Matthew Robinson (born 27 July 1944) is a British-Cambodian television and film executive producer, producer, director and writer. After graduating from Cambridge University. he directed many hundreds of episodes of popular British television dramas and soap operas in the 1970s and 1980s. He became the first producer (and later became the executive producer) of the series Byker Grove (1989–1997), and was also made the executive producer of EastEnders (1998–2000). He finished his British television career as the Head of Drama for BBC Wales. Since 2003 he has been based in Cambodia, where he runs his own production company, Khmer Mekong Films. Early life Robinson was educated at Huntingdon Grammar School (1955–58), Friends School in Saffron Walden (1958–63) and King's College, Cambridge (1963–66), where he studied economics, edited Cambridge University student newspaper Varsity and graduated with a master's degree. Career Early work Robinson's first job in television was as a researcher on the weekly consumer affairs programme On the Braden Beat made by ATV in 1966. He started directing in BBC Current Affairs (1969–73) on The Money Programme, 24 Hours and Nationwide. This was followed by many hundreds of episodes of popular TV drama including Softly, Softly: Taskforce, Play for Today, Z-Cars, Emmerdale, Crown Court, Coronation Street, Angels, Brookside, Howard's Way and Bergerac. Robinson had a "reputation as an action director", and was employed to direct two Doctor Who adventures, Resurrection of the Daleks (1984) and Attack of the Cybermen (1985). He was also responsible for casting Terry Molloy as Davros, who went on to play the role twice more on television and in further audio dramas. Under pseudonym Henry Seaton he wrote 30 episodes of Central TV's Crossroads in 1986. Writing work also included two plays about television – Did Anyone Else Think TK9 Was Brilliant? and SUDS – staged in two London fringe theatres in 1981 and 1983. In fringe theatre he first met Leslie Grantham, an actor he subsequently cast in a guest role in Doctor Who and recommended for the role of Den Watts in EastEnders. Byker Grove From 1989 to 1997 Robinson set up, produced and part-directed the BBC's Newcastle-based teenage drama serial Byker Grove. He cast Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly as young heroes P.J. and Duncan and in 1993 launched their post-Byker Grove careers. Now known as Ant & Dec they are the UK's foremost light entertainment act. Robinson told them to "Stay together