TONY JORDAN

MANAGING DIRECTOR

Tony Jordan was a market stallholder when he submitted an unsolicited script to the BBC. He has never looked back! Tony was taken on by EASTENDERS and over the next 18 years became lead writer and story consultant, creating some of the show’s best-loved characters and storylines.

With episodes of classic shows like MINDER and BOON under his belt, Tony went on to create BBC1’s long-running hit series HUSTLE, about a group of enterprising con artists. HUSTLE sealed his partnership with KUDOS and has won him two RTS awards.

With Matthew Graham and Ashley Pharoah, Tony also co-created and wrote the multiple award winning international hit, LIFE ON MARS.

In 2007, Tony was honoured for his work on EASTENDERS at the BRITISH SOAP AWARDS with a Special Achievement Award. In 2008, BROADCAST magazine listed him as the number one television screenwriter in the UK.

As much as Tony loved the shed at the end of the garden (or office as he liked to call it!), he was yearning for a new challenge, something that married his talents as a writer with his people skills, so he decided to set up his own indie, where he’s developing numerous projects of his own, working with established writers and nurturing new writers through the ranks. He now has a lovely office in an old mill, sans garden tools and spiders!

CLAIRE PHILLIPS

DRAMA EXECUTIVE

Claire’s career began in Liverpool, working for Mersey Television. She moved from graduate trainee to Assistant Producer (BROOKSIDE) and wrote over thirty episodes of the teen drama, HOLLYOAKS.

Claire headed south to produce BAD GIRLS and then FOOTBALLERS WIVES for Shed Productions. Having been approached by THE BILL, Claire left behind the WAGS and took up the post of Series Producer of the UK’s longest running cop show. By the end of her tenure, THE BILL had won the award for Most Popular Drama at the National Television Awards (a first for the 20 year old show). Claire was then reunited with Shed, producing the award winning first series of WATERLOO ROAD. Claire first worked with Tony Jordan on series one of HOLBY BLUE. She then went on to produce the show’s second run. She became a permanent member of the Red Planet team in July 2007.

SIMON WINSTONE

HEAD OF DEVELOPMENT

Simon realised he wanted to tell stories at college. Unfortunately, due to the lack of ‘storytellers wanted’ adverts, he decided to get close to story and started at Virgin books. A chance on an EMMERDALE workshop led to two years storylining the Yorkshire soap where five episodes a week taught him to work at speed and really think on his feet. He then moved to EASTENDERS. He spent five years working in Walford, working closely with Tony Jordan. A dream opportunity on DOCTOR WHO took him to Cardiff to work with Russell T Davies and Julie Gardner, although he never forgot Tony, so when Mr Jordan asked him to join Red Planet in 2007, he jumped at the chance.

JULIE GISSING

HEAD OF FINANCE

Julie’s career as an accountant started over 20 years ago. She started out in Lincolnshire and then moved to Scotland, where she worked for an accountancy firm that specialised in sheep and cow farmers. Needless to say, Julie knows her Aryshire from her Guernsey, and she also knows a bit about numbers too, which is helpful for us. Julie joined Red Planet in 2007.

ALEX JONES

PRODUCTION ASSOCIATE

At the tender age of 16, Alex secured some work experience on ITV’s THE BILL and he loved it. Next he worked on Channel Five’s daily soap, FAMILY AFFAIRS as a production scheduler, but THE BILL was never too far away (down the corridor and first on the left to be precise!) He returned as a production co-ordinator for a couple of years, where he co-ordinated a hair-raising live episode. Alex left THE BILL and went to Shed Productions to assist the Head of Production, where he helped oversee shows such as BAD GIRLS, FOOTBALLERS WIVES, EXTRA TIME and WATERLOO ROAD. Alex then joined Red Planet Pictures on their brand new police series for BBC1 - HOLBY BLUE. He stepped across to Kudos (Red Planet’s production associate) to co-ordinate their new teen drama NEARLY FAMOUS for E4 before returning to HOLBY BLUE as one of the production managers. He joined Red Planet Pictures permanently as Production Associate in February 2008.

GARRY TYLER

PA TO TONY JORDAN/OFFICE MANAGER

Garry is Borehamwood born and bred. He had several jobs since leaving school, such as a carpenter, suspended ceiling fitter and playing centre forward for Arsenal... okay, he lied about the Arsenal bit... In 1999, Tony Jordan asked him to become his P.A. and Garry has never looked back. Garry wrote a script for EASTENDERS and it transmitted in 2003. It was a tremendous achievement but not really Garry’s cup of tea. He now happily works for Tony at Red Planet Pictures... until Arsenal ring him up to see if he’s available, of course.

HAYLEY CREMIN

RECEPTIONIST

Hayley is from Bedfordshire. After being educated at Harlington Upper School and obtaining three A’levels, she decided it was time to go and get a job. She became an administrator for a local company. Hayley enjoyed her time there but decided she wanted a change. The exciting world of television was the game for her. She joined Red Planet in January 08 as receptionist.