About / Bio
Phil is a multi-award-winning writer for screen and stage. He originally trained at RADA and worked as an actor before his writing took over when he was a Writer on Attachment at Soho Theatre. He has worked across the slate of BBC continuing drama, writing regularly for Doctors, Casualty, and Holby City. His play ‘Deep Cut’ won the Amnesty International Freedom of Expression, Fringe First and Herald Angel awards at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2008. It toured the UK twice and was the New York Festivals Bronze winner when it was adapted for Radio 4. To wide critical acclaim, Mark Lawson of The Guardian commented in his review: ‘For the first time in 30 years of ticket stubs, I came out of a playhouse feeling rage and guilt, and wanting to march to Downing Street to demand an answer’.
He followed ‘Deep Cut’ with ‘Walking Wounded’, a true-life single docudrama about survivors of the 7/7 terrorist bombs and their fight for justice and answers. This was developed with Mark Redhead (Bloody Sunday) and Jo Strevens then at Hat Trick Productions and commissioned by Sophie Gardiner then at Channel 4.
He spent two years researching and writing ‘Lockerbie’, a feature screenplay based on the story of the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103, for Young Films (The Inbetweeners) and Oscar winner Kevin Macdonald (One Day in September, The Last King of Scotland), developed by Tessa Ross and Rose Garnett then at Film 4.
He adapted ‘The Breakaway’, the memoir of Olympic Gold medal winning cyclist Nicole Cooke, for Andrew Eaton’s Turbine Films and Ed Talfan’s Severn Screen, with Sharon Maguire (Bridget Jones’s Diary) attached to direct.
He recently branched out into verbatim drama documentaries, writing ‘8 Days: To the Moon and Back’ for BBC Science/PBS, which was nominated for BAFTA, Broadcast, EMMY and Rose d’Or awards.
His most recent verbatim drama doc is ‘Einstein and the Bomb’ for BBC Science/Netflix released early 2024, which went Top Ten around the world.
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Agent contact details
Julia Tyrrell Management Ltd
57 Greenham Road
London N10 1LN
+44 (0)20 8374 0575
info@jtmanagement.co.uk
Genres
Writing hours
Writer's credits
Television:
Doctors (2005 – 2024) BBC Studios. Daytime soap. 73 episodes.
Winner: BEST SINGLE EP – BRITISH SOAP AWARDS & RTS MIDLANDS SCRIPTED for ‘Three Consultations & a Funeral’ (aired 24/05/21)
Winner: Scene of the Year at British Soap Awards for ‘Bollywood Proposal’ (aired 09/06/17)
Casualty (2021) BBC Studios. Continuing drama. 1 episode.
8 Days: To the Moon and Back (2019) BBC Science/PBS/Open University. Drama documentary for 50th anniversary of Apollo 11 Moon landing.
Nominee: Rose d’Or; Broadcast; RTS – Best Single Drama; BAFTA – Specialist Factual; EMMY – Outstanding Historical Documentary
Walking Wounded (2014) Hat Trick/Channel 4. Single drama about survivors of the 7/7 terrorist bombings. Unproduced.
Holby City (2011-2012) BBC Studios. Primetime soap. 2 episodes.
Deep Cut (2010) Revolution Films. Single drama. Adaptation of award-winning stage play. Unproduced.
Film:
Einstein and the Bomb (2024) BBC Science/Netflix. Released 16/02/24. Verbatim drama doc about Einstein’s relationship to atom bomb. Top Ten on Netflix globally on release
The Breakaway (2017) Eaton Productions/Severn Screen/Ffilm Cymru. Adaptation of autobiography of Olympic and World Champion cyclist Nicole Cooke. Unproduced.
Janis & Jake (2016) Young Films/Creative Scotland. Original outlaw/road movie about a delinquent kid and an ageing, reclusive rock star who go on the run together. Unproduced.
Lockerbie (2014) Young Films/Film 4/Kevin Macdonald. True story of two fathers who lost daughters on Pan Am Flight 103 and their fight for justice and answers. Unproduced.
Stage:
Country House (2010) Sherman Cymru, Cardiff. Unproduced.
Deep Cut (2008) Sherman Cymru, Cardiff. Premiered at Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2008.
Two UK tours, month-long residency at Tricycle Theatre, Kilburn.
Winner: Scotsman Fringe First, Herald Angel, Amnesty International Freedom of Expression Award.
Practical Witchcraft for Beginners (2004) Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough. Unproduced
Hitting Funny (2003) Volcano Theatre Company. Produced 2005
Nominee: Best Actor – Stage Awards
Mr Nobody (2002) Soho Theatre. Produced 2003
The Running Man (2001) Spec. Unproduced
Spilt Milk (2000) Spec. Unproduced.
Radio:
Driving Home for Christmas (2012) BBC Radio Wales.
Deep Cut (2009) Ladbroke Productions. Friday Night Play on Radio 4.
Adaptation of stage play.
Winner: New York Festivals Bronze World Medal for Best Drama Special