is a
Fictional Character in the
British Science Fiction Television series ''
Doctor Who '', played by
John Levene . He was the senior
NCO of the
British Contingent of
UNIT ('''U'''nited '''N'''ations '''I'''ntelligence '''T'''askforce), an international organisation that defends the Earth from
Alien threats. He appeared semi-regularly on the programme from 1970 to 1975, and was eventually promoted to the rank of
Warrant Officer Class 1 , holding the post of
Regimental Sergeant Major .
Benton first appeared in the
Second Doctor serial ''
The Invasion '' (1968), where he was a
Corporal in UNIT. By the time of his next appearance in ''
The Ambassadors Of Death '' (1970) he had been promoted to
Sergeant and quickly formed a close working relationship with
The Doctor ,
Captain Mike Yates and
Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart , the latter usually calling first for Benton when an order needed to be carried out. Benton's tour in UNIT also coincided with the tenure of the
Third and
Fourth Doctor s as its Scientific Advisor and his promotion to WO1 came in ''
Robot '' (1974).
During his time with UNIT, Benton faced several alien invasions and also the schemes of the renegade
Time Lord known as
The Master . Benton was always a down-to-earth example of a British
Infantryman and
Non-commissioned Officer , reliable, uncomplicated and with a good dose of common sense. When the Doctor asked him if he was going to comment that the
TARDIS was bigger on the inside than on the outside (since everyone did), Benton's classic reply was, "Well, that's pretty obvious, isn't it?" Despite not understanding the specifics of what the Doctor was doing or any of his explanations, Benton always took the Doctor at his word and trusted him implicitly.
Very little is known of Benton outside of his UNIT duties, other than the fact he has a younger sister and is apparently fond of ballroom dancing. In fact, his first name was never revealed in the television series. Benton was loyal, not just to the rank but also to the people he worked with, and was willing to disobey orders to help them (in ''
Invasion Of The Dinosaurs '', he allowed the Doctor to knock him out and "escape" after the Doctor was falsely accused). He flirted briefly with
Jo Grant , the
Third Doctor 's assistant, and also
Sarah Jane Smith , but neither appeared to get beyond good natured bantering.
Benton's last on-screen appearance was in ''
The Android Invasion '', where he was last seen being knocked out by his android duplicate. In ''
Mawdryn Undead '', set in 1983, he was said by the retired Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart to have left the
British Army and become a used car salesman.
The prologue of the
Virgin Publishing Novelisation of ''
The Power Of The Daleks '' by John Peel revealed that Benton did return to
UNIT at some point and became a
Commissioned Officer with the rank of
Lieutenant (OF-1). In 1986, he led a UNIT team to
Antarctica to clear up the mess left in the wake of the
Cybermen 's failed attempt to drain
Earth of its energy (''
The Tenth Planet '').
John Levene reprised the role of Benton in the .
;Season 6
;
Virgin Missing Adventures
;
Past Doctor Adventures
;
Eighth Doctor Adventures
- "Prisoners of the Sun" by Tim Robins ('' Decalog ''; Parallel Universe version of Benton)
- "The Switching" by '')
- "An Overture Too Early" by Simon Guerrier ('''')
- "UNIT Christmas Parties: Christmas Truce" by Terrance Dicks ('''')
