{"id":7535,"date":"2021-11-21T20:15:12","date_gmt":"2021-11-21T19:15:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/?p=1514031"},"modified":"2021-11-21T21:02:38","modified_gmt":"2021-11-21T20:02:38","slug":"kate-lethbridge-stewart-makes-shock-doctor-who-return-but-is-unit-back","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/rss_feed\/kate-lethbridge-stewart-makes-shock-doctor-who-return-but-is-unit-back\/","title":{"rendered":"Kate Lethbridge-Stewart makes shock Doctor Who return \u2013 but is UNIT back?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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By Huw Fullerton\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Sunday, 21 November 2021 at 12:00 am<\/p>

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It\u2019s been a tough few years for UNIT. The Unified Intelligence Taskforce set up to protect Earth from extra-terrestrial threats has been infiltrated by Zygons, outwitted by small black cubes and attacked by Cybermen in recent memory, besting them all only to be the victim of budget cuts and closed down by the time of Doctor Who<\/a>\u2018s 2019 New Year\u2019s special Resolution<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But now, it seems like UNIT might be back. In the Next Time trailer for Doctor Who: Flux\u2019s upcoming fifth episode, Survivors of the Flux<\/a>, longstanding Who character and UNIT boss Kate Lethbridge-Stewart (Jemma Redgrave) makes a surprise appearance \u2013 and it seems she might facing off with Craig Parkinson\u2019s nasty Grand Serpent, who now appears to be on Earth. To quote one or more Doctors: What??<\/p>

The daughter of the classic series\u2019 fan-favourite Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart (Nicholas Courtney), Redgrave\u2019s character has appeared in Doctor Who several times in recent years, beginning in the era of Matt Smith\u2019s Eleventh Doctor (circa 2012) and continuing through the 2013 anniversary special and four episodes starring Peter Capaldi\u2019s Doctor.<\/p>\n

Now, after six years off-screen it looks like Kate is back \u2013 and she could be bringing UNIT back with her. Months ago, leaked photos from the Doctor Who set appeared to show a building dressed as UNIT headquarters, exciting many fans who\u2019d been disappointed or upset by its offhand dismissal in 2019.<\/p>\n

It could also mean that fan-favourite UNIT scientist Osgood (Ingrid Oliver) will return as well, with a potential for both women to assist their third<\/em> Doctor in a row. Though of course, that all depends on what happens in the next episode.<\/p>\n

Perhaps Survivors of the Flux shows how Kate brought UNIT back to life \u2013 or at least how she\u2019s trying to, potentially stopped by Parkinson\u2019s villainous character.<\/p>\n

\""Craig\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Craig Parkinson in Doctor Who<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

\u201cHow you expect to protect this pitiful race I do not know,\u201d he appears to say to Kate, while standing in front of the Doctor\u2019s abandoned TARDIS. Perhaps the Grand Serpent, with his own planet destroyed, has snuck onto Earth (one of the few worlds protected from the Flux) and intends to rise to power once more \u2013 interestingly he appears to have a pseudonym, with Parkinson credited as Prentis\/Grand Serpent in the episode cast list.<\/p>\n

Still, whatever he\u2019s up to it\u2019s hard to imagine Kate Stewart taking things lying down. One way or another, we\u2019re saying UNIT is back \u2013 and given how angry a lot of fans were about it closing down off-screen, we can see this being a popular decision.<\/p>\n

Read more about Doctor Who:<\/strong><\/p>\n