Matthew Robinson (producer)
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Matthew Robinson (born 27 July 1944) is a British-Cambodian television and film executive producer, producer, director and writer. After graduating from the
University of Cambridge The University of Cambridge is a Public university, public collegiate university, collegiate research university in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209, the University of Cambridge is the List of oldest universities in continuous operation, wo ...
, he directed many episodes of popular British television dramas and soap operas in the 1970s and 1980s. He became the first producer (and later became the executive producer) of the series '' Byker Grove'' (19891997), and was also made the executive producer of ''
EastEnders ''EastEnders'' is a British television soap opera created by Julia Smith (producer), Julia Smith and Tony Holland which has been broadcast on BBC One since February 1985. Set in the fictional borough of Walford in the East End of London, the ...
'' (1998–2000). Robinson finished his British television career as the Head of Drama for
BBC Wales BBC Cymru Wales is a division of the BBC and the main public broadcasting, public broadcaster in Wales. It is one of the four BBC national regions, alongside the BBC English Regions, BBC Northern Ireland and BBC Scotland. Established in 1964, ...
. Since 2003 he has been based in Cambodia, where he runs his own production company, Khmer Mekong Films.


Early life

Robinson was educated at Huntingdon Grammar School (1955–58), Friends' School in
Saffron Walden Saffron Walden is a market town and civil parish in the Uttlesford district of Essex, England, north of Bishop's Stortford, south of Cambridge and north of London. It retains a rural appearance and some buildings of the medieval period. Th ...
(1958–63) and
King's College, Cambridge King's College, formally The King's College of Our Lady and Saint Nicholas in Cambridge, is a List of colleges of the University of Cambridge, constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college lies beside the River Cam and faces ...
(1963–66), where he studied
economics Economics () is a behavioral science that studies the Production (economics), production, distribution (economics), distribution, and Consumption (economics), consumption of goods and services. Economics focuses on the behaviour and interac ...
, edited student newspaper '' Varsity'' and graduated with a
master's degree A master's degree (from Latin ) is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional prac ...
.


Career


Early work

Robinson's first job in television was as a researcher on the weekly consumer affairs programme ''On the Braden Beat'' made by ATV in 1966. He started directing in BBC Current Affairs (1969–73) on '' The Money Programme'', '' 24 Hours'' and '' Nationwide''. This was followed by many episodes of popular TV drama including '' Softly, Softly: Taskforce'', ''
Play for Today ''Play for Today'' is a British television anthology drama series, produced by the BBC and transmitted on BBC1 from 1970 to 1984. During the run, more than three hundred programmes, featuring original television plays, and adaptations of stage ...
'', ''
