Timothy John Kirkby (born 13 November 1970 in Sidcup, Kent, England) is a British filmmaker, working in both the United Kingdom and the United States. He is best known for directing the science parody series Look Around You , the BAFTA winning BBC 2 show Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle, and setting up the multi-award winning Fleabag.
Tim Kirkby | |
|---|---|
 Kirkby in 2015 | |
| Born | Timothy John Kirkby 13 November 1970 Sidcup, Kent, England |
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation | Film & TV Director |
| Years active | 2000–present |
| Known for | The Pentaverate (2022) Fleabag (2016) Veep (2012–2014) Brockmire (2017) |
| Spouse | Kirsty Mckinnell (m. 2006) |
| Children | 2 |
Career
editKirkby made his TV directorial debut with the BAFTA nominated science spoof Look Around You. He received further recognition for the first season of the BAFTA nominated My Mad Fat Diary, the BAFTA nominated BBC single drama The C Word, and more recently the critically acclaimed Fleabag.
In the United States he created and directed all eight episodes and co-executive produced the award-winning first & second season of Brockmire for IFC. Other notable US television directing credits includes episodes of the Emmy-winning HBO comedy Veep (TV series), Grace & Frankie, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Man Seeking Woman, and his Netflix 6-part TV series The Pentaverate created by Mike Myers, about a secret society that has been working to control world events since 1347.
He has also made documentaries with Motörhead, Iron Maiden, and Judas Priest for the multi-award-winning documentary strand Classic Albums, as well as creating and directing all 4 series of the critically acclaimed BAFTA winning show Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle a six-part comedy series featuring standup and sketches. The first season was executive produced by Armando Iannucci and script edited by Chris Morris. The first episode received positive reviews from The Independent and The Daily Mirror, although the show received a negative review, written by Stewart Lee in Time Out, in which he described himself as "fat" and his performance as "positively Neanderthal, suggesting a jungle-dwelling pygmy, struggling to coax notes out of a clarinet that has fallen from a passing aircraft". The second series won a BAFTA for Best Comedy Programme in 2012.
More recently Tim directed a neo-noir detective story Last Looks set in Los Angeles starring Mel Gibson and Charlie Hunnam, the folk horror classic Entitled with Two Brothers for Showtime/Channel 4, and the Christmas movie Bad Tidings for SkyMovies which premieres Christmas Eve 2024.
Filmography
editFilm
| Year | Title | Director | Executive Producer |
Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | The C Word | Yes | No | TV Movie |
| 2018 | Action Point | Yes | No | |
| 2021 | Last Looks | Yes | No | |
| 2024 | Bad Tidings | Yes | No | TV Movie |
| TBA | Method Men | Yes | No |
Television
| Year | Title | Director | Executive Producer |
Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002, 2005 | Look Around You | Yes | No | 2 series, 14 episodes |
| 2002, 2004, 2005 | Classic Albums | Yes | No | 3 episodes |
| 2007 | Kombat Opera Presents | Yes | No | Series 1, episode 4 |
| 2010 | Little Crackers | Yes | No | Series 1, episode 10 |
| 2012 | Walking and Talking | Yes | No | 4-part serial |
| 2013, 2015 | The Alternative Comedy Experience | Yes | No | 2 series, 25 episodes |
| 2013 | My Mad Fat Diary | Yes | No | Series 1, episodes 1, 2, 3 |
| 2009, 2011, 2014, 2016 |
Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle | Yes | No | 4 series, 24 episodes |
| 2013, 2014 | Veep | Yes | Yes | 3 episodes |
| 2014 | Playing House | Yes | No | 3 episodes |
| 2015 | You, Me and the Apocalypse | Yes | No | 3 episodes |
| Man Seeking Woman | Yes | No | 3 episodes | |
| Brooklyn Nine-Nine | Yes | No | 1 episode | |
| Grace & Frankie | Yes | No | 2 episodes | |
| 2017, 2018 | Brockmire | Yes | Yes | 2 series, 8 episodes |
| 2018 | Fleabag | Yes | No | 1 episode |
| 2019 | Don't Forget the Driver | Yes | No | 1 series, 6 episodes |
| 2022 | The Pentaverate | Yes | Yes | 1 series, 6 episodes |
| 2023 | The Famous Five | Yes | Yes | 3 episodes |
| 2025 | Entitled | Yes | Yes | 1 series, 8 episodes |
Awards and nominations
edit| Year | Award | Category | Title | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | British Comedy Awards | Best New Comedy | Look Around You | Nominated | |
| BAFTA TV Awards | Best Comedy | Look Around You | Nominated | ||
| 2006 | ROSE D'OR | Best Comedy | Look Around You | Won | |
| 2008 | ROSE D'OR | Best of 2008 | Kombat Opera | Won | |
| ROSE D'OR | Best comedy | Kombat Opera | Won | ||
| 2010 | BAFTA TV Awards | Best Comedy Programme | Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle Series 1 | Nominated | |
| 2012 | British Comedy Awards | Best Comedy Programme | Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle Series 2 | Won | |
| BAFTA TV Awards | Best Comedy Programme | Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle Series 2 | Won | ||
| 2014 | OFTA | Best Direction | Veep Series 2 | Nominated | |
| RTS | Best Best Drama Series | My Mad Fat Diary | Nominated | ||
| BAFTA TV Awards | Best Drama Series | My Mad Fat Diary | Nominated | ||
| OFTA | Best Direction | Veep Series 3 | Nominated | ||
| BAFTA TV Awards | Best Comedy Programme | Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle Series 3 | Nominated | ||
| 2015 | BAFTA TV Awards | Best Comedy Programme | Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle Series 4 | Nominated | |
| 2016 | BAFTA TV Awards | Best Single Drama | The C Word | Nominated | |
| 2017 | BAFTA TV Awards | Best Comedy | Fleabag | Nominated | |
| 2019 | Venice TV Award | Best Comedy | Don't Forget The Driver | Nominated |
Television (as actor)
edit- Look Around You (2005)