||||||
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Blake decides it is time to fight back against the Federation - and to fight back with allies. | ||||||||||||
| Volume 8 | ||||||||||||
| 1 | "President" | Ken Bentley and Lisa Bowerman | Simon Guerrier | May 2014 | ||||||||
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Alone together, two Federation officials at last share the truth. Supreme Commander Servalan agrees to explain to Secretary Rontane how she set up the President. And when she is done, Servalan’s executioners will be waiting... | ||||||||||||
| 2 | "The Sea of Iron" | Ken Bentley and Lisa Bowerman | Marc Platt | May 2014 | ||||||||
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Cally wishes to find Captain Mani Yalleg, her instructor when she was training to be a freedom fighter. His trail leads to the Goliath System, where Cally will discover a shocking lost secret from her past... | ||||||||||||
| 3 | "Spoils" | Ken Bentley and Lisa Bowerman | James Goss | May 2014 | ||||||||
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Roj Blake dreams of bringing down the Federation. Of toppling the President and Servalan and establishing a free society. What would happen if he won? He is about to find out. | ||||||||||||
| Volume 9 | ||||||||||||
| 1 | "Defector" | Ken Bentley and Lisa Bowerman | Mark Wright and Cavan Scott | August 2014 | ||||||||
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Avon orders Tarrant and new crewmember Del Grant to assassinate a Federation figurehead. Has he gone too far this time? | ||||||||||||
| 2 | "Planetfall" | Ken Bentley and Lisa Bowerman | Mark Wright and Cavan Scott | August 2014 | ||||||||
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Can Avon and Cally get off Space Station Arcadia before it crashes into the planet below? | ||||||||||||
| 3 | "Secrets" | Ken Bentley and Lisa Bowerman | Mark Wright and Cavan Scott | August 2014 | ||||||||
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With the future of the rebellion in jeopardy, Vila and Grant infiltrate an illegal arms bazaar – but who exactly is Solvin Tavac and what does he want with the crew of the Liberator? | ||||||||||||
| Volume 10 | ||||||||||||
| 1 | "Velandra" | Ken Bentley and Lisa Bowerman | Steve Lyons | November 2014 | ||||||||
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Blake is having bad dreams: a swamp, wolves, a woman called Velandra… and Travis. Could this be a memory that was erased by the Federation? | ||||||||||||
| 2 | "Retribution" | Ken Bentley and Lisa Bowerman | Andrew Smith | November 2014 | ||||||||
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A distress call leads Avon and Vila to an old tracking station on the moon of Lorean. It was sent by Ragnus Lang, formerly Vila’s partner-in-crime. And now Lang needs Blake’s help. | ||||||||||||
| 3 | "Ministry of Peace" | Ken Bentley and Lisa Bowerman | Una McCormack | November 2014 | ||||||||
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The Liberator crew are on the planet Speranza to assist its new interim government. But is the planet a beacon of hope in the fight against the Federation – or is Speranza’s history about to take a darker path? | ||||||||||||
| Volume 11 | ||||||||||||
| 1 | "Brother" | Lisa Bowerman and Louise Jameson | Nigel Fairs | March 2015 | ||||||||
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Auron scientist Gustav Nyrron is back aboard the Liberator, on his way home. But Avon does not trust him, and soon a drugged Nyrron wakes to find himself in Avon’s clutches on a devastated world. In this desert, their pasts are waiting for them… and a devastating truth that will shake their very beliefs to the core. | ||||||||||||
| 2 | "Poison" | Lisa Bowerman and Louise Jameson | Iain McLaughlin | March 2015 | ||||||||
