. ▁The ▁story ▁also ▁saw ▁the ▁return ▁of ▁the ▁White ▁Guardian , ▁who ▁had ▁also ▁not ▁been ▁seen ▁since ▁ 1 9 7 9 . ▁ ▁Production ▁ ▁Con ception ▁and ▁writing ▁After ▁pen ning ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁radio ▁and ▁TV ▁scripts , ▁including ▁episodes ▁of ▁Cross ro ads ▁and ▁W agg on er ' s ▁Walk , ▁Barbara ▁C leg g ▁submitted ▁a ▁story ▁idea ▁to ▁Doctor ▁Who ▁script ▁editor ▁Eric ▁Sa ward , ▁an ▁acquaint ance ▁from ▁the ▁BBC ▁drama ▁department . ▁Inter ested ▁in ▁writing ▁for ▁the ▁series , ▁C leg g ▁had ▁been ▁inspired ▁when ▁distant ▁relatives ▁had ▁stayed ▁with ▁her ▁and ▁demanded ▁constant ▁entertain ment ▁during ▁their ▁visit , ▁bas ing ▁the ▁character ▁of ▁the ▁E tern als ▁upon ▁them . ▁Initial ly ▁titled ▁The ▁En light en ers , ▁her ▁submission ▁involved ▁ships ▁racing ▁through ▁space ▁that , ▁with ▁the ▁addition ▁of ▁the ▁Black ▁Guardian ▁sub - plot , ▁eventually ▁evol ved ▁into ▁the ▁story ▁as ▁screen ed . ▁Sa ward ▁and ▁series ▁producer ▁John ▁Nathan - Turn er ▁liked ▁C leg g ' s ▁ideas , ▁and ▁they ▁commission ed ▁the ▁script ▁in ▁September ▁ 1 9 8 1 . ▁▁ ▁The ▁first ▁episode ▁was ▁delivered ▁by ▁C leg g ▁in ▁October ▁and ▁the ▁three ▁following ▁episodes ▁arriv ing ▁in ▁January ▁ 1 9 8 2 . ▁The ▁serial ▁was ▁now ▁scheduled ▁to ▁conclude ▁a ▁three - story ▁tr il ogy ▁featuring ▁the ▁Black ▁Guardian , ▁and ▁C leg g ▁d uly ▁wrote ▁the ▁rec urr