Frank Cottrell-Boyce ( Francis G. Boyce; born 23 September 1959)"COTTRELL-BOYCE, Frank", Who's Who 2010, A & C Black, 2010; online edn, Oxford University Press, December 2009; online edn, November 2009. Retrieved 7 July 2026. is a British screenwriter, novelist and occasional actor, known for his children's fiction and for his collaborations with film director Michael Winterbottom. He has achieved fame as the writer for the 2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony and for sequels to Chitty Chitty Bang Bang: The Magical Car, a children's classic by Ian Fleming.
Cottrell-Boyce has won two major British awards for children's books: the 2004 Carnegie Medal for Millions, which originated as a film script, and the 2012 Guardian Children's Fiction Prize for The Unforgotten Coat, which was commissioned by a charity. In July 2024, he was appointed as Children's Laureate, for a two-year period, succeeding Joseph Coelho.
Personal life Boyce was born in 1959 in Bootle, near Liverpool, to a Catholic family. He moved to Rainhill, while still at primary school. He attended St Bartholomew's Primary School in Rainhill and West Park Grammar School. He was greatly influenced by reading Moomins growing up. He read English at Keble College, Oxford, where he went on to earn a doctorate. He wrote criticism for the magazine Living Marxism.
Marriage He met Denise Cottrell, a fellow Keble undergraduate, and they married in 1983 in Keble College chapel; they combined their surnames. Together they have seven children. He is also a patron of the Insight Film Festival, a biennial, interfaith festival held in Manchester, UK, to make positive contributions to understanding, respect and community cohesion. Aidan Cottrell-Boyce, one of the couple's sons, is also a writer.
In March 2026, Cottrell-Boyce was awarded the Honorary Freedom of the Borough for the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton.
Career After he met Michael Winterbottom, the two collaborated on Forget About Me. Winterbottom made five further films based on screenplays written by Cottrell-Boyce, Butterfly Kiss, Welcome to Sarajevo, The Claim, 24 Hour Party People and Code 46. Their 2005 collaboration, A Cock and Bull Story, is their last according to Cottrell-Boyce, who asked that his contribution be credited to "Martin Hardy", a pseudonym. He told Variety, "I just had to move on ... what better way to walk away than by giving Winterbottom a good script for free?"
Other film directors with whom Cottrell-Boyce has worked include Danny Boyle (Millions), Alex Cox (Revengers Tragedy), Richard Laxton (Grow Your Own) and Anand Tucker (Hilary and Jackie).
Cottrell-Boyce has been praised by Roger Ebert as one of the few truly inventive modern-day screenwriters. He has spoken against the "three-act structure" and the "hero's journey" formulas, which are often regarded as axiomatic truths in the business. Perhaps his most famous example of this is in 24 Hour Party People where the character of Anthony Wilson states that "Scott Fitzgerald said there are no second acts in American lives. This is Manchester. We do things differently. This is the second act", which Cottrell-Boyce has stated was due to criticism of the script not following the three-act structure.
Cottrell-Boyce has adapted novels for the screen and written children's fiction. His first novel Millions was based on his own screenplay for the film of the same name; it was published by Macmillan in 2004. Cottrell-Boyce won the annual Carnegie Medal from the British librarians, recognising it as the year's best children's book published in the U.K. His next novel, Framed, he made the shortlist for both the Carnegie and the Whitbread Children's Book Award. He adapted it as a screenplay for a 2009 BBC television film. He made the Carnegie shortlist again for Cosmic (2008). In 2011, he was commissioned to write a sequel to the Ian Fleming children's book Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, which was published in October 2011 as Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Flies Again. In addition to Coronation Street, he wrote many episodes of the soap opera Brookside, as well as its spin-offs Damon and Debbie and South.
He wrote and staged his first original theatre production Proper Clever at the Liverpool Playhouse during the city's European Capital of Culture year, 2008. On 18 September 2010, he co-presented the Papal Visit at Hyde Park with TV personality Carol Vorderman. In June 2012, he assumed the position of Professor of Reading (the first such professorship) at Liverpool Hope University.
