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Jed Mercurio

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Jed Mercurio
OBE
Mercurio in 2019
Born
Gerald Gary Mercurio[1][2][3][4]

September 1966 (age 58)
Nelson, Lancashire, England
EducationUniversity of Birmingham Medical School
Occupation(s)Television writer, producer, director and novelist
Known forBodies (2004–2006)
Line of Duty (2012–2021)
Bodyguard (2018)
PartnerElaine Cameron
Children2

Gerald Gary Mercurio OBE (born September 1966) is a British television writer, producer, director and novelist. A former hospital doctor[5] and Royal Air Force officer,[6] Mercurio has been ranked among UK television's leading writers.[7][8] In 2017, Mercurio was awarded a Fellowship of the Royal Television Society[9] and the Baird Medal by RTS Midlands.[10]

His works for television include the series Line of Duty, Bodyguard, Bodies (based on his 2002 novel), The Grimleys, and Cardiac Arrest. His books are Bodies (2002), Ascent (2007), American Adulterer (2009) and, for children, The Penguin Expedition (2003).[11]

Early life

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Mercurio was born in Nelson, Lancashire, but grew up in Cannock, Staffordshire. His parents were Italian immigrants, with his father working as a coal miner.[12] He studied at the University of Birmingham Medical School.[5] During his third year, in August 1988, he was commissioned as a pilot officer in the Royal Air Force Medical Branch.[6] He received flying training with the University Air Squadron,[5] with the intention of specialising in aviation medicine.[13][14] He was promoted to flying officer in June 1991,[15] but resigned his commission in February 1992.[16]

During practice as a hospital physician, Mercurio answered an advertisement in the British Medical Journal and, despite little writing experience,[5] scripted the BBC medical drama Cardiac Arrest under the pseudonym John MacUre.[17] Subsequently he retired from medicine to pursue a writing career under his own name.

Career

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1990s

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Mercurio's writing debut, Cardiac Arrest (1994–96), caused controversy due to its realistic depiction of hospital life.[18][19] The series was twice nominated in the Best Original Drama category by the Writers' Guild of Great Britain[20] and topped a poll of UK medical professionals as the most realistic medical drama of all time.[21] Mercurio served as medical adviser on the second series of Cardiac Arrest, which he cites as his apprenticeship in producing/directing.[13]

Mercurio wrote and produced the science fiction drama series Invasion: Earth which ran for six episodes on BBC1 in 1998.[22][23]

Jed Mercurio entered a new genre when he created The Grimleys, a comedy series set in the Black Country, which ran for three series (1999–2001) on ITV.[24]

2000s

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Mercurio adapted his first novel, Bodies (2002),[25] into an award-winning television series.[26] Mercurio assumed the producer/showrunner position for the first time on Bodies (2004–06), a role he has fulfilled on all his subsequent original series.[13] The Times ranked Bodies in "Shows of the Decade" and The Guardian placed it in "The Greatest TV Dramas of All Time."[27] The series won the Royal Television Society Award for Best Drama Series, was twice nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Drama Series and Mercurio was also twice nominated as Best Drama Writer by the Royal Television Society.[28]

His critically acclaimed second novel, Ascent (2007),[29] was ranked among the 1000 Novels Everyone Must Read.[30]

2010s

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Mercurio's next original drama series, Line of Duty (first broadcast 26 June 2012), premiered as BBC2's then best-performing drama series in 10 years with 4.1 million viewers.[31] A well-received second series (first broadcast 12 February 2014) resulted in the BBC commissioning two further series for production in 2015 and 2016.[32] The first series was nominated for a Royal Television Society Award for Best Drama Series and earned Mercurio his third nomination as Best Drama Writer by the Royal Television Society and The Writers' Guild of Great Britain.[33] In 2014, Line of Duty was named in the Top 50 BBC2 Shows of All-Time,[34] and named best television drama of the year by The Observer,[35] and in 2016 ranked among the best BBC shows of all time[36] and among the best police series of all time.[37] In 2015, the second series won the Royal Television Society Award for Best Drama Series.[38] and was nominated for four BAFTA Awards.[39][40] Series 3 of Line of Duty became the most watched drama series broadcast on BBC2 in the multichannel era.[41] Series 4 transferred to BBC One, consisting of six episodes broadcast from 26 March 2017.[42]

