Paul
Schlesinger

Producer and director 

Paul is an executive producer, producer and director. 

He has produced and directed award winning series on both radio and television including the cult Channel 4 series The Windsors, People Like Us (RTS, Sony and British Comedy Awards), The Sunday Format, the BAFTA-nominated Ted and Ralph with Paul Whitehouse and Charlie Higson, Wild West (Dawn French and Catherine Tate), and Absolute Power starring Stephen Fry. 

His collaborations with John Morton started with People Like Us on Radio 4 in 1993 and have continued with the BAFTA winning Twenty Twelve and most recently W1A. 

Paul is currently developing drama projects with Hugh Bonneville and Sarah Parish, a political dynasty drama with journalist Owen Bennett - Jones, the life of pioneering footballer Jack Leslie and an epic series featuring a Conan Doyle creation with Jack Whitehall attached.

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CV

Television

Executive Producer 

Marvin Can't Fail
1 x 30'
Creator Ryan Sampson
Producer Tom Jordan
Director Ian Fitzgibbon
Starring
  • Ryan Sampson
  • Paul Ritter
  • Katherine Parkinson
    •

    Comedy pilot about bus tour guides written by and starring Ryan Sampson

    Hat Trick for ITV 2
    Flack
    Creator Oliver Lansley
    Producer Mark Talbot
    Director Adam Miller
    Starring
  • Sheridan Smith
  • Phoebe Waller-Bridge
  • Esther Smith
    •

    Original comedy pilot by Oliver Lansley starring Sheridan Smith

    Hat Trick for Channel 4
    Great Night Out
    6 x 60'
    Producer Pat Lees and Angela Sinden
    Director Elliot Hegarty
    Writer Justin Sbresni and Mark Bussell
    Starring
  • Lee Boardman
  • William Ash
  • Craig Parkinson
    •

    Comedy drama following the misadventures of four former school friends


    Hat Trick for ITV
    The Cricklewood Greats
    Creator Peter Capaldi
    Producer Adam Tandy
    Director Peter Capaldi
    Writer Peter Capaldi and Tony Roche
    Starring
  • Peter Capaldi
  • Kelly Adams
  • Ben Aldridge
    •

    Spoof documentary for BBC Four

    BBC Four
    That Mitchell and Webb Look
    Producer Gareth Edwards
    Director Ben Gosling Fuller
    Starring
  • David Mitchell
  • Robert Webb
    •

    Comedy sketch show featuring David Mitchell and Robert Webb

    BBC for BBC Two
    The Great Outdoors
    Producer Alex Walsh-Taylor
    Director Catherine Morshead
    Writer Kevin Cecil & Andy Riley
    Starring
  • Ruth Jones
  • Mark Heap
  • Steve Edge
  • Katherine Parkinson
  • Stephen Wight
    •

    Comedy which follows the hikes, heartaches, friendships and rivalries of a misfit rambling club

    BBC for BBC4, BBC2

    Director 

    Power Monkeys
    6 x 30'
    Creator Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin
    Producer Debbie Pisani

    Topical comedy set within the E.U. Referendum campaign following both camps along with political aides who serve Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. A spin-off from 2015 comedy series Ballot Monkeys

    Hat Trick for Channel 4
    Boomers, Series 2
    1 x 30'
    Creator Richard Pinto
    Starring
  • Stephanie Beacham
  • Russ Abbot
  • Alison Steadman
  • June Whitfield
    •
    Hat Trick for BBC One
    Ballot Monkeys
    5 x 30'
    Creator Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin
    Producer Debbie Pisani
    Starring
  • Sarah Hadland
  • Andy Nyman
  • Rhashan Stone
    •

    Satirical political comedy that focuses on the four main British political parties in the run up to the 2015 General Election

    Hat Trick for Channel 4
    My Life in Film
    1 x 30'
    Creator Mark Chappell
    Starring
  • Kris Marshall
  • Andrew Scott
  • Stephen Merchant
    •

    Pilot for BBC Comedy 

    Producer 

    W1A, Series 1 - 3
    Creator John Morton
    Director John Morton
    Starring
  • Hugh Bonneville
  • Jessica Hynes
  • Sarah Parish
  • Nina Sosanya
  • Jason Watkins
    •

    Comedy follow up to Twenty Twelve, as former Olympic head of deliverance Ian Fletcher begins his new job as the BBC's head of values.

    BBC for BBC Two
    Twenty Twelve, Series 1 - 3
    Creator John Morton
    Director John Morton
    Starring
  • Hugh Bonneville
  • Jessica Hynes
  • Olivia Colman
  • Amelia Bullmore
    •

    Comedy starring Hugh Bonneville, following the team responsible for delivering the biggest show on earth: the 2012 Olympics

    BBC for BBC Two
    Broken News
    6 x 30'
    Creator John Morton
    Director
    Starring
  • Sharon Horgan
  • Sarah Hadland
  • Benedict Cumberbatch
    •

    Comedy programme poking fun at the world of 24-hour rolling news channels

    BBC Two
    Absolute Power
    Creator Mark Tavener
    Writer Andy Rattenbury, Guy Andrews, Mark Lawson, and Georgia Pritchett
    Starring
  • Stephen Fry
  • James Lance
  • John Bird
    •

    Comedy series about the inner workings of a successful PR firm 

    BBC Two
    Wild West
    Creator Simon Nye
    Director Jonathan Gershfield and Juliet May
    Starring
  • Catherine Tate
  • Dawn French
    •
    BBC One
    The Gist

    Spoof arts show for the launch night of BBC Four.
    People Like Us, Series 1 - 2
    Creator
    Director John Morton
    Starring
  • Chris Langham
  • David Tennant
  • Robert Webb
  • Olivia Colman
  • Bill Nighy
    •

    Spoof fly-on-the-wall documentary series in which inept interviewer Roy Mallard investigates a different profession in each episode

    BBC Two
    Chambers
    Creator Clive Coleman
    Director John Stroud
    Starring
  • John Bird
  • Sarah Lancashire
  • James Fleet
    •

    Comedy series set in perhaps the country's least spectacular law chambers

    BBC for BBC One
    Beast
    Creator Simon Nye
    Director Martin Dennis
    Starring
  • Alexander Armstrong
  • Doon Mackichan
  • Emma Pierson
    •

    Chronicling the lives of people working at a veterinary practice.

    BBC One
    Ted and Ralph
    Creator Charlie Higson and Paul Whitehouse
    Director Christine Gernon
    Starring
  • Paul Whitehouse
  • Charlie Higson
  • Kathy Burke
    •

    TV film featuring Ted and Ralph characters from The Fast Show
    Europigeon
    Creator Graham Fellows and Martin Willis
    Director Willy Smax
    Starring
  • Graham Fellows
  • Peter Serafinowicz
  • Cheryl Baker
    •

    Spoof music documentary

    Radio

    Head of Development 

    BBC Head of Radio Comedy

    Paul was head of BBC Radio Comedy from 2005 - 2008.  During his tenure he commissioned series ideas from David Nobbs, Micky Flanagan, Mark Watson and John Lloyd.


    Production Company BBC Comedy

    Producer 

    Afternoon Plays

    Produced and directed original plays from a range of writers including The Importance of Being Frank by Tom Holland (Sony Award nominated), and Almost Always African by Annie Caulfield.

    Production Company BBC Radio Drama
    Broadcaster BBC Radio 4

    Editor 

    Thirty Minute Drama

    Commissioned plays from a variety of new and emerging writers including Amanda Swift and Ian Macpherson.

    Production Company BBC Radio
    Broadcaster BBC Radio 4