Neil Cross ( Neil Claude Gadd; born 9 February 1969) is a British novelist and scriptwriter, best known as the creator of the drama series ''

Luther Luther may refer to: People * Martin Luther (1483–1546), German monk credited with initiating the Protestant Reformation * Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968), American minister and leader in the American civil rights movement * Luther (gi ...

'' and ''

Hard Sun ''Hard Sun'' was a pre-apocalyptic British crime drama series, created and written by Neil Cross, starring Agyness Deyn and Jim Sturgess as the principal characters, DI Elaine Renko and DCI Charlie Hicks. The series is a BBC co-production wi ...

''. He is also the showrunner for the TV adaptation of '' The Mosquito Coast'', which began airing in 2021.

Life and career

Neil Claude Gadd was born in

Bristol Bristol () is a City status in the United Kingdom, city, Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, Bristol, River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Glouces ...

on 9 February 1969, to unhappily married parents, Alan and Edna ( Noyes) Gadd. He was the youngest of their four children. His mother ran away when he was five, returned two years later and took him to

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...

with Derek Cross, a White South African who was to become his stepfather and whose surname he would adopt. Neil Cross graduated from the University of Leeds in 1994 with a degree in English and Theology, and received his Masters in English in the year following. His initial career was solely as a novelist, beginning with ''Mr In-Between'', which was published in 1998 (and adapted into a film in 2001). He later worked into television, writing an episode of the spy drama '' Spooks'' in 2006 before becoming lead writer on the sixth and seventh series of the show. He has written for '' The Fixer'' and ''

Doctor Who ''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series depicts the adventures of a Time Lord called the Doctor, an extraterrestrial being who appears to be human. The Doctor explores the ...

'' (" The Rings of Akhaten" and " Hide"). In 2010 he wrote a new adaptation of ''

Whistle and I'll Come to You "Whistle and I'll Come to You" is a 1968 BBC television drama adaptation of the 1904 ghost story 'Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come to You, My Lad' by M. R. James. It tells of an eccentric and distracted professor who happens upon a strange whistle w ...

'', from the story by

M. R. James Montague Rhodes James (1 August 1862 – 12 June 1936) was an English author, medievalist scholar and provost of King's College, Cambridge (1905–1918), and of Eton College (1918–1936). He was Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambrid ...

. He has created three television series: BBC crime thrillers ''

'' and ''

'' (for which he wrote all the episodes); and '' Crossbones'', an action adventure pirate series for

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...

(co-created with James V. Hart and Amanda Welles). Cross co-wrote the screenplay for the 2013 film ''

Mama Mama(s) or Mamma or Momma may refer to: Roles *Mother, a female parent * Mama-san, in Japan and East Asia, a woman in a position of authority *Mamas, a name for female associates of the Hells Angels Places * Mama, Russia, an urban-type settlemen ...

''. He has continued to write novels, including ''Always the Sun'', which was long-listed for the

Booker Prize The Booker Prize, formerly known as the Booker Prize for Fiction (1969–2001) and the Man Booker Prize (2002–2019), is a literary prize awarded each year for the best novel written in English and published in the United Kingdom or Ireland. ...

, ''Burial'' and ''Captured''; and has written a memoir ''Heartland'', which was short-listed for the

PEN/Ackerley Prize PEN Ackerley Prize (or, J. R. Ackerley Prize for Autobiography) is awarded annually by English PEN for a literary autobiography of excellence, written by an author of British nationality and published during the preceding year. The winner receive ...

for literary autobiography of excellence. His most recent novel, '' Luther: The Calling'', was published in 2011. In 2019 it was announced he was adapting ''Burial'' into what became the ITV series '' The Sister''.'' In 2011, Cross was included in ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'' magazine's list of "10 Screenwriters to Watch".

