Sally Wainwright is one of the UK’s most acclaimed and prolific television writers, producers, and directors. She has created a range of original dramas that feature strong female characters, realistic dialogue, and often a Yorkshire setting.
Having amassed so much wealth for herself over the years, this article will look at her career and how she walked her way to the spotlight in the entertainment industry.
Profile Summary
| Name | Sally Wainwright |
| Occupation | Writer, Director, Producer |
| Known for | Happy Valley, Last Tango in Halifax, Gentleman Jack |
| Nationality | British |
| Date of Birth | 1963 |
| Age | 61 years old |
| Place of Birth | Huddersfield, Yorkshire, England |
| Awards | Over 20, including: BAFTAs, RTS Awards, National Television Awards |
| Years Active | 1991–present |
| Writing Credits | Television series, television films, stage plays |
| Stage Plays (Writer) | Hanging On |
| Directing Credits | Episodes of Happy Valley Gentleman Jack To Walk Invisible |
| Executive Producer | Scott & Bailey Last Tango in Halifax Happy Valley Gentleman Jack The Unforgivable |
| Original Story | Son Nefesime Kadar (Turkish TV series) |
| Net Worth | $1 Million |
| Spouse | Austin Sherlaw-Johnson (m. 1990) |
| Children | 2 |
Net Worth
Sally Wainwright’s net worth is estimated at around $1 million as of 2024. She has earned most of her income from her successful career as a television writer, producer, and director.
She has created several award-winning and critically acclaimed dramas broadcast on BBC One and HBO. She has also written and directed plays for the stage and radio.
Career
Sally Wainwright is one of the UK’s most acclaimed and prolific television writers, producers, and directors. She has created a range of original dramas that feature strong female characters, realistic dialogue, and often a Yorkshire setting. She has won four BAFTA awards and an OBE for her contributions to the industry.
Wainwright began her career as a scriptwriter on the long-running radio serial drama The Archers and worked on the television soap operas Emmerdale and Coronation Street in the 1990s. Her first original drama, At Home with the Braithwaites, aired between 2000 and 2003. It was a comedy-drama about a family whose lives changed after winning the lottery.
After two self-described “flops” in the mid-2000s, Wainwright found success with Unforgiven (2009), a three-part drama about a woman who is released from prison after serving 15 years for murdering two police officers. She won the Royal Television Society’s Writer of the Year Award for this work.
Her work since includes Scott & Bailey (2011–2016), a crime drama about two female detectives; Last Tango in Halifax (2012–2020), a romantic comedy-drama about two elderly widowers who rekindle their love; Happy Valley (2014–2023), a crime thriller about a police sergeant who faces personal and professional challenges; and Gentleman Jack (2019–2022), a historical drama about Anne Lister, a 19th-century landowner and lesbian.
Last Tango in Halifax won the British Academy Television Award for Best Drama Series in 2013, and Happy Valley won in 2015 and 2017. Gentleman Jack has been praised for portraying an “uncompromisingly gay” heroine and has become a global icon for the LGBTQ+ community.
Wainwright is also a playwright and has written several plays for the stage and radio. Her most recent play, The Last Testament of Lillian Bilocca, was performed in Hull in 2017 as part of the UK City of Culture program. It was based on the story of a campaigner for fishermen’s safety in the 1960s.
Wainwright is working on the third series of Gentleman Jack and a new drama, Renegade Nell, about a highwaywoman in the 18th century. She is also planning to write the final series of Happy Valley, which will conclude the story of the main character, Catherine Cawood.
Filmography
She has had a successful career as a television writer, producer, and director, creating popular shows such as “Happy Valley,” “Last Tango in Halifax,” and “Gentleman Jack.”
