What training have you received?
I received a BA Hons in Drama from Loughborough University, and an MA in Screenwriting from London College of Printing, plus many Script Factory courses. What themes do you like to explore in your work? How everyone lies. Seriously, I write about things that I see played out in my life. Family. Love. Injustice. Social change. Written down like that, it sounds highminded, but it’s really small vignettes, comments on my own life that I hope will resonate. I also try and make sure my work has heart and humanity. Cynicism is totally overrated. My most serious obsession, however, is Barack Obama and how hope has been marketed as the power for social change. I even have the standee in my office to give me inspiration!

What’s the best advice you’ve been given as a writer?
Serve the story. Make sure you’re saying something. Make everything a little movie. And from that amazing producer Sally Hibbin: “TV is complex story, simple character. Film is simple story, complex character.” A brilliant rule of thumb when you’re tackling bigger projects is to keep it simple. Lastly, remember that as a writer you might have several projects on the go at any one time, so get organised. Buy a diary; life is going to get complicated.

Most significant moment in your career so far?
Seeing my episode of Shameless on TV. Oh, and watching Leaving Home, the short film I recently wrote and directed for the Virgin Shorts competition, edited and graded…

You’ll die happy when…?
One of my feature films gets made. Although, by then I’ll probably be too blind, deaf and incontinent to appreciate it!