Chris Lang is a British screenwriter, producer, and actor. Lang has written many British television series but is best known as the writer, creator, and

executive producer Executive producer (EP) is one of the top positions in the production of media. Depending on the medium, the executive producer may be concerned with management accounting or associated with legal issues (like copyrights or royalties). In film ...

of '' Unforgotten''.

Early life and education

Chris Lang was educated at

Reigate Grammar School Reigate Grammar School is an 11–18 co-educational private day school in Reigate, Surrey, England. It was established in 1675 by Henry Smith. History The school was founded as a free school for poor boys in 1675 by Alderman Henry Smith with Jo ...

and then at

RADA The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, also known by its abbreviation RADA (), is a drama school in London, England, which provides vocational conservatoire training for theatre, film, television, and radio. It is based in Bloomsbury, Central Lond ...

, where he won the Royal Academy award for "A Series of Outstanding Performances in the Vanbrugh Theatre". He graduated in 1983.

Career

Actor

In his youth, Lang formed a comedy revue called ''The Jockeys of Norfolk'' with Andy Taylor and

Hugh Grant Hugh John Mungo Grant (born 9 September 1960) is an English actor. He established himself early in his career as a charming and vulnerable romantic leading man, and has since transitioned into a character actor. He has received List of awards ...

. He worked as an actor on such British television series as '' Shadow of the Noose'', '' Drop the Dead Donkey'', '' Outside Edge'', ''

A Dance to the Music of Time ''A Dance to the Music of Time'' is a 12-volume ''Book series#History, roman-fleuve'' by English writer Anthony Powell, published between 1951 and 1975 to critical acclaim. The story is an often comic examination of movements and manners, power ...

'', and '' All Along the Watchtower''. He stopped acting in the mid nineties in order to fully concentrate on his writing career.

Screenwriter

Lang began his screenwriting career on ''

The Bill ''The Bill'' is a British police procedural television series, broadcast on ITV (TV network), ITV from 16 October 1984 until 31 August 2010. The programme originated from a one-off drama, "Woodentop (The Bill), Woodentop" (part of the ''Storyb ...

'', for which he wrote many episodes, and for which he won a Writer's Guild award. He went on to write episodes for shows including ''

Casualty Casualty may refer to: *Casualty (person), a person who is killed or rendered unfit for service in a war or natural disaster **Civilian casualty, a non-combatant killed or injured in warfare * The emergency department of a hospital, also known as ...

'', ''

Soldier Soldier ''Soldier Soldier'' is a British television drama series. Created by Lucy Gannon, produced by Central Television and broadcast on the ITV network, it ran for a total of seven series and 82 episodes from 10 June 1991 to 9 December 1997. It ...

'', '' The Knock'', ''

POW POW is "prisoner of war", a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict. POW or pow may also refer to: Music * P.O.W (Bullet for My Valentine song), "P.O.W" (Bull ...

'', '' Primeval'', '' Hustle'' ,and '' The Tunnel'' for

Sky Atlantic Sky Atlantic is a British pay television channel owned by Sky Group, Sky Group Limited that launched in 2011 and broadcasts in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The channel airs original British-produced dramas like ''Fortitude (TV series), F ...

. In 2001, he wrote and created his first original drama series ''The Glass'', which starred

John Thaw John Edward Thaw (3 January 1942 – 21 February 2002) was an English actor in television, stage and cinema, best known for his television roles starring as Detective Inspector Jack Regan in '' The Sweeney'' (1975—78) and as Detective Chief ...

and Sarah Lancashire. Other original work has included '' Sirens'', '' Unconditional Love'', ''

Amnesia Amnesia is a deficit in memory caused by brain damage or brain diseases,Gazzaniga, M., Ivry, R., & Mangun, G. (2009) Cognitive Neuroscience: The biology of the mind. New York: W.W. Norton & Company. but it can also be temporarily caused by t ...

'' (which was nominated for an

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

), '' Lawless'', and '' The Reckoning'' The first series of '' Unforgotten'', starring Nicola Walker,

Trevor Eve Trevor John Eve (born 1 July 1951) is an English actor. In 1979, he gained fame as the eponymous lead in the detective series '' Shoestring'' (1979-1980) and is also known for his role as Detective Superintendent Peter Boyd in the long-running B ...