Z-Cars ''Z-Cars'' or ''Z Cars'' (pronounced "zed cars") is a British television police procedural series centred on the work of mobile uniformed police and CID detectives in the fictional town of Newtown, based on Kirkby, near Liverpool. Produced by ...
'', ''
Emmerdale ''Emmerdale'' (known as ''Emmerdale Farm'' until 1989) is a British television soap opera that is broadcast on ITV (TV network), ITV. The show is set in Emmerdale (known as Beckindale until 1994), a List of fictional towns and villages, fict ...
'', ''
Crown Court The Crown Court is the criminal trial court, court of first instance in England and Wales responsible for hearing all indictable offences, some Hybrid offence, either way offences and appeals of the decisions of magistrates' courts. It is ...
'', ''
Coronation Street ''Coronation Street'' (colloquially referred to as ''Corrie'') is a British television soap opera created by ITV Granada, Granada Television and shown on ITV (TV network), ITV since 9 December 1960. The programme centres on a cobbled, terraced ...
'', ''
Angels An angel is a spiritual (without a physical body), heavenly, or supernatural being, usually humanoid with bird-like wings, often depicted as a messenger or intermediary between God (the transcendent) and humanity (the profane) in variou ...
'', '' Brookside'', '' Howard's Way'' and '' Bergerac''. Robinson had a "reputation as an action director", and was employed to direct two ''
Doctor Who ''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series, created by Sydney Newman, C. E. Webber and Donald Wilson (writer and producer), Donald Wilson, depicts the adventures of an extraterre ...
'' adventures, ''
Resurrection of the Daleks ''Resurrection of the Daleks'' is the fourth serial of the 21st season in the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', which was first broadcast in two weekly parts on BBC1 between 8 February and 15 February 1984. The serial w ...
'' (1984) and '' Attack of the Cybermen'' (1985). He was also responsible for casting Terry Molloy as Davros, who went on to play the role twice more on television and in further audio dramas. Under pseudonym Henry Seaton he wrote 30 episodes of Central TV's '' Crossroads'' in 1986. Writing work also included two plays about television – ''Did Anyone Else Think TK9 Was Brilliant?'' and ''SUDS'' – staged in two London
fringe theatre Fringe theatre is theatre that is produced outside of the main theatre institutions, and that is often small-scale and non-traditional in style or subject matter. The term comes from the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.Kemp, Robert, ''More that is Fr ...
s in 1981 and 1983. In fringe theatre he first met
Leslie Grantham Leslie Michael Grantham (30 April 1947 – 15 June 2018) was an English actor who played "Dirty" Den Watts in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders''. He was a convicted murderer, having served 10 years for the killing of a West Germany, West German ...
, an actor he subsequently cast in a guest role in ''Doctor Who'' and recommended for the role of
Den Watts Den Watts is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by actor Leslie Grantham. He became well known for his tabloid nickname, "Dirty Den". Den was the original landlord of The Queen Victoria public house from Albert ...
in ''EastEnders''.


