Doctor Who bosses are planning a new spin-off starring Jemma Redgrave.
Doctor Who fans are about to be transported to a parallel universe with a new spin-off from the popular sci-fi show.
The spin-off series will be styled like Torchwood and will be based on the military research organisation UNIT, founded in the 1960s.
Jemma Redgrave, 58, will play Kate Stewart, the head of scientific research, a role she has played since 2012.
Created by showrunner Russell T Davies, the new series will be part of the expanded Whoniverse, made possible through the BBC's agreement with Disney+ to broadcast worldwide.
UNIT - or the Unified Intelligence Taskforce - first emerged in 1968 under the leadership of the Second Doctor, Patrick Troughton. The organisation, which investigates supernatural and extraterrestrial threats to Earth, was briefly mentioned after the 2005 series reboot, before later coming to the fore.
Jemma Redgrave co-starred with Matt Smith, Peter Capaldi and Jodie Whittaker in Doctor Who.
Kate and her team will return for a celebratory special featuring 30-year-old 15th Doctor Ncuti Gatwa ahead of the spin-off series launch.
One source said: "Doctor Who always highlights strong women in positions of authority." A spin-off about monsters is also planned.
There was talk of creating a spin-off series centred on UNIT in the 1970s, but the project never came to fruition.
UNIT continued to appear throughout the Jon Pertwee years from 1970 to 1974, and also featured in a handful of stories with Tom Baker until 1981.
After the 2005 reboot, UNIT first appeared in Aliens of London with Christopher Eccleston, before making its comeback in The Sontaran Stratagem with David Tennant in 2008.
Before the arrival of Ncuti Gatwa (Sex Education) as the 15th Doctor, David Tennant (the Tenth Doctor) returns this year with three special episodes to celebrate the series' 60th anniversary.
