Tony McHale was born in Bradford and educated at Hanson Grammar School, before going to the Rose Bruford College of Speech and Drama. He worked extensively as an actor in theatre appearing at various theatres including Birmingham Rep, the Belgrade Coventry, Chester Gateway and Windsor Theatre Royal. His film appearances varied from A Bridge Too Far to That’ll Be The Day to The People That Time Forgot. On television he appeared in a wide range of shows such as The Liver Birds, Terry and June, The Cost Of Loving, Game For A Laugh and Beadle’s About. The high point of his acting career was killing his own career by murdering Ernie Bishop in Coronation Street. During this period he developed his skills as a writer and director. As a stage director his diverse credits range from on Golden Pound, to Laburnum Grove, to Bent, to Chekhov’s Three Sisters – which was performed in drag.
He has worked constantly as a radio drama writer and his work includes Still Life [which was also later adapted for the stage] and the award winning No Get Out Clause, Get It Off Your Chest, Son From Soho and Overheard.
But over the last twenty-five years he has become renowned for his work as a writer on television, with literally hundreds of hours of screen credits to his name.
His writing credits include:
- MURPHY’S LAW [TIGER ASPECT FOR BBC]
- WAKING THE DEAD [BBC]
- DALZIEL AND PASCOE [BBC]
- SILENT WITNESS [BBC]
- BEECH IS BACK [ITV]
- SECOND SIGHT [ITV]
- HEADLESS [SANCTUARY FILMS FOR C5]
- DANGERFIELD [BBC]
- EASTENDERS [BBC]
- CASUALTY [BBC]
- PERFECT SCOUNDRELS [ITV]
- BOON [ITV]
- SARACENS [ITV]
- ALL CHANGE [ITV]
- THE BILL [ITV]
- ELDORADO [BBC]
- TRIAL AND RETRIBUTION [ITV]
and his own international award-winning five hour television thriller made by London Films for the BBC - Resort To Murder – which was winner of the Cologne Film and Television Festival. He was also engaged to co-create and write on the successful BBC hospital drama Holby City, for which he won a BAFTA for Best Continuing Drama. He is at present the programme’s Executive Producer and Series Consultant.
Tony is currently working on two feature films - Mark Of Cain and Death Of A Dead Man. He also has a number of television projects currently in development for BBC, ITV and SKY.
And then there’s Bloodbath … his own rock horror musical for the stage which will be unleashed on the public early next year. Check out the website www.bloodbaththemusical.com
Tony lectures all over the world on screen writing and directing.