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Simon Farnaby

Writer

Represented by:

Humphrey Elles-Hill

Simon Farnaby is a screenwriter and actor. He is currently working on the WONKA prequel alongside long-term collaborator Paul King who will direct the feature for Warner Bros. He has adapted his book THE PHANTOM OF THE OPEN (which he co-wrote with Scott Murray) into feature film of the same name, starring Mark Rylance which is set to release early 2022. He stars in, and has written on BBC hit comedy GHOSTS, which has now gone to series in America with CBS. He also wrote THE FARAWAY TREE for StudioCanal, cult favourite MINDHORN for Scott Free and BBCFilms, and the much lauded BAFTA nominated classic PADDINGTON 2 with Paul King for David Heyman and StudioCanal. Simon’s first children’s book  THE WIZARD IN MY SHED has also been picked up by a major studio, and his follow up THE WARRIOR IN MY WARDROBE has just hit the shelves.

Credits

FEATURE FILM
Date: 2023
Production (role):
WONKA (Co-writer)
Company:
Heyday Films / Warner Bros
Project details:
DIRECTOR: Paul King
STARRING: Timothée Chamalet, Olivia Colman, Sally Hawkins
PRODUCED BY: David Heyman, Luke Kelly, Alexandra Derbyshire
EXECUTIVE PRODUCED BY: Rosie Alison, Kevin McCormick, Michael Siegal
Date: 2020
Production (role):
THE PHANTOM OF THE OPEN
Company:
BabyCow Films / Cornerstone Films / AI Film / BBC Films
Project details:
DIRECTOR: Craig Roberts
STARRING: Mark Rylance
PRODUCED BY: Nichola Martin, Tom Miller and Kate Glover
EXECUTIVE PRODUCED BY: Christine Langan and James Swarbrick
Date: 2017
Production (role):
MISTER BENN
Company:
Mandeville / Disney
Date: 2016-17
Production (role):
PADDINGTON 2 (Co-Writer)
Company:
Heyday / Studiocanal
Project details:
DIRECTOR: Paul King
STARRING: Ben Whishaw, Hugh Grant, Sally Hawkins
PRODUCED BY: David Heyman
Date: 2016
Production (role):
MINDHORN
Company:
Scott Free / BBC Films / Studiocanal
Project details:
DIRECTOR: Sean Foley
Production (role):
MAGIC FARAWAY TREE
Company:
StudioCanal
Project details:
Producer: Sam Mendes
IN DEVELOPMENT
TELEVISION
Date: 2021
Production (role):
GHOSTS (US)
Company:
CBS
Project details:
Executive Producer
Date: 2019 - 2021
Production (role):
GHOSTS
Company:
BBC ONE
Project details:
Co-Writer & Executive Producer
6 x 30'

“With wonderful costumes and just the right balance of hammy and withering, this is jolly good fun. In all: an original and imaginative concept, slickly executed.”
Sarah Carson, The i

"The comedy is gentle and nicely observed and, for a show about death, curiously life-affirming.”
Carol Midgley, The Times

"... a landslide of puns and slapstick... repeatedly whacking you over the funny bone till you succumb.”
Christopher Stevens, Daily Mail
Date: 2013-16
Production (role):
YONDERLAND
Company:
Working Title / Sky
Project details:
x 4 episodes

Credits

  • Date
    Production (role)
    Company
    Project details
  • Date: 2023
    Production (role): WONKA (Co-writer)
    Company: Heyday Films / Warner Bros
    Project details: DIRECTOR: Paul King
    STARRING: Timothée Chamalet, Olivia Colman, Sally Hawkins
    PRODUCED BY: David Heyman, Luke Kelly, Alexandra Derbyshire
    EXECUTIVE PRODUCED BY: Rosie Alison, Kevin McCormick, Michael Siegal
  • Date: 2020
    Production (role): THE PHANTOM OF THE OPEN
    Company: BabyCow Films / Cornerstone Films / AI Film / BBC Films
    Project details: DIRECTOR: Craig Roberts
    STARRING: Mark Rylance
    PRODUCED BY: Nichola Martin, Tom Miller and Kate Glover
    EXECUTIVE PRODUCED BY: Christine Langan and James Swarbrick
  • Date: 2017
    Production (role): MISTER BENN
    Company: Mandeville / Disney
    Project details:
  • Date: 2016-17
    Production (role): PADDINGTON 2 (Co-Writer)
    Company: Heyday / Studiocanal
    Project details: DIRECTOR: Paul King
    STARRING: Ben Whishaw, Hugh Grant, Sally Hawkins
    PRODUCED BY: David Heyman
  • Date: 2016
    Production (role): MINDHORN
    Company: Scott Free / BBC Films / Studiocanal
    Project details: DIRECTOR: Sean Foley
  • Date:
    Production (role): MAGIC FARAWAY TREE
    Company: StudioCanal
    Project details: Producer: Sam Mendes
    IN DEVELOPMENT
  • Date
    Production (role)
    Company
    Project details
  • Date: 2021
    Production (role): GHOSTS (US)
    Company: CBS
    Project details: Executive Producer
  • Date: 2019 - 2021
    Production (role): GHOSTS
    Company: BBC ONE
    Project details: Co-Writer & Executive Producer
    6 x 30'

    “With wonderful costumes and just the right balance of hammy and withering, this is jolly good fun. In all: an original and imaginative concept, slickly executed.”
    Sarah Carson, The i

    "The comedy is gentle and nicely observed and, for a show about death, curiously life-affirming.”
    Carol Midgley, The Times

    "... a landslide of puns and slapstick... repeatedly whacking you over the funny bone till you succumb.”
    Christopher Stevens, Daily Mail
  • Date: 2013-16
    Production (role): YONDERLAND
    Company: Working Title / Sky
    Project details: x 4 episodes
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