Articles The News We've All Been Waiting For - Torchwood Is Back!

“The 21^st century is when everything changes and Big Finish IS ready!” – Captain Jack Harkness

The biggest and best news to discover on your birthday is that Torchwood is coming back, in September 2015 and although it’s only audio, it’s still a return.  To those who are hard of hearing the news may not be as pleasing as actually seeing their heroes on the TV screen. 

The first story in the series is ‘The Conspiracy’ written by David Llewellyn and directed by Scott Handcock.  Knowing David Llewellyn’s work from ‘The Baby Farmer’s, a short story in the novel ‘Consequences’ and ‘Trace Memory’ which I really loved, I know his work will be nothing short of brilliant.

But for now, the return of Torchwood to Audio is fantastic news.  In an interview with Scott Handcock, director of the first story in the series, John Barrowman tells of his delight at the return of the show and how much he is looking forward to doing more in the series, which makes me wonder, will there be more than the handful that were first mentioned by Barrowman earlier on this year.  I surely hope so.

The podcast of the interview was released today through Big Finish.  Due to a number of our fans being hard of hearing, we have transcribed the interview for all to read.  Please note however, we will not be transcribing the Torchwood audio series – as we don’t want our wrists slapped or worse!

Thank you to everyone at Big Finish for taking on Torchwood so the fans can enjoy it for years to come, including all new generations of fans.  And thank you to John Barrowman who loves Captain Jack as much as we do and will keep coming back to do more Torchwood!

We thank you both!

The Interview transcribed:

Scott: My name is Scott Handcock and I’m the director of Torchwood ‘The Conspiracy’, the first of the Big Finish’s Brand New Series of Audio Dramas.  And now we shall hand the baton over to Captain Jack himself.  Hello John.

John: Hello, how are you?

Scott: I’m very well, how are you! 

John: I’m very good thank you.

Scott: What is it like being back as Captain Jack Harkness?

John: Well I’ve always said this and I’ve said it to many people over the course of time, getting back with Captain Jack is like putting on an old pair of shoes or a very comfortable coat, which ironically I am sitting here with the coat on at the moment.  (laughs) Just to help me feel the part.

Captain Jack is such a core part of me as John Barrowman because I absolutely adore him. I, you know, I could go on and on but it’s great to be back playing him.  It is so easy! He’s so comfortable, and I just absolutely love him.

Scott: And a bit like Captain Jack, Torchwood is immortal!  Did you ever think when you were filming back in Cardiff Bay almost a decade ago that you’d still be playing the part 10 years on in Palm Springs, in 80 degree heat?

John: You know what; I’m going to just be honest here.  I knew he was going to be a part of my life for a very, very long time because I as a little boy, who was a very big Doctor Who fan, when I got the role as Captain Jack and then also was given the TV show Torchwood, I knew I was going to be given what I call, the Whovian World, which you’re a part of for the rest of your life. So whether it was something, and I know the fans, I know the fans are passionate about it, I just knew they had to keep bringing him back. And lo and behold they have.  And it’s great. It’s great to see that they’re finally getting, particularly at Big Finish, they’re finally getting that there is an audience out there that is hungry for more Torchwood and I’m so glad and very grateful to you guys for doing it.

Scott: Absolutely and you know it’s no secret that you’re a big fan of Torchwood, you really love it.  What do you think is the appeal of the series?

John: I think the appeal of the series to the fans, and also to me is that we were one of the first shows to represent, actually kind of real people with real emotions.

We opened the doors for so many other people to start talking about so many different things because I’m very proud as an actor, to partly be one of the first openly gay…I mean I know there’s other openly gay actors out there, but openly gay actors playing a hero, which is probably one of the first.

Scott: We were talking earlier about a whole new generation finding Torchwood now, those who grew up with Doctor Who, now at an age where they can enjoy Torchwood, so there’s a new influx of people discovering the series for the first time.

John: Yeah it’s really interesting for me, for the first time, I’ve watched for over the last 5 or 6 years, the groups in the States and other countries around the world who are just getting to know Chris Eccleston’s Doctor, David’s Doctor, Matt Smith’s Doctor.  Kids who are getting used to Doctor Who are learning about our characters – Captain Jack, you know Martha, Rose, all the characters they’re getting introduced to, so they’re wanting to know more about them which bringing the audience then goes back and they’ve said this to me.  They’ve said, ‘We saw you on Doctor Who, now we’re going back and watching Torchwood because we’re now old enough and also we were just introduced to this through Doctor Who.”  It’s just a cycle, it’s just never ending.  It’s amazing!

Scott: Fantastic! And finally to wrap up, what do you think Big Finish fans and Torchwood fans will generally have to look forward to in the future?

John: I am looking forward to doing a lot more of these and I know a lot of the fans ask me all the time – Bring Torchwood Back and they say it to me like I am the sole person who can do it. (Scott laughs).  But you know what, it’s a team effort. And we’re bringing it back.  And showing the support for this and for the things that Big Finish are doing with Torchwood – this will mean that there’s going to be more. I want to do more and I know if I’m saying in one word what can fans expect?

Torchwood!

Scott: Mr John Barrowman, thank you for a lovely day.

John: You’re very welcome, thank you.