Born: 9th May 1940
Episodes Broadcast: 1981-1982

The son of a research chemist who relocated frequently, John Black was born in Malawi and also lived in South Africa and Tanzania before his family returned home to St Andrew's, Scotland. After graduating from St Andrew's University, he joined Scottish Television as a reporter. Having spent three years in the job, Black decided that he preferred to work behind the camera, and began working on documentary programmes for the BBC. He completed the BBC's internal directors' course and became attached to the Plays Department, where he earned his first credit on an installment of Centre Play in 1975. Black later became a freelancer and directed episodes of Softly Softly: Task Force, Coronation Street and Crown Court.

Black came to the attention of Doctor Who producer John Nathan-Turner following a recommendation by his girlfriend, Amy Roberts, who was then one of the programme's costume designers. He directed Tom Baker's penultimate serial as the Fourth Doctor, 1981's The Keeper Of Traken, which also introduced Sarah Sutton as new companion Nyssa and Anthony Ainley's rejuvenated version of the Master. Black was soon invited back for Four To Doomsday, which was the first serial Peter Davison recorded as the Fifth Doctor, albeit the second to be broadcast. Black also directed A Girl's Best Friend, the pilot episode of a proposed K·9 And Company spin-off series.

Around this time, however, Black was becoming disillusioned with television, and was also suffering from ill health. He decided to make a complete change of career and, as he related to interviewer Toby Hadoke for the Who's Round podcast in 2017, he decided to open one of the United Kingdom's first pilates studios. He operated this business for a decade before his retirement.