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Federation Freighter Antares is a ship with many secrets. Why is it making regular runs to a heavily guarded frontier world? Why is the hold out of bounds? And who is watching the crew’s every move? Events take a dangerous turn when two new recruits come on board. Will Jance and Voss survive their very first mission together? | ||||||||||||
| 3 | "Escape from Destiny" | Lisa Bowerman and Louise Jameson | Andrew Smith | March 2015 | ||||||||
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When the Liberator receives a distress signal from a planet it once helped save, Cally and Vila journey to a civilisation on the brink of collapse. There, they encounter Pasco, a scientist Cally first met years ago. The Federation is closing on Destiny - but should Vila and Cally stand in the way this time? | ||||||||||||
| X | "Remnants" | Ken Bentley | Simon Guerrier | September 2015 | ||||||||
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After a disastrous mission to the planet Laresh, most of the crew has been wiped out. Avon and Jenna are the sole survivors, reunited aboard the Liberator. But what happens next? With their plans in tatters, do Blake’s Two stay together… or go their separate ways and seek refuge in a galaxy pitted against them? | ||||||||||||
| Volume 12 | ||||||||||||
| 1 | "Corners of the Mind" | Lisa Bowerman | Andy Lane | April 2016 | ||||||||
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Avon is trapped in a labyrinth full of puzzles, with no way to teleport to safety and deadly traps at every corner. He needs all his wits to survive, but there is one problem - he is losing his mind with every puzzle, piece by piece, memory by memory. | ||||||||||||
| 2 | "Capital" | Lisa Bowerman | Guy Adams | April 2016 | ||||||||
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The Armageddon Storm. A weapon so dreadful that it can lay waste to entire planets. A weapon that Avon has used to hold the Federation to account. A voice from the past brings news of its redeployment… and the fate of Blake. Del Tarrant is sent to Earth to recover both - but will he survive? | ||||||||||||
| 3 | "Punishment" | Lisa Bowerman | Guy Adams | April 2016 | ||||||||
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It’s the end of the world and Vila’s father has returned. He isn’t sure what is worse. With the crew of Liberator arrested and Tarrant dead, can Vila rescue the man he hates and save the day? A coward turned hero… with the fate of planet Earth hanging in the balance. | ||||||||||||
The Classic Audio Adventures
[edit]A series of full cast dramas from Big Finish Productions with members of the TV series reprising their roles.
Special (2013)
[edit]A 60 minute special was released in January 2013. It takes place between season B and C of the TV series, directly between the events of "Star One" and "Aftermath". The roles of Zen and Orac, voiced by Peter Tuddenham in the TV series, has been recast with Alistair Lock. It was also released by Big Finish Productions as an eBook in February 2013.
| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Released | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| X | "Warship" | Ken Bentley | Peter Anghelides | January 2013 | |
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An alien fleet stands poised to invade Federation space. The only vessel available to hold it back is the Liberator, commanded by Roj Blake and his crew. As an intergalactic war breaks out, old enemies become allies, and friends will become separated. And Blake will be forced to leave behind all that matters to him... | |||||
Series 1 (2014)
[edit]The first series consisting of six 60-minute episodes were released monthly from January 2014 to June 2014. They are set during season B of the TV series, between "Voice from the Past" and "Gambit". A story arc running across the six episodes concerns the Liberator crew pausing their quest for Star One to track down the Federation's new experimental computer. It also features the introduction of the President, portrayed by Hugh Fraser, a character who was mentioned but never seen in the original series.
| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Released | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volume 1 | ||||||||||||
| 1 | "Fractures" | Ken Bentley | Justin Richards | January 2014 | ||||||||
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An attack by Travis and a squad of Federation pursuit ships leaves the Liberator damaged, its engines in desperate need of repair. Blake is forced to take his ship into The Derelict Zone, which is filled with hundreds of drifting spacecraft that never made it out alive... The same fate awaits his crew. Because the time long expected has come... one of them has turned traitor. | ||||||||||||
| 2 | "Battleground" | Ken Bentley | Andrew Smith | February 2014 | ||||||||
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Blake and the crew of the Liberator have a new mission - and their target is on Straxis, a planet also known as Battleground 9. Because Straxis is a training ground for thousands of Federation troops, and the Liberator has journeyed directly into their sights. Has Blake finally picked a battle he cannot possibly win? | ||||||||||||
| 3 | "Drones" | Ken Bentley | Marc Platt | March 2014 | ||||||||
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The assistance of the Liberator crew is urgently needed on Straxis - but Roj Blake has acute problems of his own… After taking drastic emergency measures, Blake, Vila and Cally teleport back into a war zone in a bid to make new allies. But the Federation is testing advanced new weaponry here. And Vila looks set to be an early target… | ||||||||||||
| 4 | "Mirror" | Ken Bentley | Peter Anghelides | April 2014 | ||||||||
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Orac has tracked Space Major Kade – the man who killed Jenna’s father – to the planet Vere. Jenna wants her revenge, but that must wait. Blake needs her to pilot the Liberator to Stellidar Four, where he has a small window of opportunity to solve the mystery of a new Federation device. It’s a daring plan. And it could be the beginning of the end for the Liberator crew. | ||||||||||||
| 5 | "Cold Fury" | Ken Bentley | Mark Wright & Cavan Scott | May 2014 | ||||||||
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When Travis scores a victory over the Liberator crew, Blake is willing to risk everything in order to get back what is theirs. The destination is the uninhabited ice world Horst Minor, where eugenics specialist Dr Tirus is working on experiments for the Federation President. Horst Minor has many secrets. And Blake is not going to like what he finds there... | ||||||||||||
| 6 | "Caged" | Ken Bentley | Mark Wright & Cavan Scott | June 2014 | ||||||||
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Roj Blake and the President of the Terran Federation stand face to face. Two men with polar opposite political views, meeting for the first and last time. The long crusade is at an end. And Blake stands to lose everything that matters in his life... | ||||||||||||
Series 2 (2014 - 2015)
[edit]A second series consisting of six 60-minute episodes were released monthly from November 2014 to April 2015. They are set during season C of the TV series, some time after "Rumours of Death" and following on from the Liberator Chronicles volumes 3 and 9. A story arc running across the six episodes concerns the disappearance and subsequent search for Dayna. It sees the return of Tom Chadbon as Del Grant, who originally appeared in the season B episode "Countdown".
| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Released | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volume 2 | ||||||||||||
| 1 | "Scimitar" | Lisa Bowerman | Trevor Baxendale | November 2014 | ||||||||
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The crew of the Liberator awaken to find one of their own missing. Where is Dayna? Has their friend been taken or has she deserted them? The search for Dayna leads them to a deserted ship in the middle of a dangerous asteroid field. But what is the secret of the Scimitar and can Avon get every member of his crew out of the asteroid field alive? | ||||||||||||
| 2 | "Fortuitas" | Lisa Bowerman | George Mann | December 2014 | ||||||||
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The search for Dayna takes the Liberator to Solace, a former galactic tourist trap fallen on hard times. When he loses a second member of his crew, Avon is forced to investigate a series of mysterious disappearances. As Orac and Del Grant track a radical new movement that is campaigning for the purity of Solace, a deadly trap begins to tighten. The future is Fortuitas. The future is now. | ||||||||||||
