John Wiles

Who was John Wiles?

John Wiles was a television writer and producer, now best known for being the second producer of the popular science fiction serial Doctor Who, succeeding Verity Lambert. He was credited as producer on four serials between 1965 and 1966, namely The Myth Makers, The Daleks' Master Plan, The Massacre of St Bartholomew's Eve, and The Ark.

Wiles found his time as producer difficult and frustrating. Although he had a good working relationship with story editor Donald Tosh, Wiles found that he was unable to make many changes to the format of the programme. Attempts to make the series darker led to clashes with actor William Hartnell, who as the sole remaining member of the original team saw himself as the guardian of the series' original values. An attempt to give new companion Dodo Chaplet a cockney accent was vetoed by Wiles' superiors, who ordered that the regulars must speak "BBC English". With Hartnell increasingly in poor health and hostile to Wiles, the latter sought a way to replace the actor. However, this was again opposed by Wiles' superiors.