Professor J P Kettlewell once worked for the Thinktank organisation, which was at the forefront of scientific developments. Whilst there he created a highly advanced robot, designed to operate in areas dangerous to humans, or in roles hazardous to them. This was known as the K1 robot - Kettlewell One. It was programmed with elements of his own personality.
On leaving Thinktank the professor demanded that the K1 be broken up and melted down after being deactivated. He wanted to work on his own, developing new energy sources.
Journalist Sarah Jane Smith alerted him to the fact that the organisation's director, Miss Winters, had not followed his instructions, and the robot was being used to commit criminal activities. Kettlewell warned that tampering with its prime directive might seriously unbalance it.
Many members of Thinktank were also members of the Scientific Reform Society, who were a fascistic outfit wanting to impose their rational beliefs on everyone. Kettlewell had joined, but had no interest in it. He agreed to help smuggle Sarah into one of their meetings.
The Doctor had worked out that only Kettlewell himself could have reprogrammed the robot's prime directive. He was really an active member of the SRS, involved in their scheme to blackmail the world by hijacking nuclear missile launch codes.
When he realised that Winters was actually prepared to use the missiles, he rebelled. On trying to leave their underground bunker, he was accidentally killed by the robot which had been placed on guard. The death of its creator drove it insane.
The K1 was eventually destroyed by a metal-eating virus which Kettlewell himself had developed as a means of getting rid of metal waste.
Played by: Edward Burnham. Appearances: Robot (1975).
- Burnham had previously played another scientist in the programme - Professor Watkins in The Invasion.
- According to the novelisation, the J stands for Jeremiah.
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