SW
Sally Wainwright
Producer, Director, Writer, Additional CreditsBorn January 1, 1963 (62 years)
Sally Anne Wainwright OBE (born 1963) is an English television writer, producer, and director. She is known for her dramas, which are often set in West Yorkshire, where she originates from, and feature "strong female characters". Wainwright has been praised for the quality of her dialogue.
Wainwright began her career as a scriptwriter on the long-running radio serial drama The Archers, and worked on the television soap operas Emmerdale and Coronation Street in the 1990s. Her first original drama, At Home with the Braithwaites, aired between 2000 and 2003. After two self-described "flops" in the mid-2000s, Wainwright found success with Unforgiven (2009), for which she won the Royal Television Society's Writer of the Year Award. Her work since includes Scott & Bailey (2011–2016), Last Tango in Halifax (2012–2020), Happy Valley (2014–2023), and Gentleman Jack (2019–2022). Last Tango in Halifax won the British Academy Television Award for Best Drama Series in 2013, and Happy Valley won the same award in both 2015 and 2017.
Wainwright began her career as a scriptwriter on the long-running radio serial drama The Archers, and worked on the television soap operas Emmerdale and Coronation Street in the 1990s. Her first original drama, At Home with the Braithwaites, aired between 2000 and 2003. After two self-described "flops" in the mid-2000s, Wainwright found success with Unforgiven (2009), for which she won the Royal Television Society's Writer of the Year Award. Her work since includes Scott & Bailey (2011–2016), Last Tango in Halifax (2012–2020), Happy Valley (2014–2023), and Gentleman Jack (2019–2022). Last Tango in Halifax won the British Academy Television Award for Best Drama Series in 2013, and Happy Valley won the same award in both 2015 and 2017.
Sally Wainwright Filmography
| 2025 | Riot Women (TV Series) · as Executive Producer |
| 2024 | Renegade Nell (TV Series) · as Executive Producer |
| 2021 | The Unforgivable · as Executive Producer |
| 2019 | Gentleman Jack (TV Series) · as Executive Producer |
| 2018 | The Detail (TV Series) · as Executive Producer |
| 2016 | To Walk Invisible: The Brontë Sisters · as Executive Producer |
| 2014 | Happy Valley (TV Series) · as Executive Producer |
| 2012 | Last Tango in Halifax (TV Series) · as Executive Producer |
| 2011 | Scott & Bailey (TV Series) · as Executive Producer |
| 2009 | Unforgiven (TV Series) · as Executive Producer |
| 2006 | The Amazing Mrs Pritchard (TV Series) |
| 2006 | Jane Hall (TV Series) · as Co-Producer |
| 2002 | Sparkhouse (TV Series) · as Co-Producer |
| 2000 | At Home with the Braithwaites (TV Series) · as Associate Producer |
| 2025 | Riot Women (TV Series) |
| 2019 | Gentleman Jack (TV Series) |
| 2016 | |
| 2014 | Happy Valley (TV Series) |
| 2024 | Renegade Nell (TV Series) |
| 2019 | Gentleman Jack (TV Series) |
| 2016 | |
| 2013 | |
| 2012 | Last Tango in Halifax (TV Series) |
| 2011 | Scott & Bailey (TV Series) |
| 2009 | Unforgiven (TV Series) |
| 2007 | Bonkers (2007) (TV Series) |
| 2007 | |
| 2006 | Jane Hall (TV Series) |
| 2005 | ShakespeaRe-Told (TV Series) |
| 2003 | Canterbury Tales (TV Series) |
| 2002 | Sparkhouse (TV Series) |
| 1999 | Bad Girls (1999) (TV Series) |
| 1994 | The House of Windsor (TV Series) |
| 1989 | Children's Ward (TV Series) |
| 2022 | Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2020 | Morning Live (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2009 | Unforgiven: Behind the Scenes · as Self - Writer & Executive Producer |
| 2006 | The ONE Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2003 | imagine... (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1978 | The South Bank Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2025 | Riot Women (TV Series) · as Created And Written By |
| 2022 | Till My Last Breath (TV Series) · as Original Story |
| 2021 | The Unforgivable · as Story |
| 2018 | The Detail (TV Series) · as Original Series Creator |
| 2014 | Happy Valley (TV Series) · as Created By |
| 2013 | The Last Witch · as Executive Producer For Red |
| 2006 | The Amazing Mrs Pritchard (TV Series) · as Creator |
| 2000 | At Home with the Braithwaites (TV Series) · as Creator |
| 1998 | Playing the Field (TV Series) · as Written By |
| 1994 | Revelations (1994) (TV Series) · as Written By |
| 1990 | Families (TV Series) · as Written By |
| 1972 | Emmerdale (TV Series) · as Written By |
| 1960 | Coronation Street (TV Series) · as Written By |