George Kay (writer)

George Kay is an English television writer, screenwriter, and producer.[1] He is best known as the creator of the Netflix series Lupin and Criminal, the Apple TV+ thriller Hijack, and ITV's The Long Shadow. He has also worked on the shows Litvinenko, Stag, My Mad Fat Diary, The Hour, The Tunnel, and the first season of Killing Eve.[2][3]

Early life

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Whilst a teenage student at Wellington College, Berkshire, Kay met director Jim Field Smith, with whom he often collaborates.[4]

Career

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Kay began his career in non-scripted entertainment, serving as head of development at Twenty Twenty Television and head of factual at Blast! Films, where he co-created productions such as The Choir, Evacuation, and The Sorcerer’s Apprentice.[5]

Kay became a full-time writer in 2009, after he won the Brit List with his feature script Good Luck Anthony Belcher.[6] He went on to write episodes of The Hour for the BBC, The Tunnel for Sky, and two episodes of the first season of Killing Eve.

Whilst writing the script for Litvinenko, Kay had access to transcripts of Alexander Litvinenko's eighteen hours of deathbed interviews with the London Metropolitan Police.[7] Litvinenko's widow, Marina, and the Metropolitan Police supported the production of the series.[8] The show has been sold to over eighty international territories.[9]

Filmography

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Year Title Writer Creator Executive producer Notes
2012 The Hour Yes No No Episode "Honey Trap"
2013 The Tunnel Yes No No Episode 1.6
2014 Our Zoo Yes No No Episode 1.3
2015 My Mad Fat Diary Yes No No 3 episodes
2016 Stag Yes Yes Yes Co-created and written with Jim Field-Smith
2018 Killing Eve Yes No No 2 episodes
2019–2020 Criminal Yes Yes Yes Co-created with Jim Field-Smith
2022 Litvinenko Yes No No
2023 Hijack Yes Yes Yes Co-created with Jim Field-Smith
2021–2023 Lupin Yes Yes Yes
2023 The Long Shadow Yes Yes Yes

References

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  1. ^ "George Kay, Meet the Writers 322 – Radio". Monocle. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
  2. ^ viapiuser (26 April 2017). "George Kay". Variety. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
  3. ^ "Speakers | George Kay | London Screenwriters' Festival 2023". Retrieved 18 December 2022.
  4. ^ "George Kay, Meet the Writers 322 – Radio". Monocle. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
  5. ^ "George Kay". londonscreenwritersfestival.com. Retrieved 6 November 2024.
  6. ^ "Good Luck Anthony Belcher tops Brit list of unmade scripts". theguardian.com. 5 October 2009. Retrieved 6 November 2024.
  7. ^ Willix, Pierra (8 December 2022). "Litvinenko writer admits Alexander's wife watching ITVX drama is 'nerve-racking'". Metro. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
  8. ^ "Litvinenko writer explains change of lead actor and genre each episode". Radio Times. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
  9. ^ Foreman, Liza (17 October 2022). "ITV Studios Sells 'Litvinenko' to 80-Plus Territories". Variety. Retrieved 18 December 2022.