Helen Black (writer)

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Helen Black
NationalityBritish
Occupation(s)Screenwriter, author
Known for Life and Death in the Warehouse

Helen Black is a British screenwriter and novelist, best known for her work on the BBC drama Time [1] and the film Life and Death in the Warehouse .

Contents

Career

Black grew up in Pontefract, West Yorkshire. She studied Law at Hull University and worked as a solicitor for many years, with a specialty in childcare. Her experiences would inspire her to write a series of legal thriller novels, centering on lawyer Lily Valentine, beginning with Damaged Goods (2005). [2] In 2017, Black won the Kudos North Award, for her television script Galaxy. This success led to her acquiring an agent and then writing on series such as Clink , Death in Paradise and Grantchester .

In 2022, BBC Three aired Black's film Life and Death in the Warehouse, about a pair of women working exploitative conditions in a distribution centre. Black had met Aysha Rafaele and Marco Crivellari at BBC Studios, at first developing a legal drama series. Subsequently, she was asked to work on a factual drama with director Joe Bullman, drawing from his research into the lives and mistreatment of British warehouse employees. [3] The film was nominated at the 2022 BAFTA Cymru Awards for Television Drama. [4]

Black co-wrote the second series of Time with Jimmy McGovern, set in a women's prison. On Nov 6, 2023, it was announced that Black would adapt her 'Lily Valentine' books for television. [5] On Nov 27, 2023, it was announced that Black would write the mystery-thriller The Wives for Channel 5. [6]

Filmography

YearTitleNotesBroadcaster
2019Clink1 episode 5Star
2021 Death in Paradise 1 episode BBC One
2022Life and Death in the WarehouseTV Movie BBC Three
2023 Grantchester 1 episodeITV
2023Time3 episodes BBC One
2024The WivesCreator, 4 episodesChannel 5
2024 Joan 1 episodeITV
TBALilly ValentineCreatorTBA

Novels

SeriesYearTitle
Lilly Valentine [7] [8] 2008Damaged Goods
2008Place of Safety
2009Dishonour
2011Blood Rush
2013Dark Spaces
2015Friendless Lane
–2012Twenty Twelve
Liberty Chapman2017Taking Liberties
2018Bang to Rights
2019Playing Dirty
2020Hard as Nails

References

  1. ↑ Kahn, Ellie (2023-04-11). "Life and Death in the Warehouse writer joins BBC1's Time". Broadcast.
  2. ↑ "Helen Black". Rochelle Stevens. March 5, 2018.
  3. ↑ "Writing 'Life and Death in the Warehouse'". BBC. 3 March 2022. Retrieved 4 December 2022.
  4. ↑ "BAFTA Cymru Awards: Nominations 2022". www.bafta.org. 7 September 2022. Retrieved 4 December 2022.
  5. ↑ Ramachandran, Naman (November 6, 2023). "'Time 2' Writer Helen Black's 'Lilly Valentine' Book 'Damaged Goods' Set for Series Adaptation From Studio Crook (EXCLUSIVE)".
  6. ↑ "C5 orders six-part drama from Gaumont UK". November 27, 2023.
  7. ↑ "Helen Black". www.fantasticfiction.com. Retrieved 28 September 2024.
  8. ↑ "Helen Black". Book Series in Order. 30 April 2017. Retrieved 28 September 2024.
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