Victor Pemberton – Doctor Who writer and inventor of the sonic screwdriver has died aged 85

Pemberton was one of a select few to have written for and appeared in Doctor Who.

In 1967, he appeared in Patrick Troughton story 'The Moonbase' as the scientist Jules Faure, who ended up being converted into a Cyberman.

Shortly afterward, Pemberton was hired as assistant to Doctor Who's story editor Peter Bryant, script-editing classic serial, 'The Tomb of the Cybermen'.

He was responsible for writing one of the story's most famous scenes, in which the Doctor (Troughton) comforts his companion Victoria (Deborah Watling).

Pemberton would later return to the series as a freelancer writer, scripting the 1968 story, 'Fury from the Deep'.

Now lost save for a few film clips and audio recordings, 'Fury' is famous for Pemberton's invention of the sonic screwdriver, with the gadget remaining a part of Doctor Who to this day.


Outside of Doctor Who, Pemberton wrote for such series as Timeslip in 1971 and Ace of Wands in 1972. He returned to Who in 1976 to pen the audio adventure Doctor Who and the Pescatons, starring Tom Baker and Elisabeth Sladen.

Pemberton grew up in Islington, London, and lived for many years in Essex. In later life, he lived in Spain, where he wrote a number of novels.

His life partner was the British actor, producer and writer David Spenser, who himself died in 2013.

Via Digital Spy by Morgan Jeffery