He was born in a family of actors. He graduated in Cambridge and studied direction. He entered the Granada Television and became an independant director  for the London Weekend Television and the BBC. Among his most popular dramas for TV, are Brassneck, Jill and Jack, Gift of Friendship and Baa Baa Black Sheep that won an Emmy Award. He made his first feature film in 1976. Three of his movies were shown at The Directors' Fortnight in 1985, 1988 and 1995. Four Wedding and a Funeral was one of his biggest success in 1994.