Eric Saward (pronounced SAY-ward) was born on 9 December 1944 and became a scriptwriter and script editor for the BBC, resigning from the latter post on the TV programme Doctor Who in 1986.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. He was approached by then Doctor Who script editor Christopher H. Bidmead to submit some ideas to the series on the strength of a recommendation from the senior drama script editor at BBC Radio. He received a commission to write the story The Visitation. This in turn led to his appointment as script editor on the recommendation of Antony Root, who had briefly replaced Bidmead. In addition to his role as script editor, Saward also wrote the television stories Earthshock, Resurrection of the Daleks and Revelation of the Daleks.He has claimed 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 The Five Doctors (1983), the 20th Anniversary Special' (and Starlog Press in the U.S.) and the 1985 radio play Slipback. He wrote the novelisations of The Twin Dilemma and Attack of the Cybermen, as well as those of The Visitation and Slipback, for Target Books' Doctor Who range. His two Dalek stories remain among the few never novelised, while Earthshock was novelised by Ian Marter.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 and claimed it was one of his reasons for putting the series on an 18-month hiatus during 1985 and 1986. Saward defended these scenes, claiming they were intended to be dramatic and intended to warn audiences against real-world violence. He did not always have a harmonious relationship with Doctor Who's producer John Nathan-Turner which gave rise to occasional tensions behind the scenes. Saward often complained at Nathan-Turner's insistence on not hiring experienced Doctor Who writers, which led to his having t
John [John Nathan-Turner] can become so unpleasant to someone he's employed, such as his director. The likes of Graeme Harper will not come back to Doctor Who (1963) if they've got something else to do. People like Peter Grimwade, who I suppose is the only other director of any note who has come out of Who since John has been producer, says he wouldn't work with John Nathan-Turner any more - and I don't think Nathan-Turner would employ him.
3
Most of the directors on Who haven't got the lightness of touch necessary. And if they've got it they don't hang around Who for very long because of the budget restrictions, working atmosphere, quality of the scripts and so on. The show isn't that enticing to a rising director.
4
I was getting very fed up with the way Doctor Who (1963) was being run, largely by John Nathan-Turner - his attitude and his lack of insight into what makes a television series like Doctor Who (1963) work.
5
Violence in Doctor Who (1963) is very difficult. The Doctor is involved in adventures that deal with violent people and sometimes the only way to deal with violence, unfortunately, is to be violent in return. Personally I feel that if you display violence you should show it for what it is. I don't think you should dwell on it, I don't think it should be gratuitous, but I think that when you do display violence you should show it hurts.
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Fact
1
He was dubbed "Slasher Saward" by Doctor Who (1963) fans due to the violence, morbid themes and high body counts of the scripts he either wrote or script-edited. BBC One controller Michael Grade also took exception to the violence of the series during this period and cited it as a reason he put it on hiatus in 1985.
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