Doctor Who: 10 Things You Didn't Know About UNIT
5. The BBC Doesn't Own The Rights To The Brigadier
While it may be disputed by UNIT creator Derrick Sherwin, Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart is the creation of writers Mervyn Haisman and Henry Lincoln, who devised him as a guest character for use in The Web of Fear.
As the Brig's creators, Haisman and Lincoln were entitled to royalties every time the character appeared. However, these payments were rarely paid out.
In recent years, the Haisman Estate, partnering with Candy Jar Books, has published multiple new adventures for the Brigadier, though these are non-canon and are largely disassociated with the show itself – which helps to avoid BBC copyright!
This arrangement means that the BBC doesn't have control over one of Doctor Who's most beloved supporting characters, and has to consult with the Haisman Estate for any appearances or references to the Brig.
This reportedly came to a head over Christmas 2017, when Twice Upon A Time introduced the Brigadier's grandfather, Archibald Hamish Lethbridge-Stewart. The Mirror claimed this was done without permission and that the Haisman estate was considering legal action, though the estate itself soon responded and clarified that this wasn't true.