Phil Collinson | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Collinson in 2012 | |
| Born | (1970-08-26)26 August 1970 (age 54) |
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation(s) | TV producer, actor |
| Years active | 1998–present |
| Employer | ITV |
| Notable work | See below |
| Television | Coronation Street Doctor Who |
| Spouse | |
Philip Collinson (born 26 August 1970)[1] is a British television producer. He was initially an actor, before switching to working behind the cameras in the industry as ascript editor and writer on programmes such asSpringhill andEmmerdale, later becoming the producer ofPeak Practice,Doctor Who andCoronation Street.
Collinson has produced several series for the BBC, including the comedy dramaLinda Green, and the first seasons of 1950s-setBorn and Bred and paranormal thrillerSea of Souls. In January 2004, he started work as the tenth full-time in-house producer of the BBC science-fiction programmeDoctor Who.
While he was an actor, the role of Alexander in the 1999Channel 4 dramaQueer as Folk was written especially for him by his friendRussell T Davies. However, afterAntony Cotton auditioned for the production team, Davies and his fellow producers felt they had no choice but to offer the role to him instead of Collinson.
Collinson took a break from hisDoctor Who production responsibilities for part of the 2007 series;Susie Liggat took his place for a month according to issue 372 ofDoctor Who Magazine, while Collinson took a holiday.[2] There was some confusion when Collinson's break was first announced, with some reports claiming that Collinson was leaving the series. "There was this whole madness last year when it was announced that... Susie was going to produce a couple of episodes," Collinson toldDoctor Who Magazine in issue 380, "cos everyone immediately thought that I was leaving, and she was taking over. My friends thought I was seriously ill! Why else would I leaveDoctor Who?"[3] Collinson's holiday coincided with the filming of the two-parter "Human Nature"/"The Family of Blood"; he does however receive an executive producer credit for these episodes. Liggat also produced five episodes of the 2008 series.
Collinson also served as an executive producer on theCBBCDoctor Whospin-offThe Sarah Jane Adventures.[4]
The BBC confirmed on 1 February 2008 that Collinson would be leaving his position onDoctor Who, to return to Manchester as BBC Head of Drama for the region.[5] After less than two years in this role, it was announced in late 2009 than Collinson would be leaving the BBC to take over as producer ofITV's top-rated soap operaCoronation Street.[6]
Collinson isgay, and admits thatDoctor Who has a special appeal forLGBT people: "I can only talk for myself, and when I was a teenager," he said in a March 2007 interview. "For me, as a young boy and a teenager, growing up in the north of England, in a world where I could never imagine being a gay man, let alone settling down and finding someone, I thinkDoctor Who was really asexual. There were programmes likeThe Sweeney which were very much about men chasing women, men getting women, whereas withDoctor Who you had a show that never really dealt with that."[7] In September 2024, he married Peter Hughes.[8][non-primary source needed][9]
In July 2010 Collinson took over from Kim Crowther, as the new producer ofCoronation Street. His first credited episode aired on 26 July 2010.
On 8 October 2012, it was announced that Collinson will step down as Producer ofCoronation Street as of March 2013 and be replaced byEmmerdale Producer Stuart Blackburn.
On 20 January 2022, it was confirmed Collinson would return toDoctor Who as a producer, working again underRussell T Davies.
| Preceded by | Doctor Who Producer 2005–08 | Succeeded by |
| Media offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Kim Crowther | Producer ofCoronation Street 2010–13 | Succeeded by Stuart Blackburn |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
