Pause whatever noble or ill-advised task currently occupies you, check that reality is still behaving itself, and prepare for another courteous bending of the cosmic rules as we return aboard the indefatigable Nosferatu 2.5 — a vessel of such venerable pedigree that certain bulkheads still insist the universe is expanding “quite enough, thank you.” With Sophie Aldred confidently at the helm, our voyage continues through memory, invention, and those peculiar regions where fandom quietly rewrites the laws of time.

Attending Sophie with immaculate precision is Hobbes, the ship’s clockwork butler and self-appointed guardian of standards. All brass fittings, clipped vowels, and deeply entrenched mistrust, he oversees proceedings with an air of restrained alarm, firmly convinced that civilisation peaked shortly before the invention of plastics. Between them, they manage eccentric systems, unpredictable machinery, and the unresolved philosophical challenge posed by “the door that refuses to acknowledge it has hinges.”

This week, the Time Scoop — once again operating with more enthusiasm than restraint — reaches into the timestream and extracts Sally Knyvette, forever celebrated as the cool, courageous Jenna from Blake’s 7. Actor, performer, and veteran of both studio drama and audio storytelling, Sally brings with her a career spanning cult science fiction, theatre, television, and the expanded universes of audio drama, including memorable work with Big Finish. Once safely released from the Scoop’s grasp (and after Hobbes has conducted a brisk assessment of her qualifications for surviving dystopian futures), Sally joins Sophie upon the Sofa of Infinite Understanding to reflect on performance, endurance, and what it truly means to fly fast ships in very dangerous times.

Naturally, no journey aboard the Nosferatu 2.5 would be complete without an immersion into the luminous depths of the Ffantaface — that vast, ever-shifting archive of shared fan obsession and collective memory. Guarding its gateway is Mrs C, the Cockney goldfish, whose telepathic commentary remains piercing, perceptive, and entirely unconcerned with relevance. Once appeased, she permits Sophie entry to meet this week’s guide: Tim Burrows, co-host of the Doctor Who Missing Episodes Podcast and a tireless explorer of television history.

With a scholar’s curiosity and a fan’s passion, Tim has spent years delving into lost episodes, recovered fragments, and the extraordinary detective work that keeps missing television alive in the public imagination. Together, Sophie and Tim explore the strange afterlife of lost stories, the joy of reconstruction, and why sometimes the gaps in the archive are just as fascinating as what survives.

You can find us all over your social media.

Bluesky/Instagram/X: @aceodyssey63

Facebook: Sophie Aldred's Ace Odyssey

Sophie's Instagram: @sophie_ace_aldred

Tim & The MIssing Episodes Podcast on X: @drwhopodcasters

For listeners who want even more adventure, you can step inside the Ace Odyssey Patreon Community-

*Episodes released early

*Two exclusive podcasts every month

*Online meet-ups and interactive events

*Direct involvement in the evolving universe of the show

www.patreon.com/aceodyssey

Sophie Aldred's Ace Odyssey stars Sophie Aldred with James Showers as Hobbes.

Special Guests- Sally Knyvette and Tim Burrows

Music, Sound Effects and Sound Design by Michael Livesley

www.michaellivesley.co.uk

Written, Produced and Directed by Paul Carmichael.

Sophie Aldred’s Ace Odyssey is an Eh? Aye! Production © 20256

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ghost In The Machine is a standalone Christmas drama set within the world of Sophie Aldred’s Ace Odyssey.

At its heart is Sophie Aldred, travelling the cosmos aboard the ageing but indomitable research vessel Nosferatu 2.5. At her side is Hobbes, the ship’s impeccably mannered automaton butler, whose devotion to protocol is matched only by his anxiety about malfunctioning systems and doors that refuse to open. Together, they explore time, memory, and fandom itself — occasionally dipping into the vast psychic archive known as the Ffantaface, where thought, history, and imagination overlap.

This Christmas, the ship drifts into dangerous territory.

As power falters and old systems begin to awaken, Sophie is drawn into a mystery buried deep within the Nosferatu’s past. A presence makes itself known. A song returns. And a door — long sealed for good reason — begins to matter. Ghost In The Machine is a haunting, atmospheric story that blends folk horror and science fiction, asking what happens when technology remembers the people who once gave it life.

