John is widely acknowledged as the UK’s foremost expert on story. He has spent years analysing not just how stories work but why they resonate with audiences around the globe, and his book, Into the Woods, is the UK’s bestselling book on the subject.
As former Head of Channel 4 Drama, Controller of BBC Drama Production and MD of Company Pictures, John has tested his theories during an extensive production career working on some of the world’s most lucrative, widely viewed and critically acclaimed TV drama, from EastEnders to Shameless, Life on Mars and Wolf Hall. He created the BBC Writers Academy in 2005, and its success rate is second to none – in the last three years alone, graduates have received over 20 green lights.