Michael Hirst was born on September 21, 1952 in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. He is a writer and producer, known for Vikings (2013), The Tudors (2007) and Elizabeth (1998).
Michael Hirst said, "I respect show runners who work with a writer's room, but I'm not sure I could do that!" First is the creator, executive producer and sole writer of History's drama, Vinkings. "It's enough for me to be dealing with production, so if I had to be rewriting scripts and dealing with other writers' egos, I'm not sure it would be a very enjoyable experience for me." Neck-deep in writing the Vikings fourth season (2015), the longest to date, with twenty episodes. Hirst isn't daunted, Hirst served as the sole writer on his previous creation -- Showtime's The Tudors. Hirst added, "The Tudors was a learning curve for me. Certainly it was tough sometimes, but it was good. I loved it. So I wasn't going to do it any differently on Vikings." Hirst calls his writing process -- which takes place mostly at his home outside Oxford, England -- "organized chaos," with ideas floating around his brain. "I'll do a huge amount of reading," Hirst says, "and talk with the series' historical consultant, Justin Pollard. I'll do an overview. I'll do a bible. The bible might be huge - sixty, seventy pages per season. I break episodes down to about thirty pages of outline, and then I start writing. From that outline I can write an episode in a couple of weeks." Getting a script from an initial idea to the screen takes a year, Hirst estimates. "But at the same time, all of the other episodes are being processed." Unlike show runners who write every episode to maintain creative control, Hirst does it because he'd rather write than manage others. "I'm a slightly unusual show runner because I want to delegate. I want to give department heads freedom to do their best work." Justin Pollard is the person Hirst relies on most when plotting new episodes. "If I forgot something, he reminds me. It's like, 'This is what actually happened, Michael. Please focus.'".
Grew up in Ilkley, was educated at Bradford Grammar School and attended the London School of Economics. Received a First Class Joint-Honours Degree in English and American Literature from the University of Nottingham and studied Henry James at Trinity College, Oxford.
Writer
Title
Year
Status
Character
1906
screenplay announced
Vikings
TV Series 1 episode, 2017 written by - 42 episodes, 2013 - 2016 created by - 24 episodes, 2015 - 2017 creator - 19 episodes, 2013 - 2014
Camelot
TV Series creator - 10 episodes, 2011 story - 1 episode, 2011
The Tudors
TV Series creator - 38 episodes, 2007 - 2010 written by - 38 episodes, 2007 - 2010
The Golden Age
2007
written by
Have No Fear: The Life of Pope John Paul II
2005
TV Movie screenplay / story
Il giovane Casanova
2002
TV Movie
Elizabeth
1998
written by
Uncovered
1994
screenplay
Meeting Venus
1991
written by
The Ballad of the Sad Cafe
1991
Fools of Fortune
1990
Wherever You Are...
1988
The Deceivers
1988
screenplay
Producer
Title
Year
Status
Character
Vikings
2013-2016
TV Series executive producer - 39 episodes
Camelot
2011
TV Series executive producer - 10 episodes
The Borgias
2011
TV Series executive producer - 5 episodes
The Tudors
2007-2010
TV Series executive producer - 32 episodes
The Golden Age
2007
executive producer
Thanks
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Iron Lady
2011
special thanks
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
Vikings: Season 3 - Guide to the Gods
2015
Video documentary short
Himself
Vikings: Season 4 - Guide to the Gods
2015
Video documentary short
Himself
Vikings: My Family, My Enemy
2014
Short
Himself
Vikings: Birth of the Vikings
2013
Video documentary short
Himself
Vikings - A Warrior Society: Viking Culture and Law
2013
Video documentary short
Himself
Breakfast
2011
TV Series
Himself - Writer
Farewall to the King: Michael Hirst on The Tudors Finale
2010
Video short
Himself - Series Creator and Writer
On Set with The Tudors: Three Scenes in Production
2009
Video short
Himself - Writer and Series Creator
Los Tudor: Rodarán cabezas
2009
TV Movie documentary
Himself
Sexo en serie
2008
TV Movie documentary
Himself
The Making of 'Elizabeth'
1998
Video documentary short
Himself
Won Awards
Year
Award
Ceremony
Nomination
Movie
2015
Canadian Screen Award
Canadian Screen Awards, CA
Best International Drama
Vikings (2013)
Nominated Awards
Year
Award
Ceremony
Nomination
Movie
2014
Canadian Screen Award
Canadian Screen Awards, CA
Best International Drama
Vikings (2013)
2014
Canadian Screen Award
Gemini Awards
Best International Drama
Vikings (2013)
2012
SFX Award
SFX Awards, UK
Best New TV Show
Camelot (2011)
2011
Gemini
Gemini Awards
Best Dramatic Series
The Tudors (2007)
2011
Gemini
Gemini Awards
Best Writing in a Dramatic Series
The Tudors (2007)
2008
Gemini
Gemini Awards
Best Writing in a Dramatic Series
The Tudors (2007)
1999
BAFTA Film Award
BAFTA Awards
Best Screenplay - Original
Elizabeth (1998)
1999
OFTA Film Award
Online Film & Television Association
Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen
$18 Million
