{"id":2768,"date":"2011-02-10T17:14:00","date_gmt":"2011-02-10T17:14:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.copydesk.co.uk\/?page_id=2768"},"modified":"2026-04-01T17:23:12","modified_gmt":"2026-04-01T17:23:12","slug":"about-martin-conaghan","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/copydesk.co.uk\/?page_id=2768","title":{"rendered":"About Martin Conaghan"},"content":{"rendered":"

Martin Conaghan \/ Producer-Director<\/b><\/h3>\n

Film and television projects<\/b><\/h3>\n

AS PRODUCER-DIRECTOR<\/span>:<\/h3>\n

:: Icons of Football S2 ::
\n<\/strong>Second series of the documentary show profiling iconic figures in Scottish football who have made their mark on the game. Episodes produced\/directed: John Robertson, Jen Beattie.
\nFactual Entertainment | 2024 | 28mins x 2 | BBC Scotland<\/em><\/p>\n

:: Icons of Football S1 ::
\n<\/strong>Documentary series profiling iconic figures in Scottish football who have made their mark on the game. Episodes produced\/directed: Charlie Nicholas, Archie Macpherson, Richard Gough.
\nFactual Entertainment | 2023 | 28mins x 3 | BBC Scotland<\/em><\/p>\n

:: The Lost Final ::<\/strong>
\nDocumentary with ex-footballer Pat Nevin searching for footage of Scotland Under-18s victory at the 1982 European Championships. (Producer: Neil Sargent)
\nFactual | 2022 | 43mins | BBC Scotland<\/em><\/p>\n

:: Walter – A Life in Football ::<\/b>
\n<\/b>Special 60 minute documentary tribute to the former Rangers, Everton and Scotland manager Walter Smith. Featuring interview contributions from Sir Alex Ferguson, Sir David Murray, Graeme Souness and others.
\nFactual | 2021 | 60mins | BBC ONE Scotland<\/i><\/p>\n

:: Away With The Tartan Army ::
\n<\/b>Entertainment programme presented by Stuart Cosgrove and Tam Cowan, counting down ten of the best Scotland national football team moments with members of the Tartan Army.<\/em>
\nEntertainment | 2021<\/em> | 60mins | BBC Scotland
\n<\/i>
\n<\/b>:: The Edinburgh Show With Grant Stott ::<\/b>
\n<\/b>2 x 30min Arts and entertainment programme about the 2020 Edinburgh International Festival, which was impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.
\nEntertainment | 2020 | 2 x 30mins | BBC Scotland<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

<\/b>:: Off The Ball: Petty and Ill-informed ::
\n<\/b>Television documentary celebrating 25 years of one of Radio Scotland\u2019s most popular programmes – \u2018Off the Ball\u2019, with Stuart Cosgrove and Tam Cowan.<\/i>
\nEntertainment | 2019 | 60mins | BBC Scotland<\/i>
\n<\/b>
\n:: Boycotts and Broken Dreams: The Story Of The 1986 Commonwealth Games ::
\n<\/b>Television documentary examining the financial and political calamity that engulfed the 1986 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh.(Co-producer\/director Jay Merrimam-Mukoro).\u00a0<\/i>
\nFactual | 2014 | 60mins | BBC ONE Scotland<\/i><\/p>\n


\nAS PRODUCER<\/span>:
\n<\/b><\/h3>\n

:: Scotland at Birmingham 2022 ::
\n<\/b>Special documentary made during the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, following the winning athletes who represented Scotland at the event. Co-producers: Neil Sargent, Scott Currie, Colin Wallace.<\/em>
\nFactual documentary | 2022 | 60mins | BBC Scotland<\/em><\/b><\/p>\n

:: Changing Landscapes ::
\n<\/b>Special documentary for COP26, examining Scotland’s relationship with its natural world through archive footage and classical music pieces from the country’s best-known composers, performed by the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. Narrated by Annie Lennox and Iain Glen. Co-producer: Tim Niel.\u00a0<\/em>
\nFactual | 2022 | 60mins | BBC ONE Scotland<\/em><\/b><\/p>\n

