{{Short description|British television dramatist}} {{Prose|date=November 2021}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox person | name = Debbie Horsfield | image = | image_size = | caption = | birth_name = | birth_date = {{birth year and age|1955}} | birth_place = Eccles, Lancashire, England | other_names = | alma_mater = Newcastle University <small>(BA (Hon))</small> | occupation = Writer, producer | years_active = 1982–present | spouse = Martin Wenner | awards = }} '''Debbie Horsfield''' (born 1955) is an English theatre and television writer and producer.
== Early life and career == Horsfield was born in Urmston and she attended Eccles Grammar School and Eccles College before studying at Newcastle University, where she gained a BA Honours degree in English Language and Literature.
Horsfield worked at the Gulbenkian Studio, Newcastle (1978–1980), and for Trevor Nunn at The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), 1980–82. Her first plays ''Out on the Floor'' and ''Away from it All'' were produced at the Theatre Royal Stratford East studio and ''All You Deserve'' was performed as part of an RSC Festival at the Barbican.
In 1983, she won the Thames Television Playwrights Award and became Resident Writer at the Liverpool Playhouse. There she was commissioned to write the Red Devils Trilogy (''Red Devils'', ''True Dare Kiss'', and ''Command Or Promise'').
The last two of these were first performed at the <!-- Did not acquire the 'Royal' tag until 1988. -->National Theatre's studio, the Cottesloe, in 1985. For these plays she was nominated for the 1985 ''Evening Standard'' Awards 'Most Promising Playwright'. ''True Dare Kiss'' was later to be adapted for a TV series.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/drama/truedarekiss/interview.shtml |title=Interview with writer Debbie Horsfield |publisher=BBC |access-date=2008-05-13}}</ref>
In 2005, she returned to the theatre to adapt her TV series ''Sex, Chips & Rock 'n Roll'' as a musical for the Royal Exchange, Manchester.
== Television career == In 1982, Horsfield adapted her stage play ''Out On The Floor'' for BBC2 and wrote an episode of ''Crown Court'' for Granada Television.
From 1989 to 1991, she wrote all three series of the BBC1 factory-based drama ''Making Out''. (Royal Television Society 'Best Drama Series' Nomination).
1993–94: Both series of BBC1 six-part series ''The Riff Raff Element''. (BAFTA 'Best Drama Series' Nomination, Writers Guild 'Best Drama Series' Nomination)
1997: Six-part BBC 1 serial <!-- Broadcast in May and June. -->''Born to Run'' (Royal Television Society 'Best Drama Serial' Nomination).
1999: Six-part <!-- Change in rendering occurred in October 1997. --> BBC One serial ''Sex, Chips & Rock n' Roll''. 2002–2005: Four series of the BBC One hair salon-based ''Cutting It'' (BAFTA "Best Drama Series" nomination, Royal Television Society 'Best Drama Series' nomination)
2007: Six-part BBC One serial ''True Dare Kiss''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2007/01_january/19/kiss.shtml |title=Award-winning writer Debbie Horsfield returns to BBC One with True Dare Kiss |publisher=BBC Press Office |date=2007-01-19 |access-date=2008-05-13}}</ref>
2009: ''All the Small Things'' (2009), BBC One, follows the trials and tribulations of a northern church choir.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2008/09_september/03/choir.shtml|title=All-singing new drama series announced for BBC One |publisher=BBC Press Office |date=2008-09-03 |access-date=2008-12-30}}</ref>
She has adapted the first seven novels of Winston Graham's ''Poldark'' cycle for the BBC's ''Poldark series''. Eight episodes were broadcast on BBC One in early 2015, 10 more episodes in autumn 2016,<ref>{{cite news | url = https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/poldark-season-2-release-date-bbc-confirm-when-aidan-turner-will-return-as-ross-poldark-a7141241.html | title = Poldark series 2 release date | author = Jack Shepherd | date = 17 July 2016 | newspaper = The Independent}}</ref> and a further three series based on the later books were broadcast annually from 2017 to 2019.
In 2018, the BBC broadcast a six-part series, ''Age Before Beauty'', which had been written and co-produced by Horsfield.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/mediapacks/age-before-beauty | title=Debbie Horsfield's new drama is a family saga set in a Manchester beauty salon | publisher=BBC Press Office | date=2018-07-23 | access-date=2018-08-21}}</ref>
2024: ''Sanctuary: A Witch's Tale'', written and created by Horsfield,<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/tv/amc-plus/sanctuary-a-witchs-tale-trailer | title=Tragedy Strikes in AMC+'s First Sanctuary: A Witch's Tale Trailer | publisher=Paste | date=2023-12-07 | access-date=2024-01-05}}</ref> is broadcast by AMC+ Sundance Now.
Horsfield has twice won BAFTA Best Drama Series award nominations, for ''The Riff Raff Element'' in 1994 and for ''Cutting It'' in 2003.
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == * {{IMDb name|id=0395425|name=Debbie Horsfield}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Horsfield, Debbie}} Category:1955 births Category:Living people Category:Alumni of Newcastle University Category:English television producers Category:British women television producers Category:British television producers Category:English television writers Category:British women television writers Category:People from Eccles, Greater Manchester Category:People from Urmston