Background
He was born in Barking in Essex.
He was born in Barking in Essex.
As a young man, Hayes was an actor with the Royal Shakespeare Company. Later he worked for the British Broadcasting Corporation in various roles, beginning as a studio manager for the World Service, and working his way up to directing for television Perhaps his most notable work was directing the hugely successful British Broadcasting Corporation drama adaptations of various Shakespeare plays, collectively entitled An Age of Kings, in 1960.
Like many television drama professionals, after retirement he became better remembered for his work in television science fiction.
Amongst Hayes’s many other credits, he directed three Doctor Who serials starring Tom Baker, including 1979’s City of Death, widely considered by fans to be one of the series" best stories. He also helmed the British Broadcasting Corporation’s 1961 adaptation of A for Andromeda.
From 1986 to 1994 he was a newsreader for the World Service. He died in September 2014, at the age of 85.