Philip Morrow
Encyclopedia
Philip Morrow is a Northern Irish television producer. In 1999, he founded Wild Rover Productions
, a television production company best known for producing the hidden-camera show Just for Laughs along with various entertainment, comedy, and pop-factual TV programmes. Morrow currently serves as the company's managing director.
Morrow has held many positions within the United Kingdom television industry over the past twenty years. His first commission was from Channel 4
in 1990, to produce a one-off TV programme Viz
- The Documentary. It told the story of Viz in a way that spoofed serious investigative TV shows such as Panorama
or Dispatches.
He was head of comedy at Thames Television
in the 1980s and 1990s. There, he wrote and produced Fluke – presented by Tim Vine
on Channel 4
– a gameshow spoofing gameshows in which the contestants' success or failure was based on completely arbitrary and random rules. At Thames Television, he also produced the show Sugar and Spice for Five.
Morrow then served at the head of programmes for UTV
(formerly Ulster Television). Projects he worked on included Emerald Shoes, a documentary on Irish dance
for ITV
, and Same Difference for Channel 4
. He then served as executive producer of development at Mentorm Fims, where shows included Space Precinct
, Today's the Day
, Passport to the Sun, and Happy Families
. Morrow next served as commissioning editor for entertainment at Channel 4
, where his shows included Vic Reeves Big Night Out
, Drop the Dead Donkey
, Whose Line is it Anyway, and Tonight with Jonathan Ross.
In 2006, Morrow was elected to be the Northern Ireland
PACT representative and on the board of Northern Ireland Screen
. In this capacity, he has encouraged BBC's investment in "out of London" companies to offset the disadvantages associated with physical distance from United Kingdom
commissioning centres.
In 2009, Morrow began producing Secret Fortune, a Saturday night primetime gameshow for the BBC Lottery show. He also developed the format and structure of the show.
On October 12, 2010, it was announced that Morrow's television show format Take the Money and Run received a six-episode order for show production by ABC
with Jerry Bruckheimer
as executive producer along with Amazing Race creators Bertram van Munster
and Elise Doganieri
.
Wild Rover Productions
Wild Rover Productions is a television production company located in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It was started by Philip Morrow in 1999 and has since become one of the UK's most successful regionally based entertainment companies....
, a television production company best known for producing the hidden-camera show Just for Laughs along with various entertainment, comedy, and pop-factual TV programmes. Morrow currently serves as the company's managing director.
Morrow has held many positions within the United Kingdom television industry over the past twenty years. His first commission was from Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
in 1990, to produce a one-off TV programme Viz
Viz (comic)
Viz is a popular British comic magazine which has been running since 1979.The comic's style parodies British comics of the post-war period, notably The Beano and The Dandy, but with incongruous language, crude toilet humour, black comedy, surreal humour and either sexual or violent storylines...
- The Documentary. It told the story of Viz in a way that spoofed serious investigative TV shows such as Panorama
Panorama (TV series)
Panorama is a BBC Television current affairs documentary programme, which was first broadcast in 1953, and is the longest-running public affairs television programme in the world. Panorama has been presented by many well known BBC presenters, including Richard Dimbleby, Robin Day, David Dimbleby...
or Dispatches.
He was head of comedy at Thames Television
Thames Television
Thames Television was a licensee of the British ITV television network, covering London and parts of the surrounding counties on weekdays from 30 July 1968 until 31 December 1992....
in the 1980s and 1990s. There, he wrote and produced Fluke – presented by Tim Vine
Tim Vine
Timothy "Tim" Mark Vine is an English actor, writer and comedian. He has released a number of DVDs of his stand-up comedy, as well as starring in the successful series Not Going Out with Lee Mack on the BBC...
on Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
– a gameshow spoofing gameshows in which the contestants' success or failure was based on completely arbitrary and random rules. At Thames Television, he also produced the show Sugar and Spice for Five.
Morrow then served at the head of programmes for UTV
UTV
UTV is a television channel based in the UK region of Northern Ireland. The channel is the Channel 3 or Independent Television licensee for Northern Ireland and is operated by UTV Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of UTV Media.- Terrestrial :* Analogue: Normally tuned to 3 * Freeview : 3...
(formerly Ulster Television). Projects he worked on included Emerald Shoes, a documentary on Irish dance
Irish dance
Irish dancing or Irish dance is a group of traditional dance forms originating in Ireland which can broadly be divided into social dance and performance dances. Irish social dances can be divided further into céilí and set dancing...
for ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
, and Same Difference for Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
. He then served as executive producer of development at Mentorm Fims, where shows included Space Precinct
Space Precinct
Space Precinct is a British television series that aired from 1994 to 1995 on Sky One and later on BBC Two in Britain, and in syndication in North America on the SyFy Channel....
, Today's the Day
Today's the Day
Today's the Day was a British television daytime quiz programme that was broadcast on BBC2 from 12 July 1993 until 12 March 1999. The programme was hosted by Martyn Lewis....
, Passport to the Sun, and Happy Families
Happy Families (TV series)
Happy Families was a rural comedy drama written by Ben Elton which appeared on the BBC in 1985 and told the story of the dysfunctional Fuddle family....
. Morrow next served as commissioning editor for entertainment at Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
, where his shows included Vic Reeves Big Night Out
Vic Reeves Big Night Out
Vic Reeves Big Night Out was a cult British comedy stage show and later TV series which ran on Channel 4 for two series in 1990 and 1991, as well as a New Year special...
, Drop the Dead Donkey
Drop the Dead Donkey
- Major characters :* Gus Hedges — The unctuous Chief Executive of the company, and yes-man to Sir Roysten Merchant. A management stereotype, complete with clichés and clumsy metaphors, he swiftly transforms GlobeLink from a serious news network to a ratings-chasing tabloid channel...
, Whose Line is it Anyway, and Tonight with Jonathan Ross.
In 2006, Morrow was elected to be the Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
PACT representative and on the board of Northern Ireland Screen
Northern Ireland Screen
Northern Ireland Screen is the national screen agency for Northern Ireland. The agency's purpose is to promote the development of a sustainable film, animation and television production industry.- History :...
. In this capacity, he has encouraged BBC's investment in "out of London" companies to offset the disadvantages associated with physical distance from United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
commissioning centres.
In 2009, Morrow began producing Secret Fortune, a Saturday night primetime gameshow for the BBC Lottery show. He also developed the format and structure of the show.
On October 12, 2010, it was announced that Morrow's television show format Take the Money and Run received a six-episode order for show production by ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
with Jerry Bruckheimer
Jerry Bruckheimer
Jerome Leon "Jerry" Bruckheimer is an American film and television producer. He has achieved great success in the genres of action, drama, and science fiction. His best known television series are CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CSI: Miami, CSI: NY, Eleventh Hour, Without a Trace, Cold Case, The...
as executive producer along with Amazing Race creators Bertram van Munster
Bertram Van Munster
Bertram van Munster is the co-creator and executive producer of The Amazing Race. He is also the creator of Profiles from the Front Line and was the Executive Producer on Oprah's Big Give and Take the Money and Run ....
and Elise Doganieri
Elise Doganieri
Elise Doganieri is the Co-Creator and Co-Executive Producer of the CBS reality show The Amazing Race. Doganieri's other credits include serving as show producer of ABC's "Profiles From the Front Line" as well as producer and story editor on the pilot for Paramount's "Wild Things."The Amazing Race...
.