Doctor Who confirms return for Jo Martin's Fugitive Doctor in all-new "storytelling experience" for UNIT adventures

The narrative has been crafted by best-selling author Esmie Jikiemi-Pearson, and will see strange alien artefacts beginning to appear inside UNIT’s Black Archive.

The synopsis says: "Each object is unmistakably linked to a different regeneration of the Doctor, but they’ve been tampered with.

"A corrupted energy signature of unknown origin pulses through them, and their sudden arrival has torn tiny ruptures across time and space.

"UNIT is out of options. To repair the damage and restore the timeline, the objects must be returned to the exact moments they were taken from. If not, the Doctor’s adventures – and the universe itself – could unravel.

"To solve the mystery, UNIT calls upon a little-known incarnation of the Time Lord: the Fugitive Doctor, played by Jo Martin, who returns in a central role. But how does UNIT know about her? And is she the Doctor they expect?"

Martin said in a statement: "I’m thrilled to tell more stories about the Fugitive Doctor and cannot wait for fans to unlock all the twists and turns across the Circuit Breaker story.

"This character has always meant so much to me, and it is a joy to continue building her legacy and dive back into the Whoniverse."

Meanwhile, Stephen Davies, SVP global licensing for BBC Studios, said: "Circuit Breaker is an exciting evolution for the Whoniverse. By bringing together world-class partners across publishing, audio, comics and gaming, we’re creating a truly immersive, multi-platform experience for fans.

"This is a bold step in expanding the Doctor Who brand, deepening engagement, exploring new stories, and welcoming new audiences into the universe of the Doctor."

Martin's Fugitive Doctor was introduced during Jodie Whittaker's era, as an incarnation who preceded William Hartnell's First Doctor. She most recently returned on screen for a cameo in season 15 episode The Story and the Engine.

Circuit Breaker has been announced at a time when a number of new Doctor Who projects are on the way or in development, including new spin-off The War Between the Land and the Sea and an animated spin-off for CBeebies.

Meanwhile, the future of the main show is currently unknown, as fans wait for news of the BBC's co-production deal with Disney.

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