A former parliamentary researcher, diary correspondent and theatre PR, Julian has worked as a freelance journalist for ten years and now offers a full range of copywriting services.
Full biography:
After university Julian worked as a research assistant in Westminster for a number of MPs and as a regional media co-ordinator during the 1997 general election. Running the All Party Group on Former Prisoners of War in the Far East (that successfully pushed for compensation for the sufferings of that group) was one of the many high points of his parliamentary career. As well as parliamentary activities, Julian was also seconded to a number of campaigns including the vital Littleborough & Saddleworth by-election in 1995. Julian was also part of the campaign team that won the Winchester by-election 1997 a campaign that raised the Liberal Democrat majority from 2 to 22,500.
In 1998 Julian embarked on a career in journalism with two years writing for, and eventually editing, The Independent’s ‘Pandora’ gossip column. After a stint as a theatre PR he returned to journalism.
Since 2003 Julian has been the comedy critic for The Independent and has reviewed most of the major figures in comedy (including Eddie Izzard, Ricky Gervais and Chris Rock) either at the Edinburgh Festival or on national tours. In his capacity as a critic Julian has been on the judging panel for the Hackney Empire New Act of the Year Award, the Chortle Comedy Awards and the Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year Award numerous times. He was also a member of the judging panel for the if.comedy awards (formerly The Perrier Awards and now the Foster’s Edinburgh Comedy Awards) in Edinburgh in 2007 and in 2008. His involvement in the awards proved to be both lively and, also, influential as his input effected a rule change. In July 2009 Julian became the first journalist from a British national newspaper to extensively cover the Just for Laughs comedy festival in Montreal. In 2010 Julian supplied a significant amount of copy for the website of the new Foster’s Edinburgh Comedy Awards.
As well as The Independent, other publications that Julian has written for (on comedy and non-comedy subjects such as business, fashion, lifestyle, politics and sport) include: The Guardian, The Independent on Sunday, ES Magazine, Prospect, Metro, The Stage and The Bristol Evening Post, Total Politics, What’s On in London, ShortList, Chortle, Comedy Demon, London Is Funny, The British Comedy Awards magazine, Total TV Guide, The List, Insight, Matchbox, London & More, ZEE, Pride Life, It’s Mal Life (Malmaison hotel magazine), Time & Leisure, SW, Rise and various on-board publications.
Julian’s ‘Rough Guide to British Cult Comedy’ was published in October 2006 and received a series of good reviews. The book chronicles both US and UK comedy greats. As well as publishing his own book Julian’s work has been referenced in other books and articles meanwhile he has lectured in comedy at Southampton Solent University.
Julian has contributed to programmes on BBC Scotland (Will The Real A L Kennedy Please Stand Up?), BBC Radio Scotland (Comedy Cafe), BBC Midlands, Channel 4 (Is Benny Hill Still Funny?), Paramount Comedy (The Top Ten Sex and the City Episodes), BBC London (radio and TV for The Rough Guide to British Cult Comedy) Nuts TV and BBC Radio 7.
Meanwhile, Julian has written two BBC Radio 2 shows; the series ‘Alexei Sayle’s Alternative Take’ that aired in 2008 and David Jason‘s Christmas Comedy Classics that was broadcast on Christmas Day, 2011.
Among the numerous celebrities that Julian has interviewed are Chris Rock, Joss Whedon, Clarke Peters, Sandra Bernhard, Josh Schwartz, Ross Noble, Rik Mayall, Kevin Bishop, Jerry Sadowitz, Rob Brydon, Jimmy Carr, Eddie Izzard, Dylan Moran, Sean Hughes, Paul Merton, Alexei Sayle, Mark Thomas, Robert Newman, Jack Dee, Stewart Lee, Alan Carr, Max Beesley, Raquel Cassidy, Gilles Peterson, John Pilger, Will Self, and Doon Mackichan.
Outside of his role as a writer Julian has assisted in establishing a number of comedy nights at the Clapham Picturehouse cinema, one of London’s best known independent cinemas.
Copywriting:
Julian works as a copywriter and has written for a number of companies on subjects from real estate to the ‘Big Society’ proving a significant amount of copy for the website of leading social research agency TNS-BMRB as well as for a number of charities including Alzheimer’s UK and The Stoll Foundation.
Portfolio examples:
Contact Julian at julian@textualhealing.co.uk or on 07810 486658