Will Jessop

Jessop's first broadcast documentary was Growing Up Down's (2014) for BBC Three, which tells the story of his brother Tommy and other actors from Blue Apple Theatre as they create a touring production of Hamlet.{{cite news |last=Wright |first=Jeremy |date=21 January 2014 |title='Growing Up Down's': Tommy's got Talent |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/theatre-dance/features/growing-up-down-s-tommy-s-got-talent-9073067.html |accessdate=21 January 2014 |work=The Independent |language=en-GB}} The documentary received positive reviews{{cite news |last=Fletcher |first=Alex |date=3 February 2014 |title='Growing Up Down's' Preview: Powerful Documentary is Brilliant TV: |url=https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/a548608/growing-up-downs-preview-powerful-documentary-is-brilliant-tv/ |accessdate=3 February 2014 |work=The Independent |language=en-GB}} and was nominated for an International Emmy Award for Best Documentary.{{cite news|title=Britain Leads International Emmy Award Charge|url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2015/oct/05/britain-leads-international-emmy-award-charge-with-seven-nominations|accessdate=5 October 2015|work=The Guardian|date=5 October 2015|language=en-GB}}

In 2020, Jessop directed the BBC2 documentary 25 Siblings & Me, which follows a 21 year old British man called Oli Benjamin as he sets out to connect with his dibling family in the United States.{{Cite web |last=Agnew |first=Megan |date=2020-09-26 |title=25 siblings and me: the search for my sperm donor father |url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/25-siblings-and-me-the-search-for-my-sperm-donor-father-dxjsv7ghj |access-date=2025-01-03 |website=The Times |language=en}}

Jessop series directed the Channel 4 / Discovery+ series Investigating Diana: Death in Paris (2022), with unprecedented access to the officers of Operation Paget.{{Cite news |last=Jeffries |first=Stuart |date=2022-08-21 |title=Investigating Diana: Death in Paris review – like Making a Murderer meets the royals |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2022/aug/21/investigating-diana-death-in-paris-review-like-making-a-murderer-meets-the-royals |access-date=2025-01-03 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}

In 2023, Jessop reunited with his brother Tommy for the BBC1 documentary Tommy Jessop Goes To Hollywood, in which the brothers set out to challenge the negative typecasting of disabled talent by creating and pitching their own superhero movie: Roger the Superhero.{{cite news |last=Midgley |first=Carol |date=21 August 2023 |title='Tommy Jessop Goes To Hollywood Review |url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/tommy-jessop-goes-to-hollywood-review-a-touching-insight-into-living-with-down-s-9vs2vb7hz |accessdate=21 August 2023 |work=The Times |language=en-GB}} The documentary features Kit Harington, Will Sharpe, Neve Campbell and Zack Gottsagen.{{Cite news |last=Reay |first=Cathy |date=2023-08-21 |title=Tommy Jessop Goes to Hollywood review – a charming attempt to create a Down’s syndrome superhero movie |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2023/aug/21/tommy-jessop-goes-to-hollywood-review-a-charming-attempt-to-create-a-down-syndrome-superhero-movie |access-date=2025-01-03 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}

Between 2010 and 2014, Jessop worked as a playwright with the learning disabled actors of Blue Apple Theatre{{cite web|url=http://www.inkpellet.co.uk/2012/04/william-jessop/ |title=William Jessop |publisher=Ink Pellet |date= |accessdate=2013-08-07}} to create adaptations and original productions including A Midsummer Night's Dream,{{cite web |last=Payne |first=Warwick |date=2010-06-09 |title=Blue Apple tackles the Bard (From Hampshire Chronicle) |url=http://www.hampshirechronicle.co.uk/news/winchester/8206826.Blue_Apple_tackles_the_Bard/ |accessdate=2013-08-07 |publisher=Hampshirechronicle.co.uk}} Captain Miserable and the Book Guardian, Gogol's The Government Inspector, Hamlet, Feydeau's Hotel du Paradis,{{cite web |title=Blue Apple Theatre | the Hotel |url=http://blueappletheatre.hampshire.org.uk/hotel.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140423235733/http://blueappletheatre.hampshire.org.uk/hotel.html |archive-date=23 April 2014 |access-date=13 January 2022 |website=Blue Apple Theatre}} and Much Ado About Nothing''.

{{Reflist}}

• {{IMDb name|5727052}}
• {{official website|https://www.willjessop.com//}}
• [http://www.growingupdowns.co.uk/ Growing Up Down's documentary website]

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Category:English documentary filmmakers

Category:Living people