Martin Day
Encyclopedia
Martin Day is a screenwriter
and novelist best known for his work on various spin-offs
related to the BBC Television
series Doctor Who
, and many episodes of the daytime soaps Doctors
and Family Affairs
.
in 1995, published by Virgin Publishing as part of their Doctor Who Missing Adventures
series. Following the withdrawal of Virgin's licence to produce Doctor Who novels, Day moved to BBC Books
, who published the novel The Devil Goblins from Neptune
in 1997. The novel (co-written with Keith Topping
) was the first of BBC Books' Past Doctor Adventures
series, and was quickly followed by The Hollow Men
in 1998 - again written with Topping. 1998 also saw the publication of Another Girl, Another Planet
by Virgin Publishing. Co-written with Steve Bowkett
(under the pseudonym
Len Beech), this was one of the first books in Virgin's line of Bernice Summerfield
novels.
Following these novels, Day returned to solo writing, and to the Past Doctor Adventures range in 2001 with the novel Bunker Soldiers
. This was followed in 2004 by the novel The Sleep of Reason
, one of the final Eighth Doctor Adventures
to be published and perhaps his most popular novel. Between 2000 and 2001 Day wrote nine episodes for Five's Family Affairs, and in 2005 he started writing for BBC One
's Doctors. In 2008 he was lead writer on Crisis Control
, a new series for CBBC
; Day storylined all thirteen episodes.
As well as writing fiction, Day has also written several unofficial guide books to television series such as The X Files, Star Trek: The Next Generation
and The Avengers
. These were published by Virgin, and co-written with Keith Topping and (with the exception of Shut It!, a guide to The Sweeney
and The Professionals
) Paul Cornell
. Cornell, Day and Topping also wrote the extremely popular Doctor Who Discontinuity Guide
, published by Virgin in 1995 as a light-hearted guide to the mistakes and incongruities of the television series. The first book written by Cornell, Day and Topping was Classic British TV, which was released by Guinness Publishing in 1993 and 1996.
In recent years Day has continued his work on Doctor Who, with the play No Man's Land
for Big Finish Productions
' audio adventures range, the bestselling novel Wooden Heart
for the BBC's range of New Series Adventures
, and comic strips for Doctor Who Adventures
. The Jade Pyramid, an original Doctor Who audiobook for the eleventh Doctor
, and a novelisation of an episode of Merlin
, were both due to be released in 2010. His most recent audiobook is Children of Steel
for the The Sarah Jane Adventures
.
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
and novelist best known for his work on various spin-offs
Doctor Who spin-offs
Doctor Who spin-offs refers to material created outside of, but related to, the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who....
related to the BBC Television
BBC Television
BBC Television is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation. The corporation, which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927, has produced television programmes from its own studios since 1932, although the start of its regular service of television...
series Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
, and many episodes of the daytime soaps Doctors
Doctors (BBC Soap Opera)
Doctors is a British daytime television soap opera, set in the fictional Midland town of Letherbridge, defined as being close to the City of Birmingham. It was created by Chris Murray; Mal Young drove its development, and Carson Black was the original producer. The first episode was broadcast on...
and Family Affairs
Family Affairs
Family Affairs was a British soap opera broadcast on Five, from 1997 to 2005. It was the second programme to be broadcast on the channel on 30 March 1997, the channel's launch night...
.
Work
Day's first published fiction was the novel The MenagerieThe Menagerie (Doctor Who)
The Menagerie is an original novel written by Martin Day and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Second Doctor, Jamie and Zoe.-External links:*...
in 1995, published by Virgin Publishing as part of their Doctor Who Missing Adventures
Virgin Missing Adventures
The Virgin Missing Adventures were a series of novels from Virgin Publishing based on the British science-fiction television series Doctor Who, which had been cancelled in 1989, featuring stories set between televised episodes of the programme. The novels were published from 1994 to 1997, and...
series. Following the withdrawal of Virgin's licence to produce Doctor Who novels, Day moved to BBC Books
BBC Books
BBC Books is an imprint majority owned and managed by Random House. The minority shareholder is BBC Worldwide, the commercial subsidiary of the British Broadcasting Corporation...
, who published the novel The Devil Goblins from Neptune
The Devil Goblins from Neptune
The Devil Goblins from Neptune is a BBC Books original novel written by Martin Day and Keith Topping and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who...
in 1997. The novel (co-written with Keith Topping
Keith Topping
Keith Andrew Topping , is an author, journalist and broadcaster most closely associated with his work relating to the BBC Television series Doctor Who and for writing numerous official and unofficial guide books to a wide variety of television and film series, specifically Buffy the Vampire...
) was the first of BBC Books' Past Doctor Adventures
Past Doctor Adventures
The Past Doctor Adventures were a series of spin-off novels based on the long running BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who and published under the BBC Books imprint. For most of their existence, they were published side-by-side with the Eighth Doctor Adventures...
series, and was quickly followed by The Hollow Men
The Hollow Men (Doctor Who)
The Hollow Men is a BBC Books original novel written by Martin Day and Keith Topping and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Seventh Doctor, and Ace and uses elements from the Fifth Doctor serial The Awakening.-Synopsis:Hexen Village,...
in 1998 - again written with Topping. 1998 also saw the publication of Another Girl, Another Planet
Another Girl, Another Planet (Bernice Summerfield)
Another Girl, Another Planet is an original novel by Len Beech and Martin Day featuring the fictional archaeologist Bernice Summerfield...
by Virgin Publishing. Co-written with Steve Bowkett
Steve Bowkett
Steve Bowkett is a writer and hypnotherapist. Born and raised in South Wales he moved to Leicestershire with his family in the Sixties. He writes children's fiction and poetry and wrote three adult horror novels under the pseudonym of Ben Leech...
