Ian Curtis is a BAFTA and International EMMY winning director for television drama, comedy and children’s. With over one-hundred episodes under his belt, Ian has directed dramas such as Coronation Street, Emmerdale and Hollyoaks including the dramatic one-hour ‘Flash Forward’ Christmas / New Year episodes from the end of 2019. He is currently directing on the new series of Andy and the Band for CBBC and has directed a number of other comedies such as Horrible Histories, with Ian directing on Series 6 & 7, which won a Children’s BAFTA for Best Children’s Comedy and an International EMMY Award for Best Comedy. Ian lead directed comedy So Awkward over series 2 – 6 (34 x 30 mins) which gained a Children’s BAFTA Best Children’s Comedy win along with numerous award nominations. He has also directed on the first season of new Nickelodeon comedy Goldie’s Oldies.
Ian originally trained at The Drama Centre and worked as a TV and Theatre actor for over 10 years, with his performance background heavily influencing the way he works with talent to create award-winning performances. He went on to write and produce comedy – Ian co-created and co-wrote the muti-award nominated comedy series FM staring Daniel Kaaluya, Chris O’Dowd and O-T Fagbenie – as well as developing projects with Indies such as Hat Trick and Channel X before turning to directing.
Website: Ian Curtis
| Television (broadcast): | |
|---|---|
| Andy and the Band – Series 3 | Ninja Pig Productions / CBBC Director of a block on the new season of the comedy series for CBBC. 8 x 15 mins |
| Emmerdale | ITV Studios / ITV1 Director for the prime time continuing drama 16 x 30 mins Exec Producer: Jane Hudson Producer: Laura Shaw |
| Hollyoaks | Lime Pictures / Channel 4 Director for the Channel 4 continuing drama (since 2018) 50 x 30 mins 3 x 60 mins – including 2019’s Christmas Day Special & New Year’s Eve Special |
| Goldie’s Oldies | VIS UK / Nickelodeon Director for the new Nickelodeon comedy / drama 5 x 30 mins Producer: Candida Julian-Jones Exec Producer: Caroline Norris |
| Coronation Street | ITV Studios / ITV1 Director for the long running ITV1 continuing drama 8 x 30 mins |
| So Awkward – Series 6 | Channel X / CBBC Lead director for the award winning comedy / drama 7 x 30 mins Producer: Joanne Blake Exec Producer for Channel X: Alan Marke & Jim Reid |
| School Bus | BBC Children’s Productions / CBBC Director of the CBBC comedy / drama 1 x 30 mins Producer: Joanne Blake |
| So Awkward – Series 5 | Channel X / CBBC Lead director for this comedy / drama 7 x 30 mins Producer: Joanne Blake Exec Producer for Channel X: Alan Marke & Jim Reid |
| Horrible Histories – Series 7 | Lion Television / CBBC Directed on the hugely popular comedy series for CBBC Producer: Tom Miller Exec Producer for CBBC: Melissa Hardinge |
| So Awkward – Series 4 | Channel X / CBBC Director on the popular CBBC comedy 6 x 30 mins Producer: Joanne Blake Exec Producer for Channel X: Alan Marke & Jim Reid |
| Driven to Distraction | Little Dot Studios / Channel 4 Director of this fixed rig prank series with celebrities demonstrating the dangers of distracted driving on an epic scale 6 x 3 mins |
| Mark Watson & Sam Simmons Pilot | So Television / BBC Worldwide Director of this comedy pilot combining live stand-up and pre-recorded sketches (OB & studio audience) 1 x 28 minutes |
| So Awkward – Series 3 | Channel X / CBBC Lead director for the successful CBBC comedy. 7 x 30 mins Producer: Sally Martin Exec Producer for Channel X: Alan Marke & Jim Reid |
| So Awkward – Series 2 | Channel X / CBBC Lead director for the second series. 7 x 30 mins Producer: Sally Martin Exec Producer for Channel X: Alan Marke & Jim Reid |