:: In Tandem – The Neil Fachie Story ::<\/b>
\nTelevision documentary tracking the career of Scotland\u2019s most decorated track cyclist, Neil Fachie – who suffers from a degenerative eye condition. Featuring contributions from Sir Chris Hoy, Des Clarke and David Grevenberg.
\nFactual | 2021 | 60mins | BBC Scotland | (Dir: Gavin Sturgeon)<\/i><\/p>\n

:: Rewind 1980s :: <\/b>
\n10 x 30min archive television series about the 1980s for BBC Scotland\u2019s digital television channel, incorporating news, entertainment, comedy, drama and music.
\nEntertainment |2020 | 10 x 30mins | BBC Scotland<\/i><\/p>\n

:: Rewind 2000s :: <\/b>
\n10 x 30min archive television series about the 2000s for BBC Scotland\u2019s digital television channel, incorporating news, entertainment, comedy, drama and music.
\nEntertainment | 2020 | 10 x 30mins | BBC Scotland<\/i><\/p>\n

:: Election 2019 ::<\/b>
\nLive News VT producer during the General Election 2019 overnight programme.
\nNews and Current Affairs | 2019 | BBC ONE Scotland <\/i><\/p>\n

:: Scotland\u2019s Heroes – The Road to France ::
\n<\/b>Television documentary following the Scotland Women\u2019s National Team as they attempted to reach the Fifa World Cup Finals in France.<\/i>
\nFactual documentary | 2019 | 60mins | BBC Scotland | (Dir: Marion MacNeil)<\/i><\/p>\n

:: Rewind 1990s ::<\/b>
\n4 x 30min archive television series about the 1990s for BBC Scotland\u2019s digital television channel, incorporating news, entertainment, comedy, drama and music.
\nEntertainment entertainment |2019 | 4 x 30mins | BBC Scotland\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

:: Football Abuse: The Ugly Side of The Beautiful Game ::
\n<\/b>Television documentary investigating historic sexual abuse in Scottish football. <\/em>
\nCurrent Affairs Investigative documentary | 2017 | 60mins | BBC Scotland | (Dir: Liam McDougal)
\n<\/i>Winner:<\/i><\/b> RTS Scotland Award 2018: Best Current Affairs Programme
\n<\/i><\/p>\n

:: Election 2015 ::<\/b>
\nLive television producer for presenter Jackie Bird during coverage of the 2015 UK General Election overnight programme.
\nNews and Current Affairs | 2015 | BBC ONE Scotland<\/i><\/p>\n

:: Scotland Decides 2014 ::<\/b>
\nLive television producer for presenter Jackie Bird during coverage of the 2014 Independence referendum overnight programme.
\nNews and Current Affairs | 2014 | BBC ONE Scotland
\n<\/i>
\n:: Scotland\u2019s Game ::<\/b>
\n4 x 60min television documentary series exploring the social history of Scottish football from 1986-2016.\u00a0 <\/span>
\nFactual | 2016 | 4 x 60mins | BBC ONE Scotland
\n<\/i>Winner:<\/i><\/b> RTS Scotland Award Best Sport Programme, Celtic Media Award Best Factual Series.
\n<\/i><\/p>\n

:: 2014: Scotland\u2019s Historic Year ::
\n<\/b>Television documentary charting the events of 2014, when Scotland hosted the Commonwealth Games and a referendum on Independence took place.
\nCurrent Affairs documentary\u00a0 <\/span>| 2014\u00a0 <\/span>| 60mins | BBC Scotland<\/i><\/p>\n

:: Spores ::
\n<\/b>Short drama film | 2015\u00a0 <\/span>| 15mins | The Copydesk\/Little Viking\/SFTN\/Creative Scotland. Dir: The Poets.
\n<\/i><\/p>\n

:: Gorta ::<\/b>
\nShort supernatural drama film | 2013 | 15mins | The Copydesk\/Hellbent Films. Dir: John Gorman.<\/i><\/p>\n


