As Script Producer for EastEnders, Kieran brings a wealth of experience wrangling stories and nurturing writers to his role as tutor of our screenwriting course.
Kieran started his career in entertainment and factual television as a Researcher, Reporter and Producer before joining the acclaimed Irish medical drama The Clinic in 2007, initially as a Script Researcher, then progressing to Script Editor.
After three full seasons on The Clinic, Kieran helped develop its final season as Series Editor, before taking up the role as Story Editor on Ireland’s popular soap opera Fair City, where he stayed for five years. During his time on Fair City, Kieran was involved in every stage of the editorial process, working as a Storyliner, Script Editor and Scriptwriter.
In 2015, Kieran became Script Editor on the award-winning police series Red Rock, and combined script editing with story development for the show. In 2018, he moved to the UK to work as a Script Editor on Eastenders (BBC), where he was quickly promoted to Senior Script Editor and then Development Producer. While at EastEnders, Kieran developed a specialist outreach writers programme aimed at underrepresented talent, and also supported the Resourcing and Talent Teams as Diversity and Inclusion Specialist. He was Story Editor for ITV Studios, working on Emmerdale, before returning to Eastenders as Script Producer.
Kieran has also worked for BBC Belfast Writer’s room, script editing successful candidates on their development scheme and looking for new writing talent. He has acted as consultant for various funding agencies and independent production companies, assessed on commissioning initiatives, and regularly takes part in discussion panels at literary and film festivals. He has tutored on the screenwriting Masters programme at the National University of Ireland, Galway.
Kieran’s experience leaves him well placed to discover and nurture new talent. “What can help a writer succeed is their own voice coming through. It’s important to encourage new writers to be honest with their story. Let go. Throw caution to the wind and don’t worry about the critical reader,” he advises.