 | This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (July 2010) |
| Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart | |
|---|---|
| Doctor Who character | |
 Lethbridge-Stewart in Spearhead from Space | |
| First appearance | The Web of Fear (1968) |
| Last appearance | "Survivors of the Flux" (2021) |
| Created by | Mervyn Haisman Henry Lincoln |
| Portrayed by |
|
| Shared universe appearances |
|
| Non-canonical appearances | Dimensions in Time (1993) |
| Duration | 1968–1975, 1983, 1989, 1993, 1995, 2008, 2014, 2021 |
| In-universe information | |
| Species | Human |
| Affiliation | |
| Spouse | Fiona Lethbridge-Stewart (divorced) Doris Lethbridge-Stewart |
| Children | Kate Lethbridge-Stewart (daughter) |
| Relatives |
|
| Home | Earth |
| Home era | 20th and 21st centuries |
Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart, fully Brigadier Sir Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart, generally referred to simply as the Brigadier, is a fictional character in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, created by writers Mervyn Haisman and Henry Lincoln and played by Nicholas Courtney.[1] He is one of the founders of UNIT (United Nations Intelligence Taskforce, later Unified Intelligence Taskforce), an international organisation that defends Earth from alien threats, and serves as commander of the British contingent. Presented at first as reluctant to accept the continuing aid of the Doctor, over time the Brigadier became one of the Doctor's greatest friends and his principal ally in defending Earth.
As one of the series' most prominent recurring characters over its history, the Brigadier appeared in 23 stories during the original run of Doctor Who, first appearing in the 1968 serial The Web of Fear opposite the Second Doctor (Patrick Troughton). The character made frequent appearances on the series following the introduction of the Third Doctor (Jon Pertwee) in 1970's Spearhead from Space. His final appearance in the program was in 1989's Battlefield opposite the Seventh Doctor (Sylvester McCoy). Nearly 20 years later, Courtney reprised the role in the DVD Special Feature called "Liberty Hall" in 2009 written by Karen Davies and directed by Brendan Sheppard in which the Brigadier was interviewed by a Times journalist. Then he finally appeared in the spin-off programme The Sarah Jane Adventures in 2008,[2] his last appearance prior to Courtney's death in 2011. That year, Doctor Who later paid tribute to Courtney by announcing the Brigadier had died with a line of dialogue in "The Wedding of River Song". Later still, a Cyberman avatar of the Brigadier also appears, and achieves some closure with the Twelfth Doctor (Peter Capaldi), in "Death in Heaven" (2014).
The 2012 episode "The Power of Three" introduced the Brigadier's daughter, new UNIT chief Kate Stewart (Jemma Redgrave). The character was originally created in the unlicensed video spin-off Downtime in 1995, in which the Brigadier also appeared. Kate becomes a recurring character making appearances alongside every Doctor from the Tenth to the Fifteenth.
- ^ Rowe, Josiah (8 December 2014). "Lethbridge-Stewart novel series announced". Doctor Who News Page. Retrieved 9 December 2014.
- ^ Swift, Simon (27 September 2008). "Russell T. Davies explains why the Doctor's not in the house". The Times. London. Archived from the original on 16 June 2011. Retrieved 29 October 2008.