Filmography

Television

Film

Bibliography

* ''Mr In-Between'' (1998), initially to be entitled

Adrenochrome Adrenochrome is a chemical compound produced by the oxidation of adrenaline (epinephrine). It was the subject of limited research from the 1950s through to the 1970s as a potential cause of schizophrenia. While it has no current medical applic ...

* ''Christendom'' (1999) * ''Holloway Falls'' (2003) * ''Always the Sun'' (2004) * ''Heartland (a memoir)'' (2006) * ''Natural History'' (2007) * ''Burial'' (2009) * ''Captured'' (2010) * '' Luther: The Calling'' (2011)

Awards and nominations

''Luther'' Series 1

* Winner, ''Luther'',

Mystery Writers of America Mystery Writers of America (MWA) is an organization of mystery and crime writers, based in New York City. The organization was founded in 1945 by Clayton Rawson, Anthony Boucher, Lawrence Treat, and Brett Halliday. It presents the Edgar Award ...

Edgar Award The Edgar Allan Poe Awards, popularly called the Edgars, are presented every year by the Mystery Writers of America, based in New York City. Named after American writer Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849), a pioneer in the genre, the awards honor the bes ...

for Best Teleplay in 2010 (Episode 1). * Nominee, ''Luther'', Mystery Writers of America Edgar Award for Best Teleplay in 2010 (Episode 4). * Nominee, ''Luther'', NAACP Image Award, Outstanding Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special

''Luther'' Series 2

* Nominee, Neil Cross,

Primetime Emmy Award The Primetime Emmy Awards, or Primetime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), the Primetime ...

2012, Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special * Nominee, ''Luther'', Primetime Emmy Award 2012, Outstanding Miniseries or Movie * Winner, ''Luther'', Creative Diversity Network, Radio Times Drama award 2011 * Winner, ''Luther'',

Royal Television Society The Royal Television Society (RTS) is a British-based educational charity for the discussion, and analysis of television in all its forms, past, present, and future. It is the oldest television society in the world. It currently has fourteen r ...

, Best Drama Series 2011 * Nominee, ''Luther'', Broadcast Television Journalists Association Critics' Choice Television Awards 2012, Best Movie/Miniseries

''Luther'' Series 3

* Nominee, Neil Cross, Primetime Emmy Award 2014, Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special * Nominee, ''Luther'', Primetime Emmy Award 2013, Outstanding Miniseries

Books

* Winner, ''Luther: The Calling'',

Ngaio Marsh Award The Ngaio Marsh Awards (formerly Ngaio Marsh Award), popularly called the Ngaios, are literary awards presented annually in New Zealand to recognise excellence in crime fiction, mystery, and thriller writing. The Awards were established by jour ...

, 2012 * Longlisted, ''Luther: The Calling'', Theakston's Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award 2012 * Finalist, ''Captured'',

, New Zealand, 2011 * Finalist, ''Burial'',

,(NZ) 2010 * Shortlisted, ''Heartland'', PEN/Ackerley Prize for literary autobiography 2006 * Long-listed, ''Always the Sun'',

Man Booker Prize The Booker Prize, formerly known as the Booker Prize for Fiction (1969–2001) and the Man Booker Prize (2002–2019), is a literary prize awarded each year for the best novel written in English and published in the United Kingdom or Ireland. ...

2004

References

External links

* *
Neil Cross
author page on the

Simon & Schuster Simon & Schuster () is an American publishing company and a subsidiary of Paramount Global. It was founded in New York City on January 2, 1924 by Richard L. Simon and M. Lincoln Schuster. As of 2016, Simon & Schuster was the third largest publi ...

(UK publisher) website
Neil Cross
author page on the Open Road (US publisher) website {{DEFAULTSORT:Cross, Neil 1969 births Writers from Bristol Living people New Zealand crime fiction writers New Zealand male novelists New Zealand screenwriters British television writers British male screenwriters British psychological fiction writers British male television writers 21st-century New Zealand novelists 21st-century British male writers Alumni of the University of Leeds 21st-century British screenwriters