Christine Langan

Christine Langan (born January 1965) is an English film producer who was appointed Head of BBC Films in 2009.

Christine Langan was born in January 1965 in Edmonton, London, England.

Her mother and father, a dinner lady and a bricklayer respectively, already had three children.

Growing up, Langan became interested in television production after seeing Lew Grade's name in the credits of several programmes.

She attended a Catholic grammar school and read English at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge.

After graduating from Cambridge University in 1987 and working in advertising for three years, Langan joined Granada Television's drama serials department where she served as a script editor for daytime soap operas.

She later transferred to Granada's newly created comedy department, where she developed the acclaimed television series Cold Feet, and other one-off comedies.

After graduating from Cambridge University in 1987, Langan spent three years working as a copywriter for an advertising company.

She also contributed film reviews to BBC Radio 2's Cinema 2 programme.

In 1990, Langan began her career in film production as an assistant developer for Tessa Ross at British Screen.

The following year, she responded to an advertisement for a script editor at Granada Television's drama serials department, located in Manchester.

She was hired by David Liddiment, and worked mainly on Granada's daytime soap operas.

In 1993, Langan returned to London to work for Andy Harries at Granada's newly created comedy department, where she script-edited September Song, the television adaptation of An Evening with Gary Lineker, and the second series of Rik Mayall Presents.

In 1995, she was associate producer on The Perfect Match, a one-off comedy drama written by former BBC radio producer Mike Bullen.

The Perfect Match was broadcast in September 1995, and shortly afterwards, Harries asked Langan to develop more ideas from Bullen.

They devised Cold Feet, another one-off comedy drama based on the love lives of Bullen himself and his friends.

Langan produced Cold Feet, guiding Bullen through his script drafts, and hiring Father Ted director Declan Lowney to shoot it.

Cold Feet was broadcast in March 1997 as one of four Comedy Premieres on ITV (two others of which Langan script edited).

It received poor ratings and little critical reaction.

However, in May 1997, it won the Rose d'Or at the Montreux International Television Festival.

ITV Network Centre commissioned a series of Cold Feet in August, which Langan also produced.

For the series, Langan tried to achieve a written and visual style that differed from regular sitcoms by avoiding "one-liners and quick laughs" and hiring directors who had done little television work before.

Cold Feet premiered as a series in November 1998, and Langan stayed until the third series in 2000.

Also in 1998, Langan worked on her first feature film, script editing the Parker Posey-led The Misadventures of Margaret.

In 1999, Langan was made an executive producer in the department.

She oversaw several productions, including Passion Killers (1999, starring Ben Miller), Safe as Houses (2000, starring Ricky Tomlinson), and the pilot episode of David Nicholls' I Saw You (2000, starring Paul Rhys and Fay Ripley).

In 2000, she left Granada to become a freelance producer and produced the romantic comedy series Rescue Me for the BBC.

She and Bullen received a nomination for the British Academy Television Award for Best Drama Series in 2000.

In 2000, Langan was offered a position at the BBC's drama department, which had been rearranged that year.

The trade magazine Broadcast reported the BBC had made a "substantial offer" to her.

Granada's director of programmes Grant Mansfield countered the BBC's bid by offering Langan the position of deputy controller of drama, operating under Andy Harries, who had recently been appointed controller of the same department.

Langan accepted neither offer, and instead became a freelance producer after her contract with Granada expired.

She returned to Granada in 2002, producing acclaimed dramas such as The Deal (2003) and Dirty Filthy Love (2004).

She made her feature film production debut on Pierrepoint (2005), earning a Carl Foreman Award nomination at the 60th British Academy Film Awards.

Langan also produced The Queen (2006) for Granada, which won the BAFTA Award for Best Film and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture.

In 2006, Langan became an executive producer at BBC Films, developing features such as The Other Boleyn Girl (2008) and The Duchess (2008).

In April 2009, she was appointed Creative Director of BBC Films, giving her control of a £12 million annual budget and which projects are commissioned for development.

By 2010, Langan had led BBC Films to a record 13 nominations at the British Academy Film Awards, which included In the Loop (2009), Fish Tank (2009) and An Education (2009).

Langan lives in London with her partner, the writer Christian Spurrier, and their two children.

In 2016, she left the role to become CEO of comedy television production company Baby Cow Productions.