\nAS ASSISTANT PRODUCER<\/span>:<\/b><\/h3>\n

:: Jocky Wilson Said ::
\n<\/b>Television documentary<\/i> c<\/b>harting the rise and fall of Scotland\u2019s darts hero, Jocky Wilson. <\/i>
\nFactual documentary |2019 | 60mins | BBC Scotland | (Dir: Liam McCardle)
\n<\/i>Winner:<\/i><\/b> Celtic Media Award 2020, Best Sport Documentary.
\n<\/i>
\n:: Rangers: The Men Who Sold The Jerseys ::<\/b>
\nCurrent Affairs television investigative documentary | 2012| 60mins | BBC Scotland | (Dir: Murdoch Rodgers)<\/i>
\nWinner:<\/i><\/b> Scottish Bafta – Best Current Affairs, AFP Best Current Affairs.<\/i><\/p>\n

:: Sins of Our Fathers ::<\/b>
\nCurrent Affairs television investigative Documentary | 2013 | 60mins | BBC Scotland | (Dir: Murdoch Rodgers)
\n<\/i>Winner:<\/i><\/b> Scottish Bafta – Best Current Affairs, AFP Best Current Affairs, RTS Best Current Affairs, RTS Scotland Best News Story.<\/i><\/p>\n

:: Special Olympics: Scottish Stories ::<\/b>
\nFactual documentary | 2 x 30mins | BBC Scotland | (Dir: Peter Small)
\nThree-week production in Shanghai following five Scottish Special athletes at the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games.<\/i><\/p>\n


\n<\/i>AS WRITER<\/span>:\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n

:: Shadow ::<\/b>
\nShort drama film | 2011 | BBC Scotland \/ (Dir: Marcus Harben)
\n<\/i><\/p>\n

:: Gorta ::<\/b>
\nShort supernatural drama film | 2013 | 15mins | The Copydesk\/Hellbent Films | (Dir: John Gorman)
\n<\/i><\/p>\n

OTHER PRODUCTIONS<\/b>
\nVarious music videos produced and directed for Scottish mod band Button Up<\/i>, Toy Tin Soldier<\/i> and Portland-based singer\/songwriter NIAMH<\/i>.<\/p>\n


\nEMPLOYMENT<\/span>
\n<\/b>
\nProducer <\/b>\u2014 BBC Scotland<\/i>
\n01\/11\/1999 to Present
\nTelevision, radio and online production in BBC Current Affairs, BBC Sport Scotland <\/i>and<\/em> BBC Entertainment. Worked across a variety of roles including journalist\/sportswriter and broadcaster with BBC Sport Scotland and television producer on documentaries and entertainment formats.\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n

PERSONAL STATEMENT<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n

I\u2019m a producer, director and writer working in television and film, with more than 26 years\u2019 experience at BBC Scotland and across independent projects.<\/p>\n

I began in sports journalism in 1999, working in BBC Sport news and radio before moving into documentaries and features. That led to work focused on stories where sport sits within a wider social and cultural context, often with a narrative or investigative thread.<\/p>\n

Early work included the BAFTA-winning investigation Rangers: The Men Who Sold The Jerseys<\/em> and Sins of Our Fathers<\/em>, which helped establish an approach to factual storytelling built around character, context and long-form narrative.<\/p>\n

Since then, I\u2019ve produced and directed a range of documentaries, including Walter: A Life in Football<\/em>, a portrait of Walter Smith\u2019s career; Scotland\u2019s Game<\/em>, a multi-part social history of Scottish football; and Boycotts and Broken Dreams<\/em>, which looked at the political and financial fallout of the 1986 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh.<\/p>\n

Alongside those, I\u2019ve worked on projects that take a lighter or more reflective view of sport and its culture, including Away With The Tartan Army<\/em> and Off the Ball: Petty and Ill-Informed<\/em>. More recently, I\u2019ve produced and directed multiple episodes of Icons of Football<\/em>, as well as The Edinburgh Show with Grant Stott<\/em> and The Lost Final<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Outside broadcast, I\u2019ve also worked in short drama and publishing. I co-created the graphic novel Burke & Hare<\/em> with Will Pickering, and have written, produced and directed short films including Spores for the Scottish Film Talent Network.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Martin Conaghan \/ Producer-Director Film and television projects AS PRODUCER-DIRECTOR: :: Icons of Football S2 ::…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-2768","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/copydesk.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2768","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/copydesk.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/copydesk.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/copydesk.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/copydesk.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2768"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/copydesk.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2768\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5039,"href":"https:\/\/copydesk.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2768\/revisions\/5039"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/copydesk.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2768"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}