Tony Roche (writer)
Encyclopedia
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
.
After graduating from Warwick University
with a degree in English, Tony became a stand-up comedian
using material from a magazine he had produced in his final year. He was spotted at one of his shows and asked to write jokes and topical sketches for radio.
His first radio assignment was writing for The Alan Davies Show radio programme and for John Shuttleworth on BBC Radio 4
. He created the series World of Pub
for BBC Radio, and later adapted it for television. He also worked on the radio series The Sunday Format
, and, with its creator John Morton
, co-created its television equivalent Broken News
.
After making his move to television, Tony joined the writing team for "Armando Iannucci
"'s Gash
, a satirical TV comedy for Channel 4
and was later asked to contribute to The Thick of It
Iannucci's political satire set in the fictional government Department of Social Affairs and Citizenship. The first series debuting on the BBC
in 2005, and became a critical success, returning for a further two series. Tony Roche wrote for all three series' and its film spin-off In the Loop
which was nominated for the 2010 Academy Award for Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay).
His other writing credits include The All New Harry Hill Show (ITV1
), Alistair McGowan's Big Impression (BBC Two
), Smith & Jones
(BBC One
), Dead Ringers
(BBC Radio 4), Miranda
(BBC Two), the disability mockumentary
drama Cast Offs
for Channel 4 and most recently is part of the writing team of Fresh Meat.
In 2011 Roche wrote Holy Flying Circus
, a fictionalised account of the controversy surrounding the 1979 release of Monty Python's Life of Brian
broadcast on BBC Four
. Tony's script centred around the imagined build-up to the appearance of Michael Palin
and John Cleese
on BBC chat show Friday Night, Saturday Morning
to defend Life of Brian. Roche's re-imagining of the event received criticism for its inaccuracies, including from former Python
John Cleese who was cited to have seen the script and commented that he was 'disappointed by its content' because it was 'not a fair reflection of the facts'. . Roche defended his reasons for writing the film as he did in an article in the The Daily Telegraph
, stating: "The film isn’t an accurate re-telling of what happened. It doesn’t pay much attention to the facts. (Sorry.) Instead, it uses the story to discuss the nature of offence. Why did so many people get so offended?"
Tony is writer and co-executive producer on Armando Iannucci's new comedy series, Veep for HBO.
The Thick of It
The Thick of It is a British comedy television series that satirises the inner workings of modern British government. It was first broadcast on BBC Four in 2005, and has so far completed fourteen half-hour episodes and two special hour-long episodes to coincide with Christmas and Gordon Brown's...
and its film spin-off In the Loop
In the Loop (film)
In the Loop is a 2009 British satirical black comedy film directed by Armando Iannucci. It is based on the BBC Television series The Thick of It satirising Anglo-American politics in the 21st century and the Invasion of Iraq...
.
After graduating from Warwick University
University of Warwick
The University of Warwick is a public research university located in Coventry, United Kingdom...
with a degree in English, Tony became a stand-up comedian
Stand-up comedy
Stand-up comedy is a comedic art form. Usually, a comedian performs in front of a live audience, speaking directly to them. Their performances are sometimes filmed for later release via DVD, the internet, and television...
using material from a magazine he had produced in his final year. He was spotted at one of his shows and asked to write jokes and topical sketches for radio.
His first radio assignment was writing for The Alan Davies Show radio programme and for John Shuttleworth 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...
. He created the series World of Pub
World of Pub
World of Pub is a radio and television sitcom, set in a pub in the East End of London, written by Tony Roche and produced by Jane Berthoud....
for BBC Radio, and later adapted it for television. He also worked on the radio series 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...
, and, with its creator John Morton
John Morton (writer)
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...
, co-created its television equivalent 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...
.
After making his move to television, Tony joined the writing team for "Armando Iannucci
Armando Iannucci
Armando Giovanni Iannucci is a Scottish comedian, satirist, writer, director, performer and radio producer. Born in Glasgow, he studied at Oxford University and left graduate work on a PhD about John Milton to pursue a career in comedy....
"'s Gash
Gash (TV series)
Gash was a satirical TV comedy created by Armando Iannucci and broadcast every weeknight from Monday 28th April to Thursday May 1st 2003 on Channel 4 to coincide with the 2003 local elections. Written and filmed on the day of transmission, the programme was a topical review show featuring sketches,...
, a satirical TV comedy for Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
and was later asked to contribute to The Thick of It
The Thick of It
The Thick of It is a British comedy television series that satirises the inner workings of modern British government. It was first broadcast on BBC Four in 2005, and has so far completed fourteen half-hour episodes and two special hour-long episodes to coincide with Christmas and Gordon Brown's...
