Peter Ling

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Peter Ling
Born
Peter George Derek Ling

(1926-05-27)27 May 1926
Thornton Heath, Croydon, Surrey, England
Died14 September 2006(2006-09-14) (aged 80)
Hastings, East Sussex, England
Occupations
  • Screenwriter
  • radio writer
  • comic strip writer
  • soap opera creator
  • novelist
  • songwriter

Peter George Derek Ling (27 May 1926 – 14 September 2006)[1] was a British writer of television, radio and comic strips, best known for his television work. With his professional partner, Hazel Adair, he co-created the television soap opera Crossroads.

Early life

Ling was born in

Radio Luxembourg children's show The Ovaltinies, and wrote an article for Good Housekeeping magazine at the age of 14.[3]

He was conscripted to work in the coal mines as a "

BBC radio, selling some to Jon Pertwee's radio show Waterlogged Spa.[4] This led to work on television, including the BBC's children's show Whirligig (1950),[2] where he met actress Sheilah Ward, whom he married in 1954.[3]

Writing

In 1952 he was invited to write comic strips for the

Girl, including Two Pairs of Skates (1956–57) and Penny Starr (1957). The couple also wrote a Girl spin-off novel, Angela has Wings, based on the comic strip Angela Air Hostess, created by Betty Roland.[3][4]

In 1955 he joined

Hazel Adair co-wrote Compact, a soap set in magazine publishing, for the BBC from 1962 to 1965. The two writers followed this up with Crossroads, a soap set in a motel, which began on ITV in 1964; the format's principal run lasted until 1988. The writing partners followed it with Champion House, a Yorkshire family saga set in the textiles industry, shown on the BBC from 1967 to 1968. Ling wrote for Dixon of Dock Green, Sexton Blake, No Hiding Place, Doctor Who (The Mind Robber in 1968), and, with Sheilah Ward, The Avengers ("Ashes of Roses", "Dance with Death", and "Box of Tricks").[2][3]

He continued to write for radio, including adaptations of

Waggoner's Walk in 1969.[4][5]

Novels and songs

He published several novels, including the novelisation of his Doctor Who serial "The Mind Robber" for Target Books;[4] three novels in the "Crown House" series, Crown House (1988), Crown Papers (1989) and Crown Wars (1996); three in the "Docklands Saga" or "Watermen" series, High Water (1991), Flood Water (1992) and Storm Water (1993); two stand-alone novels, Halfway to Heaven (1994) and Happy Tomorrow (1995);[3] and bodice-rippers under the name Petra Lee. He also wrote songs, including "Why Not Now?", which was a hit for Matt Monro in 1961.[1]

Death

He died on 14 September 2006 after suffering from Alzheimer's disease for some years.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Peter Ling | Obituaries | the Stage". www.thestage.co.uk. Archived from the original on 19 July 2019. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d Obituary: Peter Ling, The Daily Telegraph, 3 October 2006
  3. ^ a b c d e Steve Holland, Peter Ling (1926–2006), Bear Alley, 21 September 2006
  4. ^ a b c d e Peter Ling (1926–2006), eagle-times.blogspot.com, 24 September 2008.
  5. ^ Obituary: Peter Link, The Times, 14 September 2006.

External links

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