James Graham’s writing obsession started at the age of six in the shadow of Nottinghamshire's former coalmines. Equipped with a typewriter from his mother he created hundreds of stories from the family home in Kirkby-in-Ashfield.

Accelerating through university in Hull and a writing residency in west London, Graham’s work started to attract wider audiences following a break at the National Theatre in 2012. Building on his thrilling political drama This House, he went on to write plays and TV series including Sherwood, Dear England, Quiz, Best of Enemies and Brexit: The Uncivil War.

During this year’s MacTaggart lecture at the Edinburgh TV Festival, he called for more working-class people in TV.

But what next for this prolific playwright? Stephen Smith speaks to his family, friends and colleagues to find out more.

Contributors
Anne Ellis - Mother
David Morrissey - Actor
Kate Wasserberg - Artistic Director, Theatr Clwyd
Dr Sarah Jane Dickenson - Senior Lecturer, University of Hull
Martin Humphrey - Former Head of Creative Arts, Ashfield School, Nottingham
Susannah Clapp - Theatre Critic for The Observer

Production team
Producers: Julie Ball, Ben Cooper, Miriam Quayyam
Editor: Ben Mundy
Sound: John Scott
Production Co-ordinator: Maria Ogundele

Archive
2012 National Theatre production of This House written by James Graham and directed by Jeremy Herrin.
The cast in the extract features Phil Daniels playing Bob Mellish, Philip Glenister playing Walter Harrison
and Lauren O’Neil playing Ann Taylor.

Picture
BBC/PA Media