Simon BlackwellSimon Blackwell

Simon Blackwell

Simon Blackwell is an Oscar-nominated and two-time Emmy-winning screenwriter and showrunner.

The critically lauded FX Networks and Sky comedy Breeders, which Simon co-created with Martin Freeman and Chris Addison, recently concluded to outstanding reviews.
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The critically lauded FX Networks and Sky comedy Breeders, which Simon co-created with Martin Freeman and Chris Addison, recently concluded to outstanding reviews. With Chris, he had previously created the Sky romantic comedy Trying Again.

Season 2 of the equally acclaimed Channel 4 and Sundance sitcom Back, which Simon created for David Mitchell and Robert Webb, aired to great success.

2019 saw the release of the feature film The Personal History of David Copperfield, which Simon co-wrote with long-time collaborator Armando Iannucci. The movie has received exceptional reviews on both sides of the Atlantic. Its script won Simon and Armando the Best Screenplay award at British Independent Film Awards and the Writers Guild Great Britain Awards.

Simon was a chief writer on all four series of Armando's double BAFTA-winning political sitcom The Thick Of It and co-wrote its spin-off film In The Loop, which was nominated for an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay.

Also with Armando, Simon co-wrote the pilot episode of the HBO comedy Veep and served as a writer and Executive Producer on the subsequent four seasons. For this, he won two Primetime Emmy Awards, for Outstanding Writing For A Comedy Series and Outstanding Comedy Series. Simon's Veep scripts also earned him two Writers Guild of America Awards. Simon is an Executive Producer on Armando's latest HBO project, Avenue 5.

Simon wrote for Chris Morris's 2010 black comedy film Four Lions alongside Jesse Armstrong and Sam Bain. He had previously collaborated with them on the cult Channel 4 sitcom Peep Show and BBC One's The Old Guys and has since written with Jesse on the latter's Emmy-winning HBO drama Succession.

Television

Breeders (Seasons 1 - 4)
Writer and Co-creator
FX & BBC2020 — 2023
Avenue 5 (Seasons 1 & 2)
Writer and Executive Producer
HBO2020 — 2022
Succession
Consultant
2018
Back
Writer / Executive Producer
2017 — 2021
Back (Seasons 1 & 2)
Writer and Creator
Big Talk Productions2017 — 2020
Trying Again
Writer/Creator
Avalon for Sky2014
Veep
Writer / Executive Producer
HBO2012 — 2015
The Old Guys
Writer
BBC 12009 — 2010
Peep Show
Writer
Objective/Channel 42008 — 2012
Armstrong and Miller
Writer
BBC 1/Toff2008 — 2010
Ladies & Gentlemen
Writer
TalkBack2005 — 2015
The Thick Of It
Writer
BBC 4/BBC 22005 — 2012
The All Star Comedy Show
Writer
ITV 12004
Alistair McGowan's Big Impression & World Cup
Writer
BBC 12004
Sven & Nancy's Big Impression
Writer
BBC 12003
The Sketch Show
Writer
ITV2002 — 2004
Have I Got News For You
Writer
BBC 12002 — 2008
Dead Ringers
Writer
BBC 22001 — 2003
V Graham Norton
Writer
Channel 42001
Bounty Hamster
Writer
2000
The Kumars At No.42
Writer
BBC 22000 — 2004
Bremner, Bird and Fortune
Writer
Channel 42000
The MTV Europe Music Awards
Writer
ITV1999 — 2000
The 11 O'Clock Show
Writer
Channel 41998 — 2001
Rory Bremner...Who Else?
Writer
Channel 41998

Film

The Personal History of David Copperfield
Writer and Executive Producer
2019
Four Lions
Writer - Additional Material
Chris Morris2010
In The Loop
Writer
Armando Iannucci2009

Awards

Primetime Emmy Awards
Winner
Outstanding Comedy Series (VEEP)2015
Primetime Emmy Awards
Winner
Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series (VEEP)2015
Writers Guild of America
Best Comedy Series (Veep)
2014
Writers Guild of America
Nomination for WGA Award TV
Veep2013
Emmy
Nomination for Outstanding Comedy Series
Veep2012
Primetime Emmy
Nomination for Casting for a Comedy Series
Veep2012
Television Critics Associaton Awards
Nomination Outstanding Achievement in Comedy
Veep2012
Evening Standard Film Awards
2010
British Independent Film Award
2010
Best Sitcom BAFTA
The Thick Of It
2010
Best Comedy BAFTA
Armstrong and Miller
2010
Empire Awards
Best Comedy (In The Loop)
2010
Nominated for an Oscar
Adapted Screenplay (In The Loop)
2010
London Film Critics' Circle
Screenwriter Of The Year (In The Loop)
2010
New York Film Critics Circle
2009
Athens International Film Festival
2009
Nominated for two BAFTAS
In The Loop
2009 — 2010
British Comedy Awards
Best Comedy Film (In The Loop)
2009
Chlotrudis Awards
Best Original Screenplay (In The Loop)
2009
BAFTA Scotland
Best Writing in Film/Television (In The Loop)
2009
Royal Television Society Award
Best Writing (The Thick Of It)
2009
National Board Of Review
Top Ten Independent Films (In The Loop)
2009
Chlotrudis Awards
Best Supporting Actor/Best Ensemble (In The Loop)
2009
Los Angeles Film Critics Association
Runner-Up, Best Screenplay (In The Loop)
2009
BAFTA
Best Sitcom (The Thick Of It)
2006
Broadcast Award
Best New Programme (The Thick Of It)
2006
British Comedy Award
Best New Comedy (The Thick Of It)
2006
BAFTA
Best Comedy (The Sketch Show)
2003
Sony Awards
Sony Gold Winner (Dead Ringers)
2001
Sony Awards
Sony Silver Winner (The Sunday Format)
2000