Iannucci's political satire set in the fictional government Department of Social Affairs and Citizenship. The first series debuting on the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
in 2005, and became a critical success, returning for a further two series. Tony Roche wrote for all three series' and its film spin-off In the Loop
In the Loop (film)
In the Loop is a 2009 British satirical black comedy film directed by Armando Iannucci. It is based on the BBC Television series The Thick of It satirising Anglo-American politics in the 21st century and the Invasion of Iraq...
which was nominated for the 2010 Academy Award for Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay).
His other writing credits include The All New Harry Hill Show (ITV1
ITV1
ITV1 is a generic brand that is used by twelve franchises of the British ITV Network in the English regions, Wales, southern Scotland , the Isle of Man and the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey. The ITV1 brand was introduced by Carlton and Granada in 2001, alongside the regional identities of their...
), Alistair McGowan's Big Impression (BBC Two
BBC Two
BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
), Smith & Jones
Alas Smith and Jones
Alas Smith and Jones is a British comedy sketch television series featuring Mel Smith and Griff Rhys Jones. It was broadcast on the BBC from 1984 to 1998...
(BBC One
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
), Dead Ringers
Dead Ringers (comedy)
Dead Ringers is a UK radio and television comedy impressions broadcast on BBC Radio 4 and later BBC Two. The programme was devised by producer Bill Dare and developed with Jon Holmes, Andy Hurst and Simon Blackwell. It starred Jon Culshaw, Jan Ravens, Phil Cornwell, Kevin Connelly and Mark Perry...
(BBC Radio 4), Miranda
Miranda (TV series)
Miranda is a BBC television series co-written by and starring comedienne Miranda Hart, which first aired on BBC Two on 9 November 2009. The situation comedy also features Sarah Hadland, Tom Ellis, Patricia Hodge, James Holmes and Sally Phillips...
(BBC Two), the disability mockumentary
Mockumentary
A mockumentary , is a type of film or television show in which fictitious events are presented in documentary format. These productions are often used to analyze or comment on current events and issues by using a fictitious setting, or to parody the documentary form itself...
drama Cast Offs
Cast Offs
Cast Offs is a BAFTA nominated dramedy mockumentary that follows a group of six disabled people sent to a remote British Island for a fictional reality show.The series is made up of six episodes, with each episode concentrating on one of the six characters...
for Channel 4 and most recently is part of the writing team of Fresh Meat.
In 2011 Roche wrote Holy Flying Circus
Holy Flying Circus
Holy Flying Circus is a 90-minute BBC television comedy film from 2011, about the 1979 television debate about the film Monty Python's Life of Brian...
, a fictionalised account of the controversy surrounding the 1979 release of Monty Python's Life of Brian
Monty Python's Life of Brian
Monty Python's Life of Brian, also known as Life of Brian, is a 1979 British comedy film written, directed and largely performed by the Monty Python comedy team...
broadcast 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....
. Tony's script centred around the imagined build-up to the appearance of Michael Palin
Michael Palin
Michael Edward Palin, CBE FRGS is an English comedian, actor, writer and television presenter best known for being one of the members of the comedy group Monty Python and for his travel documentaries....
and John Cleese
John Cleese
John Marwood Cleese is an English actor, comedian, writer, and film producer. He achieved success at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and as a scriptwriter and performer on The Frost Report...
on BBC chat show Friday Night, Saturday Morning
Friday Night, Saturday Morning
Friday Night, Saturday Morning was a television chat show with a revolving guest host. It ran on BBC2 from 28 September 1979 to 2 April 1982, broadcast live from the Greenwood Theatre, a part of Guy's Hospital...
to defend Life of Brian. Roche's re-imagining of the event received criticism for its inaccuracies, including from former Python
Monty Python
Monty Python was a British surreal comedy group who created their influential Monty Python's Flying Circus, a British television comedy sketch show that first aired on the BBC on 5 October 1969. Forty-five episodes were made over four series...
John Cleese who was cited to have seen the script and commented that he was 'disappointed by its content' because it was 'not a fair reflection of the facts'. . Roche defended his reasons for writing the film as he did in an article in the The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
, stating: "The film isn’t an accurate re-telling of what happened. It doesn’t pay much attention to the facts. (Sorry.) Instead, it uses the story to discuss the nature of offence. Why did so many people get so offended?"
Tony is writer and co-executive producer on Armando Iannucci's new comedy series, Veep for HBO.