Doctor Who stars were reunited to say farewell to John Nathan-Turner, the man credited as "the brains" behind the cult sci-fi show.

Two former Time Lords, Colin Baker and Sylvester McCoy, attended the funeral service at Woodvale Crematorium in Brighton.

EastEnders actress June Brown, who played one of the Doctor's many adversaries paid her respects, along with his one-time assistant Sophie Aldred.

Mr Nathan-Turner, of Marine Drive, Saltdean, died on May 1 at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton from lung and liver failure.

He worked with all but the first of the seven Doctors and was credited with revolutionising the show's visual style and taking The Doctor and his Tardis boldly into the Eighties.

Family and friends from Mr Nathan-Turner's 30 years in showbusiness attended yesterday's packed service.

Among the many floral tributes was one from the fifth Doctor, Peter Davison.

Speaking after the service, Colin Baker said his lasting memory of John was of someone full of life with a great sense of humour.

He said: "He was a joy to work with during my time on Doctor Who. He's also one of the few producers whose name is actually known by the public.

"Fans of the show hold him in very high esteem for the way he took the show into a modern era."

Sylvester McCoy said: "After being my boss on the series he remained a good friend. It is a sign of his talents that, when he left, the show finished."

At its height, the BBC's award-winning show was watched by more than 100 million people worldwide.

Mr Nathan-Turner started on the programme as a floor assistant in 1969 and worked his way up to production unit manager.

He went on to produce 130 episodes of the series and was responsible for casting three of the actors who played the Doctor - Baker, McCoy and Davison.

He was keen to capitalise on the show's immense marketability and was a key figure in involving current and former Doctor Who cast members in fan conventions.