Coky Giedroyc facts for kids

Mary Rose Helen Giedroyc (born 6 February 1963), known professionally as Coky Giedroyc, is a famous English director. A director is like the captain of a movie or TV show, guiding the actors and crew to bring a story to life. She is known for directing popular TV shows like The Virgin Queen, The Nativity, and Penny Dreadful.

Early Life and Family

Coky Giedroyc was born in Kowloon, Hong Kong, on February 6, 1963. She grew up in a town called Leatherhead, Surrey, in England.

Her father, Michal Giedroyc, was a historian from a noble Polish-Lithuanian family who moved to England in 1947. Her mother, Rosy, is English. You might know her younger sister, Mel Giedroyc, who is a famous TV presenter. Coky went to Bristol University, which is where she first started making films.

Career as a Director

Coky Giedroyc has had a long and successful career directing both movies and television shows. She is especially well-known for her work in TV drama.

Famous Television Shows

Over the years, Coky has directed episodes for many hit shows. These include historical dramas like Wuthering Heights, The Virgin Queen, and Oliver Twist. Her work on The Virgin Queen earned her a nomination for a BAFTA Award, which is a very important award in British television.

In 2010, she directed a BBC series called The Nativity. This series told the story of the birth of Jesus in a new and dramatic way. Critics praised her directing, even though some parts of the story were different from the traditional version.

She also directed the original pilot episode for the popular series Sherlock. A pilot is the first episode made to show what a series will be like. The BBC later decided to make the episodes longer, but her original version was released on the DVD.

Live Television and Recent Work

One of Coky's biggest projects was directing The Sound of Music Live! in 2015. This was a huge live performance of the famous musical on ITV. It was the first time a musical was broadcast live on a major UK channel. The show had a team of over 400 people and used 177 different costumes. Her sister, Mel, even had a role in it!

In 2019, she directed the movie How to Build a Girl, based on a popular novel. In 2021, she won her second BAFTA award for the series Save Me Too. Most recently, she directed the movie Greatest Days, which features the music of the band Take That and was released in 2023.

Personal Life

In 1998, Coky Giedroyc married Sir Thomas Weyland Bowyer-Smyth, who works as a production designer on film sets. Together, they have two children. Coky also has a son from a previous marriage.

Filmography

Here is a list of some of the movies and TV shows Coky Giedroyc has directed.

Film

Television