TALENTED actress Ruth Madeley is heading for a trip through space and time in the TARDIS.

The Westhoughton star has been cast in the audio series of Doctor Who as a companion and friend for Colin Baker, who plays The Doctor and co-star Bonnie Langford.

BAFTA-nominated Ruth plays marine biologist Hebe Harrison who is part of a survey team on an abandoned oil rig when her companions start to disappear.

She teams up with the Doctor and Langford, who plays Mel, to solve the mystery in Doctor Who: The Sixth Doctor Adventures.

"Being a part of the Doctor Who family is so much fun. Hebe is such a great character to play and I’m always excited to see what adventures she gets up to with the Doctor and Mel,”  said Ruth.

Jacqueline Rayner, who is producing the series for Big Finish Productions commented: "Champagne corks were popping when we got the news that Ruth was on board!

"As well as being a wonderful actor, she's one of the loveliest people to work with, and hearing Hebe spring to life during recording was just amazing. Ruth instantly became part of the Sixth Doctor family, and we're so lucky to have her.”

The first two volumes of the series are now available to pre-order on CD or digital download.

Next year fellow local actor Christopher Eccleston, from Little Hulton, will also release his second series of the audio version of Doctor Who, playing the ninth doctor.

It is a role he previously played on television and he says recording his first audio version of the character in 2020 was "a great joy".