John Steed

John Steed
Species:	Human
Job:	Spy
Affiliated with:	The Ministry
Place of origin:	Earth
First appearance:	Party Animals
Appearances:	PROSE: The Sleuth Slayers PROSE: In the Sixties PROSE: Riviera Shakedown

John Steed was an agent of the Ministry and an iconic figure of the 1960s. He was known for wearing a bowler hat and carrying an umbrella, and usually worked with a single, female partner.

Biography

In 1968, when Iris Wildthyme and Panda took a plane from Croydon Airport, John Steed saw them off. (PROSE: Riviera Shakedown)

On the 12 November, 1969, Emma Peel, Cathy Gale and John Steed came from the Ministry to Dr Oho's party. This party was held inside the dreams of a newborn and also attended by Iris. (PROSE: In the Sixties)

Wearing his bowler hat and carrying his umbrella, the same man investigated the murders of several amateur detectives with the aid of his partner, Georgie Price Jones, his regular partner being on holiday. At Betteredge Hall, the site of Miss Jane's murder, they encountered Iris Wildthyme, who joined in the investigation, much to the man's displeasure. The man and Georgie visited detective fiction expert Professor Proven, who recommended consulting the detectives trying to solve the murders. While Iris and Tom visited Hercule Smith, the man and Georgie visited Mr Sherrinford, who theorised that the murders were being carried out by a criminal mastermind.

Ace and the Doctor walk past Steed and Emma Peel fighting Captain Britain on Maruthea. (COMIC: Party Animals)

They discovered that Mrs H, Professor Proven's housekeeper, was also Sherrinford's housekeeper, and learned from Iris and Tom that the maid at Miss Jane's murder was also the waitress at Smith's murder. At the restaurant where Smith was killed, the man discovered that the same kind of teacups were used at both murders, and realised that the detectives were being killed by their servants and housekeepers. (PROSE: The Sleuth Slayers)

Steed was one of the guests to Bonjaxx's birthday party at Maruthea. He participated in the bar fight started by a Meep. As the Seventh Doctor left Maruthea with Ace, he fought Captain Britain with Emma Peel. (COMIC: Party Animals)

Legacy

Ace once told Gilgamesh that all good spies wore disguises, citing John Steed as an example. (PROSE: Timewyrm: Genesys)

When the Eleventh Doctor visited 1963 with Amy Pond, he mentioned John Steed as one of the people that made the 1960s "cool". (GAME: City of the Daleks)

When Fitz Kreiner wore a business suit with a briefcase and an umbrella, Sam Jones thought that if he put on a bowler hat he'd look like John Steed. (PROSE: Revolution Man)

Behind the scenes

John Steed is the principal character of The Avengers. Julian Wadham played him for Big Finish Productions. His name is not mentioned in The Sleuth Slayers, although he is identifiable by anyone with prior knowledge of The Avengers, both by his outfit and by being the current partner of Georgie Price Jones as in the Avengers episode The Girl from AUNTIE.