Here is a glimpse into her filmography;
As writer
Television series
- The Archers (1986–1988) (Radio series)
- Emmerdale (1995–1996) (Soap opera)
- Coronation Street (1998–1999) (Soap opera)
- At Home with the Braithwaites (2000–2003)
- Dead Clever: The Life and Crimes of Julie Bottomley (2004) (TV movie)
- The Amazing Mrs Pritchard (2006)
- ShakespeaRe-Told (2005) (TV miniseries)
- Unforgiven (2009) (TV miniseries)
- Scott & Bailey (2011–2016)
- Last Tango in Halifax (2012–2020)
- Happy Valley (2014–2023)
- To Walk Invisible (2016) (TV movie)
- Gentleman Jack (2019–2022)
- The Unforgivable (2021) (based on the TV series “Unforgiven” by Wainwright)
Television films
- Jane Hall (2006)
- The Last Witch (2012)
Stage plays
- Hanging On (2005)
As director
- Happy Valley (2014–2023) (8 episodes)
- Gentleman Jack (2019) (4 episodes)
- To Walk Invisible: The Brontë Sisters (2016)
As writer and director
- Walk Invisible (2016) (TV movie)
As executive producer
- Scott & Bailey (2011–2016)
- Last Tango in Halifax (2012–2020)
- Happy Valley (2014–2023)
- Gentleman Jack (2019–2022)
- The Unforgivable (2021)
As original story
- Son Nefesime Kadar (2023) (Turkish TV series)
In addition to these, Wainwright has also written for a number of other television shows and stage productions. She is a highly respected and successful writer, and her work has been praised for its originality, wit, and humanity.
Awards and Nominations
Her career has been acknowledged and greatly appreciated with lots of accolades. Here is a glimpse into her awards and nominations.
Honours
- 2020: Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to Writing and Television
Television Awards
Wins
- RTS Awards:
- 2009: Best Drama Serial (Unforgiven)
- 2011: North West Awards – Best Writer (Scott & Bailey)
- BAFTA TV Awards:
- 2013: Best Drama Series (Last Tango in Halifax)
- 2013: Best Drama Writer (Last Tango in Halifax)
- 2015: Best Drama Series (Happy Valley)
- 2017: Best Drama Series (Happy Valley)
- Broadcast Awards:
- 2014: Best Drama Series (Happy Valley)
- British Screenwriters’ Awards:
- 2014: Best British TV Drama Writing (Happy Valley)
- Crime Thriller Awards:
- 2014: Best TV Series (Happy Valley)
- TV Choice Awards:
- 2014: Best New Drama (Happy Valley)
- Edinburgh TV Festival Awards:
- 2023: Best Drama (Happy Valley)
- National Television Awards:
- 2023: Best Returning Drama (Happy Valley)
Nominations
- BAFTA TV Awards:
- 2015: Best Single Drama (Happy Valley)
- 2016: Best Drama Serial (Happy Valley)
- 2017: Best Drama Serial (Last Tango in Halifax)
- 2020: Best Drama Series (Gentleman Jack)
- 2023: Best Drama Series (Happy Valley)
- Edgar Award:
- 2015: Best Television Episode Teleplay (Happy Valley)
- Royal Television Society Awards:
- 2012: Best Drama Series (Last Tango in Halifax)
- 2014: Best Drama Series (Happy Valley)
- 2015: Best Drama Series (Happy Valley)
- 2020: Best Drama Series (Gentleman Jack)
- Irish Film and Television Awards:
- 2020: Best International Drama (Gentleman Jack)
Other Awards and Nominations
- Banff Festival: 2003: Best Short Drama (The Wife of Bath’s Tale)
- Sky WFTV Awards: 2013: Technicolor Writing Award
- British Independent Film Awards: 2016: Best Writing in a British Independent Film (To Walk Invisible)
- Broadcasting Press Guild Awards: 2020: Best Drama (Gentleman Jack)
- South Bank Sky Arts Awards: 2020: Television Drama (Gentleman Jack)
This is only a glimpse into her accolades and may not contain all her Awards and nominations.
Her career is worth looking into based on the diversity and the way she has greatly showcased her talents.