Mercurio's third medical drama series, Critical, ran for 13 episodes on Sky1 from 24 February 2015 to predominantly positive reviews,[43][44][45][46] but was cancelled on 15 July 2015 after one season.[47]

Mercurio created and wrote Bodyguard, serving as showrunner on the six-part series starring Richard Madden and Keeley Hawes.[48] The series began broadcasting on BBC One on 26 August 2018,[49] achieving the highest viewing figures for a new BBC drama in the multichannel era.[50]

2020s

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In 2021 Mercurio and Jimmy Mulville, via HTM Television, inked a first-look deal with 20th Television in an effort to expand into the US.[51]

In 2023, HTM created the six-part drama Payback, starring Morven Christie opposite Peter Mullan, which aired on ITV and internationally.[52] The series is written by Debbie O'Malley, and Mercurio and Mulville are credited as executive producers, along with several others.[53]

Honours

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Mercurio was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2021 New Year Honours for services to television drama.[54]

Personal life

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Mercurio's long-time partner is Elaine Cameron, a producer and script editor, and they have two children; Jack and Molly Mercurio.[55]

Filmography

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Bibliography

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Awards and nominations

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Year Association Category Result Work(s)
1994 Writers' Guild of Great Britain Awards Best Original Drama Serial Nominated Cardiac Arrest
1996 Best Original Drama Series Nominated
2003 Sheffield Children's Book Awards Shorter Novel Nominated The Penguin Expedition
2004 Royal Television Society Awards Best Drama Series Nominated Bodies
Royal Television Society Awards Best Drama Writer Nominated
BAFTA Television Awards Best Drama Series Nominated
2005 Royal Television Society Awards Best Drama Series Won
Royal Television Society Awards Best Drama Writer Nominated
BAFTA Television Awards Best Drama Series Nominated
2012 Crime Thriller Awards The TV Dagger Nominated Line of Duty
Royal Television Society Midlands Awards Best Drama/Fictional Programme Won
2013 Broadcast Awards Best Drama Series or Serial Nominated
Broadcasting Press Guild Awards Best TV Drama Nominated
South Bank Sky Arts Awards TV Drama Nominated
Royal Television Society Awards Best Drama Series Nominated
Royal Television Society Awards Best Drama Writer Nominated
2014 Freesat Awards Best TV Drama Won
Crime Thriller Awards The TV Dagger Nominated
Writers' Guild of Great Britain Awards TV Drama – Long Form Nominated
2015 Broadcast Awards Best Drama Series or Serial Nominated
Broadcasting Press Guild Awards Best Drama Series Nominated
Best Drama Writer Nominated
2015 Royal Television Society Awards Best Drama Series Won
BAFTA Television Craft Awards Writer: Drama Nominated
BAFTA Television Awards Best Drama Series Nominated
2015 South Bank Sky Arts Awards TV Drama Nominated
Royal Television Society Northern Ireland Awards Best Drama Won
2016 TV Choice Awards Best Drama Series Nominated
Royal Television Society Northern Ireland Awards Best Drama Nominated
2017 Broadcast Awards Best Drama Series or Serial Nominated
Broadcasting Press Guild Awards Best TV Drama Series Nominated
Royal Television Society Awards Drama Series Nominated
Royal Television Society Awards Drama – Writer Nominated
Celtic Media Festival Awards Best Drama Series Won
TV Choice Awards Best Drama Nominated
British Screenwriters' Awards Best Crime Writing on Television Won
Royal Television Society Northern Ireland Awards Best Drama Won
2018 Writers' Guild of Great Britain Awards TV Drama – Long Form Nominated
National Television Awards Crime Drama Nominated
Irish Film and Television Academy Awards Drama Nominated
Broadcasting Press Guild Awards Best Drama Series Won
Writer's Award Won
Voice of the Listener & Viewer Awards for Excellence in Broadcasting Best TV Drama Programme Won
BAFTA Television Awards Best Drama Series Nominated
Televisual Bulldog Awards Best Drama Series Won
South Bank Sky Arts Awards TV Drama Nominated
Edinburgh TV Awards Best UK Drama Nominated
2019 Golden Globe Awards Best Television Series – Drama Nominated Bodyguard
BAFTA Television Awards Best Drama Series Nominated
Gold Derby Awards Best Drama Series Nominated
Best Drama Episode of the Year Nominated
Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Drama Series Nominated
Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series Nominated
2020 Edgar Allan Poe Award[56] Best Television Episode Teleplay Won Line of Duty

