He became a full-time writer after working for 12 years as a doctor. On BBC Radio Four he was the last chairman and word-setter of "My Word!" and wrote and presented "Relative Values". On BBC Television he presented the "O’Donnell Investigates" series and, on Yorkshire Television, the controversial Tuesday Documentary "Is Your Brain Really Necessary?". He worked as a newspaper and magazine columnist, published three novels, edited "World Medicine", wrote and presented over 100 television and radio documentaries, and helped found the charity HealthWatch.