Desmond "Des"[1] Saunders (24 June 1926[2] – 21 April 2018) was a British television director and film editor.

[3] He had a long association with producer Gerry Anderson, having served as a director for the series Supercar (1961–62), Stingray (1964–65), Thunderbirds (1965–66), Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons (1967–68), Joe 90 (1968–69) and Terrahawks (1983–86).

Saunders was also production controller for Joe 90 and co-wrote one of the episodes, "Lone-Handed 90".

His film editing credits are: RX for Murder (1958), A Woman's Temptation (1959), Escort for Hire (1960), Compelled (1960), Tarnished Heroes and So Evil, So Young (both 1961) and Voyage of the Damned (1976).

Films team received constant requests to make the puppets more real.