Radio

The Very World Of Milton Jones
Writer
BBC Radio 42002
Dead Ringers (series 1 - 6)
Writer
BBC Radio 42001 — 2003
The Way It Is
Writer
BBC Radio 42000 — 2004
The Sunday Format
Writer
BBC Radio 42000 — 2002
Booked!
Writer
BBC Radio 41998
Week Ending
Writer
BBC Radio 41996 — 1999
The News Huddlines
Writer
BBC Radio 21996 — 1999

News

Simon Blackwell and Armando Iannucci Awarded at Writers' Guild Awards

15th February 2022

Simon Blackwell and Armando Iannucci have been awarded 'Best Screenplay' award at the Writers' Guild of Great Britian Awards for their work on 'The Personal History of David Copperfield'

'Avenue 5' Renewed for season 2 at HBO

24th March 2020

PBJ Management are delighted with the news that a second series of Armando Iannuci's Sci-Fi comedy 'Avenue 5' has been ordered by HBO

The Personal History Of David Copperfield takes 5 awards at BIFAs

2nd December 2019

The British Independent Film Awards (BIFAs) proved to be extremely successful for PBJ's Armando Iannucci and Simon Blackwell

Succession Nominated for Best Drama Series and Best New Series in 2019 Writers Guild Awards

11th December 2018

The Writers Guild of America West (WGAW) and the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) have announced nominations for outstanding achievement in television, new media, news, radio/audio, and promotional writing during 2018

'David Copperfield' is the talk of Cannes

17th May 2018

Armando Iannucci's forthcoming feature, 'The Personal History of David Copperfield' has caused significant buzz at the Cannes film festival, with Film4 coming on board as a co-financiar with Levantine films, and Lionsgate snapping up the UK rights

British Comedy Guide Awards 2017

29th January 2018

The British Comedy Guide (comedy

Rave reviews for Simon Blackwell's 'Back'

7th September 2017

Simon Blackwell's new TV series, 'Back', starring David Mitchell and Robert Webb, has debuted on Channel 4 and has received some fantastic reviews: "It is glorious, artful, beautifully timed, The Thick Of It filth

Simon Blackwell to write 'Back' for Channel 4

17th May 2017

Simon Blackwell is due to return to Channel 4, penning the new comedy 'Back' which will star David Mitchell and Robert Webb

Another win for Veep at Writers Guild Awards 2016

19th January 2016

Veep sealed yet another win after receiving the award for Best TV Situational Comedy at the 2016 Writers' Guild Awards

VEEP wins big at last night's Primetime Emmy Awards

21st September 2015

VEEP bagged 5 Emmy awards at last night's 2015 Primetime Emmy Awards

VEEP picks up 9 nominations in this year's EMMYS

24th July 2015

A special congratulations are in order for our very own Simon Blackwell & Armand Iannucci for the nomination of 'Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series' on our very own HBO's political comedy series VEEP

David Copperfield

30th March 2015

The BBC have announced that Armando Ianucci and Simon Blackwell are set to make a film adaptation of Charles Dickens’ David Copperfield

Trying Again

3rd March 2014

Simon Blackwell's 'Trying Again' is an original eight part comedy series coming soon to Sky Living HD

Success for PBJ Clients

3rd February 2014

Saturday saw the 66th annual Writers Guild of America Awards

Veep Returns

7th October 2013

Armando Iannucci's award winning US political satire will return to British screens on October 16th at 10:30 on Sky Atlantic

'TRYING AGAIN' - NEW sitcom coming soon!

31st January 2013

TRYING AGAIN is a new sitcom from Oscar-nominated writer Simon Blackwell working with Chris Addison whom he worked with on 'The Thick of It' and 'Veep'

VEEP nominated for Writer's Guild Award

7th December 2012

Written by Armando Iannucci, Simon Blackwell and co

PBJ nominations at The British Comedy Awards

7th December 2012

Cardinal Burns have been nominated for three awards - Breakthrough Act, New Comedy Programme and Best Sketch Show

Veep nominated for Emmy Awards!

2nd August 2012

Huge congratulations to Armando Iannucci and Simon Blackwell for their Emmy nominations in the hugely popular Veep series

Veep debuts on HBO to great reviews and viewing figures

24th April 2012

Veep, the new sitcom written and produced by Armando Iannucci and Simon Blackwell debuted on HBO this week to great reviews and viewing figures

Simon Blackwell wins Writers' Guild Best TV Comedy Award.

17th November 2011

Simon, along with Sam Bain and Jesse Armstrong won the WGGB Award for Best Television Comedy for Channel 4's Peep Show

Armando Iannucci and Simon Blackwell write Veep for HBO

25th February 2011

Veep is a comedy pilot starring Julia Louis Dreyfus and Anna Chlumsky, created and written by Armando and Simon, and directed by Armando

Writers' Guild Of Great Britain Awards 2010

18th October 2010

Among the nominees for this year's WGGB Awards are Chris Morris and Simon Blackwell for Best Original Screenplay for Four Lions; Mark Gatiss for Dr Who in the Best Drama Series category; Simon Blackwell and Armando Iannucci for Best Comedy Series for The Thick Of It, and a third nomination for Simon Blackwell in the same category for Peep Show

Armando Iannucci nominated for an Academy Award!

2nd February 2010

Congratulations to Armando Iannucci and fellow writers Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell and Tony Roche

IN THE LOOP Nominated for 2 BAFTA's

21st January 2010

IN THE LOOP has been nominated in two categories at the 2010 BAFTA's

British Independent Film Award for Armando Iannucci

8th December 2009

IN THE LOOP continues its extraordinary success