References

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  1. ^ Dowell, Ben (14 May 1998). "Jed Day". The Stage. p. 35. Retrieved 12 May 2019. ...the fact that his very cool first name, Jed, is in fact short for Gerald...
  2. ^ England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1916–2007
  3. ^ "HTM Television Limited – Filing history (free information from Companies House)". companieshouse.gov.uk. Retrieved 12 May 2019.
  4. ^ "HTM Television". HTM Television. Retrieved 12 May 2019. Hat Trick Mercurio Television Ltd (HTM Television) is a UK production company co-owned by Jed Mercurio and Hat Trick Productions.
  5. ^ a b c d Albiston, Isabel (24 February 2007). "The world of ..." The Telegraph.
  6. ^ a b "No. 51518". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 November 1988. p. 12221.
  7. ^ "Broadcast Hot 100 2013". broadcastnow.co.uk. 5 December 2013.
  8. ^ Lazarus, Susannah (18 September 2017). "Radio Times TV 100". Radio Times.
  9. ^ Harding, Laura (13 September 2017). "Russell T. Davies among RTS fellowship recipients". Irish Independent.
  10. ^ "Royal Television Society Midlands Awards 2017 – Winners Announced". Film Birmingham. 1 December 2017. Archived from the original on 28 August 2018. Retrieved 17 February 2018.
  11. ^ Jed Mercurio Author Profile at Rogers, Coleridge & White Literary Agency website, Rcwlitagency.com, archived from the original on 2 October 2013, retrieved 6 October 2013
  12. ^ Laws, Roz (24 March 2017). "Who is the man behind gripping TV drama Line of Duty?". Birmingham Mail.
  13. ^ a b c Brown, Maggie (10 February 2014). "Line of Duty's Jed Mercurio". The Guardian.
  14. ^ Llewellyn-Smith, Julia (23 March 2014). "Line of Duty:'Sometimes justice is not done in the real world'". Telegraph.
  15. ^ "No. 52646". The London Gazette (Supplement). 3 September 1991. p. 13423.
  16. ^ "No. 52857". The London Gazette (Supplement). 10 March 1992. p. 4255.
  17. ^ Curtis, Chris (20 September 2012), Jed Mercurio: taking aim at the target culture, Broadcastnow.co.uk, retrieved 6 October 2013
  18. ^ Dillner, Louise (23 April 1994). "Frightening realism". The British Medical Journal. 308 (6936): 1108. doi:10.1136/bmj.308.6936.1108.
  19. ^ Revill, Jo (10 September 2006). "Nurse! Let's put this medical drama back on the screens". The Guardian.
  20. ^ "Cardiac Arrest at the International Movie Data Base". IMDb.
  21. ^ "Top of the TV Medics". BBC Online. 9 November 1999.
  22. ^ Annette Belcher; James Rodger (18 September 2018). "Meet BBC Bodyguard writer Jed Mercurio - who used to work as a Birmingham doctor". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 11 June 2023.
  23. ^ Helen Fear (25 February 2021). "Jed Mercurio: Line of Duty creator worked as a doctor before TV career". Entertainment Daily. Retrieved 11 June 2023.
  24. ^ Rampton, James (6 March 1999). "Still Crazee Now – Arts & Entertainment". The Independent. Retrieved 24 November 2013.
  25. ^ Myerson, Julie (6 April 2002). "Close to the Bone". The Guardian.
  26. ^ Royal Television Society Programme Awards 2005, Rts.org.uk, archived from the original on 16 December 2014, retrieved 6 October 2013
