K9 co-creator Dave Martin dies

[Pip Madeley]

Sad news

Martin had a long and distinguished writing career, working mainly with his long term writing partner Bob Baker.

Together they wrote several stage plays before moving into television in the early sixties working on popular series such as Z Cars. In 1971 they were asked to write their first story for Doctor Who. The Claws of Axos was the first of eight stories over nine seasons creating some of the series most iconic characters and most loved stories.

Their best known character was created in 1977 for the Tom Baker story The Invisible Enemy. K9 was originally intended for this story only, but the production team made a late decision to have him join The Doctor in the TARDIS where he stayed for the next four years.

K9 later returned in the 1981 story K9 and Company and made a memorable appearance in the 2006 story School Reunion

Dave Martin was diagnosed with lung cancer earlier this year. He is survived by his wife and three children.

[Si Hunt]

Very sad.

Apparently he recorded an interview for the DVD's a few months ago that's yet to be released.

Si.

[Rob McCow]

Oh no! That's awful news.

[Anthony Williams]

RIP Dave Martin

[SiHart]

That's very sad indeed. As part of the Bob 'n' Dave partnership they wrote some really fantastic stories and added much to Doctor Who- particuarly by creating K9, of whom I'm a big, big fan as you all know. He also wrote the K9 Adventure books, which I enjoyed reading when I was a kid.

RIP Dave.

Si xx

[Lord President]

RIP Dave Martin

Seconded!

[Dirk Gently]

Rest In Peace Dave.

May we all continue to enjoy your work & creations.

[Larry]

very sad news indeed - R I P

[Andrew Curnow]

Crikey, what a shock. I suppose their Who stuff was 30+ years ago, yet for some reason I always think of Bob Baker & Dave Martin as being young men. The headline of this thread has really shocked me. How sad for his family and friends.

[WhiteCrow]

It's been a bit of a sucktastic week for anyone involved in Doctor Who. Although to be honest with a show this old with so many people who've been involved it's probably not too surprising.

[Carol Baynes]

RIP Dave. We'll look after the dog.

[Captain Tancredi]

Particularly sad for me as I met his son a couple of times when I was studying in Bristol- I hope the sight of all those remote control K9s in the shops at Christmas brought home to him just what he'd helped create.

[Andrew Curnow]

Yes, I hope so too - that's a good point, Ian. Considering my nephew who's 8 and Claudia who's 10 both know this daft tin dog that was invented 20+ years before they were born, I think Dave Martin has gained just a little bit of immortality.

[Dave Tudor]

Amamzingly, this news has only just registered, and it's very sad indeed.

Dave Martin often seemed to be the forgotten man of the duo, what with Bob Baker eventually striking out on his own and going on to Oscar-winning glory with Wallace and Gromit, but I'm sure his contribution to the pair's Doctor Who stories, which were often flawed but always memorable, was immense, and it's fitting that Dave at least got to see their most famous creation return to the show so successfully last year, enrapturing yet another geneation of young fans.

Rest in peace.