''Byker Grove''

From 1989 to 1997 Robinson set up, produced and part-directed the BBC's Newcastle-based teenage drama serial '' Byker Grove''. He cast Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly as young heroes ''P.J.'' and ''Duncan'' and in 1993 launched their post-''Byker Grove'' careers. Now known as Ant & Dec they are the UK's foremost light entertainment act. Robinson told them to "Stay together through any row you have, whatever it is, be together and you could be the future Morecambe and Wise. I think they have proved that in many ways." According to the BBC, ''Byker Grove'' tackled "many controversial issues" including a gay storyline between characters Noddy and Gary which even led ''
The Sun The Sun is the star at the centre of the Solar System. It is a massive, nearly perfect sphere of hot Plasma (physics), plasma, heated to incandescence by nuclear fusion reactions in its core, radiating the energy from its surface mainly as ...
'' to call for Robinson to be sacked at the time. Robinson left ''Byker Grove'' in 1998 to become the executive producer of ''EastEnders'' but the series continued until 2006.


''EastEnders''

Having previously worked for producer Julia Smith on ''Angels'', Robinson was employed to be lead director of BBC1's soap opera ''
EastEnders ''EastEnders'' is a British television soap opera created by Julia Smith (producer), Julia Smith and Tony Holland which has been broadcast on BBC One since February 1985. Set in the fictional borough of Walford in the East End of London, the ...
'' when it launched in 1985. His early casting included actors for the iconic characters "Dirty" Den Watts (
Leslie Grantham Leslie Michael Grantham (30 April 1947 – 15 June 2018) was an English actor who played "Dirty" Den Watts in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders''. He was a convicted murderer, having served 10 years for the killing of a West Germany, West German ...
), Pauline Fowler (
Wendy Richard Wendy Richard (born Wendy Emerton; 20 July 1943 – 26 February 2009) was an English actress, best known for her television roles as Miss Shirley Brahms on the BBC sitcom ''Are You Being Served?'' from 1972 to 1985, and Pauline Fowler on the ...
), Dot Cotton (
June Brown June Muriel Brown (16 February 1927 – 3 April 2022) was an English actress and author. She was best known for her role as Dot Cotton on the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' (1985–1993; 1997–2020). In 2005, she won Best Actress at the Inside ...
),
Nick Cotton Nick Cotton is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' played by John Altman (actor), John Altman on a semi-regular basis from the soap's debut episode on 19 February 1985. Altman has stated that his initial exit was due t ...
( John Altman), Ian Beale (
Adam Woodyatt Adam Brinley Woodyatt (born 28 June 1968) is an English actor. He is known for his role as Ian Beale in the BBC One, BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', a role he has portrayed since the show's inception in 1985, making him one of the shows longest ...
), Charlie Cotton ( Christopher Hancock) and Tony Carpenter ( Oscar James). In 1998 Robinson was appointed
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 ''EastEnders'' by
Mal Young Mal Young (born 26 January 1957) is a British television producer, screenwriter and executive producer. Career Mersey TV Young began his career in graphic design. At age 27, he began working in television on the Channel 4 soap opera '' Broo ...
(BBC Head of Drama Series) and Peter Salmon (Controller of BBC1), and nicknamed the "Pope of Soap" by ''The Sun''. During his reign ''EastEnders'' won the
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 Soap" in consecutive years (1999 and 2000) and many other awards. Robinson soon earned the additional tabloid soubriquet "Axeman of Albert Square". He wrote out a large number of characters in one hit, including Sanjay Kapoor (
Deepak Verma Deepak Verma MBE (born 11 February 1969) is a British actor, writer and television/film producer of Indian Punjabi descent and Hindu heritage. His role as market-stall trader Sanjay Kapoor in long-running BBC One soap opera ''EastEnders'' brou ...
), Gita Kapoor ( Shobu Kapoor), Neelam Kapoor ( Jamila Massey), Michael Rose ( Russell Floyd), Susan Rose ( Tilly Vosburgh), Bruno and Luisa di Marco ( Leon Lissek and Stella Tanner), Ruth Fowler ( Caroline Paterson), George Palmer ( Paul Moriarty) and original character Dr Legg ( Leonard Fenton). He later wrote out other characters including Tony Hills ( Mark Homer), Simon Raymond ( Andrew Lynford) and Huw Edwards ( Richard Elis), and oversaw the high-profile exits of Tiffany Mitchell ( Martine McCutcheon), Grant Mitchell ( Ross Kemp) and Bianca Butcher ( Patsy Palmer). In their place Robinson introduced new long-running characters including Melanie Healy ( Tamzin Outhwaite), Jamie Mitchell ( Jack Ryder), Lisa Shaw ( Lucy Benjamin), Steve Owen ( Martin Kemp),
Billy Mitchell William Lendrum Mitchell (December 29, 1879 – February 19, 1936) was a United States Army officer who had a major role in the creation of the United States Air Force. Mitchell served in France during World War I and, by the conflict's end, ...
( Perry Fenwick) and reintroduced Janine Butcher as a
villain A villain (also known as a " black hat", "bad guy" or "baddy"; The New Oxford Dictionary of English (1998) – p.126 "baddy (also baddie) noun (pl. -ies) ''informal'' a villain or criminal in a book, film, etc.". the feminine form is villai ...
played by Charlie Brooks.


