Category: THE WRITERS ROOM
Selina’s story
Rekviem for Selina (Requiem for Selina) creator Emmeline Berglund reflects on creating this six-part drama about Norway’s first beauty blogger, why it’s a show for the TikTok generation and how it has changed the conversation around beauty standards.
Zonz of interest
French dramedy Zonz (Jailbreakers) follows a group of teenagers who find friendship, and possibly freedom, together in a youth detention centre. Co-creators Marine Maugrain-Legagneur and Quentin Pissot tell DQ how the dynamic series was brought to the screen.
Boiling over
Coldwater writer David Ireland speaks to DQ about penning this ITV thriller about family, masculinity and serial killers, working with star Andrew Lincoln and why he doesn’t like being on set.
Special Guest
Writer Matthew Barry reveals the inspirations behind his BBC thriller The Guest, discusses the toxic friendship at the heart of the story and explains why he wants his work to be “unashamedly commercial.”
Getting ready for Ridley
As Ridley returns to ITV, creator Paul Matthew Thompson tells DQ about reuniting with Adrian Dunbar’s captivating detective, the challenge of writing compulsive murder mysteries and what it’s like swapping police drama for high-seas adventure aboard The Good Ship Murder.
Killer instincts
From developing a high-octane plot to leading their first writers room, Harry and Jack Williams share their experience of making The Assassin – and why they’re always up for a creative challenge.
Bigger and better
As BAFTA winner Mr Bigstuff returns for a second season, creator and star Ryan Sampson tells DQ about making the Sky comedy, writing a series for fellow lead Danny Dyer and how he juggles multiple roles behind the scenes.
Making Dreamers come true
Dreamers creator, writer and executive producer Lisa Holdsworth explains how she found the balance between drama and authenticity in this Channel 4 drama about a group of dance students.
Not your average Joe
As the writer behind Giri/Haji, The Lazarus Project and Black Doves, Joe Barton has worked across multiple genres while retaining his trademark humour and style. He discusses creating characters, casting and the things up-and-coming writers should focus on.
Night to remember
Nos vies en l’air (A Night to Live) writer Margaux Bonhomme discusses the challenging themes and format at the heart of this French coming-of-age drama, which centres on two desperate teens who find solace in strangers as they face a decision between life and death.
McCredie’s juggling act
Australian screenwriter Elise McCredie reveals how she manages multiple projects, from topical dramas like Stateless to airport-set development project The Chaplain, and discusses her passion for telling bold, character-driven stories that explore the depths of humanity.
Lockerbie’s untold story
Novelist-turned-screenwriter Jonathan Lee details how years of research led him to write The Bombing of Pan Am 103, a BBC drama exploring the investigation into and response to the Lockerbie disaster in 1988.
In good taste
Dood Spoor (Dead End) creator, writer and director Malin-Sarah Gozin helps DQ digest this unique Flemish crime series, in which a man with a unique gift – he can see the last moments of anything he puts in his mouth – joins the police hunt for a serial killer.
On a slippery soap
Lisa Holdsworth, a writer, producer and the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain regional representative for Yorkshire, writes for DQ about the importance of continuing drama on television and why the falling number of soap writing opportunities is bad news for the drama industry as a whole.
I, Chris Lang
Unforgotten creator Chris Lang’s new show, I, Jack Wright, focuses on the shockwaves sent through a family by its deceased patriarch’s will. The writer and exec producer lays out his wishes for the series and explains why he wanted to tell this story.
Script secrets
How are writers currently navigating the troubled British drama industry, and what were the unique storytelling methods used in making Baby Reindeer, One Day and Industry? The BAFTA-nominated writers of these shows take DQ inside their acclaimed works and explain why it’s still worth taking risks.
Keeping up appearances
Just Act Normal creator and writer Janice Okoh joins executive producer George Ormond to discuss adapting for television her award-winning play about three siblings fighting to stay together after their mother’s disappearance, and the challenges of production on a limited budget.
Next in line
Generationer (Generations), the latest flagship drama from Danish broadcaster DR, takes viewers into the mystery behind a shocking discovery that leads one family to reconsider the past. Creator Anna Emma Haudal dissects the themes behind the show and reveals her writing process.
Behind the headlines
Ruth Ellis was the last woman to be hanged in Britain, but was she judged for more than her crime? Writer Kelly Jones tells DQ how she wanted to present the “real woman” caught up in tragic events in ITV miniseries A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story.
All write now
Writers Victoria Asare-Archer, Daf James, Georgia Lee, Sydney Sybilia and Danielle Ward reflect on making their breakout series – including shows like Daddy Issues and Missing You – and reveal how they balance their own ideas with audience tastes.