First Work Day Of The New Year

Back at work after the paltry day off that is New Year's Day. If I was a drinker, I'd probably still be hungover from New Year's Eve. Thankfully I only partake of the occasional bottle of beer every now and then

Sitting on my desk, when I arrived was a package from Big Finish Productions containing 7 hardback books based on the adventures of Professor Bernice Summerfield which had been available in the Christmas sale for £35.

Professor Bernice Summerfield (or Benny to her friends) is a character created by the marvellous Paul Cornell who wrote the Ninth Doctor's "Father's Day" and the Tenth Doctor's "Human Nature/The Family Of Blood" episodes for the revamped Doctor Who television series.

She started off as a companion of the Seventh Doctor from the 8th book of the Virgin New Adventures books, "Love and War", until the 50th book "Happy Endings", although she appeared in four more stories afterwards.

One of these books was "Human Nature" upon which the television story was based, replacing Benny with Martha Jones.

After the TV movie in 1996, the BBC decided not to renew Virgin Books' licence and publish their own books instead, so in 1997 Benny took over the main role from The Doctor in the New Adventures for 28 more books.

In 1998 Big Finish Productions start releasing audio plays with Lisa Bowerman in the role of Benny, and the first series of 6 plays were based on VNA books, including a few which originally featured the Seventh Doctor but were adapted to not feature him this time, as they didn't have a licence from the BBC....yet! (that was not until the next year)

I have the first four series of these and highly recommend them.

Anyway, too cut a long story short, in 2000 they started producing books too, 7 of which I now possess!