Pennant Roberts 1940 -2010
Thursday, 24 June 2010 - Reported by Marcus
Doctor Who Director Pennant Roberts has died at the age of 69.Pennant Roberts was well known as a director in British television working throughout the seventies and eighties on such classic programmes as The Onedin Line, Survivors, Angels, Blake's 7, Juliet Bravo, Tenko and Howards' Way.
For Doctor Who he directed six stories. His first, in 1977, was the fourth Doctor story The Face of Evil, which saw the introduction of the character of Leela played by Louise Jameson. He returned later in the year to direct The Sun Makers , and then a year later he directed the Douglas Adams story, The Pirate Planet. He directed another Douglas Adams story, Shada, which was intended to end the seventeenth series of the programme, but which was not completed due to industrial action at the BBC. Parts of the story were later used in twentieth anniversary story The Five Doctors.
In 1984 he was given the task of bringing back The Silurians and The Sea Devils in the Fifth Doctor story, Warriors of the Deep, and in 1985 his final story for the series was the sixth Doctor story, Timelash.
Louise Jameson worked with Roberts in both Doctor Who and Tenko. Speaking to Gallifrey Base and The Doctor Who News Page she paid this tribute.
I have the sad duty of posting you the message that the wonderful Pennant Roberts died on Tuesday June 22nd at 6.30pm. The passing was very peaceful and dignified and his loving wife, Betsan, was at the hospice. He had been bravely fighting cancer for a year. He helped shape my life, not just on screen but off it too, and I feel the loss of him more acutely than I can express. However his absence will be felt by many, many more in many, many ways. He had the gift of being able to bring out the best in people, be that in a rehearsal room or around a dinner table. In his own words ‘sorry to bow out early’. Rest in peace darling Pen.
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