Jonathan Paul Harvey (born 13 June 1968) is an English screen actor and

playwright A playwright or dramatist is a person who writes plays. Etymology The word "play" is from Middle English pleye, from Old English plæġ, pleġa, plæġa ("play, exercise; sport, game; drama, applause"). The word "wright" is an archaic English ...

Life and works

Harvey was born at

Liverpool Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a popul ...

Lancashire Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated Lancs) is the name of a historic county, ceremonial county, and non-metropolitan county in North West England. The boundaries of these three areas differ significantly. The non-metropolitan county of Lancashi ...

in 1968 to Maureen and Brian Harvey. He has a brother, Timothy, who is a music teacher in

Chester Chester is a cathedral city and the county town of Cheshire, England. It is located on the River Dee, close to the English–Welsh border. With a population of 79,645 in 2011,"2011 Census results: People and Population Profile: Chester Loca ...

. A former secondary school English teacher, his first serious attempt as a playwright was in 1987. He entered a competition, with a first prize of £1,000, for young writers at the

Liverpool Playhouse The Liverpool Playhouse is a theatre in Williamson Square in the city of Liverpool, England. It originated in 1866 as a music hall, and in 1911 developed into a repertory theatre. As such it nurtured the early careers of many actors and actress ...

, with his play ''The Cherry Blossom Tree'', a blend of suicide, murder and nuns. He won National Girobank Young Writer of the Year Award for ''The Cherry Blossom Tree''. Encouraged by this success he wrote ''Mohair'' (1988), ''Wildfire'' (1992) and ''Babies'' (1993), the latter won the '

George Devine Award George Alexander Cassady Devine (20 November 1910 – 20 January 1966) was an English theatrical manager, director, teacher, and actor based in London from the early 1930s until his death. He also worked in TV and film. Early life and education ...

' for 1993 and The Evening Standard's 'Most Promising Playwright Award' for 1994. In 1993, Harvey, premiered '' Beautiful Thing'', a gay-themed play-turned-film for which he won the

John Whiting Award Between 1965 and 2010, the John Whiting Award (from 2007 renamed the Peter Wolff Trust Supports the John Whiting Award) was awarded annually to a British or Commonwealth playwright who, in the opinion of a consortium of UK theatres, showed a new ...

in 1994. In 1995 his play ''Boom Bang-a-Bang'' premiered at the

Bush Theatre The Bush Theatre is located in the Passmore Edwards Public Library, Shepherd's Bush, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. It was established in 1972 as a showcase for the work of new writers. The Bush Theatre strives to create a spa ...

, London, and was originally directed by

Kathy Burke Katherine Lucy Bridget Burke (born 13 June 1964) is an English actress, comedian, writer, producer, and director. She achieved fame with her appearances on sketch shows such as ''French and Saunders'' (1988–1999) and her recurring role as Mag ...

. Harvey cites it as "my most comic play ever, but with some dark bits". Centred on a group of friends gathering to watch the

Eurovision Song Contest The Eurovision Song Contest (), sometimes abbreviated to ESC and often known simply as Eurovision, is an international songwriting competition organised annually by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), featuring participants representing pr ...

, the play was a sell-out. Also in 1995 ''Rupert Street Lonely Hearts Club'' was premiered. ''Guiding Star'' (1998), is a portrayal of a man's struggle to come to terms with the

Hillsborough disaster The Hillsborough disaster was a fatal human crush during a football match at Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, on 15 April 1989. It occurred during an FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest in the ...

, while ''Hushabye Mountain'' (1999) deals with a world that has learned to live with

HIV/AIDS Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual ...

. Television and film works include: ''West End Girls'' (Carlton); ''Love Junkie'' (BBC); ''Beautiful Thing'' (

Channel Four Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a fourth television service i ...

/Island World Productions); the 1999-2001 hit/cult comedy series starring Kathy Burke and

James Dreyfus James Dreyfus (born 9 October 1968) is an English actor most notable for roles on television sitcoms ''The Thin Blue Line (British TV series), The Thin Blue Line'' as Constable Kevin Goody, and ''Gimme Gimme Gimme (TV series), Gimme Gimme Gimme ...

, '' Gimme Gimme Gimme'' (Tiger Aspect); ''

Murder Most Horrid ''Murder Most Horrid'' is a British black comedy anthology series starring Dawn French. It was broadcast on BBC Two for four series runs, in 1991, 1994, 1996 and 1999. Created by Paul Smith (television writer), Paul Smith, who also co-created '' ...

