Andrew Davies

A classic late-in-life success, Andrew Davies has produced sterling work through his long and distinguished career, but it was only in his later years that he had the acclaim he deserved. Born and raised in Wales, Davies began his career as a storyteller in 1964 as a writer for BBC Radio. Three years later he made the transition to their television operation with the children's educational series "Look and Read." Continuing a career-long commitment to children's programming, Davies created "Marmalade Atkins," a character who appeared in various TV series and books, beginning in 1982. Davies' first major film success came in 1995 with his screen adaptation of Maeve Binchley's popular novel "Circle of Friends," starring Minnie Driver, Chris O'Donnell, and Alan Cumming. Well known for his adaptations of classic English literature, Davies wrote the Jane Austen-based miniseries "Pride and Prejudice," "Sense and Sensibility," and "Northanger Abbey," among others. Davies' best-known mainstream works are "Bridget Jones's Diary" and its sequel, both starring Renee Zellweger, Hugh Grant, and Colin Firth. Davies won the 2009 Emmy for Outstanding Writing for his television adaptation of the Charles Dickens novel "Little Dorrit." Earning critical acclaim throughout his career, he has been nominated for 16 BAFTA awards and is the winner of four.