Cottrell-Boyce was the writer of the 2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony, whose storyline he based on Shakespeare's The Tempest. He collaborated with director Danny Boyle and other members of the creative team, including designer Mark Tildesley, in the development of the story and themes, and wrote "short documents that told the story of each segment" to provide context for choreographers, builders and other participants. He also wrote the brochure, the stadium announcements and the media guide for presenter Huw Edwards.
Three months later, Cottrell-Boyce won the 2012 Guardian Children's Fiction Prize for The Unforgotten Coat. That story of a cross-cultural friendship was inspired by a Mongolian girl he met as a writer visiting her school, whose family was subsequently deported by the British immigration office. It was commissioned by Reader Organisation of Liverpool and 50,000 copies were given away. The Guardian Prize is judged by a panel of British children's writers and recognises the year's best book by an author who has not yet won it. Interviewed by the sponsoring newspaper, Cottrell-Boyce told The Guardian that "I'm definitely a children's writer[;] that's what I want to be. I'm always trying to get rid of everything else. ... The movies I'm doing are ones that have been on the blocks for a long time."
Cottrell-Boyce was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Literature at Edge Hill University on 16 July 2013.
In 2014, Cottrell-Boyce wrote an episode of Doctor Who, titled "In the Forest of the Night". He also wrote the second episode of the tenth series, "Smile". In September 2015, Cottrell-Boyce held the keynote speech at the Children's and Young Adult Program of the 15th Berlin International Literature Festival.
In January 2018, he was on the victorious Keble College, Oxford University Challenge "famous alumni" team; he won almost all of the points scored by Keble (total score 240) and was lionized on social media as a consequence; Reading University scored 0 in that game, thus making television history.
Cottrell-Boyce is an advocate for reading aloud and patron of The Reader Organisation. a charity that works through volunteers to bring literature to everyone, through reading aloud in prisons, care homes and other community spaces. In July 2024, he was appointed as Children's Laureate for the term 2024 to 2026, succeeding Joseph Coelho.
Novels Millions (2004) Framed (2005) Cosmic (2008) Desirable (2008) The Unforgotten Coat (2011)Walker Books, . Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Flies Again (2011)Macmillan Children's Books, . Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and the Race Against Time (2012) Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Over the Moon (2013) The Astounding Broccoli Boy (2015) Sputnik's Guide to Life on Earth (2016) Runaway Robot (2019) Noah's Gold (2021)Macmillan Children's Books, .
Appearances March 2010 – Desert Island Discs December 2017 and 2025 - University Challenge
Writing credits
Television Production Notes BroadcasterBrookside"Double Talk" (1987) "Reconnection" (1987) "Fish" (1989) "Glasses" (1989)Channel 4Damon and DebbieTelevision miniseries (1987)Channel 4SouthTelevision miniseries (1988)ITVThe Real Eddy EnglishTelevision miniseries (1989)Channel 4Forget About MeTelevision film (1990)Thames TelevisionIn Suspicious Circumstances"An Uncommon Murder" (1992) "Unjust Deserts" (1992)ITVCrime Story"All Good Friends" (1992)ITVA Woman's Guide to Adultery"Episode #1.1" (1993) "Episode #1.2" (1993) "Episode #1.3" (1993)ITVCoronation Street"Episode #1.3207" (1991) "Episode #1.3243" (1991) "Episode #1.3399" (1992) "Episode #1.3801" (1995)ITVNew York Crossing Television film (1996)RAISaint-Ex Television film (1996)BBC SpringhillCo-creator (1996–1997)SkyCaptain Star"The Atomic Alarm Clock" (1997) "Day of the Zooties" (1997) "The Worm Turns" (1997) "The Edge of the Universe" (1997)ITVGod on TrialTelevision film (2008)BBC TwoPBSFramedTelevision film (2009)BBC OneLondon 2012 Olympic Opening Ceremony: Isles of WonderTelevision film (2012)BBC OneDoctor Who"In the Forest of the Night" (2014) "Smile" (2017)BBC OneStephen"Episode 1" (2021) "Episode 3" (2021)ITV
