Paul Wilmshurst (born 15 December 1961) is a British television director, producer, and screenwriter. He is known for his work across drama, documentary, and docudrama formats, with credits including Doctor Who, Strike Back, The Last Kingdom (TV series), Hiroshima, and The Day of the Jackal (TV series) (2024).

He has received an International Emmy Award and two BAFTA nominations. Early life and education Wilmshurst studied English at Churchill College, Cambridge, followed by a postgraduate diploma in journalism at City University, London. He began his career in journalism before moving into documentary filmmaking.

Career Wilmshurst started directing documentaries for British television, with early credits including Mob Law (1998), a profile of Las Vegas mob lawyer Oscar Goodman, and White Tribe (2000), presented by Darcus Howe. He also worked on The Gambler (2000) with Jonathan Rendall.

In 2005, he wrote, produced, and directed Hiroshima, a dramatized documentary commemorating the 60th anniversary of the atomic bombing. The programme won the International Emmy Award for Best Documentary and a BAFTA Television Award for Best Visual Effects.

In 2008 Wilmshurst wrote and directed the Channel 4 true-life drama Forgiven for which actress Lucy Cohu won an international Emmy award for Best Actress for her role. The drama was well reviewed at the time and was later listed as one of the 50 Best Television Programmes of the Decade in The Times: "32: Forgiven (2006) It is easy to condemn child abuse. It is much harder to try to understand it, to engage with the abuser and stop it from happening. Paul Wilmshurst's harrowing drama with Lucy Cohu showed unbelievable courage."

Wilmshurst transitioned into directing television drama with credits that include multiple episodes of the BBC's Doctor Who, notably "Kill the Moon", "Mummy on the Orient Express", and the 2014 Christmas special "Last Christmas". He directed episodes of Da Vinci’s Demons, Indian Summers, and The Last Kingdom, as well as five seasons of the action drama Strike Back.

Wilmshurst's work in children's drama includes Combat Kids, which was nominated for a BAFTA, and Runaway (TV serial), a CBBC drama miniseries.

In 2024, Wilmshurst directed three episodes of the Sky/Peacock thriller The Day of the Jackal (TV series), a television adaptation of the novel by Frederick Forsyth. The series, starring Eddie Redmayne and Lashana Lynch, received positive critical reception and several award nominations.

Awards International Emmy Award – Best Documentary, Hiroshima (2005) BAFTA Television Award – Best Visual Effects, Hiroshima (2005) International Emmy Award – Best Actress for Lucy Cohu in Forgiven (2008), directed by Wilmshurst

Personal life Wilmshurst lives in North London.

Filmography

Television

Year Title Role Notes2026Number One FanDirectorTV series 2024 The Day of the Jackal (TV series) Director Episodes 6, 7 & 8 2024 Belgravia: The Next Chapter Director Episodes 1, 2, 3 & 4 2022 The Last Kingdom (TV series) Director Episodes 4, 5 & 6 2020 Strike Back: Vendetta Director Episodes 1 & 2 2019 Strike Back: Revolution Director Episodes 3 & 4 2018 Jamestown (Season 2) Director Episodes 1 & 2 2017 Jamestown Director Episodes 5 & 6 2016 Indian Summers (Season 2) Director Episodes 7, 8, 9 & 10 2015 A.D. The Bible Continues Director Episodes 7 & 8 2014 Doctor Who Director Kill the Moon Mummy on the Orient Express Last Christmas 2013 Strike Back: Shadow Warfare Director Episodes 5 & 6 2012 Da Vinci's Demons Director Episode 5 "The Tower"Episode 6 "The Devil" 2012 Strike Back: Vengeance Director Episodes 3 & 4 2011 Strike Back: Project Dawn Director Episodes 7 & 8 2010 Combat Kids Director, Producer Episodes 1, 2 & 3 2010 Law & Order: UK Director Shaken 2010 Silent Witness Director Home (Parts 1 & 2) 2009 Runaway Director, Writer, Producer Episodes 1, 2 & 3 2008 Trial & Retribution Director Conviction (Parts 1 & 2) 2007 Forgiven Director, Writer, Producer 2006 I Shouldn't Be Alive Director, Writer, Producer Kidnapped in the Killing Fields 2005 Hiroshima Director, Writer, Producer 2004 Pissed on the Job Director, Writer, Producer 2003 Seven Wonders of the Industrial World Director, Writer, Producer The Brooklyn Bridge 2003 Dogumentary Director, Writer, Producer Rewind the Summer 2001 Frank Skinner on Frank Skinner Director, Producer Biography of comedian Frank Skinner 2000 The Gambler Director With Jonathan Rendall 2000 White Tribe Director, Producer Documentary series with Darcus Howe 2000 Secrets & Lines Director, Writer, Producer Inside the world of cocaine dealers 1999 Diceworld Director, Producer Documentary series with Luke Rhinehart 1998 A Little Bit of Elvis Director, Producer Frank Skinner and Elvis Presley's blue velvet shirt 1998 Mob Law Director, Writer A film portrait of Oscar Goodman

References

External links Profile page with agent Curtis Brown Personal website IMDb page