Born: 8th April 1942
Died: 29th July 2018 (aged 76 years)
Episodes Broadcast: 1980

Lovett Bickford's first experience with Doctor Who was as an uncredited assistant floor manager. He worked with the first two Doctors, William Hartnell and Patrick Troughton, on 1966's The War Machines and 1967's The Moonbase, respectively. By the mid-Seventies, Bickford was working as a production assistant on programmes like The Pallisers, Poldark and All Creatures Great And Small, while also serving as production unit manager on Angels in 1975. Bickford was then given the opportunity to direct, initially on Z Cars in 1978. He returned to Angels in this capacity in 1979, and then made the classics serial The History Of Mr Polly and episodes of The Enigma Files.

Bickford quickly established a reputation as a director with a visual flair. He had also worked with new Doctor Who producer John Nathan-Turner on The Pallisers, and executive producer Barry Letts on The History Of Mr Polly. As such, Bickford was an obvious candidate to direct 1980's The Leisure Hive, the first story of Doctor Who's eighteenth season, which would usher in a revamped look for the new decade. Unfortunately, Bickford's stylised approach resulted in significant delays and cost overruns, guaranteeing that he would not be invited back to the programme.

Bickford went on to direct episodes of The Olympian Way and Emmerdale Farm before leaving television in the mid-Eighties to become a theatrical producer. He died on July 28th, 2018.