John Nathan-Turner (August 12, 1947 - May 1, 2002) was the ninth producer for the long-running BBC science fiction program Doctor Who, from 1979 until it was put on hiatus in 1989. He was the longest-serving, and most widely known, producer during the run of the show. Many fans either praised or blamed him personally for the ups and downs of the program during his tenure.

Born in the English Midlands, John Nathan-Turner showed an early interest in acting and theater. He joined the BBC as a floor assistant in the 1960s, and he first worked on Doctor Who in 1969 as part of the floor crew - in the days when Doctor Who was recorded in Studio D of the Lime Grove Studios. He later joined the series as Production Unit Manager during the fourteenth season. Nathan-Turner took over as producer at the beginning of the program's eighteenth season, which turned out to be the last season of Tom Baker's popular portrayal of the central character, the Doctor. He subsequently cast the next three actors to play the role: Peter Davison (1981-1984), Colin Baker (1984-1986), and Sylvester McCoy (1987-1989).

Having served as producer for so long, and having a more public persona than previous producers, Nathan-Turner was often the object of intense scrutiny by the series' fans (who often referred to him as "JNT" or "JN-T"). Decisions such as the casting of Colin Baker as the Sixth Doctor are still a topic of discussion in the fan community surrounding Doctor Who 20 years later. His tenure coincided with a period of large growth in the show's fan base in the United States, thanks to repeated showings on affiliates of the American Public Broadcasting Service. However, decisions made by him and those he hired are often blamed for the decline in ratings that lead to the show's cancelation. He continued to be involved in Doctor Who-related events until shortly before his death.

Nathan-Turner died just over a year before the announcement by the BBC that the show would be revived, with new episodes to air beginning in 2005.

References

• BBC Obituary
• IMDB biography
• Obituary at Entertainment Geekly