(under the pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
Len Beech), this was one of the first books in Virgin's line of Bernice Summerfield
Bernice Summerfield
Bernice Surprise Summerfield is a fictional character created by author Paul Cornell as a new companion of the Seventh Doctor in Virgin Publishing's range of original full-length Doctor Who novels, the New Adventures...
novels.
Following these novels, Day returned to solo writing, and to the Past Doctor Adventures range in 2001 with the novel Bunker Soldiers
Bunker Soldiers
Bunker Soldiers is a BBC Books original novel written by Martin Day and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the First Doctor, Steven and Dodo.-Synopsis :...
. This was followed in 2004 by the novel The Sleep of Reason
The Sleep of Reason
The Sleep of Reason is a BBC Books original novel written by Martin Day and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who...
, one of the final Eighth Doctor Adventures
Eighth Doctor Adventures
The Eighth Doctor Adventures are a series of spin off novels based on the long running BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who and published under the BBC Books imprint. 73 books were published overall...
to be published and perhaps his most popular novel. Between 2000 and 2001 Day wrote nine episodes for Five's Family Affairs, and in 2005 he started writing for BBC One
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
's Doctors. In 2008 he was lead writer on Crisis Control
Crisis Control
Crisis Control is a BBC children's television series.The show is presented by 'The Commander', played by Garry Robson. Each week there is a major world crisis, such as a tsunami, killer disease, or volcano. Children acting as cadets compete as teams in different tests to earn stars...
, a new series for CBBC
CBBC
CBBC is one of two brand names used for the BBC's children's television strands. Between 1985 and 2002, CBBC was the name given to all the BBC's programmes on TV for children aged under 14...
; Day storylined all thirteen episodes.
As well as writing fiction, Day has also written several unofficial guide books to television series such as The X Files, Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
and The Avengers
The Avengers (TV series)
The Avengers is a spy-fi British television series set in the 1960s Britain. The Avengers initially focused on Dr. David Keel and his assistant John Steed . Hendry left after the first series and Steed became the main character, partnered with a succession of assistants...
. These were published by Virgin, and co-written with Keith Topping and (with the exception of Shut It!, a guide to The Sweeney
The Sweeney
The Sweeney is a 1970s British television police drama focusing on two members of the Flying Squad, a branch of the Metropolitan Police specialising in tackling armed robbery and violent crime in London...
and The Professionals
The Professionals (TV series)
The Professionals was a British crime-action television drama series produced by Avengers Mk1 Productions and London Weekend Television that aired on the ITV network from 1977 to 1983. In all, 57 episodes were produced, filmed between 1977 and 1981. It starred Martin Shaw, Lewis Collins and Gordon...
) Paul Cornell
Paul Cornell
Paul Cornell is a British writer best known for his work in television drama as well as Doctor Who fiction, and as the creator of one of the Doctor's spin-off companions, Bernice Summerfield....
. Cornell, Day and Topping also wrote the extremely popular Doctor Who Discontinuity Guide
The Discontinuity Guide
The Discontinuity Guide, by Paul Cornell, Martin Day and Keith Topping, is a humorous guidebook to the serials of the original run of the BBC science fiction series Doctor Who. It was first published in 1995 by Virgin Books, which at the time also published licensed Doctor Who...
, published by Virgin in 1995 as a light-hearted guide to the mistakes and incongruities of the television series. The first book written by Cornell, Day and Topping was Classic British TV, which was released by Guinness Publishing in 1993 and 1996.
In recent years Day has continued his work on Doctor Who, with the play No Man's Land
No Man's Land (Doctor Who audio)
No Man's Land is a Big Finish Productions audio drama based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.-Synopsis:The Seventh Doctor, Ace and Hex land in Northern France in 1917 during World War I...
for Big Finish Productions
Big Finish Productions
Big Finish Productions is a British company that produces books and audio plays based, primarily, on cult British science fiction properties...
' audio adventures range, the bestselling novel Wooden Heart
Wooden Heart (Doctor Who)
Wooden Heart is a BBC Books original novel written by Martin Day and based on the long running science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Tenth Doctor and Martha Jones...
for the BBC's range of New Series Adventures
New Series Adventures (Doctor Who)
The New Series Adventures are a series of novels relating to the long-running BBC science fiction television series, Doctor Who. The 'NSAs', as they are often referred to, are published by BBC Books, and are regularly published in the spring and autumn of each year. Beginning and concluding with...
, and comic strips for Doctor Who Adventures
Doctor Who Adventures
Doctor Who Adventures is a magazine based on the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who. It is published by BBC Magazines and aimed at 6–13 year-olds, a different demographic from the Doctor Who Magazine readership...
. The Jade Pyramid, an original Doctor Who audiobook for the eleventh Doctor
Eleventh Doctor
The Eleventh Doctor is the eleventh incarnation of the protagonist of the BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who. Matt Smith plays this incarnation, replacing David Tennant's Tenth Doctor in the 2010 episode "The End of Time, Part Two"...
, and a novelisation of an episode of Merlin
Merlin (TV series)
Merlin is a British fantasy-adventure television programme by Julian Jones, Jake Michie, Julian Murphy and Johnny Capps. It began broadcasting on BBC One on 20 September 2008. The show is based on the Arthurian legends of the wizard Merlin and his relationship with Prince Arthur but differs from...
, were both due to be released in 2010. His most recent audiobook is Children of Steel
Children of Steel
Children of Steel is the ninth audio story of ten stories of The Sarah Jane Adventures....
for the The Sarah Jane Adventures
The Sarah Jane Adventures
The Sarah Jane Adventures is a British science fiction television series, produced by BBC Cymru Wales for CBBC, created by Russell T Davies and starring Elisabeth Sladen...
.