James is a writer for television drama, with a passion for telling crime/mystery/investigative stories. He is currently writing for hit BBC1 crime-mystery-drama Death in Paradise for Red Planet Pictures, having previously written for police-procedural series London Kills for the BBC/Acorn. James is currently developing his original crime drama series Legacy (Carnival Films) for which BBC1 have commissioned a pilot script, as well as original drama projects with Longboat Pictures and Lime Pictures. Alongside this, James has also written over 150 episodes for Channel 4’s Hollyoaks, including four episodes that were BAFTA-nominated.
| Television credits (broadcast) | |
|---|---|
| Death in Paradise – Series 14 | Red Planet Pictures / BBC1 Drama Writer for the popular mystery-drama set in the Caribbean (2023/24) 2 x 60′ episodes |
| Death in Paradise – Series 13 | Red Planet Pictures / BBC1 Drama Writer for the popular mystery-drama (2022/23) 1 x 60′ episode |
| London Kills – Series 4 | PGMTV / BBC1 Drama / Acorn TV Writer for the crime drama series (2021) 1 x 60′ episode |
| Hollyoaks | Lime Pictures/Channel 4 Core writer for the popular Channel 4 teen soap 150+ episodes commissioned (2012-present) |
| Hollyoaks Later | Lime Pictures/E4 60-minute episode for the late-night spin-off series |
| Original television series (in active development) | |
|---|---|
| Legacy | Carnival Film & Television / BBC1 Drama Original crime drama series Exec Prod: Nigel Marchant (Pilot script commissioned) |
| Reconstruction | Longboat Pictures Original psychological-thriller series Exec Prod: Victoria Fea (Under option) |
| Punch | Lime Pictures Original crime-drama series Exec Prod: Kate Little & Claire Poyser (Treatment commissioned) |
| Original television series (previously in development) | |
|---|---|
| Closure | Noho Film & TV (Option for original treatment) |
| Map of Murder | Newman Street Original returning murder mystery drama series Co-created with Paul Marquess (Pilot script commissioned) |
| Noble | Lime Pictures / ITV1 Original returning legal-drama series set in Liverpool (Pilot script commissioned) |
| Mind Games | BBC Studios Original crime drama serial (Pilot script commissioned) |
| Killers | Hat Trick Drama Returning original crime drama series (Treatment commissioned) |
| Headstrong | 42 Original police action-drama series |
| Heidelberg’s Brain | Lime Pictures 60’ episode for the psychological thriller – created by Paul Gerstenberger and Rebecca Hodsgon (In development) |
| Lockdown | Lime Pictures Original young-adult drama series |
| From Way Back | Bentley Productions Political-thriller series |
| Recruits | BBC Drama Drama series dealing with the HD reality of becoming a young London copper |
| Clean Up | Projector Pictures Buddy cop drama centred on a unique and unexpected partnership |
| Fear or Favour | Sprout Pictures Period crime detective drama set in London 1948 |
| Geek Squad | LA Productions Action-comedy-drama series |
| Rougham Justice | Sprout Pictures Crime comedy-drama about an oddball neighbourhood watch group |
| Premeditated | World Productions Contemporary crime drama Co-written with Campbell Glennie and Alex Michaelides |
| Dates | Screenplay Productions Sitcom chronicling a couple’s relationship through crucial dates: one per episode, in (almost) real time |
| Brave New World | Channel X Comedy about a group of housemates negotiating the obstacle course that is modern gay life |
| The Other Side | The Comedy Unit Comedy about a pompous thirty-something who discovers his life is actually a low-brow sitcom. Co-written with Campbell Glennie |
| Professional Training | |
|---|---|
| The Writers’ Lab | 12-month course run by Abbott Vision and Bolton University, which involved residencies at Paul Abbott’s Writers’ Studio and the Arvon Foundation (2011) |