A ghost story for Christmas… on a spaceship.

Cast

Ghost In The Machine stars Sophie Aldred

with Nicolas Briggs as Fred

Carole Ann Ford as The Pilot

Colin Baker as the Narrator

Russell T Davies as The Ffantaface

and James Showers as Hobbes

Music, Sound Design, Sound Effects and Post-Production: Michael Livesley

www.michaellivesley.co.uk

Written, Produced and Directed by: Paul Carmichael

About the Series

Every Sunday, Sophie Aldred’s Ace Odyssey invites listeners aboard the Nosferatu 2.5 for conversations with guests from across film, television, and cult science fiction. Sophie has welcomed Sylvester McCoy, Katy Manning, Janet Fielding, Susan Twist, and Jamie Anderson, alongside deep dives into the Ffantaface — meeting people who turned Doctor Who into something more than a television programme. All the while, one mystery persists… the door we still can’t open.

Available on all podcast platforms.

Sophie Aldred’s Ace Odyssey is an Eh? Aye! Production © 2025

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Check your temporal bearings, ignore the faint smell of ozone, and step once more aboard the Nosferatu 2.5 — a ship of such venerable design that several of her corridors insist on remembering things slightly differently each time you walk through them. With Sophie Aldred at the helm, we continue our elegant drift through time, television history, and the strange emotional weather systems of fandom.

Hovering nearby (and polishing something that does not need polishing) is Hobbes, the ship’s indefatigable automaton butler: custodian of protocols, guardian of tradition, and vocal opponent of any mechanism that suggests it might be “opened just to see what happens.” Together, Sophie and Hobbes negotiate creaking bulkheads, unexplained alarms, and the persistent mystery of the door that steadfastly refuses to cooperate.

This week, the Time Scoop behaves with particular theatrical flair, delivering Sophie into the hands of Susan Twist — whose presence in the most recent series of Doctor Who carried Sutekh’s chilling gift of death across time and space. Once safely disentangled from the Scoop’s enthusiasm, Susan joins Sophie on the Sofa of Infinite Understanding to discuss the craft behind the spectacle: the joys, challenges, and quiet endurance required to spend six transformative hours in make-up, and the collaborative alchemy that brings such unforgettable moments to life.

No expedition aboard the Nosferatu 2.5 would be complete without a descent into the glowing currents of the Ffantaface — that vast, shimmering reservoir of shared fan knowledge and collective obsession. Standing watch at its threshold is Mrs C, the Cockney goldfish, whose telepathic commentary remains sharp, opinionated, and only loosely related to the matter at hand. With the appropriate permissions secured, Sophie ventures inside to meet Christel Dee: content creator, broadcaster, and co-host of the BBC’s The Whoniverse Show.

Together, they explore Christel’s deep-rooted love of Doctor Who, the creative momentum that fandom can generate, and how enthusiasm, curiosity, and community continue to shape new voices and new stories. Along the way, we also learn why “cutting it open” is not always the wisest course of action — whether one is dealing with a sealed bulkhead, an ancient mystery, or a Mars probe with opinions of its own.

Thanks to the wonderful team at WHO ON THE WIRRAL for facilitating our first ever live interview!

You can find us all over your social media.

Bluesky/Instagram/X: @aceodyssey63

Facebook: Sophie Aldred's Ace Odyssey

Sophie's Instagram: @sophie_ace_aldred

Christel's Instagram/TikTok: @christeldeeofficial

www.christeldee.co.uk

For listeners who want even more adventure, you can step inside the Ace Odyssey Patreon Community-

*Episodes released early

*Two exclusive podcasts every month

*Online meet-ups and interactive events

*Direct involvement in the evolving universe of the show

www.patreon.com/aceodyssey

Sophie Aldred's Ace Odyssey stars Sophie Aldred with James Showers as Hobbes.

Special Guests- Susan Twist and Christel Dee

Music, Sound Effects and Sound Design by Michael Livesley

www.michaellivesley.co.uk

Written, Produced and Directed by Paul Carmichael.

Sophie Aldred’s Ace Odyssey is an Eh? Aye! Production © 2025

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.