William Nicholson is a highly acclaimed English novelist, screenwriter, and playwright. He is considered one of the biggest cultural icons of the UK and is best known for his play "Shadowlands," which was made into a television drama and won the BAFTA Best Television Drama award. Nicholson later adapted the play for the stage, and it went on to win the Evening Standard Best Play of 1990 and the Tony Award for Best Play on Broadway. The play was also adapted into a film by director Richard Attenborough, and Nicholson was nominated for an Oscar for the screenplay.
Nicholson was born in 1948 and grew up in Sussex and Gloucestershire. He spent much of his childhood outdoors on the pebbly and bracken beaches near Seaford, where he grew up. He was sent to school as an eleven-year-old and went on to study English at Christ Church, Oxford. Nicholson's parents were a significant influence on his life and career. His father was a specialist in tropical medicine who worked to eradicate leprosy in Nigeria, and his mother was the daughter of a South African Jew who went to Somerville, where she graduated with a First class in English.
Nicholson's career in television and film began in the 1980s, and he quickly gained recognition for his work. His plays for television include "Shadowlands" and "Life Story," both of which won the BAFTA Best Television Drama award. He also wrote the screenplays for several successful films, including "Sarafina," "Nell," "First Knight," "Gladiator," and "Ever After." In addition to his work in television and film, Nicholson has written several stage plays, including "Map of the Heart," "Katherine Howard," and "The Retreat from Moscow."
Nicholson has also written several novels for older children, including "The Wind Singer," "Slaves of the Mastery," and "Firesong," which won the Smarties Prize Gold Award and the Blue Peter Book of the Year Award. He is now at work on a new sequence of novels for older children, called "The Noble Warriors." His novels for adults include "The Society of Others" and "The Trial of True Love."
Throughout his career, Nicholson has received numerous awards and accolades for his work, including several BAFTA awards, a Tony Award, and two Oscar nominations. He is widely regarded as one of the most talented and versatile writers of his generation, with a unique ability to create compelling and memorable stories for a wide range of audiences. He currently lives in Sussex with his wife Virginia and their three children.