JOHN RICHARDS
John Richards is a writer and broadcaster, best known for writing the ABC1 series Outland (“Sensational writing, a great ensemble, and universal themes of love, loss, and friendship… a hit…” – The Weekend Australian) and as showrunner on the Night Terrace series.
John started out as a stand-up comedian in Perth, where he also wrote the stage two- hander Not Of This Earth. Not Of This Earth would go on to play the Perth Artrage Festival, the Adelaide Fringe and the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Settling in Melbourne, he joined radio station RRR's successful comedy team The Third Ear and with them produced a regular sketch comedy show for three years, a critically-acclaimed sitcom for ABC's Radio National (based on Not Of This Earth) and material for ABC TV and radio, including the television series Something Hot Before Bed.
In 2006 he co-wrote and directed the short film Outland, which played in dozens of film festivals and was translated into five languages.
Outland was then developed into a six-part TV series for Princess Pictures and ABC1, which aired in February/March 2012 to rave reviews and became an international cult hit. To date Outland has played in Germany, New Zealand, Sweden, Canada and the USA.
In 2013 he had two plays running simultaneously in separate countries. Songs For Europe, a drama about the Eurovision Song Contest, played to rave reviews and packed houses at the Melbourne Fringe Festival, while the short work Found was featured as part of the London Design Festival.
In 2014 he became showrunner on Night Terrace, an 8 part audio comedy series. Funded directly through a Netflicks-style subscription model, Night Terrace stars Jackie Woodburne (Neighbours) and features guest appearances from Alan Brough (Spicks and Specks), Jane Badler (V), Toby Truslove (Outland, Laid), Virgina Gay (Winners and Losers), Adam Richard (Outland, Spicks and Specks), Cal Wilson (Slideshow), Francis Greenslade (Mad As Hell), Cate Wolf (The Doctor Blake Mysteries), Chris Taylor (The Chaser) among many others.
He is also a well-known podcaster and broadcaster. He was part of the Chronos Award-winning television-discussion podcast Boxcutters for five years and the iTunes- chart-topping podcast Splendid Chaps in 2013. He has produced and presented shows for 3RRR and Joy 94.9 and created factual content for television and radio including ABC1, JJJ, 3LO, 774 and BBC Radio Five Live. He has been featured on ABC TV's Big Ideas (hosted by Walled Aly) and written sketch comedy for Radio National and BBC Radio 4.
105 Rupert St John Richards 1 PO Box 1732 Collingwood 3066 P +61 3 9078 0678 F +61 3 9078 0900 E [email protected] He is a regular contributor to publications including Encore, Mumbrella, Cult and DNA, and has contributed to the text books Media Reloaded (Cambridge University Press), Queers Dig Time Lords (Mad Norwegian) and Whose Doctor? (Ford Publishing).
He is a script assessor for outside projects at Screen Tasmania, with a focus on comedy and genre scripts, and a guest lecturer for organisations including RMIT and the Australian Centre for the Moving Image. He was nominated for a Hugo Award in 2014.
105 Rupert St John Richards 2 PO Box 1732 Collingwood 3066 P +61 3 9078 0678 F +61 3 9078 0900 E [email protected]