Atkins was Lord Kenilworth's butler. He travelled to ancient Egypt with the Fifth Doctor and Tegan when he was thrown into the TARDIS with them by the followers of Nephthys. As the Doctor and Tegan had to tie up various temporal loose ends while working to save Nyssa and defeat Nephthys, Atkins accompanied them in their travels, using his insight into Egyptian mythology and learning to explore life beyond his duties. (PROSE: The Sands of Time)