Karen Kilgariff is a British screenwriter who has written for series including Peaky Blinders and Bodyguard. She now works as a freelance writer and part-time script consultant, specialising in crime drama. Here, we’ll explore the origins of Kilgariff’s career and her first-ever television job.
Early Beginnings
Kilgariff was born in Newcastle, England, and studied English Literature at Durham University before going on to train as a teacher. She taught English Literature and Drama for 11 years before heading to America to try her hand at screenwriting. She got her start in the industry at the age of 29, when she sold an original screenplay for a feature film called The Family, which starred Kelsey Grammer and was released in 2019.
What Is Crime Drama?
Kilgariff’s foray into crime fiction stemmed from her love for film noir and classic British crime dramas such as Death on the Nile and Guy Ritchie’s Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. She cites Alfred Hitchcock and Billy Wilder as key influences, and has described her style as “gritty, dark and witty”.
While in America, Kilgariff worked with some of Hollywood’s biggest names. She started out as an intern at Creative Artists Agency, eventually becoming an assistant to the head of the literary department there, before moving to the William Morris agency. She next worked for a literary agency named Sterling Lord, before heading back to CAA as an agent trainee.
What Were Her First TV Writing Jobs?
While at CAA, Kilgariff wrote two spec-scripts that were optioned for television: one for a show called Bodyguard, which she claims is “one of the great British crime shows ever made” and another for a show called Peaky Blinders. Bodyguard was soon picked up for a series by Netflix, which was released earlier this year. While the writing staff for Bodyguard and Peaky Blinders were based in London, Kilgariff was based in Los Angeles.
Kilgariff’s first job for Bodyguard was as a story editor, where she contributed to the scripts of the first two seasons. She then moved on to become a co-writer on the series, contributing to scripts for the show’s third, fourth and fifth seasons. Her most recent job was as a consulting script supervisor, where she reviewed the scripts and offered feedback to the writers.
Speaking about her work on Bodyguard, Kilgariff said: “I feel incredibly lucky to have been a part of such an amazing show. It was a real treat to get to work on something that I love and that others seem to love too. It really is the best of both worlds – an incredible combination of drama, action and comedy, all shot in Dublin! But what I enjoyed most about working on Bodyguard was getting to meet so many new people, and being a part of the show’s success. It’s been such an amazing ride. I can’t think of a better way to spend my time. Hopefully there’s more to come.”
When asked about her next writing project, Kilgariff was quick to reply: “I’d love to do a musical! I would sing and dance all day. I would put it on my resume as a hobby.”
Peaky Blinders
Peaky Blinders is a 2018 British crime drama series created by Johnnie To and Rich Tea, and directed by Luke Davies. It is based on the real-life gangsters of the same name, who operated in and around Birmingham, England, in the early 1900s. The series is set in the fictional town of Catterick, based on a true story involving the blind tiger gang. It stars Cate Blanchett, Helena Bonham Carter, Tim Roth and Sacha Baron Cohen.
Kilgariff was first introduced to the world via Peaky Blinders when she was contacted by the television production company behind the popular show, seeking writers. She was flown out to England to meet with the show’s creators and take part in the writing of the first and second seasons. She was then brought back to Atlanta to work on the third season, before being asked back to London for the fourth.
The Family
Kilgariff’s latest project is a family-oriented drama called The Family. The series is set in the early 1900s and follows a group of friends and relatives who become embroiled in a love triangle involving a married woman, her sister and a wealthy bachelor. According to Kilgariff, the story was inspired by her grandfather, whose first marriage ended in divorcée. Her great uncle Arthur then died, leaving his entire estate to his daughter Olive. The remaining family members then banded together to contest this will and, as a result, became embroiled in a protracted family saga that lasted for years and involved the English court. When asked about her inspiration for the series, Kilgariff replied: “I’m always interested in stories about dysfunctional families or groups of friends who end up in a sibling rivalry. And there’s always a love triangle lurking somewhere in the background.”
Future Projects
Kilgariff has several projects currently in development, with Bodyguard, Peaky Blinders and The Family all set for release in the next few years. In the meantime, she continues to write for TV and is developing a film with Rebecca Front and Jimmy Prichard, called An Officer and a Gentleman. Front is best known for her role as DI Rachel McAdams in the 2008 film version of the beloved British TV series The Adams Chronicles.
Kilgariff has also completed a stage adaptation of Agatha Christie’s Death on the Nile, about a gentleman who mysteriously dies on a boat journey with his young friend. The play was originally commissioned by the Edinburgh Festival, where it received poor reviews. But while in London for the premiere, Kilgariff was inundated with requests for tickets. One critic called it “the best thing at the festival,” and the London Evening Standard said: “An extraordinarily well-written comedy… a tour de force.”
Theatre was clearly a formative influence on Kilgariff. She grew up in a family of actors, and even after becoming a screenwriter, continued to pursue her love of the stage.
Kilgariff told The Guardian: “I would love to do a musical. I would sing and dance all day. I would put it on my resume as a hobby. I also love writing for children. I did a play for kids once, and it was so much fun. I’d like to do something like that again.”