"Write" way to get on TV (From Penarth Times)

"Write" way to get on TV

A TELEVISION writer for ITV's hit series The Bill, who lives in Penarth, has told how nights out on London's backstreets with real-life officers provided inspiration for scenes in the gritty drama.

Christopher Short, aged 44, has been writing for television and theatre for 20 years.

Christopher said: "I worked on scripts for The Bill for about three years. At that time it was being screened twice a week.

"We would meet regularly with officers from the force to check the realism of details. We would also go out with officers on patrols to get inspiration for storylines.

"Spending Friday nights in the backstreets of Kilburn certainly provided some interesting ideas!"

Christopher was an actor with the National Youth Theatre between the ages of 15 and 21.

When he finished with the National Youth Theatre in 1983, he entered a national playwriting competition sponsored by Texaco, which he won.

The winning piece was called For Those in Peril, and concerned the Invergordon mutiny of 1931.

When Christopher entered and won the competition again the following year with a play called A Credit to the Force, about training in the Metropolitan police force during the Miner's Strike, the organisers decided to make him one of the judges.

He has also written scripts for an ITV children's production of Robin Hood, of which some 48 episodes were made over three years.

And putting all his experience to good use, Christopher has now set up a company called Writeability which specialises in copy writing, creative input, editorial work, rewriting and proofreading.

He set up his new business in Penarth after gaining help from the Government's New Deal self employment scheme.

Writeability was established to support organisations, corporate bodies, the public and private sectors and voluntary groups.

Christopher can help with annual reports, executive summaries, promotional brochures and fliers - even wedding speeches!