John Morton (writer)
Encyclopedia
John Morton is a British writer
and director for television and radio, perhaps best known as the creator of People Like Us
, which starred Chris Langham
. which starred Chris Langham
as the series as the hapless documentary maker Roy Mallard. He is also the creator and writer of several other comedies for the BBC including The Sunday Format
", Broken News
and Twenty Twelve
.
John gave up a career as an English teacher to become a writer in 1990. His first success came when BBC Radio accepted his pilot comedy script for People Like Us
. It ran for three series on BBC Radio 4
from 1995 and won Sony Radio Award and a Writer's Guild Award
for Best Radio Comedy before being adapted for BBC Two (with Langham in the same role) in 1999.
John went on to create and write the Sony Radio Award-winning satirical newspaper supplement show The Sunday Format
for BBC Radio 4 and co-created the BBC One sitcom Kiss Me Kate
with Chris Langham. For the launch night of BBC Four in 2001 John wrote the one-off special The Gist, a spoof arts review show presented by Robert Webb
.
In 2005 John teamed up with writer Tony Roche
on Broken News
, a six-part comedy series about a 24-hour rolling news station which aired on BBC Two.
In August 2010, the BBC announced a new six part series Twenty Twelve
, written and directed by Morton. This series is centered on the organisers of the 2012 Olympic Games in London
similar to ABC Australia's The Games. John Clarke
and Ross Stevenson
, creators of The Games claimed to have had many phone conferences, meetings and over four years of email exchanges with Morton and yet the series was made without their participation or permission. Following a 'thorough legal assessment', the BBC refuted their claims stating that; 'while the premise of the two shows was similar – focusing on the buildup to the staging of the Olympic games – the content and the style of the two shows was very different'. The series premiered on 14 March 2011 on BBC Four
.. A second series has been commissioned by the BBC and will be broadcast in the run up to the 2012 London Olympic Games.
John is married to the actress Helen Atkinson-Wood
who, on first hearing People Like Us on the radio, rang the BBC in praise of the programme and was given Morton's phone number. She called him to tell him how much she liked it and Morton is said to have replied "Thanks a lot. Fancy getting married?"
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
and director for television and radio, perhaps best known as the creator of People Like Us
People Like Us
People Like Us is a British comedy programme, a spoof on-location documentary written by John Morton, and starring Chris Langham as Roy Mallard, an inept interviewer...
, which starred Chris Langham
Chris Langham
Christopher "Chris" Langham is an English writer, actor and comedian. He is most famous for playing MP Hugh Abbot in BBC Four sitcom The Thick of It and as presenter Roy Mallard in People Like Us, first on BBC Radio 4 and later on its transfer to television on BBC Two, where Mallard is almost...
. which starred Chris Langham
Chris Langham
Christopher "Chris" Langham is an English writer, actor and comedian. He is most famous for playing MP Hugh Abbot in BBC Four sitcom The Thick of It and as presenter Roy Mallard in People Like Us, first on BBC Radio 4 and later on its transfer to television on BBC Two, where Mallard is almost...
as the series as the hapless documentary maker Roy Mallard. He is also the creator and writer of several other comedies for the BBC including The Sunday Format
The Sunday Format
The Sunday Format, "BBC Radio 4's first high-quality weekend broadsheet newspaper", is a British satirical radio comedy. The programme is a parody of British middle class newspapers, in particular the lifestyle supplements and glossy celebrity magazines that fill Sunday papers...
", Broken News
Broken News
Broken News is a comedy programme shown on BBC Two in autumn 2005 and in Australia on SBS-TV from the 17 July 2006. The show poked fun at the world of 24-hour rolling news channels. The title of the show is a play on the phrase "Breaking News". It had six thirty-minute episodes...
and Twenty Twelve
Twenty Twelve (TV series)
Twenty Twelve is a BBC comedy series written and directed by John Morton. Starring Hugh Bonneville, Jessica Hynes and Amelia Bullmore, the programme is a spoof on-location documentary following the organisation of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London...
.
John gave up a career as an English teacher to become a writer in 1990. His first success came when BBC Radio accepted his pilot comedy script for People Like Us
People Like Us
People Like Us is a British comedy programme, a spoof on-location documentary written by John Morton, and starring Chris Langham as Roy Mallard, an inept interviewer...
