Bernice Summerfield first appeared in Paul Cornell's Love and War, a novel in Virgin Publishing's New Adventures range of original Doctor Who books. When the company lost the licence to produce Doctor Who fiction in 1997, it was decided that Benny would be made the lead character.

The New Adventures ceased publication in December 1999, but Benny was revived the following year in a series of original novel and audio dramas from Big Finish Productions.

A number of anthologies and collections of original novellas have also been released by the company.