Tuesday, 14 July 2009

Profile: Mark Bickerton, Corrie's Senior Storyliner

Mark Bickerton is Coronation Street's new Senior Storyliner. Born in 1963, Mark did his BA at Manchester Met and then an MA in Playwriting at Birmingham Uni. His first two episodes in his role as Corrie's Senior Storyliner aired on Monday 13th July, 2009.

Mark has the grand honour of putting the Great Dane on the cobbles - he was the one who named Chesney's dog, Schmeichel!

Before taking up the Senior Storyliner role with Corrie in March 2009, Mark worked as a writer for Coronation Street Online where he wrote a couple of "webisodes" and as a scriptwriter for rival soaps Family Affairs and Hollyoaks (where he was also Story Consultant and Story Editor). And in 1999 he followed the Writer’s Shadow Scheme at EastEnders.

But that's not all. Back in 1998 he worked in Rwanda as a Soap Opera Consultant, managing a team and giving training in all aspects of drama serial-making including storylining, writing, script-editing, production, post-production and Online Broadcast production.

He's also an accomplished playwright having written the 1995 play A Murder of Crows, commissioned by the Royal National Theatre & Nottingham Playhouse Comedy Store, a National Theatre Studio production. And other presitigious work includes writing Goldmoor, a BBC drama serial and The Colcloughs, a BBC radio soap.

And last, but by no means least, Mark is married to the actress who played Corrie's wonderful Yana Lumb.

Read more about all of the current Coronation Street writers, click here.
at

6 comments:

  1. Danny-K14 July 2009 at 23:30

    Actually enjoy these real-life background info's as much as what the fictional characters are getting up to. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Danny-K14 July 2009 at 23:45

    P.S. Meant to say - Born 1963? Clearly his boyhood memories in the late 60's early 70's were of Sunday Night at the London Palladium with the occasional appearance of Mike and Bernie Winters who would bring on their dog - a great big St Bernard called Schnorbitz.

    So, he was instrumental in furnishing Chesney with a Great big Dane called Schmeichel was he?

    Hmmm...
    - Schnorbitz?
    - Schemical?

    - I'm telling you, that's the connection! :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Danny-K15 July 2009 at 00:05

    "And last, but by no means least, Mark is married to the actress who played Corrie's wonderful Yana Lumb."

    (Slaps forehead), of course!
    - Jayne Bickerton!!!

    Seeing Yana's photo, I was just starting to think that, but on rereading your blog you mention it already, (so no need for me to mention it now, doh) - I think that's a sign it's time to turn in for the night zzzzzz...

    ReplyDelete
  4. Glenda Young15 July 2009 at 08:39

    Danny, I'm glad you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed putting it there. I love all this behind-the-scenes stuff too.

    ReplyDelete
  5. frank16 July 2009 at 20:39

    Actually I believe the dog was named after the former ManUtd & Man city goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel - the great Dane. A stroke of genius!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Unknown3 October 2009 at 20:46

    Mark,
    This is from nicki in shropshire, whose kitchen you watched birds from; Roger's friend.
    Congrats on your marriage, she's a superb actress.
    Corrie is a light in my life, some of THE BEST writing on telly, so it can only continue now your back. Really it stands out amongst a sea of drivel, like a beacon.
    I celebrate your great success, which you deserve so very much.
    Birds still here but less now, sad eh.
    regards from a Nantwich girl,
    Nikki

    ReplyDelete