Skip to content
MovieCove
Tim Kirkby

Tim Kirkby

Director, also producer · Born November 13, 1970 (55) · Sidcup, Kent, England, UK

BAFTA Award winner

Timothy John Kirkby (born 13 November 1970 in Sidcup, Kent, England) is a British filmmaker, working in both the United Kingdom and the United States. He is best known for directing the science parody series Look Around You, the BAFTA winning BBC 2 show Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle, and setting up the multi-award winning Fleabag. Kirkby made his TV directorial debut with the BAFTA nominated science spoof Look Around You. He received further recognition for the first season of the BAFTA nominated My Mad Fat Diary, the BAFTA nominated BBC single drama The C Word, and more recently the critically acclaimed Fleabag. In the United States he created and directed all eight episodes and co-executive produced the award-winning first & second season of Brockmire for IFC. Other notable US television directing credits includes episodes of the Emmy-winning HBO comedy Veep (TV series), Grace & Frankie, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Man Seeking Woman, and his Netflix 6-part TV series The Pentaverate created by Mike Myers, about a secret society that has been working to control world events since 1347. He has also made documentaries with Motörhead, Iron Maiden, and Judas Priest for the multi-award-winning documentary strand Classic Albums, as well as creating and directing all 4 series of the critically acclaimed BAFTA winning show Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle a six-part comedy series featuring standup and sketches. The first season was executive produced by Armando Iannucci and script edited by Chris Morris. The first episode received positive reviews from The Independent and The Daily Mirror, although the show received a negative review, written by Stewart Lee in Time Out, in which he described himself as "fat" and his performance as "positively Neanderthal, suggesting a jungle-dwelling pygmy, struggling to coax notes out of a clarinet that has fallen from a passing aircraft". The second series won a BAFTA for Best Comedy Programme in 2012. More recently Tim is directing The Revenge Club for Gaumont UK, Freemantle & Paramount+, which premieres 2025.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
November 13, 1970 (55)
From
Sidcup, Kent, England, UK
Works as
Director, also producer
Titles
16 on MovieCove · 47 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Official site (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 156 days to Oct 27Down 45% in 30 days

What are Tim Kirkby's films like?

Across their 7 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
44%
Morality
22%
Self
9%
Society
8%
Ideas
8%
Survival
6%
Power
4%
Family bonds4 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 4 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 4 · Serious 0 · Dark 0

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 1 · Stylized 3 · Heightened 0

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 3 · Charged 1 · Intense 0

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 3 · Shifting 1 · Whiplash 0

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 0 · Some laughs 2 · Funny 2

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 2 · Even-paced 2 · Relentless 0

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 2 · Engaged 2 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 4 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Absurd
4
Tense
4
Melancholic
2
Bittersweet
1
Romantic
1
Other
6

How their films linger

Fun5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 2 with a twist

  • Happy2
  • Bittersweet5

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Tim Kirkby's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 12 of their 16 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Netflix (4).

Subscription and free streaming for Tim Kirkby's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

47 credits, 16 with a MovieCove page.

  • The Revenge Club (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Show 3 episodes · Director

  • Bad Tidings(2024)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Entitled (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    Show 8 episodes · Director · Executive Producer

  • The Curse of Kirrin Island (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    Director

  • The Famous Five(2023)

    Show 1 episode · Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 4th percentile of all shows

  • The Pentaverate(2022)

    Show 6 episodes · Director · Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all shows

  • Last Looks(2021)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Persuasion(2022)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Our NHS: A Hidden History (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    Director

  • The Unwanted: The Secret Windrush Files (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    Director · Producer

  • Don't Forget the Driver (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    Show 6 episodes · Director

  • Stewart Lee: Content Provider (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    Director

  • Action Point(2018)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • Brockmire(2017)

    Show 8 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows

  • Fleabag(2016)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all shows

  • You, Me and the Apocalypse(2015)

    Show 3 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all shows

  • Grace and Frankie(2015)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • The C-Word (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Director

  • Man Seeking Woman(2015)

    Show 3 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows

  • Harry Hill Live - Sausage Time (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Director

  • Playing House(2014)

    Show 3 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all shows

  • Greg Davies: The Back of My Mum's Head (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Director

  • Brooklyn Nine-Nine(2013)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • The Alternative Comedy Experience (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Show 25 episodes · Director

  • My Mad Fat Diary(2013)

    Show 6 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • Simon Amstell: Numb - Live at the BBC (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Director

  • Stewart Lee: Carpet Remnant World (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Director

  • Walking and Talking (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Director

  • Walking and Talking (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Show 4 episodes · Director

  • Veep(2012)

    Show 3 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • Little Crackers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Jim Jefferies: Alcoholocaust (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    Director

  • Schizo Samurai Shitzu (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    Show 5 episodes · Director

  • Stewart Lee: If You Prefer a Milder Comedian, Please Ask for One (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    Director

  • Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Show 24 episodes · Director

  • Stewart Lee’s Comedy Vehicle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Director

  • It's Adam and Shelley (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Show 6 episodes · Director

  • Kombat Opera Presents (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Classic Albums: Motörhead - Ace of Spades (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Director

  • Look Around You (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Show 13 episodes · Director · as Nigel Fenton

  • Classic Albums: Iron Maiden - The Number of the Beast (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Director

  • Classic Albums: Judas Priest - British Steel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Director

  • Calcium (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Director

  • Comedy Lab (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Classic Albums(1997)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • Sinner v. Saints (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director

  • The Glove (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director

Career shape

A full career of 46 titles, 44 of them dated from 1997 to 2025.

Biggest box office

Action Point (2018)

$5.1M worldwide

Highest rated

Fleabag (2016)

Midcredits 99th

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting1 of 46: 0 only acting, 1 with another roleDirecting46 of 46: 42 only directing, 4 with another role · typical Midcredits score77thProducing3 of 46: 0 only producing, 3 with another role

46 titles, 4 with more than one role — directing and producing overlap on 3 of them.

By decade

1990s2 · crew2000s9 · 1 acting · 9 crew2010s25 · crew2020s8 · crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

Awards

a BAFTA Award from 5 major nominations, 2003–2016.

WinNomination
  1. 2016
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Single Drama
  2. 2015
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Comedy and Comedy Entertainment Programme
  3. 2012
    • BAFTA Award, won · Best Comedy (Programme or Series)
  4. 2010
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Comedy (Programme or Series)
  5. 2003
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Comedy Programme or Series

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Tim Kirkby's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 31st percentile, the median of all 4; across a limited sample of 4 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 30th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

30thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 4

Approval · how many liked their films

28thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 4

Reach · how many have seen their films

91stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 4

Midcredits score across 16 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up9
  • 50th to 74th1
  • 25th to 49th3
  • Below 25th3

Shape of the crowd

5 of their 16 titles are Universally Loved.

  • Universally Loved5
  • Crowd Pleaser5
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed5

Most divisive · director, producer

The Famous Five (2023)

85th percentile spread · 45% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · director

Fleabag (2016)

Midcredits 99th · 94% liked

Reviewers score the pacing 46/100 in their films, across 4 reviewed titles; fans 54, detractors 34. The element that speaks to their work as a director.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Tim Kirkby's work okay for kids?

Across up to 5 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity, profanity and alcohol & drugs run heavier than most films and frightening / intense lighter.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore5 titles20–55 · median 39 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity5 titles27–69 · median 60 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity5 titles28–88 · median 79 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs5 titles38–60 · median 57 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense5 titles20–37 · median 27 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Tim Kirkby work with?

People who share at least 2 of Tim Kirkby's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Nick Arthurs shares the most, 2.

Editors

Producers