| Don’t Drop the Baton | BBC Comedy / BBC Scotland Director for this comedy featuring live stand-up and pre-recorded sketches. 2 x 30 mins Producer: Jaqueline Sinclair Exec Producer BBC Scotland: Eileen Herlihy |
| Horrible Histories – Series 6 | Lion Television / CBBC Director on the successful sketch series Producer: Tom Miller Exec Producer for CBBC: Melissa Hardinge |
| Home Movies with Joe Wilkinson | Rockabox / YAHOO Director & Producer of this scripted comedy movie review show 10 x 10 minutes |
| Dani’s Castle | The Foundation / Zodiak / CBBC Director for the CBBC comedy / drama 3 x 30 mins Producer: Ray Lau Exec Producers: Elaine Sperber & Melissa Hardinge |
| Chain Gang | BBC Comedy Director of this non-broadcast comedy pilot with live studio audience. 1 x 30 minutes Producer: Simon Mayhew-Archer Exec: Pete Thornton |
| Off Their Rockers | CPL Productions / ITV Director of the hidden camera comedy show 7 x 30 mins Producer: Andy Brown Exec Producer: Mob Dar |
| Sorry I’ve Got No Head – Series 3 | So TV / CBBC Director & Producer of this sketch show 13 x 30 mins Exec Producer CBBC: Melissa Hardinge Exec Producer SO TV: Jeremy Salsby |
| The Forgotten Picture Show | So TV Director for this SO TV in-house pilot starring Steve Oram, Tom Meeten, Alice Lowe and Simon Farnaby. Producer: Tom Miller Exec: Graham Stuart |
| Sorry I’ve Got No Head – Series 1 & 2 | So TV / CBBC Director of the sketch show 26 x 30 mins Exec Producer CBBC: Melissa Hardinge Exec Producer SO TV: Jeremy Salsby |
| Blowout | Comedy Unit / Channel 4 Director of this award-winning Comedy Lab 1 x 30 mins Producer: Rab Christie BAFTA Scotland Winner 2007: Best Comedy. |
| F.M. | Channel 4 Co-creator, Writer & Director of a Comedy Lab for Channel 4. 1 x 30 mins Producer: Johnny Morrison Exec Producer Channel Four: Caroline Leddy Nominated for the Rose D’Or: Best Sitcom |
| Other Production Credits: | |
|---|---|
| Ultimate Brain | Zigzag / CBBC Series Producer for the comedy game show featuring celebrities and children competing in science based games 10 x 30 mins Exec Producer for Zigzag: Peter Wyles Exec Producer for CBBC: Hugh Lawton |
| Mad Lab | Zigzag / BBC Learning Series Producer of the comedy science programme for pre-teens featuring characters from CBBC’s Ultimate Brain. 4 x 15 minutes Exec Producer for Zigzag: Peter Wyles Exec Producer for BBC Learning: Moray London |
| Dani’s Castle – Series 2 | The Foundation / Zodiak / CBBC Writer of an episode of this comedy / drama. 1 x 30 mins Exec Producer for Zodiak: Elaine Sperber |
| Peckham Knights | Hat Trick Productions Creator, Writer & Director of the comedy pilot developed with Paul Schlesinger 1 x 30 mins |
| Nightwatch | Room 5 Productions Writer, Director & Producer of a comedy pilot |
| F.M. | Granada TV / ITV2 Co-creator, Writer & Associate Producer of a new comedy starring Chris O’Dowd and Kevin Bishop 6 x 30 mins |
| Awards & Nominations: | |
| 2019 Children’s BAFTA: Best Comedy (Nomination) – So Awkward | |
| 2018 Children’s BAFTA: Best Comedy (Winner) – So Awkward | |
| 2018 International Emmy Award: Best Comedy (Winner) – Horrible Histories | |
| 2017 Broadcast Award: Best Children’s Comedy (Winner) – Horrible Histories | |
| Children’s BAFTAs: 10 x Best Comedy (Nominations) – Horrible Histories, So Awkward, Sorry I’ve Got No Head | |
| 2017 International Emmy Award Best Comedy (Nomination) – Horrible Histories | |
| 2012 Chortle Awards: Best TV Programme (Nomination) – Sorry I’ve Got No Head | |
| 2009 Rose D’Or: Best Sitcom (Nomination) – F.M. | |
| 2007 Scottish BAFTA: Best Comedy (Winner) – Blowout | |
| 2007 N. Ireland Film Festival: Best International Comedy Short Film (Winner) – A Full Blown Affair | |
| Strasbourg Film Festival: Best Actress in a Short Film (Winner) – Pauline Quirke in Waiting for Giro | |