From Abridge to Albert Square via Moseley

Moseley writer Tim Stimpson has had an amazing twelve months. He’s played a major part in the ground-breaking, headline-grabbing Rob and Helen storyline on the Archers, which led to an Outstanding Contribution award for the soap at this year’s BBC Audio Drama Awards. And now, after fourteen years in Ambridge, he’s turning his hand to another much-loved, but very different British soap, EastEnders.

Tim came to Birmingham University in 1998, where then-Editor of the Archers, Vanessa Whitburn taught a module. Her advice was to “pester someone who can help you”, and Tim took her at her word, pestering her into giving him work experience on the show, then invitations to script meetings then opportunities to write trial scripts. His persistence paid off and in 2003 he was asked to be a part of the Archers writing team, where he’s been ever since.

In contrast, Tim’s move to EastEnders was a lot less calculated. In 2016 Sean O’Connor, the then-Editor of the Archers, took over the helm at EastEnders. “There was a short period of time when he was working on both shows,” explains Tim. “I went down to London to talk to him about the Archers and he ended up giving me a tour of Albert Square and asking me if I wanted to have a go at writing an episode. I jumped at the chance.”

But despite having to travel up and down to London a lot more now, Tim isn’t tempted to relocate. “We moved to Moseley from Cotteridge four years ago and we love it. My wife has a job here, my parents are in Telford, hers are in Cannock. It’s just a much better quality of life. And London’s easy to get to - although the peak rail fares are a killer.”

Tim’s advice to anyone wanting to follow in his writing footsteps is, “Multitask. Write in a variety of media, meet people, get involved, make your own radio drama, put on your own play, learn how to complete an Arts Council application. It’s very exposing, to put yourself out there, but keep doing it and eventually something will happen.”

EastEnders story lines are a closely guarded secret, and Tim’s lips are as tightly sealed as Ian Beale’s wallet, but I did manage to prise a small spoiler out of him: “It wouldn’t be EastEnders without a damn good row, would it?”

Tim’s debut EastEnders episode airs on BBC1 at 7.30pm on Tuesday 4th April.

Published in My Moseley and Kings Heath, March 2017.