'' (

BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board ex ...

); and ''

Coronation Street ''Coronation Street'' is an English soap opera created by Granada Television and shown on ITV since 9 December 1960. The programme centres around a cobbled, terraced street in Weatherfield, a fictional town based on inner-city Salford. Origi ...

'' (

ITV ITV or iTV may refer to: ITV *Independent Television (ITV), a British television network, consisting of: ** ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network covering the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islan ...

). He wrote the book for '' Closer to Heaven'', a stage musical with songs and music written by

Pet Shop Boys The Pet Shop Boys are an English synth-pop duo formed in London in 1981. Consisting of primary vocalist Neil Tennant and keyboardist Chris Lowe, they have sold more than 50 million records worldwide, and were listed as the most successful duo i ...

. ''Closer to Heaven'' ran for nine months at the

Arts Theatre The Arts Theatre is a theatre in Great Newport Street, in Westminster, Central London. History It opened on 20 April 1927 as a members-only club for the performance of unlicensed plays, thus avoiding theatre censorship by the Lord Chamberl ...

in London during 2001 and in Australia in 2005. In 2003, on hearing the singer-actress Abi Roberts perform, he offered to write a solo show for her. ''Taking Charlie'' was the outcome, staged at the 2004

Edinburgh Festival __NOTOC__ This is a list of arts and cultural festivals regularly taking place in Edinburgh, Scotland. The city has become known for its festivals since the establishment in 1947 of the Edinburgh International Festival and the Edinburgh Fe ...

with Roberts starring, under the direction of

Susan Tully Susan Tully (born 20 October 1967) is an English actress, television producer, and television director. Her most prominent television acting roles were those of rebellious teenager Suzanne Ross in ''Grange Hill'' and single mother Michelle Fowl ...

. The piece was darkly comic and focused on the destructive nature of an insecure, 30 year-old addict. His first novel ''All She Wants'' was published in 2012 by

Pan Books Pan Books is a publishing imprint that first became active in the 1940s and is now part of the British-based Macmillan Publishers, owned by the Georg von Holtzbrinck Publishing Group of Germany. Pan Books began as an independent publisher, est ...

. Since 2013, Harvey has co-written the

Radio Four BBC Radio 4 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC that replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. It broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history from the BBC' ...

sitcom series '' What Does the K Stand For?'' based on the experiences of comedian

Stephen K. Amos Stephen Kehinde Amos (born 3 December 1967) is a British stand-up comedian and television personality. A regular on the international comedy circuit, he is known for including his audience members during his shows. He began his career as a co ...

growing up as a teenager in south London in the 1980s. The programme's third series commenced in January 2017. Harvey is married to

casting director In the performing arts industry such as theatre, film, or television, casting, or a casting call, is a pre-production process for selecting a certain type of actor, dancer, singer, or extra (acting), extra for a particular role or part in a scr ...

Paul Hunt.

Works

Plays

*2020: '' Our Lady of Blundellsands'' *2012: ''

Panto! ''Panto!'' is a 2012 one-off Christmas special, made by Baby Cow Productions and broadcast by ITV (TV network), ITV on Thursday 27 December 2012. The special centres on Lewis Loud, a local Morecambe disk jockey in his stage debut of Dick Whittin ...

'' *2010: ''Canary'' (2010) (

Playhouse Theatre The Playhouse Theatre is a West End theatre in the City of Westminster, located in Northumberland Avenue, near Trafalgar Square, central London. The Theatre was built by F. H. Fowler and Hill with a seating capacity of 1,200. It was rebuilt i ...

, Liverpool/

Hampstead Theatre Hampstead Theatre is a theatre in South Hampstead in the London Borough of Camden. It specialises in commissioning and producing new writing, supporting and developing the work of new writers. Roxana Silbert has been the artistic director since ...

, London) *2004: ''Taking Charlie'' (2004) *2001: ''Out in the Open'' (2001) *1999: ''Hushabye Mountain'' (1999) *1998: ''Guiding Star'' (1998) *1995: ''Rupert Street Lonely Hearts Club'' (1995) *1995: ''Boom Bang-A-Bang'' (

, 1995); Rupert Street Lonely Hearts Club (English Touring Theatre/Contact Theatre Company,

Donmar Warehouse The Donmar Warehouse is a 251-seat, not-for-profit theatre in Covent Garden, London, England. It first opened on 18 July 1977. Sam Mendes, Michael Grandage and Josie Rourke have all served as artistic director, a post held since 2019 by Micha ...

