Born in Leicester on 20.6.1941, he was educated in Norfolk and Cambridge. An assistant director to Karel Reisz, he spent the seventies working as a prolific and extremely versatile television director. The few theatrical releases he made during this time include the comic thriller, "Gumshoe" , with Albert Finney. His 1985 film "My beautiful Laundrette" secured his international breakthrough. In 1999 he won a Silver Bear for "The Hi-Lo Country".

Source: 59. Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin (Catalogue)