Dave Martin

Damn.... I was really hoping somebody else had beat me to this post.

It's been reported this morning that Dave Martin - writer of eight "Doctor Who" adventures, and creator of K9 - has died. Outpost Gallifrey had this to say:

K9 - CREATED BY BOB BAKER AND DAVE MARTIN

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

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.

Arguably 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."

K9 also made a fleeting appearence in "The Sarah Jane Adventures" pilot episode, "Invasion of the Bane" - after Bob Baker and Dave Martin kindly gave their permission for the robot mutt to be used. K9 lives on in the Bob Baker series "K9 Adventures"; which Dave had little to no involvement in.

Jackharkness says: When I was little, Dave and Bob scared the living day lights out of me. It's all because of "The Three Doctors", an adventure starring Hartnell, Troughton and Pertwee - together for the first time! But it wasn't that particular concept that scared me, or the appearence of the fearsome Omega (ruined year's later in "Arc of Infinity"). It was that fight at the end of episode two, between the Doctor and the dark side of Omega's mind. Truly spine-tingling. Even today, as an adult, it makes for uncomfortable viewing. That's the wonder of Bob and Dave's writing, it's not pretty and fairytale like. It's a living nightmare - and by God, children love them for it!

Everybody at Sarah-Jane.tv wishes their deepest sympathies to Dave's family and friends at this incredibly sad time.