Alan Plater (1935-2010) was born in Jarrow, brought up in Hull, and became a full-time writer in 1961, with over 200 assorted credits in radio, television, theatre and film. His plays have been performed at many British theatres, including Hull Truck, London’s Bush Theatre and the Theatre Royal, Stratford East, and Newcastle’s Live Theatre, Theatre Royal and Newcastle Playhouse. His TV work included Z Cars, The Barchester Chronicles, The Beiderbecke Trilogy, Fortunes of War and A Very British Coup. His most recent work included a memoir, Doggin' Around, the stage plays, Shooting the Legend and Peggy for You, the novel Oliver’s Travels, seen on TV in a controversial dramatisation, as well as contributions to the BBC series Dalziel and Pascoe. He was President of the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain from 1991 to 1995, and was given a CBE for services to drama in 2004.