, Sir Tom Courtenay, and

Sanjeev Bhaskar Sanjeev Bhaskar (born 31 October 1963) is a British actor, comedian and television presenter. He is best known for his work in the BBC Radio 4 and BBC Two sketch comedy series ''Goodness Gracious Me (TV series), Goodness Gracious Me'' and as t ...

, was broadcast in autumn 2015. Courtenay later won the 2016

BAFTA The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA, ) is an independent trade association and charity that supports, develops, and promotes the arts of film, television and video games in the United Kingdom. In addition to its annual awa ...

for Best Supporting Actor for his role. The second series aired in January 2017 to an audience of 7.29 million, with the ''

Daily Telegraph ''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a British daily broadsheet conservative newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed in the United Kingdom and internationally. It was foun ...

'' describing the series as "the detective drama of the decade". In November 2017 Mark Bonnar won the 2017 Best Actor BAFTA Scotland for his portrayal of Colin Osborne in the series. The third series aired in July 2018 and received universal critical acclaim. The last episode was watched by over 7.5 million viewers, making it the most watched episode of all three series. In December 2018, '' The Hook Up Plan'', an eight-part romantic comedy starring

Zita Hanrot Zita Hanrot (born 7 December 1989 in Marseille, France) is a French actress. She received widespread critical acclaim and later won the César Award for Most Promising Actress in 2016 for her role in the film, ''Fatima (2015 film), Fatima''. Ear ...

, created and co-written by Lang, aired on

Netflix Netflix is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. The service primarily distributes original and acquired films and television shows from various genres, and it is available internationally in multiple lang ...

. A second series was broadcast in 2020. In October 2018, a six-part drama called '' Dark Heart'', which Lang wrote and executive produced, and which starred Tom Riley and Charlotte Riley, broadcast in the UK, with the first episode attracting an audience of 6.3 million. In February 2021 ''Unforgotten'' returned for a fourth series, to universal critical acclaim and an average rating across the series of 9.5 million, up on series 3 by an average of 2.5 million per episode. It was nominated as best drama by both

and

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 ...

. A few months later series 4 was broadcast in the states on PBS. It returned for a fifth series in February 2023 with Sinead Keenan replacing Nicola Walker's role, starring alongside

and aired to a first episode audience of 8.4 million, making it the highest rated ITV programme of the year, and third most watched drama across all channels. The 6th series was broadcast in February 2025, to a first night audience of 8.1m and series 7 was announced following broadcast, to shoot in 2026. In April 2022, he saw the broadcast of '' The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe'' starring Monica Dolan and

Eddie Marsan Edward Maurice Charles Marsan (born 9 June 1968) is an English actor. He won the London Film Critics Circle Award and the National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actor for the film '' Happy-Go-Lucky'' (2008). Early life and ...

, the true story of John and Anne Darwin, which Lang wrote and for which he was the executive producer. It aired to a first episode audience of 10.01 million, making it the third most watched UK drama of the year. The series was selected for competition at the '' Geneva International Film Festival'' in November 2022, and was nominated for Best Serial at the

Broadcast Awards ''Broadcast'' is a monthly magazine for the United Kingdom television and radio industry, owned by Media Business Insight. History ''Broadcast'' was started in 1973 by Rod Allen, who went on to work at LWT, HTV and HarperCollinsInteractive. ...

2022. It was also nominated as best mini series by

2023 and by BPG 2023. It was also nominated as best drama series at the Edinburgh TV Festival 2023. In February 2024, Lang's new show ''I, Jack Wright'' started shooting in the UK. Starring

John Simm John Ronald Simm (born 10 July 1970) is an English actor, director, and musician. He is best known for playing Sam Tyler in ''Life on Mars'', the Master in ''Doctor Who,'' and DS Roy Grace in ''Grace.'' His other television credits include '' ...

, Nikki Amuka-Bird,

Gemma Jones Jennifer "Gemma" Jones (born 4 December 1942) is an English actress. Appearing on both stage and screen, her film appearances include ''Sense and Sensibility (film), Sense and Sensibility'' (1995), the Bridget Jones (film series), ''Bridget Jo ...

