Simon Nye(born 29 July 1958) is an English screenwriter, best known for television comedy.[1]He wrote the hitsitcomMen Behaving Badly,and all of the fourITV Pantos.He co-wrote the 2006 filmFlushed Away,created an adaptation ofRichmal Crompton'sJust Williambooks in 2010, and wrote the drama seriesThe Durrells.[2]
Simon Nye | |
|---|---|
| Born | 29 July 1958 Burgess Hill,Sussex,England |
| Occupation(s) | Writer, comedy |
| Years active | 1989–present |
| Partner | Claudia Stumpfl |
Early life
editNye was born inBurgess Hill,Sussex.Nye was educated atCollyer's SchoolandBedford College, University of London,where he studied French and German.
He started his writing career as a translator, publishing translations of books onRichard Wagner,Henri MatisseandGeorges Braque,before turning his hand to novel writing in 1989, withMen Behaving Badly.This was followed in 1991 byWideboy,which he later adapted into the TV showFrank Stubbs Promotes.
Career
editMen Behaving Badly
editNye's TV writing career began in 1990 when he was persuaded by producerBeryl Vertueto adapt his first novel for the small screen. Thefirst two seriesofMen Behaving Badlywere broadcast onITVin 1992.[3][4]The show soon went on to achieve critical and commercial success, winning theWriters' Guild of Great BritainAward for Best Situation Comedy in 1995, and theRoyal Television SocietyAward for Best Situation Comedy/Comedy Drama in 1996. The show became the most-repeated comedy show in the 1990s.
Nye also appeared in the show, briefly playing a prospective tenant in the episode "Gary and Tony".He also played one of Gary's friends, Clive, in the episode where Gary and Dorothy plan to get married.
Other work
editThough best known for sitcoms – such asIs It Legal?(starringImelda Staunton),How Do You Want Me?(starringCharlotte ColemanandDylan Moran),Hardware(starringMartin Freeman) andCarrie and Barry(a semi-sequel to Men Behaving Badly starringNeil Morrisseyas a matured Tony in all but name) – he has also written comedy dramas such asFrank Stubbs Promotes(1993–1994), as well as literary adaptations such asThe Railway Children(2000). In addition, he has written a number of comic adaptations ofpantomimesincludingJack and the Beanstalk(25 December 1998),Cinderella(2 January 2000),Aladdin(25 December 2000), andDick Whittington(1 January 2002). He also wrote the short-lived 2001 sitcomThe Savages,and contributed an episode to the 2010 series ofDoctor Who,titled "Amy's Choice."[5][6]
Nye also continues to write translations, focusing in recent years on dramatic works. His translation ofMolière'sDon Juanwas first performed at theCrucible TheatreinSheffieldin 2001, and his translation ofDario Fo'sAccidental Death of an Anarchistpremiered at theDonmar Warehousein London in 2003. He also wrote a pilot episodeFelix and Murdo,which starred Alexander Armstrong and Ben Miller.
He wrote the screenplay for the 2005BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation)ofMy Family And Other Animalsbased onGerald Durrell's Corfu Trilogy. In 2016, Nye wrote ITV'sThe Durrells,[7]another adaptation of the trilogy, starringKeeley Hawesas Louisa Durrell.[8]
Nye wrote a play,The Crown Jewels,about the theft of theCrown JewelsbyThomas Blood,which was performed at theGarrick TheatreinLondonin 2023. The part of Blood was played byAidan McArdle,and the cast includedAl Murrayas KingCharles II,Neil MorrisseyandMel Giedroyc.
Filmography
edit| Year | Title | Distributor |
|---|---|---|
| 1992–1998 | Men Behaving Badly | ITV/BBC One |
| 1993–1994 | Frank Stubbs Promotes | ITV |
| 1995–1998 | Is It Legal? | ITV/Channel 4 |
| 1996–1999 | My Wonderful Life | ITV |
| 1998–1999 | How Do You Want Me? | BBC Two |
| 2000 | The Railway Children | ITV |
| 2000–2001 | Beast | BBC One |
| 2001 | The Savages | BBC One |
| 2002–2004 | Wild West | BBC One |
| 2003–2004 | Hardware | ITV |
| 2004–2005 | Carrie and Barry | BBC One |
| 2005 | My Family And Other Animals | BBC One |
| 2009–2010 | Reggie Perrin(withDavid Nobbs) | BBC One |
| 2010 | Doctor Who–Amy's Choice | BBC One |
| 2010 | Just William | CBBC |
| 2014 | Tommy Cooper: Not Like That, Like This | ITV |
| 2016–2019 | The Durrells | ITV |
| 2018 | The Sex Pistols Vs. Bill Grundy | Sky Arts |
| 2021 | Finding Alice | ITV |
| 2021–2022 | The Larkins | ITV |
Bibliography
editNovels
edit- Wideboy(1991)ISBN0-670-83254-5
- Men Behaving Badly(1989)ISBN0-06-016069-1
Translations
edit- Accidental Death of an Anarchist(2003)ISBN0-413-77342-6
- Matisse:The Graphic Work(1988)ISBN0-8478-0932-3
- Georges Braque:Life and Work(1988)ISBN0-8478-0986-2
- Vienna Opera(1987)ISBN0-8478-0811-4
References
edit- ^https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2004/08_august/20/cb_nye.shtmlBBC Press Office biography
- ^"Early life of Gerald Durrell comes to TV screens soon".Jersey Evening Post.24 March 2016.Retrieved1 April2016.
- ^"BBC — Comedy — Men Behaving Badly".BBC. 28 October 2014.Retrieved11 July2017.
- ^"Men Behaving Badly return for charity sketch".BBC News.BBC. 13 October 2014.Retrieved14 October2014.
- ^French, Dan (26 February 2010)."Doctor Whoto feature pregnancy plot? ".Digital Spy.Retrieved27 July2011.
- ^Nissim, Mayer (10 May 2010)."Q&A: Simon Nye talks 'Amy's Choice'".Digital Spy.Retrieved27 July2011.
- ^"U.K.'s ITV Recommissions Simon Nye's Hit Drama 'The Durrells'".18 April 2016.
- ^O'Donovan, Gerard (3 April 2016)."Keeley Hawes is a ray of sunshine in the Durrells - review".The Telegraph.