Jonathan Whitehead (21 October 1960 – 26 May 2020) was an English musician and composer, born in Denton,

Lancashire Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated Lancs) is the name of a historic county, ceremonial county, and non-metropolitan county in North West England. The boundaries of these three areas differ significantly. The non-metropolitan county of Lancash ...

. He wrote music for television comedies such as ''

The Day Today ''The Day Today'' is a British comedy television show that parodies television news and current affairs programmes, broadcast in 1994 on BBC2. It was created by Armando Iannucci and Chris Morris and is an adaptation of the radio programme '' ...

'', ''

Brass Eye ''Brass Eye'' is a British satirical television series parodying current affairs news programming. A series of six episodes aired on Channel 4 in 1997, and a further episode in 2001. The series was created and presented by Chris Morris, written ...

'', ''

Black Books ''Black Books'' is a British sitcom created by Dylan Moran and Graham Linehan, and written by Moran, Kevin Cecil, Andy Riley, Linehan and Arthur Mathews. It was broadcast on Channel 4, running for three series from 2000 to 2004. Starring Mo ...

'', ''

Green Wing ''Green Wing'' is a British sitcom set in the fictional East Hampton Hospital. It was created by the same team behind the sketch show '' Smack the Pony'' – Channel 4 commissioner Caroline Leddy and producer Victoria Pile – and stars Mark H ...

'', '' Campus'' and '' Nathan Barley''. He studied music at the

University of Bristol , mottoeng = earningpromotes one's innate power (from Horace, ''Ode 4.4'') , established = 1595 – Merchant Venturers School1876 – University College, Bristol1909 – received royal charter , type ...

and later lived in

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

. He sometimes wrote under the name "Trellis". His music for ''Green Wing'' was nominated for a BAFTA and won the RTS Award for Best Original Music. A selection of music from the series was released on CD under Whitehead's artistic nom de plume, Trellis. Serious documentary and drama scores composed by Whitehead include ''War In Europe'' and ''The Clintons' Marriage of Power'' for MBC, ''Metropolis'' (with

James Purefoy James Brian Mark Purefoy (born 3 June 1964) is an English actor. He played Mark Antony in the HBO series ''Rome'', Nick Jenkins in ''A Dance to the Music of Time'', college professor turned serial killer Joe Carroll in the series ''The Followin ...

), three series of ''Medics'' for Granada and Kay Mellor's latest drama series '' Strictly Confidential'' for ITV. He died on 26 May 2020 at the age of 59, with his death being announced the following month by the Radio 4 programme, ''

Last Word ''Last Word'' is an obituary BBC radio series broadcast weekly on Radio 4. Each week the lives of several famous people who have recently died are summarised with narration, and interviews with people who knew them. The programme is normally pr ...

''.

Composer

:''

'' - (1994) :'' The Imaginatively Titled Punt & Dennis Show'' - (1994-95) :'' Knowing Me Knowing You with Alan Partridge'' - (1994-95) :''

Fist of Fun ''Fist of Fun'' was a British comedy show, initially a BBC Radio 1 series in 1993 and then a BBC2 television series in 1995. It was written by and starred Lee and Herring (the comedians Stewart Lee and Richard Herring). Each episode of ''Fist o ...

'' - (1995-96) :''

The Saturday Night Armistice ''The Saturday Night Armistice'' (later ''The Friday Night Armistice'', plus the one-off ''The Election Night Armistice'') is a British satirical television comedy programme presented by Armando Iannucci with Peter Baynham and David Schneider ...

'' - (1995-99) :'' Where's Elvis This Week?'' - (1996) :'' Nancy Lam'' - (1997) :''

'' - (1997-2001) :'' In the Red'' - (1998) :'' You Are Here'' - (1998) :''

Los Dos Bros ''Los Dos Bros'' is a British television comedy about two half-brothers (Darren Boyd and Cavan Clerkin) who find themselves in a series of strange situations. They discuss their experiences back to a psychiatrist (Vicki Pepperdine). The series ...

'' - (1999-2001) :''

Smack the Pony ''Smack the Pony'' is a British sketch comedy show that was originally broadcast between 1999 and 2003 on Channel 4. The main performers on the show were Fiona Allen, Doon Mackichan and Sally Phillips. There were also regular appearances from ...

'' - (1999-2003) :'' Perfect World'' - (2000-01) :''

Metropolis A metropolis () is a large city or conurbation which is a significant economic, political, and cultural center for a country or region, and an important hub for regional or international connections, commerce, and communications. A big ci ...

'' - (2000) :''

'' - (2000-04) :''

The Estate Agents The Estate Agents is a comedy series, aired on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom in 2002. The series followed the lives of three incompetent and untrustworthy estate agents working at the fictional Embassy Properties in south London, and the oft ...

'' - (2002) :''

Peep Show A peep show or peepshow is a presentation of a live sex show or pornographic film which is viewed through a viewing slot. Several historical media provided voyeuristic entertainment through hidden erotic imagery. Before the development of the c ...

''- (2003-) (Jeremy's music) :''

'' - (2004-2007) :'' Nathan Barley'' - (2005) :''Twisted Tales'' - (2005) :''

Feel the Force ''Feel the Force'' is a British television police sitcom produced for BBC Scotland by Catherine Bailey Limited. The series is written by Georgia Pritchett; the first episode was broadcast on BBC 2 on 8 May 2006. The series was directed by Tr ...

'' - (2006) :''

Richard Hammond's 5 O'Clock Show ''Richard Hammond's 5 O'Clock Show'' is a British talk show shown every weekday on the British channel ITV from 3 January until 10 February 2006. The show was presented by Richard Hammond and Mel Giedroyc, and featured a variety of reports ...

'' - (2006) :'' Strictly Confidential'' - (2007) :''

Secret Diary of a Call Girl ''Secret Diary of a Call Girl'' is a British drama television series that aired from 27 September 2007 to 22 March 2011 on ITV2, based on the blog and books by the pseudonymous Belle de Jour. It stars Billie Piper as Belle, a high-end London ...

'' - (2007) :''

Moving Wallpaper ''Moving Wallpaper'' is a British satirical comedy-drama television series set in a TV production unit. It ran on ITV for two series in 2008–09. The subject of the first series was the production of a soap called ''Echo Beach'', each episode ...

'' - (2008) :'' The Empress's New Clothes'' - (2008) :'' Campus'' - (2009-2011) :'' Rev.'' series 1&2 (2010) :'' Mount Pleasant'' (8 x 1 hour comedy drama for Tiger aspect/Sky 2011)

Discography

:'' Green Wing: Original Television Soundtrack'' (as "Trellis") - (2007)

Awards

RTS Craft and Design Award for "Best Original Score" for ''

'' in 2005, and also nominated for a BAFTA.

References

External links

*
Jonathan Whitehead , Film & TV Composer
{{DEFAULTSORT:Whitehead, Jonathan 1960 births 2020 deaths Alumni of the University of Bristol English television composers English male composers People from Denton, Greater Manchester