Simon Heath

Born and educated in Birmingham, Simon gained a First Class Honours Degree in English Studies at the University of Nottingham and an MA in Critical Theory. He started in the television industry in 1993 as script editor and writer for Byker Grove and Ant & Dec, before joining World Productions in 1997, where he script edited Ultraviolet for C4, Ballykissangel for BBC1 and co-devised the Black Cab short films for BBC2. From 1999 to 2001, he produced two series of the dotcom drama Attachments, starring David Walliams for BBC2 and co-produced Men Only for C4. In 2002, Simon was promoted to Head of Drama at World Productions. In 2003 he produced the RTS and BANFF nominated Larkin: Love Again for BBC2, and co-devised and executive produced the nursing comedy drama No Angels for C4, which ran for three series. In 2004 he executive produced the BAFTA-nominated Outlaws, a black comedy drama about duty solicitors for BBC3/2 starring Phil Daniels, Murder Prevention, a six-part crime drama for Five and Ahead Of the Class, an RTS-nominated film for ITV starring Julie Walters, one of the five highest rating dramas of 2005. In 2005, he executive produced Perfect Day for Five (which generated the 2006 spin-offs Perfect Day: The Millenium and Perfect Day: The Funeral) and in 2006/7 he executive produced Party Animals for BBC2, starring Matt Smith and nominated for a Broadcasting Press Guild award for Best Drama Series. In 2008, Simon produced the triple BAFTA nominated (Best Single Drama, Best Actor, Best Actress) Hancock & Joan for BBC4. In 2009 he executive produced Pulse, a pilot for a drama series for BBC3. In 2010, he executive produced the critically-acclaimed United, a film about the Busby Babes and the Munich air crash, starring David Tennant, which was nominated for Prix Europa, Broadcast and Royal Television Society awards. In 2011, Simon was appointed Creative Director of World Productions. He executive produced the critically acclaimed five part police corruption thriller, Line of Duty, the then highest rated drama series on BBC2 for ten years. Line of Duty was nominated for Silver Dagger, Broadcast, Broadcasting Press Guild, RTS and South Bank Show Awards. In 2012, Simon executive produced The Bletchley Circle, a three part drama for ITV starring Anna Maxwell-Martin and The Fear, a dark four-part drama for Channel 4 starring Peter Mullan. The Fear was nominated for four BAFTAs, winning two (Best Photography & Best Editing). Simon is currently Executive Producing two 90 minute films about The Great Train Robbery - A Robber's Tale & A Copper's Tale, starring Luke Evans and Jim Broadbent, alongside Line of Duty 2 in Belfast and Nightshift, a half-hour pilot for Sky. Simon occasionally talks at the National Film & Television School and is a member of BAFTA. He lives with his wife and two sons in North London.