[Dave]

There are 2 options:
1) Create an array in PHP and assign it to a template variable, then loop through the authors in the template.
2) Loop through the array in PHP and create the HTML in the PHP script, then assign it to a template variable and just use ir directly in the template.

Example for the second option:

PHP Code:

<?php

$authors = explode(', ', 'Bob Shakespeare, Arnold Willis, Bill Dickins');
$output = '';
foreach($authors as $value){
    $output .= '<a href="products.php?authors=' . $value . '">' . $value . '</a>, ';
}

// Use this in the part where the script is assigning the template variables.
$templater->register('authors_list', $output);

You'll be able to use {vb:raw authors_list} in the template.