Ten Acre Films has announced a fascinating new tome about David Whitaker, one of the most influential and important people in the genesis and evolution of Doctor Who.

David Whitaker in an Exciting Adventure with Television, written by Simon Guerrier (The Time Travellers; The Judgement of Isskar) looks at the life of Doctor Who‘s first story editor, a man who also wrote The Crusade, The Power of the Daleks, and The Evil of the Daleks.

Here’s the blurb: 

To celebrate 60 years of Doctor Who, discover the extraordinary, little-known life of one of its chief architects, David Whitaker. As the show’s first story editor, he helped to establish the compelling blend of adventure, imagination and quirky humour that made – and continues to make – the series a hit.

David commissioned the first Dalek story, and fought for it to be made when his bosses didn’t like it. Regeneration, the TARDIS being alive, the idea of Doctor Who expanding to become a multimedia phenomenon in comics, books and films… David Whitaker was all over it. Yet very little was known about this key figure in Doctor Who history – until now. Why did he fall out with Irving Berlin? Was he really engaged to Yootha Joyce? And how did an assignment to Moscow badly affect his career?

Simon Guerrier has written countless Doctor Who books, comics and audio plays. He’s also the author of Sherlock Holmes — The Great War and had produced a number of documentaries for BBC Radio 3 and Radio 4.

You can get a paperback copy from Ten Acre Films, or an exclusive hardback from The Who Shop.

David Whitaker in an Exciting Adventure with Television will be published on 6th November 2023.