Director
Director | Writer | Series Producer
Robin Dashwood has more than 20 years’ experience in the TV industry. He has written and directed over 60 hours of prime-time documentary and drama-documentary for prestige networks on both sides of the Atlantic including Netflix, CNN Original Series, National Geographic, NBC, Paramount+, and the BBC.
In documentary, he has made acclaimed films on subjects as varied as Margaret Thatcher, Bruce Nauman, shopping, Hitler, and the British Empire. In drama-documentary, he has brought to life US presidents, serial killers, Captain Cook and the Spanish Armada. He has directed actors and large crews on complex location drama shoots in Canada, South Africa, Brazil and the UK.
Most recently, he has series directed two big testimony-led series - The Box - a true crime series which has been a ratings hit for Paramount+ - and Mysteries of the Faith - released in over 190 countries worldwide on Netflix in November 2023. He has just finished a feature-length film about Gary Coleman for NBC/Peacock.
FULL LIST OF CREDITS
Gary.
Raw TV for NBC/Peacock. 1 x 90 min. Release autumn 2024.
Director.
Exec producer: Louise Norman/Tom Sheahan.
Mysteries of the Faith.
October Films for Netflix. 4 x 60 min. Release November 2023.
Series Director.
Exec producer: Melanie Archer/Jos Cushing.
‘Riveting.’ The Wall Street Journal
The Box.
Top Hat TV for Paramount +. 3 x 60 min. In production.
Series Writer/Director
Exec Producer: Darren Kemp.
‘This chilling tale is an account of humanity at its worst, but also testimony to the dogged persistence of one detective determined to find justice for the victims’ Daily Mail
‘Gripping, harrowing and totally engrossing, Paramount+’s documentary series The Box will have you holding your breath until the mind-blowing conclusion’ The Future of the Force Blog
Catching Killers.
Raw TV for Netflix. 2 x 60 min. Release February 2022.
Writer/Director
The inside story of the detectives who captured the American serial killers BTK and the Serial Shooters.
Exec Producer: Louise Norman.
Hitler: Countdown to War.
Voltage TV for Channel 5. 3 x 60 min. TX March 2023.
Series Producer/Director/Writer
A day-by-day account of how Hitler dragged the world to war.
Exec Producer: Amanda Lyon.
Who Do You Think You Are?
Wall to Wall for BBC1. 1 x 60 min. TX October 2020.
Director
Episode about writer and comedian David Walliams.
Exec Producer: Colette Flight.
‘The great skill of this programme is its ability to switch tone, from heartbreaking to heartwarming, and this episode did it well.’
Daily Telegraph
Locked Up Abroad.
Tony Galeota. Raw TV for National Geographic. 1 x 60 min. TX March 2020.
Writer/Director
Drama-doc about strip-club owner Tony Galeota who is framed for drug trafficking in Panama and goes on the run.
Exec Producer: Amy Foster.
Race for the White House.
Raw TV for CNN Original Series. 2 x 60 min. TX March 2020.
Director/Producer
Drama-docs about the 1912 and 1964 presidential elections.
Exec Producer: Louise Norman/Melanie Archer.
The Bush Years.
Raw TV for CNN. Original Series. 6 x 60 min. TX March/April 2019.
Director/Producer
The story of how the Bush family sired two presidents and governed America.
Exec Producer: Louise Norman/Melanie Archer.
Who Do You Think You Are?
Wall to Wall for BBC1. 1 x 60 min. TX August 2018
Director
Episode about pop star and DJ Marvin Humes in the BAFTA-winning 15th season of Who Do?
Exec Producer: Colette Flight.
First Civilizations.
Wall to Wall for PBS and Arte. 2 x 60 min. TX April/May 2018
Director/Producer
How the first civilisations gave birth to the modern world.
Exec Producer: Tim Lambert.
Partition: The Untold Story.
Bend It TV for BBC2. 1 x 60 min. TX August 2017
Producer/Director
Special about the Partition of India, presented by the film director Gurinder Chadha.
Exec Producer: Ricardo Pollack.
‘The only quibble with this excellent documentary is that it should have opened the BBC's Partition season rather than being tacked on the end.' The Times
1066: A Year to Conquer England.
BBC2. 3 x 60 min. TX March 2017
Series Producer/Director
Drama-doc telling the story of the Norman Conquests, presented by Dan Snow.
Exec Producer: Cameron Balbirnie.
