Eric Saward

**Eric Saward** worked as a writer and later script editor for *Doctor Who* during the 1980s.

## Biography

### Prior to Doctor Who

His career as a scriptwriter began with drama for radio while he was working as a teacher. Later he was able to cross into full-time writing.

### Work on Doctor Who

Eric Saward's first role in the Doctor Who universe was as the Script Editor for for K9 and Company and its failed pilot *A Girl's Best Friend*. He was later made Script Editor for Doctor Who after Anthony Root stepped down, starting with the Season 19 story *Kinda*.

Saward continued to serve as Script Editor up until the end of Season 23 where he stepped down alongside John Nathan-Turner.

Saward also wrote several Doctor Who stories including *The Visitation*, *Earthshock*, *Resurrection of the Daleks* and *Revelation of the Daleks*. He also wrote the sketch *A Fix with Sontarans* for the children's television show Jim'll Fix it.

He has said in interviews that he also performed uncredited writing duties, over and above that normally expected of a script editor, on *The Awakening,* *The Twin Dilemma*, *Attack of the Cybermen* and *The Trial of a Time Lord,* amongst others. Not all of these claims have been substantiated by other sources.

Saward's other *Who* writings include the 1983 short story *Birth of a Renegade* in the special magazine published by *Radio Times* at the time of *The Five Doctors* (1983), the 20th Anniversary Special' (and Starlog Press in the United States) and the 1985 radio play *Slipback* which was broadcast on Radio 4. He wrote the novelisations of *The Twin Dilemma* and *Attack of the Cybermen*, as well as those of *The Visitation* and for Target Books' *Doctor Who* range.

Saward aroused controversy in 1985 because many of the stories of Colin Baker's first season in the role contained numerous scenes of graphic violence and darker themes, which many commentators felt was inappropriate for a programme aimed at a family audience (the season featured acid baths, hangings, cell mutation experiments, executions by laser, cannibalism, poisonings, stabbings, suffocation by cyanide and a man having his hands crushed). Unlike the criticism of violence levelled against the series by Mary Whitehouse during the Philip Hinchcliffe era, disapproval this time came from members of the general public and some *Doctor Who* fans, as well as Whitehouse. BBC 1 controller Michael Grade publicly criticised the violence featured in Colin Baker's first season. Saward defended these scenes, saying they were intended to be dramatic and to warn audiences against real-world violence. However the violence was toned down for Season 23.

Saward had a sometimes strained relationship with *Doctor Who* producer John Nathan-Turner, which gave rise to occasional tensions behind the scenes. When asked in July 1988 "If you could go back and start again, what would you change?" he replied. "The producer"

Saward often objected to Nathan-Turner's insistence on hiring novice *Doctor Who* writers, which led to Saward having to work hard, not always successfully, on unsuitable scripts submitted by inexperienced contributors. Saward was eventually able to bring veteran writer Robert Holmes back to the series and they became friends before his death. Unfortunately, his working relationship with Nathan-Turner deteriorated further. He had disagreed with Nathan-Turner's casting of Colin Baker as the Sixth Doctor. Saward's association with the show continued and in the 1990s he wrote linking narration for *Doctor Who* audio releases of missing episodes. More recently he has appeared in interviews on the DVD releases of Seasons containing his serials.

### After Doctor Who

Saward has not worked in British television since leaving *Doctor Who* but he has written for German radio drama.

### Personal Life

Saward lived in the Netherlands for three years, where he was briefly married. He also had a relationship with fellow writer Paula Woolsey for a number of years, who was credited (as Paula Moore) with writing the *Doctor Who* serial *Attack of the Cybermen* (1985). He has two daughters, Natasha and Marielle.

## Selected Credits

### Doctor Who

#### As Script Editor

* *Kinda*
* *The Visitation*
* *Black Orchid*
* *Earthshock*
* *Time-Flight*
* *Arc of Infinity*
* *Snakedance*
* *Mawdryn Undead*
* *Teminus*
* *Enlightenment*
* *The Kings' Demons*
* *The Five Doctors*
* *Warriors of the Deep*
* *The Awakening*
* *Frontios*
* *Resurrection of the Daleks*
* *Planet of Fire*
* *The Caves of Androzani*
* *The Twin Dilemma*
* *Attack of the Cybermen*
* *Vengeance of Varos*
* *The Mark of the Rani*
* *The Two Doctors*
* *Timelash*
* *Revelation of the Daleks*
* *The Nightmare Fair*
* *The Ultimate Evil*
* *Yellow Fever*
* *Mission to Magnus*
* *The Children of January*

#### As Writer

* *The Visitation*
* *Earthshock*
* *Resurrection of the Daleks*
* *Revelation of the Daleks*