Gavin Weightman Biography

Gavin Weightman is an author and film-maker best known for a series of documentaries and accompanying books made while he worked at London Weekend Television. These include two series of The Making of Modern London, City Safari, Brave New Wilderness, London River and Bright Lights, Big City all of which he produced, directed, wrote and narrated. He began work as a journalist on local newspapers before taking a degree in Sociology at London University. On New Society magazine he was a feature writer and he has written for History Today and national newspapers. He has made many contributions to documentary series on both radio and ITV. For two years he was the presenter of The London Programme.

For several years he ran his own Independent television production company making the very successful series Rescue for Channel 4, a commemoration of VE Day A Taste of Victory and a history of post-war restaurants Dining Out for IT. As a freelance producer-director he made a history of Channel 4, Storm Over 4 and history of football rivalry between England and Scotland.

Recently he has concentrated on writing. The Frozen Water Trade (2002) on the American natural ice and Signor Marconi's Magic Box (2003) on the early days of wireless were both published in the UK and the US. His other books are The Industrial Revolutionaries about the spread of industrial society around the world from eighteenth century England and a new, omnibus edition of The Making of Modern London covering the period from 1815 to the present day. Also his most recent work, Eureka: How Inventions Happen. From time to time he has lectured on London history in the Continuing Education Department of Birkbeck College, London University.

Gavin Weightman's website

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