RIP Barry Letts

It is probably safe to say that not everyone will know who Barry Letts was. However, to anyone who knows their Doctor Who (no pun intended), Barry Letts is an immediately identifiable name. Although, in fairness, his career encompasses far more than the time he spent as the Doctor's producer.

Still, it is as producer of Doctor Who that I best know of him. And whilst his tenure as producer of the show was not a personal favourite - it was the Pertwee era, where the Doctor became a moralising, preening grandmother - he was instrumental in securing the Doctor's future outside of the 1960's and some crucial enemies had their debuts under Letts - including the Master and the Sontarans. And, perhaps most importantly, he was responsible for the casting of one Tom Baker in the show's lead role - clearly one of the most important decisions ever made in the history of the programme.

Letts will be remembered as one of the crucial figures in the history of Doctor Who; and everyone who watches and enjoys the show now owes a substantial vote of thanks to the late Barry Letts.