Matthew Robinson (producer)
Matthew Robinson | |
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Relatives | Tom Robinson (brother) |
Matthew Robinson (born 27 July 1944) is a British-Cambodian television and film executive producer, producer, director and writer. After graduating from Cambridge University. he directed many episodes of popular British television dramas and soap operas in the 1970s and 1980s. He became the first producer (and later became the executive producer) of the series Byker Grove (1989–1997), and was also made the executive producer of EastEnders (1998–2000).
He finished his British television career as the Head of Drama for
Early life
Robinson was educated at
Career
Early work
Robinson's first job in television was as a researcher on the weekly consumer affairs programme On the Braden Beat made by
Byker Grove
From 1989 to 1997 Robinson set up, produced and part-directed the BBC's Newcastle-based teenage drama serial
EastEnders
Having previously worked for producer Julia Smith on Angels, Robinson was employed to be lead director of BBC1's soap opera EastEnders when it launched in 1985. His early casting included actors for the iconic characters "Dirty" Den Watts (Leslie Grantham), Pauline Fowler (Wendy Richard), Dot Cotton (June Brown), Nick Cotton (John Altman), Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt), Charlie Cotton (Christopher Hancock) and Tony Carpenter (Oscar James).
In 1998 Robinson was appointed
Robinson soon earned the additional tabloid soubriquet "Axeman of Albert Square". He wrote out a large number of characters in one hit, including
In their place Robinson introduced new long-running characters including
Later career
Robinson left EastEnders in 2000 to serve as Head of Drama for
In May 2003, Robinson left the UK for Cambodia to devise and produce a HIV health-related TV drama. The 100 episodes of Taste of Life – broadcast on the main entertainment channel, TV5, repeated on the state channel TVK – were financed by the British Government through the Department for International Development and managed by the BBC World Service Trust. In 2006 after Taste of Life ended its run (at one point gaining an audience of just over 50% of the country's population – then 14 million), he set up a film and television production company, Khmer Mekong Films (KMF) in Cambodia's capital Phnom Penh.
In addition to KMF's numerous TV dramas, documentaries and TV spots, he has produced ten
The 7th film Move Out (in the popular 'Khmer Ghost Movie' genre) was released across Cambodia on 5 December 2019 achieving excellent box office returns. All stages of an 8th feature film, 360 Degrees, a romantic comedy, were completed in January 2020.
Shooting on a 9th film Day in the Country was completed in December 2019, a four-year project about an arranged marriage written and directed by Robinson. Exhibition of the 8th and 9th films await the return of full audiences to Cambodian cinemas once fears of COVID-19 have diminished.
A 10th feature film, Dance Till You Drop, a Bollywood-style movie set in Phnom Penh, started shooting in February 2020 but had to be abandoned in March because of dangers to the performers and crew from COVID. In late October 2020, filming resumed and, after a fortnight, the movie was completed on 2 November. Its release, as with '360 Degrees' and 'Day in the Country', await the all-clear from the local cinema circuit.
Since 2015, Robinson has written a blog on EastEnders fansite Walford Web, sharing anecdotes about his two stints working on the show (1984–87 & 1998–99).
Personal life
Robinson is the older brother of singer-songwriter, bassist, radio presenter and long-time LGBT rights activist Tom Robinson.
In 2020 Robinson received Cambodian citizenship from Prime Minister
References
- ^ "Matthew Robinson". matthewrobinson.com. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
- ISBN 0352327383.
- ^ "Doctor Who: My life as Davros". BBC Online. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
- ^ "Terry Molloy: I, Davros". BBC Online. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
- ^ Green, Kris (19 October 2006). "Leslie Grantham". Digital Spy. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
- ^ "Byker Grove producer: I told Ant and Dec to 'stay together'". BBC Online. 27 January 2017. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
- ^ "LGBTQ+ Timeline". BBC Online. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
- ^ Rinith, Taing (22 May 2020). "Legendary British film producer receives Cambodian citizenship". Khmer Times. Retrieved 26 January 2024.