Who producer to head up new drama unit

By John Freeman on 1 February 2008

A new BBC drama unit is to set up shop in Manchester, run by Doctor Who producer Phil Collinson.

Broadcast reports Collinson’s new role will be developing links with on and off-screen talent in the region, and developing new shows for the BBC drama slate. He will take up the position “in a few weeks”, after work on the fourth Doctor Who series, currently being trailed in UK cinema ads, is complete.

Several new projects are under discussion and while the two may be connected, downthetubes knows of at least one Doctor Who writer who is hoping an adventure show he has been developing for some time may get a green light this year, as a new Saturday night series for the BBC.

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John Freeman

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.