Former Doctor Who script editor and comic writer Andrew Cartmel was presented with the Terrance Dicks Award for Writers 2025 on Sunday by the Doctor Who Appreciation Society.
He was surprised to receive the award from Terrance Dicks sons, Oliver, Steven and grand daughter Nellie Dicks, in front of a packed audience at Riverside Studios Hammersmith during the Projections in Time: Time and the Rani event at the weekend.
The award, which was inaugurated in memory of the legendary writer Terrance Dicks, well known for his contributions other than Doctor Who mythos, honours those whose work across screen, audio, book and magazine have contributed to –and enhanced – the worlds of Doctor Who.
DWAS Co-Ordinator Tony Jordan said that it was the unanimous opinion of the Society Executive that Andrew, as the script editor of Doctor Who during the Sylvester McCoy era of the show between 1987 and 1989, is the personification of these skill sets.
Since his time working on the show Andrew has also written several Doctor Who stories, such as comic strips “The Good Soldier” and “Evening’s Empire” for Doctor Who Magazine, and Operation: Volcano for Titan Comics, with another Who luminary, Ben Aaronovitch. He’s also author of numerous Doctor Who novels, and audio dramas. To date, he is the writer of nine Vinyl Detective novels, a character very different to the Doctor.
Andrew, who was caught unaware by the presentation, thanked the actors, directors and writers with whom he has worked.
Watch Andrew’s presentation here on Facebook…
The Doctor Who Appreciation Society (DWAS) is a society for fans of the television series Doctor Who, founded in May 1976, and will celebrate its 50th anniversary next year at The Capitol: 50 Years of the DWAS over the weekend of of 9th – 10th May 2026 at the Crowne Plaza, London – Gatwick.
The Society, which has some 30,000 members worldwide, offers a free online quarterly magazine, Celestial Toyroom, which is the longest running Doctor Who magazine currently in existence, and everyone is welcome to contribute. The DWAS regularly offer publications and DWAS organised conventions and events.
Andrew Cartmel is the fourth winner of the Terrance Dicks Award for Writers following on from former DWM editor and Sarah Jane Adventures and Torchwood script editor Gary Russell, who will be a guest at the DWAS “Capitol” event in May 2026, writer and series showrunner Steven Moffat and writer Paul Cornell.
Head downthetubes for…
• Script Doctor: The Inside Story of Doctor Who 1986-1989 a limited number of copies still available from publisher Ten Acre Books, is a memoir by former script editor Andrew Cartmel, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the classic series’ Sylvester McCoy era, detailing production challenges, creative decisions, and the infamous “Cartmel Masterplan,” with revised editions featuring forewords by Steven Moffat and insights from McCoy and Sophie Aldred.
• Doctor Who Appreciation Society
• The Capitol: 50 Years of the DWAS
• Andrew Cartmel – Books (AmazonUK Affiliate Link)
- About the Author
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John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.
He’s the writer of comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.
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