Sally Wainwright

Last updated on the 17 May 2025 by Maeve

Mini Biography

Born: 1963, Huddersfield, West Riding of Yorkshire, England. 

Sally Wainwright is a distinguished English television writer, director and producer, renowned for her compelling dramas featuring robust female characters and set in her native West Yorkshire. Wainwright’s early life was spent in Sowerby Bridge, where she attended local schools and nurtured a passion for writing from a young age. Her ambition to write for television, particularly for “Coronation Street,” was evident by the time she was nine years old.

Sally Wainwright’s educational journey took her to the University of York, where she studied English and Related Literature. It was during her university years that she showcased her playwriting skills at the Edinburgh Festival, a move that led to finding an agent and embarking on her writing career. After university, she briefly worked as a bus driver, a job she left at 24 to write for the radio series “The Archers.”

Her television career began in the 1990s with script writing for “Emmerdale” and “Coronation Street.” However, it was her original drama “At Home with the Braithwaites” that aired between 2000 and 2003, marking her breakthrough in television. Despite experiencing a couple of setbacks in the mid-2000s, Wainwright’s perseverance paid off with the critically acclaimed “Unforgiven” in 2009, earning her the Royal Television Society’s Writer of the Year Award.

Sally Wainwright’s subsequent works have solidified her reputation as a leading figure in British television. “Scott & Bailey,” “Last Tango in Halifax,” “Happy Valley,” and “Gentleman Jack” are among her most notable series. “Last Tango in Halifax” and “Happy Valley” both received the British Academy Television Award for Best Drama Series, in 2013 and 2015/17 respectively.

Beyond her professional achievements, Wainwright’s personal life is marked by her marriage to Austin Sherlaw-Johnson in 1990 and the joy of raising two children. Her work often reflects her personal experiences and the landscapes of her upbringing, contributing to the authenticity and relatability of her characters and stories.

Suggested viewing

Scott & Bailey (2011)

Bftv 9.0 / IMDb 8.0

Two determined detectives negotiate the complexities of crime and personal lives in Manchester’s Major Incident Team. Their friendship, marked by loyalty and rivalry, is tested as they unravel gripping cases. With a strong female perspective, the series blends intense investigations, emotional struggles and professional ambition into a compelling police procedural.

Top cast: Suranne Jones, Lesley Sharp, Tony Mooney, David Prosho, Amelia Bullmore, Delroy Brown, Ben Batt, Judith Barker.

At Home with the Braithwaites (2000)

Bftv 8.5 / IMDb 7.2

When a suburban mother wins an enormous lottery prize, her family’s life is upended. Their attempts to manage their sudden wealth trigger the exposure of long-held secrets, strain existing relationships, and bring personal challenges to the surface. This darkly humorous drama examines the intricate nature of family bonds and the surprising consequences of instant riches on everyday existence.

Top cast: Sarah Smart, Ishia Bennison, Amanda Redman, Julie Graham, Peter Davison, Kevin Doyle, Keeley Fawcett, Sarah Churm.

Unforgotten (2015)

Bftv 9.0 / IMDb 8.3

“Unforgotten” is a compelling British crime drama centered on detectives Cassie Stuart and Sunny Khan as they delve into the intricate details of long-unsolved murder cases. The series masterfully reveals deeply hidden secrets, exposing the unsettling truths beneath the surface of everyday lives and examining the intricate web of human connections alongside the enduring repercussions of past deeds.

Top cast: Nicola Walker, Sanjeev Bhaskar, Georgia Mackenzie, Lewis Reeves, Ayesha Dharker, Peter Egan,  Pippa Nixon, Alastair Mackenzie.

Last Tango in Halifax (2012)

Bftv 9.0 / IMDb 8.4

Set in Britain, “Last Tango in Halifax” is a touching drama series centred on Alan and Celia, former childhood sweethearts who reconnect in their seventies and choose to marry. The series delves into themes of love, family relationships, and the intricacies of life in later years, as their respective families navigate their own hurdles and concealed truths.

Top cast: Sarah Lancashire, Josh Bolt, Anne Reid, Nina Sosanya, Derek Jacobi, Dean Andrews, Paul Copley, Tony Gardner, Nicola Walker.

Happy Valley (2014)

Bftv 9.0 / IMDb 8.5

Happy Valley is a drama following a police sergeant haunted by her daughter’s suicide, believed to be caused by a rapist. When the rapist is released from prison, their paths collide as the sergeant leads a police investigation with personal stakes. The series explores grief, loss and the fight for justice amidst the complexities of a drug-ridden community.

Top cast: Sarah Lancashire, Steve Pemberton, Siobhan Finneran, James Norton, Joe Armstrong, Adam Long, George Costigan, Karl Davies.

Directed by Sally Wainwright.

To Walk Invisible: The Brontë Sisters (2016)

Bftv 9.0 / IMDb 7.4

“To Walk Invisible” delves into the lives of the Brontë sisters, Charlotte, Emily and Anne, in the early 19th century. Set against the backdrop of the Yorkshire moors, the film explores their creative endeavours as writers, the complex dynamics of their family life and the challenges they faced as women trying to get their work published in a restrictive era. It portrays their resilience in the face of these obstacles, their ambition to achieve literary recognition and the lasting impact of their novels.

Top cast: Charlie Murphy, Chloe Pirrie, Adam Nagaitis, Jonathan Pryce, Rosie Boore, Lara McDonnell, James Norton.

Directed by Sally Wainwright.

Gentleman Jack (2019)

Bftv 9.0 / IMDb 8.2

Gentleman Jack is a historical drama set in 1830s Yorkshire. It follows an independent landowner named Anne Lister who inherits a dilapidated estate. Determined to revitalise her property and challenge societal expectations, Anne clashes with tradition. The series explores themes of sexuality, gender roles and property rights during a time of social change, all interwoven with Anne’s unconventional love story.

Top cast: Suranne Jones, Sophie Rundle, Gemma Whelan, Gemma Jones, Timothy West, Rosie Cavaliero, Joe Armstrong, Amelia Bullmore, Shaun Dooley.

Directed by Sally Wainwright.

Full filmography (@Wikipedia)