Daniel Rigby Daniel Rigby (born 6 December 1982) is an English actor and comedian. He received a BAFTA TV Award for his leading role as Eric Morecambe in the 2011 BBC television film '' Eric and Ernie''. Early life Rigby was born in Stockport, Greater Ma ...

James Fleet James Edward Fleet (born 11 March 1952) is an English actor of theatre, radio and screen. He is most famous for his roles as the bumbling and well-meaning Tom in the 1994 British romantic comedy film ''Four Weddings and a Funeral'' and the dim- ...

, and Zoe Tapper, it is scheduled for broadcast in 2025 on

Britbox BritBox is a British Over-the-top media service, over-the-top Video on demand#Subscription models, video on demand Streaming television, streaming service founded by BBC Studios and ITV plc, ITV which operates in eight countries across Australi ...

Alibi An alibi (, from the Latin, '' alibī'', meaning "somewhere else") is a statement by a person under suspicion in a crime that they were in a different place when the offence was committed. During a police investigation, all suspects are usually a ...

, and then the

BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...

. Lang serves as creator, writer and executive producer.

TXTV

In the late 2000s, Lang co-founder TXTV, through which he made much of his work, including '' Innocent'', a four-part thriller starring Lee Ingleby, Hermione Norris, Nigel Lindsay, and Angel Coulby. broadcast in May 2018. It returned for a second series, which broadcast on Monday 17 May 2021. Other TXTV shows include '' Undeniable'', starring

Peter Firth Peter Macintosh Firth (born 27 October 1953) is an English actor. He is best known for his role as Sir Harry Pearce in the BBC One programme '' Spooks''; he is the only actor to have appeared in every episode of the programme's ten-series lif ...

and

Claire Goose Claire Goose is a Scottish actress who first gained attention playing Tina Seabrook on the long-running BBC One medical drama '' Casualty'' (1997–2000). Her other roles include DS "Mel" Silver in '' Waking the Dead'' (2000–2007), Insp. ...

, which aired in April 2014. It was remade in France in February 2017, entitled ''Quand Je Serai Grande Je Te Tuerai'' starring Laetitia Milot. Filmed on the

Île de Ré Île de Ré (; variously spelled Rhé or Rhéa; Poitevin dialect, Poitevin: ''ile de Rét''; , ) is an island off the Atlantic coast of France near La Rochelle, Charente-Maritime, on the northern side of the Pertuis d'Antioche strait. Its high ...

it broadcast in France in late 2017 to an audience of seven million. '' A Mother's Son'', starring Hermione Norris,

Paul McGann Paul John McGann ( ; born 14 November 1959) is an English actor. He came to prominence for portraying Percy Toplis in the television serial '' The Monocled Mutineer'' (1986), then starred in the dark comedy '' Withnail and I'' (1987), which wa ...

, and

Martin Clunes Alexander Martin Clunes (born 28 November 1961) is an English actor, director and television presenter. He is best known for portraying Martin Ellingham in the ITV comedy-drama series '' Doc Martin'', Gary Strang in the BBC sitcom ''Men Behavin ...

(September 2012) was nominated for a Broadcast Award, and adapted as a single film for

TF1 TF1 (; standing for ''Télévision Française 1'') is a French commercial television network owned by TF1 Group, controlled by the Bouygues conglomerate. TF1's average market share of 24% makes it the most popular domestic network. TF1 is part ...

in France called ''Tu Es Mon Fils'' (April 2015), starring

Anne Marivin Anne Marivin (born 23 January 1974) is a French actress. She has appeared in more than fifty film and television productions since 1994. Marivin was noticed in television appearances such as ''Tel père, tel flic'' (2001) and ''Père et Maire'' ...

. ''Tu Es Mon Fils'' later won best single film at the Polar de Cognac Film Festival. Lang's series '' Torn'', starring

Holly Aird Imogen Holly Aird (born 18 May 1969) is an English television actress. She was born in Aldershot, Hampshire. Career Aird was spotted by a casting director at age nine whilst at Bush Davies Ballet School and starred in the 1980 dramatisation o ...

and Nicola Walker, was nominated for an RTS award. and was also remade for French TV as ''Entre Deux Mères'' It was shown at the Luchon Film and TV festival and broadcast on TF1 on 27 March 2017. The French remake of his 2010 TXTV drama ''The Reckoning'' starred Odille Vuillemin and Thiery Neuvic and aired in September 2018. In January 2021 it was announced that Viaplay/Elisa were remaking '' A Mother's Son'' in Finland. Retitled ''Polanski Joel'', it broadcast in mid 2022.

