Eric Saward worked initially as an estate agent before working in various roles within the publishing industry and as a sales assistant in a bookshop. From this he moved into teaching and while working as an English teacher had his radio drama script The Fall and Fall of David Moore accepted. Giving up teaching in order to write full-time, Saward took various other jobs, including working in theater. Saward was commissioned to write The Visitation for Peter Davison’s first season as the Doctor. On the strength of this script, Saward was appointed Bidmead’s successor as the program’s script editor. Since leaving Doctor Who in 1986, Saward has continued to work as a freelance writer.