Michael Lacey
Director

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Michael Lacey is a multi award-winning director for television drama. He has directed BAFTA-nominated episodes for prime-time medical dramas Casualty and Holby City and is currently directing 1950’s period drama Father Brown for BBC 1.

Michael started out directing high-end corporates and TV commercials in Japan, Mexico and LA, before making the move into serial drama; where he went on to direct Emmerdale and Coronation Street for ITV Studios. Michael has directed some of the most dramatic and talked-about-moments in the history of both series, including Coronation Street’s Acid Attack and the death of Sinead Osbourne to cervical cancer and Emmerdale’s Marlon Dingle’s stroke, plus the historic sexual abuse episode featuring Aaron Dingle which won Michael the hat trick of the BAFTA, RTS and Broadcast Awards that year.

Michael is very much an “Actors’ director,” but whilst feeling very much at home directing intimate character-driven drama he is also adept directing action/stunts/SFX/VFX and set pieces. Obsessed with subtext and capturing authentic emotional truth, Michael has an innate ability to craft story and character through action into a highly moving piece of work.

Website: www.laceydirector.com

Awards:
British Soap Award 2023: Winner Coronation Street: Scene of the Year- The Acid Attack
Director
British Soap Award 2023: Winner Coronation Street: Best Single Episode – Acid Attack
Director
Broadcast Award 2023: Winner Best soap/continuing drama: Emmerdale
Director of the initial episode in which Marlon suffers a stroke (details here).
British Soap Award 2022:
Nomination
Emmerdale: Best Single Episode – Marlon’s Stroke
Director
BAFTA Award 2022: Nomination Casualty: Best Soap & Continuing Drama
Director of episode submitted
BAFTA Award 2020: Nomination Coronation Street – The Death of Sinead Osbourne: Virgin Media’s Must-See Moment of the Year
Director
BAFTA Award 2020: Nomination Holby City: Best Soap & Continuing Drama
Director of episodes submitted
BAFTA Award: Winner Emmerdale: Best Continuing Drama episode (2017)
Director
RTS Award: Winner Emmerdale: Best Continuing Drama episode (2017)
Director
Broadcast Award: Winner Emmerdale: Best Continuing Drama episode (2017)
Director
British Soap Award: Winner Emmerdale: Most Spectacular Scene of the Year
John Barton’s exit
Television:
Father Brown BBC Studios
Director for 4 x 60 minute episodes over 2 seasons (2022-present)
Casualty Director for 10 x 60 minute episodes of the prime-time medical drama
(2019-present)
Prod: Dafydd Llewelyn / Series Prod: Loretta Preece
Holby City Director for 8 x 60 minute episodes of the prime-time medical drama
(2018-present)
Coronation Street ITV Studios/ITV1
Director for the prime-time continuing drama series
80+ episodes
Episodes include:
Climax of Sinead Tinker’s death from cervical cancer
Climax of Bethany Platt grooming storyline
Kylie Platt’s Funeral
Truck Crash / discovery of Callum’s body
Acid Attack – aftermath
Emmerdale ITV Studios/ITV1
Director for the long-running drama
175+ episodes
Episodes include:
Marlon Dingle’s stroke
Maya’s grooming of teenager Jacob
Aaron reveals to Chas he was sexually abused as a child
Chas’s murder trial
John Barton’s death – car crash on to cliff edge
Zak reveal – Cain whodunit
Whitby location special – Jackson’s sky dive and fishing trip
Jackson’s death – aftermath
Film:
Paddy and Marlon’s Big Night In ITV Studios
Feature-length Emmerdale spin-off film DVD Exclusive
Short Films:
Grace’s Story 20-minute drama short film starring Pauline Quirke
Uncompressed 4k
Shortlisted: Leeds International Film Festival
Touch Down British Film Council
10-minute drama short film
Super 16mm
Shortlisted at various international film festivals
Commercials / Corporate Videos:
Nissan 
Original Source
TNT
Morrison’s
Swissport III Kings
Lacoste
McDonald’s
British Gas
John Lewis – Kitchens
John Lewis – Men’s fashion
John Lewis – Connectivity