  27. ^ Lusher, Tim (12 January 2010). "The Top 50 TV Dramas of All Time". The Guardian.
  28. ^ "Bodies at the International Movie Data Base". IMDb.
  29. ^ Faber, Michel (10 March 2007). "Rocket Man". The Guardian.
  30. ^ "1000 Novels Everyone Must Read". The Guardian. 22 January 2009.
  31. ^ Curtis, Chris (20 September 2012). "Jed Mercurio: taking aim at the target culture". Broadcastnow.co.uk. Retrieved 6 October 2013.
  32. ^ Sweeney, Mark (8 April 2014). "Line of Duty set to return for third and fourth series". Guardian.
  33. ^ Sandwell, Ian (5 December 2014). "Writers' Guild shortlist unveiled". Screen International.
  34. ^ Hogan, Michael; et al. (18 April 2014). "The Top 50 BBC Two shows of all-time". The Telegraph.
  35. ^ Ferguson, Euan (7 December 2014). "The best British TV Dramas of 2014". The Observer.
  36. ^ Tate, Gabriel; et al. (2 November 2016). "The 80 Best BBC Shows of All Time". The Telegraph.
  37. ^ Ross, Graeme (12 November 2016). "The 20 Greatest TV Cop Shows of All Time". The Independent.
  38. ^ Klompus, Jack (18 March 2015). "Casualty, Harry & Paul, Line of Duty win at RTS Programme awards". Digital Spy.
  39. ^ "Bafta TV Awards 2015: Winners in full". BBC News. 10 May 2015.
  40. ^ "BAFTA TV Craft Awards 2015".
  41. ^ Plunkett, John (28 April 2016). "Line of Duty outranks Wolf Hall to take BBC2 ratings crown". The Guardian.
  42. ^ "Line of Duty to move to BBC1 for two more series". Radiotimes.com. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
  43. ^ Billen, Andrew (25 February 2015). "TV Review: Critical; Immigration Street". The Times.
  44. ^ Jones, Ellen E. (25 February 2015). "Critical, Sky1 – TV Review". The Independent.
  45. ^ Wollaston, Sam (25 February 2015). "Last Night's TV". The Guardian.
  46. ^ Hogan, Michael (25 February 2015). "Critical episode 1 review". The Telegraph.
  47. ^ Jeffrey, Morgan (15 July 2015). "Sky1 calls time on Critical: No second series for medical thriller". Digital Spy. Retrieved 15 July 2015.
  48. ^ "Meet the cast of Bodyguard on BBC1".
  49. ^ Hughes, Sarah (12 August 2018). "Jed Mercurio on Bodyguard, jeopardy … and the next Line of Duty". The Guardian.
  50. ^ Corrodus, Corrine (4 September 2018). "Bodyguard is the biggest drama on British TV in over a decade". The Telegraph.
  51. ^ Goldberg, Lesley (4 November 2021). "Jed Mercurio and Jimmy Mulville Ink 20th TV First-Look Deal". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 5 November 2021.
  52. ^ Crosby, Eve (1 September 2022). "Line of Duty creator teams up with Morven Christie for new thriller - and we can't wait". hellomagazine.com.
  53. ^ "Payback (TV Series 2023– )". IMDb. 23 November 2023. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
  54. ^ "No. 63218". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 2020. p. N13.
  55. ^ Lawrence, Ben (25 September 2018). "From the RAF to Bodyguard: the dramatic life of Jed Mercurio". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 4 November 2018.
  56. ^ "Edgar Award Nominees". www.theedgars.com. Archived from the original on 7 March 2012. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
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