Personal life

Lang's first wife died by suicide in 2007. Lang and his second wife share five children. He has said that underlying happiness is very little affected by career success.

Selected work

* '' I, Jack Wright'' (

UKTV UKTV Media Limited, trading as UKTV, is a British multi-channel broadcaster, which, since 2019, has been wholly owned by BBC Studios (formerly BBC Worldwide), a commercial subsidiary of the BBC. It was formed on 1 November 1992 through a join ...

2025) * '' The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe'' (Story Films 2022) * '' Innocent'' (TXTV, 2018-2021) * '' Dark Heart'' (Silverprint, 2018) * '' Unforgotten'' (Mainstreet Pictures, 2015–present) * '' Undeniable'' (TXTV, 2014) * '' A Mother's Son'' (ITV Studios 2012) * '' Torn'' (TXTV, 2007) * '' Lawless'' (Company Pictures, 2004) * ''

'' (Ecosse Films, 2004)

Awards and nominations

*'' The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe'' Nominated for best drama Edinburgh TV Festival 2023 *'' The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe'' Nominated for best mini series

2023 *'' The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe'' Monica Dolan nominated best actor

2023 *'' The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe''. Nominated Best series BPG 2022 *'' The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe'' Nominated Best serial '

' 2022 *'' The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe'' Nominated for Best TV soundtrack at The Ivors *'' Unforgotten''. Nominated Best drama

2021 * '' Unforgotten'' Nominated best drama

2021 * '' Unforgotten'' Chris Lang nominated for BPG best writer 2021 * '' Unforgotten'' Nominated Best Returning Drama 2021 National Television Awards *'' Unforgotten''. Alex Jennings nominated Best Supporting Actor

2019 * '' Unforgotten''. Chris Lang Nominated Best Crime Drama Writer 2017 London Screenwriters' Festival * '' Unforgotten''

Mark Bonnar Richard Mark Bonnar (born 19 November 1968) is a Scottish actor. He is known for his roles as Max in ''Guilt (British TV series), Guilt'', Duncan Hunter in ''Shetland (TV series), Shetland'', Bruno Jenkins in ''Casualty (TV series), Casualty'', ...

Winner of 2017 Best Actor BAFTA Scotland * '' Unforgotten''

Winner of BPG award best actor. 2017 * '' Unforgotten'': Tom Courtenay, winner of 2016

for best supporting actor * '' Unforgotten'': Tom Courtenay, nominated for 2016

award for Best Actor * '' Unforgotten'': Nicola Walker nominated for BPG award Best Actress 2016 * '' Unforgotten''. Nominated Best English Speaking Drama Series. C21 Awards 2016 * '' Unforgotten''. Nominated Best Casting. C21 Awards 2016 * '' The Tunnel'' Winner Best Multi Channel Programme BPG 2014 * '' The Tunnel'' Nominated Best Drama Series International Emmy Award2014 * '' A Mother's Son'': nominated Best Single Drama '

' 2013 * '' Torn'' nominated Best Serial,

2008 * '' ''Amnesia'''': nominated Best Mini Series at the Edgars 2005 * '' Wing and a Prayer'': Winner of best drama series

Award 1998 * ''

''. Winner 'Best Original Drama Series' 1995

Writer's Guild of Great Britain The Writers' Guild of Great Britain (WGGB), established in 1959, is a trade union for professional writers. It is affiliated with both the Trades Union Congress (TUC) and the International Affiliation of Writers Guilds (IAWG). History The un ...

References

External links

* *
Chris Lang
in the BBC Guide to Comedy (archived November 2012) {{DEFAULTSORT:Lang, Chris Living people English male television actors English male voice actors Television producers from London English male television writers English television writers Writers from the London Borough of Lambeth Year of birth missing (living people)