What an interesting story. It is not a story you often hear described as a Big Finish “classic”. Perhaps this is because it’s release #85 in the Main Range, from 2006, it hasn’t got the sheen of the range’s early years that fan’s adore so deeply.

Red is about a society that has such a poor frame of reference for pain and suffering that their incapacity to feel these sensations makes them seek it and simulations of them. They want to be scared, they want to be hurt - now that's a Doctor Who pitch.

You also get to hear Mel (the health nut) on drugs which is a hell of a listen! The fact they were allowed to do this at a time when the new show was back on BBC1 is flabbergasting, but it really works. I was recently reading an archive issue of DWM from 2003 where I saw that some fans were dismayed at the idea that Bonnie Langford was being employed by Big Finish, she was being held up as one of the problems with the show in the 1980s. Red is proof, if any were needed, that she is a stellar actor and the character has so much potential for development left in her following season 24. So many avenues to go down.

Oh, also. Shout out to Sandi Toksvig who has an incredible guest turn as a fascinating but unscrupulous, serious but funny, well written lesbian character. She adds a lot of dynamism to the story. It’s always nice to hear a familiar voice too.