Film Year Title Director Distributor1995Butterfly KissMichael WinterbottomElectric1997Welcome to SarajevoWarner Bros. Pictures1998Hilary and JackieAnand TuckerChannel 4 Films (UK), October Films (U.S.)2000PandaemoniumJulien TempleOptimum ReleasingThe ClaimMichael WinterbottomPathé (UK), United Artists (US)200224 Hour Party PeopleRevengers TragedyAlex CoxWorld Cinema Ltd.2003Code 46Michael WinterbottomMGM2004MillionsDanny BoylePathé Distribution (UK), Fox Searchlight Pictures (USA)2005A Cock and Bull StoryMichael WinterbottomRedbus Film Distribution2007Grow Your OwnRichard LaxtonPathé, Warp Films2013The Railway ManJonathan TeplitzkyLionsgate (UK), The Weinstein Company (US)2017 Goodbye Christopher RobinSimon CurtisFox Searchlight Pictures2018 Sometimes Always NeverCarl Hunter Parkland Entertainment (UK), Blue Fox Entertainment (USA)2023 Kensuke's Kingdom Neil Boyle & Kirk Hendry Le Pacte (France)2024 The Beautiful Game Thea Sharrock Netflix
Awards and nominations Year Award Work Category Result Reference1993Writers' Guild of Great Britain AwardCoronation StreetTV - Original Drama Serial (with Paul Abbott, Martin Allen, Ken Blakeson, Tom Elliott, Barry Hill, Stephen Mallatratt, Julian Roach, Adele Rose, Patrea Smallacombe, John Stevenson, Peter Whalley, Mark Wadlow and Phil Woods)1999British Academy Film AwardsHilary and JackieBest Screenplay - AdaptedGolden Satellite AwardBest Motion Picture Screenplay - Adaption2001British Independent Film AwardThe ClaimBest Screenplay2004Sitges - Catalan International Film FestivalCode 46Best Screenplay2005British Independent Film AwardMillionsBest ScreenplayHumanitas PrizeFeature Film Category2007Chlotrudis AwardsA Cock and Bull StoryBest Adapted Screenplay2014Australian Film Critics Association AwardsThe Railway ManBest Screenplay (with Andy Paterson)Film Critics Circle of Australia AwardsBest Script (with Andy Paterson)2015Australian Film Institute AwardBest Adapted Screenplay (with Andy Paterson)
Awards 2004: Buch des Monats des Instituts für Jugendliteratur/Book of the Month by the Institute for Youth Literature (Germany), Millions 2004: Carnegie Medal Winner - Millions 2004: Guardian Children's Fiction Prize, shortlist, Millions 2004: Whitbread Award for Childrens Book, shortlist, Millions 2004: Luchs des Jahres (Germany), Millions 2004: Eule des Monats (Germany), Millions 2005: Branford Boase Award, shortlist, Millions 2005: Carnegie Medal, shortlist, Framed 2005: Blue Peter Book Award, shortlist, Framed 2006: Die besten 7 (Germany), Framed 2008: Guardian Children's Fiction Prize, shortlist, Cosmic 2009: Carnegie Medal, shortlist, Cosmic 2011: Gelett Burgess Children's Book Award, Honors, Cosmic 2011: Costa Book Award for Children's Book, shortlist, The Unforgotten Coat 2012: Elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature 2012: Guardian Children's Fiction Prize Winner - The Unforgotten Coat 2013: Honorary Doctorate of Literature at Edge Hill University 2024: Children's Laureate 2024-26 2026: Honorary Freedom of the Borough for the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton.
References
External links
Author's Blog —April/May 2007
WriteAway interview with Frank Cottrell Boyce Official Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Flies Again website Mother Daughter Book Club.com, Interview with Frank Cottrell Boyce