| 3 | "Mindset" | Lisa Bowerman | Jacqueline Rayner | January 2015 | ||||||||
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A voice is calling in the darkness. A voice that only Cally can hear. Vila has abandoned his crewmates, searching for the mythical water of life. With Cally acting suspiciously, Tarrant and Grant face danger at the heart of paradise. A gift is being offered. A gift that will cost one member of the Liberator crew dearly. But will Cally accept? | ||||||||||||
| 4 | "Ghost Ship" | Lisa Bowerman | Iain McLaughlin | February 2015 | ||||||||
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Vila is scared. Of course he is. Vila is always scared. He should feel safe. He is on board the Liberator, the most powerful ship ever constructed. He is home - but he is certainly not alone. Ghostly figures stalk the corridors of the Liberator. Spectres who know Vila’s name. Revenants. Demons. And Vila has nowhere to run. | ||||||||||||
| 5 | "Devil's Advocate" | Lisa Bowerman | Steve Lyons | March 2015 | ||||||||
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When Del Tarrant joined the Liberator he thought he’d left his past behind him – the gallant Federation officer with friends in high places. But the past has a habit of catching up on you. A man the Liberator crew thought dead crosses their path, now a fugitive on the run. He brings talk of an alliance, of a brave new future – but is Avon prepared to make a deal with the Devil? | ||||||||||||
| 6 | "Truth and Lies" | Lisa Bowerman | Justin Richards | April 2015 | ||||||||
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The search for Dayna has led the crew of the Liberator half way across the galaxy, but now Avon knows why she left them. He knows where she went. He knows what she was looking for. But can he find his missing crewmate before it is too late? The answers lie on a planet called Appallon Five – but so does danger and betrayal. | ||||||||||||
Series 3: The Spoils of War (2017)
[edit]A third series, titled "The Spoils of War", consisting of four 60-minute episodes was released as a boxset in July 2017. They are set during season C of the TV series, with the first two episodes taking place after "Powerplay" and the third and fourth episodes set after "Rumours of Death". The role of Dayna, played by Josette Simon in the TV series, has been recast with Yasmin Bannerman.
| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Released | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volume 3 | ||||||||||||
| 1 | "Liberation" | John Ainsworth & Nigel Fairs | Steve Lyons | July 2017 | ||||||||
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In the aftermath of the Galactic War, everything has changed for Blake’s former associates. Having lost their leader, they are forced to work with new allies - people they can’t trust. And that may just get all of them killed. | ||||||||||||
| 2 | "Outpost" | John Ainsworth & Nigel Fairs | Christopher Cooper | July 2017 | ||||||||
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Tarrant and Vila are on a mission to the abandoned outpost Clivian 410B when a Federation taskforce attacks. The wary crewmates must learn to work together if they stand any chance of staying alive. | ||||||||||||
| 3 | "Close Enough" | John Ainsworth & Nigel Fairs | Sophia McDougall | July 2017 | ||||||||
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When the crew of the Liberator are lured into a trap, it’s Avon’s life - and the freedom of the galaxy - that hang in the balance, while Cally regains something she thought she had lost forever. | ||||||||||||
| 4 | "Solus" | John Ainsworth & Nigel Fairs | George Mann | July 2017 | ||||||||
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When the Liberator responds to a distress call from the Solus research station, Avon is hoping to find something valuable he can salvage. Instead, he finds only one survivor amongst the wreckage: President Servalan. | ||||||||||||
Series 4: Crossfire (2017 - 2018)
[edit]The fourth series, titled "Crossfire" - consisting of twelve 60-minute episodes - was released across 3 box sets from October 2017 to April 2018. They are set during season C of the TV series, between "Death-Watch" and "Terminal". A story arc running across the twelve episodes concerns the attempts of Servalan's predecessor to regain the presidency of the Federation.
| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Released | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volume 4 | ||||||||||||
| 1 | "Paradise Lost" | John Ainsworth & Nigel Fairs | Steve Lyons | October 2017 | ||||||||
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Erewhon was a legendary vacation planet - until it was ravaged by acid storms. A new friend brings the Liberator crew here, their objective: to assassinate an old enemy. But what they find beneath Erewhon’s surface will plunge the galaxy into turmoil. | ||||||||||||
| 2 | "True Believers" | John Ainsworth & Nigel Fairs | Simon Clark | October 2017 | ||||||||
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A mysterious voice forces Cally to a barren world where barbarians threaten a beleaguered city. There, Cally joins a dangerous quest to the Singing Grave, encountering evil of immense ferocity and power. | ||||||||||||
| 3 | "Resurgence" | John Ainsworth & Nigel Fairs | Mark Wright | October 2017 | ||||||||
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A distress signal lures the Liberator to an uncharted world, where the ship’s systems come under attack from an outside influence. Avon and the crew face a spectre of the past that could destroy their hopes for the future. | ||||||||||||
| 4 | "Fearless" | John Ainsworth & Nigel Fairs | David Bryher | October 2017 | ||||||||
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A criminal scheme threatens the balance of power in the Federation, and Vila's skills offer the best hope of containing the chaos. Bolstered by Cally's telepathy, he leaps into action - but when Servalan arrives on the scene, the situation quickly spirals out of control... | ||||||||||||
| 5 | "Funeral on Kalion" | John Ainsworth | Trevor Baxendale | January 2018 | ||||||||
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Thern Sorron, the ruler of Kalion, is dead. Federation presidents, both old and new, attend the funeral ostensibly to pay their respects, but whoever possesses the Seal of Kalion, controls the vast Kalion shipyards. | ||||||||||||
| 6 | "Shock Troops" | John Ainsworth | Cavan Scott | January 2018 | ||||||||
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As the war between the presidents escalates, new recruits are urgently required. Dayna gains first-hand experience of what life can be like as a Federation trooper as she confronts insurgent forces on a frontier world. | ||||||||||||
| 7 | "Erebus" | John Ainsworth | Paul Darrow | January 2018 | ||||||||
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The Liberator is lured to the planet Erebus. There, the former Federation president is colluding with an old acquaintance of Avon’s who is eager for a reunion. | ||||||||||||
| 8 | "The Scapegoat" | John Ainsworth | Steve Lyons | January 2018 | ||||||||
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On the Federation world of Astra Valadina, the former President is hatching a plan to discredit his successor and turn the tide of the war in his favour. The unwitting pawns in his scheme are the crew of the Liberator. | ||||||||||||
| 9 | "Ministry of Truth" | John Ainsworth | Una McCormack | April 2018 | ||||||||
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In a special facility, the Federation propagandists are hard at work. When first Zeera Vos, and then the Liberator crew arrive, their work is disrupted, and a traitor, it seems, has been busy in their midst. | ||||||||||||
| 10 | "Refuge" | John Ainsworth | Trevor Baxendale | April 2018 | ||||||||
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The Federation is in turmoil. The war is raging out of control. It’s time for Avon and his crew to pick a side - but when the Liberator finds a ship full of refugees, they realise that nothing can ever be that simple… | ||||||||||||
| 11 | "Kith and Kin" | John Ainsworth | Christopher Cooper | April 2018 | ||||||||
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The planet Corrolos is a safe haven for ex-oligarchs and retired royalty. So why is Tarrant insistent on going there, and what was the last wish of his dead brother, Deeta? | ||||||||||||
| 12 | "Death of Empire" | John Ainsworth | Steve Lyons | April 2018 | ||||||||
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Servalan is Supreme Empress of the Galaxy - but the man whose throne she usurped wants it back. The final battle of the Civil War begins - and it's time for the Liberator crew to take a stand. | ||||||||||||
Special: The Way Ahead (2018)
[edit]A 40th anniversary special, titled "The Way Ahead", consisting of two linked 60 minute episodes was released in January 2018. The first episode takes place during season A of the TV series, some time between "Project Avalon" and "Deliverance". The second episode takes place during season C of the TV series, some time around "Rumours of Death". A framing device, using continuity established by Paul Darrow's trilogy of "Lucifer" novels, is set some time after season D of the TV series. The role of Avalon, played by Julia Vidler in the TV series, has been recast with Olivia Poulet.
| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Released | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1–2 | "Project Aquitar/Dissent" | John Ainsworth | Mark Wright | January 2018 | |
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Roj Blake. Kerr Avon. Names that sent shockwaves through the galaxy, shattering the foundations of the Terran Federation and giving hope to the oppressed. But what is their legacy? Crusading heroes or dangerous enemies of the state? In the early days of Blake’s rebellion, the Liberator comes to Malanar Delta to aid resistance leader Avalon, but the crew find Space Commander Travis and his Federation forces waiting. An abandoned Federation research project could give Travis the key to finally bringing Blake to justice. Years later, in the aftermath of the Galactic War, Avon and the Liberator crew fight to survive as new battle lines are drawn and alliances forged by President Servalan. Will survival be enough when a symbol of hope is turned into a devastating engine of war? | |||||
Series 5: Restoration (2019 - 2020)
[edit]A fifth series, titled "Restoration" - consisting of twelve 60-minute episodes - was released across three box sets beginning in January 2019 and ending in February 2020. The overarching storyline saw the crew desperately repairing the Liberator after it was badly damaged, and the return of the Old President's rule over the Federation.
| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Released | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volume 5 | ||||||||||||
| 1 | "Damage Control" | John Ainsworth | Trevor Baxendale | January 2019 | ||||||||
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Damaged beyond repair, the Liberator is hurtling out of control. With Zen down, Avon injured and Tarrant losing his mind, what can the crew hope to achieve in the time they have left? | ||||||||||||
| 2 | "The Hunted" | John Ainsworth | Iain McLaughlin | January 2019 | ||||||||
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In a stolen ship, Avon and Vila try to hold off a fleet led by the President of the Federation, buying time for Dayna, Tarrant and Cally to scavenge parts to save the Liberator. | ||||||||||||
| 3 | "Figurehead" | John Ainsworth | Scott Harrison | January 2019 | ||||||||
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With the Liberator crippled and vulnerable, Tarrant and Cally are given just twenty-four hours to end the violence on Gamma Vynos II or kill the person responsible: Avalon. | ||||||||||||
| 4 | "Abandon Ship" | John Ainsworth | Steve Lyons | January 2019 | ||||||||
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The Liberator is falling apart. Its life support systems are failing. The ship can no longer sustain five crewmembers. But who will stay and who will leave? Both options seem equally deadly... | ||||||||||||
| 5 | "The New Age" | John Ainsworth | Mark Wright | November 2019 | ||||||||
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The dying Liberator arrives in orbit of Eloran, a world Avon believes could offer respite from their current trials. All that stands in the way is a primitive society, a charismatic leader and the fracture lines threatening to destroy the crew from within. | ||||||||||||
| 6 | "Happy Ever After" | John Ainsworth | Steve Lyons | November 2019 | ||||||||
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The people of Zareen have seen the future. Their queen will be married to a handsome stranger, and they will enjoy a blissful life together. So, how can Tarrant possibly refuse...? | ||||||||||||
| 7 | "Siren" | John Ainsworth | Sophia McDougall | November 2019 | ||||||||
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In the wreckage of a ruined world, Dayna and Cally encounter Mida and Veskar, who must escape the attention of those who once ruled them. Although defeated, the System still seeks to take control. | ||||||||||||
| 8 | "Hyperion" | John Ainsworth | Trevor Baxendale | November 2019 | ||||||||
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Avon must convince the mysterious Selene to reveal the secret of Hyperion and save the Liberator – but the Federation is closing in on the crew, and what Selene knows could change everything... | ||||||||||||
| 9 | "Parasite" | John Ainsworth | Trevor Baxendale | February 2020 | ||||||||
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Avon is missing, and Zen has taken control of the Liberator – but can the rest of the crew trust Selene's offer to help, and what is the secret of the doomed planet Tronis? | ||||||||||||
| 10 | "Failsafe" | John Ainsworth | Steve Lyons | February 2020 | ||||||||
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General Enton Mordekain is trapped underground, badly injured, with no memory of how he came to be here - and he’s manacled to his worst enemy, Del Tarrant. He has to work out who he can trust - and fast. | ||||||||||||
| 11 | "Reunion" | John Ainsworth | David Bryher | February 2020 | ||||||||
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A secret lies buried on the prison planet Cygnus Alpha. The Quonar parasite wants it - and so does Zeera Vos. With the Liberator crew caught in the crossfire, Vila and Zeera must face the past if they have any hope of getting out alive... | ||||||||||||
| 12 | "Imperium" | John Ainsworth | Trevor Baxendale | February 2020 | ||||||||
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Fighting to save Zen - and prevent the President regaining total control - the crew of the Liberator must rescue Alta-One, the last survivor of the System, and discover the ultimate fate of Avon. | ||||||||||||
The Worlds of Blake's 7
[edit]A series of full cast boxsets taking place away from The Liberator consisting of three stories each.
