Vicki Lutas is an Emmy-winning writer and creator for TV drama, young-adult and digital. Vicki’s original YA drama series Free Rein, ran for three seasons and two extended specials on Netflix, which she co-created with Anna McCleery and which Vicki also Executive Produced. The series won two Emmy Awards at the 2018 Daytime Emmys including Best Family Series. Vicki also consults on the Free Rein companion novels published by Scholastic in association with Netflix. Vicki won the Writers Guild Award in 2019 for Best Children’s Writer for her work on the series.
Vicki has also been a guest episode writer on a number of other drama series such as the supernatural teen-drama Silverpoint for the BBC / ZDF, Netflix teen ice-skating drama Zero Chill, CBBC comedy-drama The Secret Life of Boys, and CBBC adaptation A Kind of Spark. A true multi-format talent, Vicki previously worked extensively with Channel 4’s Hollyoaks, developing all of their online content as their head digital writer, before moving on to the story team, firstly as a Storyliner and then as Series Story-Editor.
| Awards: | |
|---|---|
| Winner – WGGB Award 2019 | Best Children’s Writer – Free Rein “Bob” (Writer/Co-Creator/Executive Producer) |
| Winner – Daytime Emmy Award 2018 | Best Family Series – Free Rein (Writer/Co-Creator/Executive Producer) |
| Winner – Kidscreen Award 2018 | Best New Series – Free Rein (Writer/Co-Creator/Executive Producer) |
| Television (Broadcast): | |
|---|---|
| A Kind of Spark – Season 1 | 9 Story / CBBC Drama Children’s drama adaptation of the book series by Ellie McNicoll Writer of 3 x 30′ episodes |
| On Tour: Little Darlings | Kindle Entertainment / Sky Kids Writer of 8 x 5′ episodes of the companion series for “Little Darlings” – based on the books by Jacqueline Wilson |
| Zero Chill | Lime Pictures / Netflix Originals Episode writer for the teen ice-skating drama Writer of 2 x 30-minute episodes – with co-writer Anna McCleery |
| Silverpoint – Season 1 | Zodiak / BBC / ZDF Episode writer for the supernatural YA drama Writer of 2 x 30-minute episodes – with co-writer Anna McCleery |
| Free Rein – Special: “Valentine’s Day” | Lime Pictures / Netflix Original Original teen drama series about a horse-riding club- co-written & co-created with Anna McCleery 1 x 60′ movie special – Co-Creator/Showrunner & Executive Producer |
| Free Rein – Special: “The Twelve Neighs of Christmas” | Lime Pictures / Netflix Original Original teen drama series about a horse-riding club- co-written & co-created with Anna McCleery 1 x 60-minute movie special – Writer/Co-Creator/Showrunner & Executive Producer Nominated for Kidscreen Award: Best One-Off Special “The Twelve Neighs of Christmas” 2020 |
| Free Rein – Season 3 | Lime Pictures / Netflix Original Original teen drama series about a horse-riding club- co-written & co-created with Anna McCleery 10 x 30-minute series – Writer/Co-Creator & Showrunner/Executive Producer Nominated for Daytime Emmy Award: Best Writing in an Original Family/Young-Adult Series 2020 |
| The Unloved | Paradise Media / ZDF Germany Part of the writers room for the forthcoming high-concept YA drama series |
| The Secret Life of Boys – Season 5 | Zodiak Kids / CBBC Writer of 1 x 30’ episode of the comedy drama series – with Anna McCleery |
| Free Rein – Season 2 | Lime Pictures / Netflix Original Original teen drama series about a horse-riding club- co-written & co-created with Anna McCleery 10 x 30-minute series – Writer/Co-Creator & Executive Producer Winner of Writers Guild Award: Best Children’s Episode “Bob” 2019 |
| The Secret Life of Boys – Season 4 | Zodiak Kids / CBBC Writer of 1 x 30’ episode of the comedy drama series – with Anna McCleery |
| Free Rein – Season 1 | Lime Pictures / Netflix Original Original teen drama series about a horse-riding club- co-written & co-created with Anna McCleery 10 x 30-minute series – Writer/Co-Creator & Associate Producer +Consultant on the Free Rein companion novels – published by Scholastic in association with Netflix Winner of Daytime Emmy Award: Best Family Series 2018 Winner of Kidscreen Award: Best New Series 2018 |
| The Secret Life of Boys – Season 3 | Zodiak Kids / CBBC Writer of 1 x 30’ episode of the comedy-drama series – with Anna McCleery |
| The Dumping Ground – Season 9 | CBBC Drama Writer of 1 x 30′ episode for the returning children’s drama series |
| The Secret Life of Boys – Season 2 | Zodiak Kids / CBBC Writer of 1 x 30’ episode of the comedy-drama series – with Anna McCleery |
| Hollyoaks | Lime Pictures / Channel 4 Series Story-Editor and Storyliner for the continuing-drama series (2015-2016) |
| The Cut | BBC Two/BBC Online Writer of 5 x 30’ episodes and part of story-lining team for the teen soap |
| The Cut: Specials | BBC Two/BBC Online Writer for the teen soap |
| Myths | BBC Two/BBC Online Short, modern day retellings of Greek Myths Co-Creator, developer, writer of 5 x 5 min episodes with co-writer Grant Black |
| Original Television Series (currently in development): | |
|---|---|
| The Apprentice Witch | Lime Pictures Television adaptation of the YA book series – with co-writer Anna McCleery 3 x 30-minute scripts commissioned |
| Philippa Fisher | Very Big World Entertainment Television adaption of the book-series – with co-writer Anna McCleery 1 x 30-minute pilot script commissioned |
| Spellhorn | Lime Pictures Television adaption of the book-series – with co-writer Anna McCleery Treatment commissioned |
| Original Television Series (previously in development): | |
|---|---|
| Threads | Buccaneer Media Adaption of the YA book-series for television – with co-writer Anna McCleery Bible and pilot script commissioned |
| On Pointe | Roughcut Television Original YA drama series set in a ballet boarding school Treatment commissioned |
| Stuck in Chelsea | Lime Pictures Original hi-concept comedy-drama series – with co-writer Anna McCleery Under option |
| Beach Break | Wall to Wall Media Original YA drama series about a teen surfing-club Treatment commissioned |
| The Code | Lime Pictures Original hi-concept children’s drama series – with co-writer Anna McCleery Under option |
| Wild | Xilam YA drama series set in a wild safari park – with co-writer Anna McCleery Series Bible commissioned |
| Me and My Sister | Channel X / CBBC Children’s comedy series about two half-sisters who are aspiring pop stars – co-written with Anna McCleery. Pilot script commissioned through CBBC/Cheryl Taylor. |
| eTales | Lime Pictures Comedy-fantasy series for children, re-telling classic fairy tale stories with a savvy online spin – co-written with Anna McCleery |
| Western Island | Lime Pictures / Disney Writer for pilot episode of the teen drama – co-written with Anna McCleery |
| Digital: | |
|---|---|
| Hollyoaks | Lime Pictures / Channel 4 Head digital writer, developing all online content for the continuing-drama series (2014-2015) |
| Hollyoaks: The Game | Lime Pictures Editorial lead and scriptwriter on the app based game expansion of Hollyoaks |
| Hollyoaks Online Shorts | Lime Pictures Head digital writer and developer for online companion shorts for 4OD as well as writing/producing support material including interviews/sketches (2013) |
| The 5:19 Show | BBC Two/BBC Online Entertainment show Scripts, sketches and red carpet interviews |