Later career

Robinson left ''EastEnders'' in 2000 to serve as Head of Drama for
BBC Wales BBC Cymru Wales is a division of the BBC and the main public broadcasting, public broadcaster in Wales. It is one of the four BBC national regions, alongside the BBC English Regions, BBC Northern Ireland and BBC Scotland. Established in 1964, ...
. He was executive producer on a BBC Wales production ''
Care Care may refer to: Organizations and projects * CARE (New Zealand), Citizens Association for Racial Equality, a former New Zealand organisation * CARE (England) West Midlands, Central Accident Resuscitation Emergency team, a team of doctors & ...
'' that won the ''Best Single Drama'' BAFTA Award in 2001. In May 2003, Robinson left the UK for Cambodia to devise and produce a HIV health-related TV drama. The 100 episodes of ''
Taste of Life ''Taste of Life'' () is a Taiwanese Hokkien television drama that began airing on SET Taiwan in Taiwan on 28 July 2015, from Mondays to Fridays. Synopsis Chu-Tsai, Chao and his wife have five children. Devoted all his life into developing soy s ...
'' – broadcast on the main entertainment channel, TV5, repeated on the state channel TVK – were financed by the British government through the
Department for International Development The Department for International Development (DFID) was a Departments of the Government of the United Kingdom, ministerial department of the government of the United Kingdom, from 1997 to 2020. It was responsible for administering foreign aid ...
and managed by the BBC World Service Trust. In 2006, after ''Taste of Life'' ended its run (at one point gaining an audience of just over 50% of the country's population – then 14 million), he set up a film and television production company, Khmer Mekong Films (KMF), in Cambodia's capital
Phnom Penh Phnom Penh is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Cambodia, most populous city of Cambodia. It has been the national capital since 1865 and has grown to become the nation's primate city and its political, economic, industr ...
. In addition to KMF's numerous TV dramas, documentaries and TV spots, he has produced ten
Khmer language Khmer ( ; , Romanization of Khmer#UNGEGN, UNGEGN: ) is an Austroasiatic language spoken natively by the Khmer people. This language is an official language and national language of Cambodia. The language is also widely spoken by Khmer people i ...
feature films, seven released on the Cambodian cinema circuit – '' Staying Single When'' (2007), ''Palace of Dreams'' (2008) (for BBC World Service Trust), '' Vanished'' (2009) and ''Price of Love'' (2016) (directed and written by Robinson based on an original story by BBC script producer Stuart Cheetham). ''Price of Love'' won four top awards at the 5th Cambodian National Film Festival (2017), including Best Film and Best Actress. ''King Selfie'', directed and written by Robinson based on a story by English novelist
Matthew Baylis Matthew Baylis (born 1971), also known as Matt Baylis and M. H. Baylis, is a British novelist, screenwriter and journalist. Early life Baylis was born in Nottingham. He was educated at Merchant Taylors' Boys' School, Crosby, and Trinity Colleg ...
, was released in Cambodia in March 2018. A thriller, ''Fear'', was released in July 2019 to critical acclaim but mediocre box office takings. The seventh film, ''Move Out'' (in the popular 'Khmer Ghost Movie' genre), was released across Cambodia on 5 December 2019, achieving excellent box office returns. All stages of an eighth feature film, ''360 Degrees'', a romantic comedy, were completed in January 2020. Shooting on a ninth film, ''Day in the Country'', was completed in December 2019, a four-year project about an arranged marriage written and directed by Robinson. Exhibition of the eighth and ninth films await the return of full audiences to Cambodian cinemas once fears of COVID-19 have diminished. A tenth feature film, ''Dance Till You Drop'', a Bollywood-style movie set in Phnom Penh, started shooting in February 2020 but had to be abandoned in March because of dangers to the performers and crew from COVID. In late October 2020, filming resumed and, after a fortnight, the movie was completed on 2 November. Its release, as with ''360 Degrees'' and ''Day in the Country'', await the all-clear from the local cinema circuit. Since 2015, Robinson has written a blog on ''EastEnders'' fansite Walford Web, sharing anecdotes about his two stints working on the show (1984–87 and 1998–99).


Personal life

Robinson is the older brother of singer-songwriter, bassist, radio presenter and long-time
LGBT LGBTQ people are individuals who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning. Many variants of the initialism are used; LGBTQIA+ people incorporates intersex, asexual, aromantic, agender, and other individuals. The gro ...
rights activist Tom Robinson. In 2020 Robinson received Cambodian citizenship from Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen following support from the Minister of Culture and Fine Arts.


References


External links


''The Suns "Pope of Soap" article 18 July 1998Khmer Mekong FilmsMatthew Robinson's Walford Web blog''Taste of Life''
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Robinson, Matthew 1944 births Living people Alumni of King's College, Cambridge BBC executives BBC television producers British expatriates in Cambodia British film producers British soap opera producers British television directors Businesspeople from London People educated at Friends School Saffron Walden Writers from London