| # | Title | Cast | Writer | Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Avalon Volume 01
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May 2021 |
| 2 | Avalon Volume 02
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June 2021 |
| 3 | The Clone Masters
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Tim Foley | September 2021 |
| 4 | Bayban the Butcher
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December 2021 |
| 5 | The Terra Nostra
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January 2022 |
| 6 | Heroes and Villains
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May 2022 |
| 7 | After the War
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November 2022 |
| 8 | Allies and Enemies
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December 2022 |
Books
[edit]New standalone Blake's 7 novels set throughout seasons A, B, and C. Some are accompanied by audiobook versions. #9, #10 and #11 are audiobook only.
| # | Title | Narrator | Writer | Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Forgotten | N/A | Mark Wright and Cavan Scott | May 2012 |
| 2 | Archangel | N/A | Scott Harrison | November 2012 |
| 3 | Warship | N/A | Peter Anghelides | February 2013 |
| 4 | Anthology | N/A | Gillian F. Taylor; R. A. Henderson; M. G. Harris | October 2013 |
| 5 | Criminal Intent | N/A | Trevor Baxendale | November 2014 |
| 6 | Mediasphere | N/A | Kate Orman and Jonathan Blum | August 2015 |
| 7 | Heroes | Michael Keating | Trevor Baxendale; Paul Darrow; Jonathan L. Howard; Una McCormack; Lizbeth Myles; Gary Russell | November 2017 |
| 8 | Uprising | Stephen Greif | Christopher Cooper | January 2019 |
| 9 | Outlaw | Stephen Greif | Trevor Baxendale | November 2019 |
| 10 | Chosen | Olivia Poulet | Niel Bushnell | November 2020 |
| 11 | The Palluma Project | Sally Knyvette | Tim Gambrell | July 2021 |
| 12 | The Clone Masters: The Rule Of Death | Glynis Barber | Trevor Baxendale | September 2021 |
| 13 | Bayban the Butcher: Bayban Ascending | Colin Baker | Nigel Fairs | February 2022 |
| 14 | The Terra Nostra: Zero Point | Stephen Greif | Scott Harrison and Mark B Oliver | September 2022 |
Lucifer Trilogy
[edit]These form a trilogy of audiobook releases written and read by Paul Darrow taking place 20 years after season D of the TV series.
| # | Title | Narrator | Writer | Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lucifer | Paul Darrow | Paul Darrow | June 2013 |
| 2 | Lucifer: Revelation | Paul Darrow | Paul Darrow | March 2015 |
| 3 | Lucifer: Genesis | Stephen Greif | Paul Darrow | March 2021 |
Awards and nominations
[edit]| Award ceremony | Year | Category | Work(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scribe Awards | 2014 | Best Audio | The Armageddon Storm | Won | [5] |
| 2015 | Fortuitas | Nominated | |||
| 2019 | The Way Ahead | Nominated |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Pixley, Andrew (2004). Blake's 7. The Radio Adventures [CD liner notes]. London: BBC Audiobooks
- ^ "Blake's 7 Reborn on Audio". Blakes7.com. Archived from the original on 22 December 2010.
- ^ "Radio 7 Programmes — Blake's 7: The Early Years, When Vila Met Gan". BBC. Retrieved 15 December 2010.
- ^ Kris Heys (5 July 2011). "News: BLAKE'S 7 To Get Big Finish". Starburst Magazine Ltd. Retrieved 13 January 2012.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Previous Scribe Award Winners". 24 June 2013.