‘Superior drama-doc’ Daily Telegraph
Armada: 12 Days to Save England.
BBC2. 3 x 60 min. TX May 2015
Series Producer/Director
Drama-doc giving a day-by-day account of the Armada, presented by Dan Snow, and starring Anita Dobson.
Exec Producer: Cameron Balbirnie.
‘Gripping’ Daily Mail
‘Masterful’ Radio Times
‘Exciting … captivating … something quite special’ Sunday Times
Sex and the Church.
BBC2. 3 x 60 min. TX April 2015.
Series Producer/Director.
The troubled relationship between Christianity and sex, presented by Professor Diarmaid MacCulloch.
Exec producer: Chris Granlund.
‘Fascinatingly erudite … a welcome addition to the Spring roster’ Daily Telegraph
‘Masterful … not be missed’ Radio Times
'Saucy and sparky … this is a potent, eye-opening series’ Radio Times
Britain’s Great War.
BBC1. 1 x 60 min. TX February 2014
Producer/Director
Britain during the First World War, presented by Jeremy Paxman.
Exec Producer: Basil Comely.
‘Exceptional’ The Observer
‘Astonishing … Triumph’ The Times
The Search for Alfred the Great.
BBC2. 1 x 60 min. TX January 2014
Producer/Director
Robert Peston Goes Shopping.
BBC2. 3 x 60 min. TX September 2013
Series Producer/Director
‘Fascinating … Riveting’ Daily Mail
Andrew Marr’s History of the World.
BBC1 and Discovery. 2 x 60 min. TX October 2012
Producer/Director
Jeremy Paxman’s Empire.
BBC1. 1 x 60 min. TX March 2012
Producer/Director
The Normans.
BBC2. 4 x 60 min. TX August 2010
Series Producer/Director
‘Professor Robert Bartlett was particularly well served by his director, Robin Dashwood … rivetingly good.’ Daily Telegraph
On Hannibal’s Trail
BBC4. 6 x 30 min. July 2010
Series Producer/Director
Andrew Marr’s Making of Modern Britain.
BBC2. 2 x 60 min. October 2009
Producer/Director
'Gripping, sometimes unbearable; unforgettable television.' The Financial Times
Jeremy Paxman’s The Victorians.
BBC1. 1 x 60 min. TX February 2009
Producer/Director
The Art of Spain.
BBC2 and BBC4. 3 x 60 min. TX February 2008
Series Producer and Director
‘Absolutely great’ The Observer
The Story of Maths.
BBC4. 1 x 60 min. TX October 2008
Producer/Director
Andrew Marr’s History of Modern Britain.
BBC2. 1 x 60 min. TX June 2007
Producer/Director
Winner of BAFTA, RTS, Grierson Awards for Best Documentary Series.
‘That’ll be next year’s BAFTA for best factual series on its way to Marr and producer/director Robin Dashwood, then.’ The Guardian
Voyages of Discovery: The Making of Captain Cook.
BBC2. 1 x 60 min. TX November 2006
Producer/Director
‘A tremendous film of epic adventure and bravery. I enjoyed it so much I watched it twice.’ The Daily Telegraph
Dan Cruickshank’s Marvels of the Modern Age.
BBC2. 1 x 60 min. TX May 2006
Producer/Director
The Music of the Primes.
BBC2 and BBC4. 1 x 60 min. TX September 2005
Producer/Director
A Picture of Britain: Highlands and Glens.
BBC1. 1 x 60 min. TX June 2005
Producer/Director
Imagine: Bruce Nauman.
BBC1. 1 x 40 min. TX December 2004
Producer/Director
The Elgin Marbles.
BBC2. 1 x 90 min. TX July 2004
Producer/Director
‘Brilliantly told from every angle … Brilliant.’ Daily Express
The Big Read: Captain Corelli’s Mandolin.
BBC2. 1 x 25 min. TX October 2003
Producer/Director
Imagine: The Portrait of Omai.
BBC 1. 1 x 40 min. June 2003
Producer/Director
Designing the Decades: The 70’s.
BBC2. 1 x 60 min. TX March 2003
Producer/Director
A Very English Genius: How Michael Ventris Cracked Linear B.
BBC4. 1 x 60 min. TX June 2002
Producer/Director
‘Here was a storyline filled to the brim with intelligence, mystery, complex characterisation and even a deeply moving conclusion … altogether, it was a model for how programmes of this kind should be made.’ The Daily Telegraph