. It ran for three series on BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
from 1995 and won Sony Radio Award and a Writer's Guild Award
Writers' Guild of Great Britain
The Writers' Guild of Great Britain, established in 1959, is a trade union for professional writers. It is affiliated with both the Trades Union Congress and the International Affiliation of Writers Guilds .-Activities:...
for Best Radio Comedy before being adapted for BBC Two (with Langham in the same role) in 1999.
John went on to create and write the Sony Radio Award-winning satirical newspaper supplement show The Sunday Format
The Sunday Format
The Sunday Format, "BBC Radio 4's first high-quality weekend broadsheet newspaper", is a British satirical radio comedy. The programme is a parody of British middle class newspapers, in particular the lifestyle supplements and glossy celebrity magazines that fill Sunday papers...
for BBC Radio 4 and co-created the BBC One sitcom Kiss Me Kate
Kiss Me Kate
Kiss Me Kate was a British sitcom that ran from 1998 until 2000. It followed the everyday life of a woman counsellor, Kate , who must not only manage her clients' problems, but must also help her neighbours and unsuccessful business partner, Douglas, played by Chris Langham. Amanda Holden played...
with Chris Langham. For the launch night of BBC Four in 2001 John wrote the one-off special The Gist, a spoof arts review show presented by Robert Webb
Robert Webb
Robert Webb may refer to:*Robert Webb , English actor, comedian and writer*Robert Webb , University of Virginia professor*Robert Webb, the creator of polyhedra software Stella*Robert D. Webb, film maker*Robert Wallace Webb, geoscientist...
.
In 2005 John teamed up with writer Tony Roche
Tony Roche (writer)
Tony Roche is a television and radio comedy writer, best-known as one of the members of the writing team behind the award-winning BBC Television series The Thick of It and its film spin-off In the Loop....
on Broken News
Broken News
Broken News is a comedy programme shown on BBC Two in autumn 2005 and in Australia on SBS-TV from the 17 July 2006. The show poked fun at the world of 24-hour rolling news channels. The title of the show is a play on the phrase "Breaking News". It had six thirty-minute episodes...
, a six-part comedy series about a 24-hour rolling news station which aired on BBC Two.
In August 2010, the BBC announced a new six part series Twenty Twelve
Twenty Twelve (TV series)
Twenty Twelve is a BBC comedy series written and directed by John Morton. Starring Hugh Bonneville, Jessica Hynes and Amelia Bullmore, the programme is a spoof on-location documentary following the organisation of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London...
, written and directed by Morton. This series is centered on the organisers of the 2012 Olympic Games in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
similar to ABC Australia's The Games. John Clarke
John Clarke
-Canada:* John Clarke , Canadian political activist and founder of the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty* John Clarke C.M., Canadian mountaineer, explorer and wilderness educator* John Clarke -Canada:* John Clarke (activist), Canadian political activist and founder of the Ontario Coalition...
and Ross Stevenson
Ross Stevenson (Radio)
Ross Stevenson, real name Ross Campbell, is a radio presenter on Melbourne radio. Breakfast with Ross Stevenson & John Burns on radio station 3AW is one of Australia's most successful radio shows...
, creators of The Games claimed to have had many phone conferences, meetings and over four years of email exchanges with Morton and yet the series was made without their participation or permission. Following a 'thorough legal assessment', the BBC refuted their claims stating that; 'while the premise of the two shows was similar – focusing on the buildup to the staging of the Olympic games – the content and the style of the two shows was very different'. The series premiered on 14 March 2011 on BBC Four
BBC Four
BBC Four is a British television network operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation and available to digital television viewers on Freeview, IPTV, satellite and cable....
.. A second series has been commissioned by the BBC and will be broadcast in the run up to the 2012 London Olympic Games.
John is married to the actress Helen Atkinson-Wood
Helen Atkinson-Wood
Helen Atkinson-Wood is an English actress and comedian born in Cheadle Hulme, Stockport, Cheshire.Atkinson-Wood studied fine art at the Ruskin School, Oxford University, where she performed with Rowan Atkinson...
who, on first hearing People Like Us on the radio, rang the BBC in praise of the programme and was given Morton's phone number. She called him to tell him how much she liked it and Morton is said to have replied "Thanks a lot. Fancy getting married?"
External links
- John Morton at the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...
- John Morton's credit list at Curtis Brown (literary agents)Curtis Brown (literary agents)Curtis Brown is a literary and talent agency based in London, UK. It was founded in 1899 by Albert Curtis Brown.-History:...