Born: 14th January 1965 (as Jemima Rebecca Redgrave)
Episodes Broadcast: 2012-2015

Few Doctor Who actors could better lay claim to the notion that acting was in their blood than Jemma Redgrave. Born in London, she was amongst the fourth generation of performers in the legendary Redgrave family, which stretched back to Roy Redgrave at the turn of the century. Having been immersed in the theatre her entire life, it was little surprise that she chose to attend the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. After graduating, Redgrave's career hit the ground running in 1988: she garnered notice for her performance in Johan Strindberg's Easter at the Haymarket Theatre in Leicester, made her television debut in an episode of Tales Of The Unexpected, and starred in the horror film Dream Demon.

During the Nineties, Redgrave took the lead role in the Victorian medical drama Bramwell, which ran for four seasons. She could also be seen in shows like All Good Things, The Buddha Of Suburbia and Mosley. Having made her West End debut in a 1990 production of Anton Chekhov's The Three Sisters which co-starred her aunts, Vanessa and Lynn, she soon played the daughter of Vanessa's character in the acclaimed 1992 movie Howards End. The same year, Redgrave married barrister Tim Owen. They would have two sons, Gabriel in 1994 and Alfie in 2000. In between, she made the 1998 film The Acid House, directed by Paul McGuigan. In the new century, Redgrave starred in The Grid, Cold Blood, Unforgiven, and opposite Eighth Doctor Paul McGann in Fish. On the silver screen, she had a supporting role in the 2005 version of Lassie.

Redgrave's involvement helped reinvigorate UNIT's presence in Doctor Who

In 2012, Redgrave joined the cast of Doctor Who as Kate Stewart, who was not only the current incumbent of the scientific advisor post which the Doctor had once held with the Unified Intelligence Taskforce (UNIT), but was also the daughter of his old friend, Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart. Redgrave's involvement helped reinvigorate UNIT's presence in the programme, starting with The Power Of Three in 2012. She again appeared with the Eleventh Doctor, Matt Smith, in the Doctor Who fiftieth-anniversary special The Day Of The Doctor. Redgrave then went on to join Peter Capaldi's Twelfth Doctor in three further stories. In 2015, she joined the range of Doctor Who audio dramas from Big Finish Productions, initially appearing in the Fifth Doctor story Mistfall. Later that year, Redgrave began reprising Kate in Big Finish's UNIT range, starting with Extinction.

Elsewhere on television during the 2010s, Redgrave enjoyed the first of two stints as a star of Holby City, had a lead role in Frankie, made recurring appearances in Grantchester, and took guest parts in shows like the American version of Dracula. Occasional movies included the 2016 comedy Love & Friendship starring Kate Beckinsale. In 2020, Redgrave and Owen were divorced. Amongst her credits during the Twenties were episodes of Wolfe and Silent Witness. Redgrave returned to Doctor Who in 2021's Flux and 2022's The Power Of The Doctor, starring Jodie Whittaker as the Thirteenth Doctor, and again in 2023's The Giggle, which saw the debut of Ncuti Gatwa's Fifteenth Doctor. She could also be heard in the 2022 podcast Doctor Who: Redacted from BBC Sounds. Redgrave will reprise the role of Kate Stewart during 2024.