FEATURES
‘ If you want to have laughs , work in news ’
FEATURES
20 Questions
Steven D Wright is a well-known television producer , responsible for generating more than £ 45m of programme commissions . He was named by Variety as ‘ one of the top 25 names in UK entertainment ’ and has several hundred primetime shows to his credit . He formed his own TV production company , Kerfuffle TV , in spring 2016 .
What does the D stand for ? Douglas . It ’ s there to differentiate me from the other Steve Wrights .
What gets you out of bed in the morning ? My bladder .
How many hours a week do you work ? In TV , you never really stop . You ’ re on all the time . It can be like junior doctor hours .
Who gave you your first career break ? Paul Ross took a risk and hired me as a researcher for The Word in 1992 .
What do you love / hate most about your job ? I love watching programmes and I like making programmes . I hate selling them .
Most used expression ? ‘ For fuck ’ s sake .’
Biggest TV legal pickle you ’ ve got yourself into ? I ’ ve been sued several times but the worst time was by the Federation of Bakers over additives in bread . It was tough , but they lost . Be careful what you say about factory-made bread .
Favourite place in London to have fun
? Soho or Shoreditch . The Ivy Club is good for a laugh .
Favourite drink ? Kir .
Favourite restaurant ? The Delauney ( 55 Aldwych , London WC2B 4BB ).
Favourite shop ? Poundland .
What are you reading at the moment ? The Descent of Man by Grayson Perry .
Favourite TV show ? Morgana Robinson ’ s The Agency .
Guilty TV pleasure ? Hard . I watch a lot of shit . Judge Rinder ?
Dream dinner party guests ? Peter Ustinov , Ronnie Corbett and Jane Austen .
Who would you least like to get stuck in a lift with ? The last commissioner who turned down my ideas . There ’ s quite a few of them .
‘ If you want to have laughs , work in news ’
First record ? Never Mind the Bollocks by the Sex Pistols .
What advice would you give someone starting out in TV ? Don ’ t . Get a job in the City . Make a few million . Then you can watch TV and fund your own indie .
Best advice you ’ ve been given by a colleague ? If you want to have laughs , work in news or current affairs . If you want to hate your life and never laugh again , work in entertainment .
Biggest challenge facing the TV industry today ? Blinkered and overly riskaverse commissioners . They will ultimately make TV boring and the audience will switch off . Good ideas aren ’ t necessarily good ideas straight away .
Biggest work regret ? Not taking a job on a US talk show in Los Angeles in 1998 . They wanted me to fly out in three days , I asked for seven , they said no and that was that .
Favourite show you ’ ve worked on ? The Story of Light Entertainment for the BBC felt like a landmark programme .
Last three websites you visited ? Xtube . com , Facebook and blindgossip . com .
Describe yourself in five words . Giant pain in the arse .
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