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Shirley Anne Bingham was UNIT's fifty-sixth scientific adviser. While she could stand and walk for a limited time, she was primarily a wheelchair user. She also had a northern accent.
Biography
Information from TV: The Star Beast [+]Loading...["The Star Beast (TV story)"], TV: The Giggle [+]Loading...["The Giggle (TV story)"] and PROSE: The Star Beast [+]Loading...["The Star Beast (novelisation)"] needs to be added.
Originally hailing from Manchester, Shirley Anne Bingham was recruited by Kate Lethbridge-Stewart into UNIT as a scientific advisor on Malcolm Taylor's team after her work on MOMS trials in Nashville, USA proved impressive. She had a distinguished background in neurosurgery and conducted personal research into folate fortification to further the study of spina bifida. Shortly after being recruited, she utilised her skills and theories to test the PNS of a number of alien species that were known to UNIT and agreed to join the organisation on a full-time basis to continue her research. Kate assigned her to support Colonel Chan's field team in the south east region of the UK for two months, under the callsign Trap Two. (PROSE: The Star Beast [+]Loading...["The Star Beast (novelisation)"]) She later became UNIT's chief scientific advisor in the UK. (PROSE: The Giggle [+]Loading...["The Giggle (novelisation)"])
Shirley read the files about the Doctor and his ability to regenerate; she knew the appearances of the Doctor's tenth, eleventh, twelfth and thirteenth incarnations.
In late 2023, Shirley was tasked with evaluating the Meep's "crashed" ship at the Millson Wagner Steelworks, where she found the Fourteenth Doctor snooping around the facility and conducting an investigation of his own; Shirley interrupted the Doctor, and the two shared data on the crash while formally introducing themselves to one another. Shirley recognised the Doctor's face as belonging to their tenth incarnation. However, the Doctor indicated he knew the appearances of the three Doctors that followed the Tenth; this confused Shirley, who believed the Doctor was "forbidden" from knowing about his future selves. The Doctor then clarified and explained that he was actually the Thirteenth Doctor's successor, who had inexplicably gained a face and body near-identical to that of the Tenth Doctor. Moments later, a group of UNIT soldiers informed Shirley and the Doctor that the ship's escape pod had been located, prompting the Doctor to leave with them.
After the Doctor's departure, Shirley watched a group of UNIT soliders standing on a platform as they used a device to unlock a door on the ship. As the door opened, tendrils of light flowed out and possessed the soldiers on behalf of the Meep, which Shirley observed in confusion and fear.
Later, the Doctor returned to the Steelworks with Donna Noble, Sylvia Noble, Rose Noble and Shaun Temple while detained by the Meep's possessed soldiers. Upon exiting a lift, Shirley fired darts at the soldiers using a mechanism within her wheelchair, incapicitating the soldiers while freeing the others. She then assisted the Doctor by firing missiles at the wall, allowing him to access the Meep's ship. Shirley was later in attendance as the Wrarth Warriors formally sentenced the Meep and teleported away to prison. (TV: The Star Beast [+]Loading...["The Star Beast (TV story)"])
Two days later, Shirley was present at UNIT's London HQ when the Doctor and Donna arrived to assist Kate Stewart with combatting the Giggle crisis. Shirley and all UNIT personnel wore Zeedex armbands which shielded them from the Giggle's worst effects.
When Kate deactivated her Zeedex to demonstrate the Giggle's effects on her psyche, she quickly grew conspiratorial and accused Shirley of not needing to use a wheelchair, among other things. After UNIT soldiers forcefully placed the Zeedex back on her arm, Kate apologised for her outburst. Shirley, although shocked, accepted the apology.
Later, Shirley was in attendance as the Toymaker terrorised UNIT while dancing to Spice Up Your Life. She also witnessed the Fourteenth Doctor bi-generate into the Fifteenth Doctor, and their subsequent triumph over the Toymaker. When the Fifteenth Doctor exploited the Toymaker's lingering magic to duplicate the TARDIS, the Fourteenth Doctor and Shirley noticed the new TARDIS was wheelchair-accessible, much to her pleasure. (TV: The Giggle [+]Loading...["The Giggle (TV story)"])
Behind the scenes
Actress Ruth Madeley previously played the Sixth Doctor's companion Hebe Harrison in Big Finish audio stories.