Criterion Theatre The Criterion Theatre is a West End theatre at Piccadilly Circus in the City of Westminster, and is a Grade II* listed building. It has a seating capacity of 588. Building the theatre In 1870, the caterers Spiers and Pond began development ...

, London, 1995). *1994: ''Babies'' (

Royal National Theatre The Royal National Theatre in London, commonly known as the National Theatre (NT), is one of the United Kingdom's three most prominent publicly funded performing arts venues, alongside the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Royal Opera House. I ...

Studio/

Royal Court Theatre The Royal Court Theatre, at different times known as the Court Theatre, the New Chelsea Theatre, and the Belgravia Theatre, is a non-commercial West End theatre in Sloane Square, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London, Englan ...

, 1994), winner

1993 and

Evening Standard The ''Evening Standard'', formerly ''The Standard'' (1827–1904), also known as the ''London Evening Standard'', is a local free daily newspaper in London, England, published Monday to Friday in tabloid format. In October 2009, after be ...

's Most Promising Playwright Award 1994. *1993: '' Beautiful Thing'' (

, London, 1993 and

, London/

Duke of York's Theatre The Duke of York's Theatre is a West End theatre in St Martin's Lane, in the City of Westminster, London. It was built for Frank Wyatt and his wife, Violet Melnotte, who retained ownership of the theatre until her death in 1935. Designed by th ...

, London, 1994), winner of the

1994. *1992: ''Wildfire'' (

Upstairs, 1992). *1988: ''Mohair'' (Royal Court Young Writers Festival, London/International Festival of Young Playwrights, Sydney, 1988). *1987: ''The Cherry Blossom Tree'' (

Studio, 1987) which won him the 1987 National Girobank Young Writer of the Year Award.

Musicals

* 2019: '' Musik'' * 2018: ''

Dusty - The Dusty Springfield Musical Dusty may refer to: Places in the United States * Dusty, New Mexico, an unincorporated community * Dusty, Washington, an unincorporated community * Dusty Glacier, Washington People * Dusty (given name) * Dusty (nickname) * Slim Dusty, Australia ...

'' * 2001: '' Closer to Heaven''

Television and film

*2016: ''

Tracey Ullman's Show ''Tracey Ullman's Show'' is a British sketch comedy television series starring Tracey Ullman. ''Tracey Ullman's Show'' premiered on BBC One on 11 January 2016. The programme marks her first project for the broadcaster in over thirty years, and ...

'' (

) (2016 – present) *2009: '' Octavia'' (

) *2008: '' Beautiful People'' (

) (2008–2009) *2004: ''

Big Brother Panto ''Big Brother Panto'' is a special series of '' Big Brother'' that brought together ten housemates from previous ''Big Brothers'' to produce the pantomime ''Cinderella''. It aired from 20 December 2004 to 5 January 2005 on the Channel 4 network. ...

'' (

Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned enterprise, state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a four ...

) (2004-2005) *2004: ''

'' (

) (2004 – present) *1999: ''

'' (

) *1999: '' Gimme Gimme Gimme'' (

) (1999-2001) *1996: '' Beautiful Thing'' (

/Island World Productions) *1993: ''West End Girls'' (

Carlton Carlton may refer to: People * Carlton (name), a list of those with the given name or surname * Carlton (singer), English soul singer Carlton McCarthy * Carlton, a pen name used by Joseph Caldwell (1773–1835), American educator, Presbyterian ...

) *1992: ''Love Junkie'' (

)

Fiction

*2012: ''All She Wants'',

, *2013: ''The Confusion of Karen Carpenter'', Pan Books, *2014: ''The Girl Who Just Appeared'', Pan Books, *2015: ''The Secrets We Keep'', Pan Books, *2016: ''The History of Us'', Pan Books,

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Harvey, Jonathan 1968 births English dramatists and playwrights Living people LGBT writers from England Schoolteachers from Merseyside English soap opera writers LGBT dramatists and playwrights People educated at Liverpool Blue Coat School English male dramatists and playwrights British male television writers