Note: many Internet sites (including ourselves) had his birthday listed as the 10th May (hence today's post) - the writer has confirmed that he actually turned 80 in April! (with thanks to Andy Frankham-Allen, author of the forthcoming sequel to Terrance's Horror of Fang Rock, Beast of Fang Rock)

Today we celebrate 80 years of the writer, who was born on the 14th April 1935.Arguably the most prolific contributor to, as well as being script editor in the Pertwee era he also wrote a number of memorable adventures for the television series, including both the introductory storyfor fourth Doctor Tom Baker and the series own 20th Anniversary celebration,. His Target novelisations accounted for over sixty of the Doctor's adventures, and he was later invited to write a story for the launch of the Virgin New Adventures in 1991 (), and then to launch the new official range of BBC Books in 1996 with. He has written for 21st Century, contributing the "Quick Reads" booksand. He also wrote the novelisation of thepilot,Speaking of the Doctor's best friend, Dicks re-introduced the character for Big Finish, writing their firstaudio adventureHe broughtto the stage twice, within 1974 and thenin 1989. He adapted both to be released on audio by Big Finish in 2008, and then wrote a followup to the latter,in 2011.As well as fiction, he also co-wrote arguably the first ever reference book for the series,, first published in 1972 - a time long before the wealth of factual literature available tofans today! Other publications includeandFor many of us of a certain age, however, he will always be *the* storyteller of the Doctor's early adventures.Happy birthday, "uncle" Terrance!