A ‘Doctor Who’ Favorite Hints at Her Beloved Character’s Death in the Sci-Fi Series’ New Spin-Off

We are now just days away from the U.K. debut of The War Between the Land and the Sea, the Doctor Who spin-off helping to bridge the gap between the end of the main show’s Disney era and its exciting new beginning in December 2026, following the departure of Ncuti Gatwa‘s 15th Doctor. Sadly, for U.S. viewers, the wait goes on, with the spin-off set for a 2026 release on Disney+. To help ease the pain around this later release, the spin-off’s star, Jemma Redgrave, who portrays U.N.I.T. lead Kate Lethbridge-Stewart, has teased what viewers can expect and even hinted at the potential demise of her fan-favorite character.

In a recent interview with Radio Times, Redgrave admitted in reference to Kate, “If she survives this series, I don’t know where she can go next,” ominously continuing, “But I’ve had a most extraordinary time and journey with this character and through different series of Doctor Who and now through this series.”

“Every time I get the call, it feels like another gift. Long may it last,” Stewart added, with these words not dissimilar from someone preparing to leave a show they love. Writer Pete McTighe said, “The character of Kate Lethbridge-Stewart… I think if you’re a huge fan of Doctor Who and you know that legacy character, and you love that character like I do, I think you’ll be very surprised about the journey that she goes on through the show. Her character arc, in particular for Doctor Who fans, is probably the most surprising.” The fate of Kate is seemingly hanging in the balance.

What is ‘The War Between the Land and the Sea’ About?

Likened by some to Independence Day, the upcoming Doctor Who spin-off will look to take elements of sci-fi from the main series, detach them from the recent Disney whimsy, and offer a more mature, Earth-based tale packed with drama and action. But what is it about? “When a fearsome and ancient species emerges from the ocean, dramatically revealing themselves to humanity, an international crisis is triggered,” the official synopsis for the spin-off reads. “With the entire population at risk, UNIT steps into action as the land and sea wage war.”

A politically-charged turn for Doctor Who is nothing new, but, at a time when certain elements have come under scrutiny, especially in the most recent season of the timey-wimey series, it’ll be interesting to see how showrunner Russell T. Davies navigates these themes.

The most recent Doctor Who is available on Disney+. Stay tuned to Collider for the latest updates.

Network

BBC One

Directors

Dylan Holmes Williams

Writers

Russell T Davies

Franchise(s)

Doctor Who / Whoniverse