Simon Blackwell

Prolific British television writer Simon Blackwell was a major creative force behind writer-producer Armando Iannucci's award-winning series "The Thick of It" (BBC Four, 2005-2012) and "Veep" (HBO, 2012- )Born May 27,1966 in the South London district of Battersea, Blackwell began his professional writing career in 1997, penning scripts for BBC Radio comedies like "The Sunday Format" (BBC Radio 4, 1996- ) and "Dead Ringers" (BBC Radio Two/Four, 2002-2007, 2014- ). Two years later, he moved into writing for television, contributing to specials, variety series and award shows like the International Emmy Award-winning "The Kumars at No. 42" (BBC One/Two, 2001- ) and "Gash" (Channel 4, 2003), which marked his first collaboration with Armando Iannucci. Two years later, Blackwell reteamed with Iannucci and several other "Gash" writers for the celebrated political satire "The Thick of It," which earned him two BAFTA TV Award nominations. With Iannucci, Blackwell also co-wrote "In the Loop" (2009), a feature film spun off from "Thick" that earned an Oscar nomination for Best Screenplay. During this period, he also contributed to "Thick Of It" writer Jesse Armstrong's acclaimed comedy series "Peep Show" (Channel 4, 2003-2016) and "The Old Guys" (BBC One, 2009- ), as well as his feature "Four Lions" (2010), about an inept quartet of would-be terrorists. In 2012, he reunited again with Iannucci as writer and executive producer for the HBO comedy "Veep," for which he earned two Emmys - Outstanding Comedy Series and Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series - 2015. While producing "Veep," Blackwell also stepped out on his own to create "Trying Again" (Sky Living, 2014), a melancholy comedy about a couple attempting to rebuild their relationship after an affair.