Frank Cottrell-Boyce

Frank Cottrell-Boyce ( Francis G. Boyce; born 23 September 1959) is a British screenwriter, novelist and occasional actor, known for his children's fiction and for his collaborations with film director Michael Winterbottom. He has achieved fame as the writer for the 2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony and for sequels to Chitty Chitty Bang Bang: The Magical Car, a children's classic by Ian Fleming.

Personal life Boyce was born in 1959 in Bootle, near Liverpool, to a Catholic family. He moved to Rainhill, while still at primary school. He attended St Bartholomew's Primary School in Rainhill and West Park Grammar School. He read English at Keble College, Oxford, where he went on to earn a doctorate. He wrote criticism for the magazine Living Marxism.

Marriage He met Denise Cottrell, a fellow Keble undergraduate, and they married in 1983 in Keble College chapel; they combined their surnames. He is also a patron of the Insight Film Festival, a biennial, interfaith festival held in Manchester, UK, to make positive contributions to understanding, respect and community cohesion. Aidan Cottrell-Boyce, one of the couple's sons, is also a writer.

In March 2026, Cottrell-Boyce was awarded the Honorary Freedom of the Borough for the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton.

Career After he met Michael Winterbottom, the two collaborated on Forget About Me. Winterbottom made five further films based on screenplays written by Cottrell-Boyce, Butterfly Kiss, Welcome to Sarajevo, The Claim, 24 Hour Party People and Code 46. Their 2005 collaboration, A Cock and Bull Story, is their last according to Cottrell-Boyce, who asked that his contribution be credited to "Martin Hardy", a pseudonym. He told Variety, "I just had to move on ... what better way to walk away than by giving Winterbottom a good script for free?"

Other film directors with whom Cottrell-Boyce has worked include Danny Boyle (Millions), Alex Cox (Revengers Tragedy), Richard Laxton (Grow Your Own) and Anand Tucker (Hilary and Jackie).

Cottrell-Boyce has been praised by Roger Ebert as one of the few truly inventive modern-day screenwriters. He has spoken against the "three-act structure" and the "hero's journey" formulas, which are often regarded as axiomatic truths in the business . Perhaps his most famous example of this is in 24 Hour Party People where the character of Anthony Wilson states that "Scott Fitzgerald said there are no second acts in American lives. This is Manchester. We do things differently. This is the second act", which Cottrell-Boyce has stated was due to criticism of the script not following the three-act structure.

Cottrell-Boyce has adapted novels for the screen and written children's fiction. His first novel Millions was based on his own screenplay for the film of the same name; it was published by Macmillan in 2004. Cottrell-Boyce won the annual Carnegie Medal from the British librarians, recognising it as the year's best children's book published in the U.K. which was published in October 2011 as Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Flies Again. In addition to Coronation Street, he wrote many episodes of the soap opera Brookside, as well as its spin-offs Damon and Debbie and South.

He wrote and staged his first original theatre production Proper Clever at the Liverpool Playhouse during the city's European Capital of Culture year, 2008. On 18 September 2010, he co-presented the Papal Visit at Hyde Park with TV personality Carol Vorderman. In June 2012, he assumed the position of Professor of Reading (the first such professorship) at Liverpool Hope University.

Cottrell-Boyce was the writer of the 2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony, whose storyline he based on Shakespeare's The Tempest. in the development of the story and themes, and wrote "short documents that told the story of each segment" to provide context for choreographers, builders and other participants. He also wrote the brochure,

In 2014, Cottrell-Boyce wrote an episode of Doctor Who, titled "In the Forest of the Night". He also wrote the second episode of the tenth series, "Smile". In September 2015, Cottrell-Boyce held the keynote speech at the Children's and Young Adult Program of the 15th Berlin International Literature Festival.

In January 2018, he was on the victorious Keble College, Oxford University Challenge "famous alumni" team; he won almost all of the points scored by Keble (total score 240) and was lionized on social media as a consequence; Reading University scored 0 in that game, thus making television history.

Cottrell-Boyce is an advocate for reading aloud and patron of The Reader Organisation. a charity that works through volunteers to bring literature to everyone, through reading aloud in prisons, care homes and other community spaces. In July 2024, he was appointed as Children's Laureate for the term 2024 to 2026, succeeding Joseph Coelho. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Flies Again (2011) Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and the Race Against Time (2012) Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Over the Moon (2013) The Astounding Broccoli Boy (2015) Sputnik's Guide to Life on Earth (2016) Runaway Robot (2019) Noah's Gold (2021)

Appearances March 2010 – Desert Island Discs December 2017 and 2025 - University Challenge

Writing credits

Television Production Notes BroadcasterBrookside"Double Talk" (1987) "Reconnection" (1987) "Fish" (1989) "Unjust Deserts" (1992)ITVCrime Story"All Good Friends" (1992)ITVA Woman's Guide to Adultery"Episode #1.1" (1993) "Episode #1.2" (1993) "Episode #1.3" (1993)ITVCoronation Street"Episode #1.3207" (1991) "Episode #1.3243" (1991) "Episode #1.3399" (1992) "Episode #1.3801" (1995)ITVNew York Crossing Television film (1996)RAISaint-Ex Television film (1996)BBC SpringhillCo-creator (1996–1997)SkyCaptain Star"The Atomic Alarm Clock" (1997) "Day of the Zooties" (1997) "The Worm Turns" (1997) "The Edge of the Universe" (1997)ITVGod on TrialTelevision film (2008)BBC TwoPBSFramedTelevision film (2009)BBC OneLondon 2012 Olympic Opening Ceremony: Isles of WonderTelevision film (2012)BBC OneDoctor Who"In the Forest of the Night" (2014) "Smile" (2017)BBC OneStephen"Episode 1" (2021) "Episode 3" (2021)ITV

Film

Awards and nominations

Awards 2004: Buch des Monats des Instituts für Jugendliteratur/Book of the Month by the Institute for Youth Literature (Germany), Millions 2004: Carnegie Medal Winner - Millions 2012: Guardian Children's Fiction Prize Winner - The Unforgotten Coat 2013: Honorary Doctorate of Literature at Edge Hill University