Tamal Kundu
The Apple TV+ series ‘Slow Horses’ tells the story of a group of MI5 agents attached to a division called Slough House, a career graveyard of a unit. Only the agents who are universally rejected by other divisions of MI5 are sent there. The work at Slough House is mostly mundane, and the department head, Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman), has little to no faith in his subordinates. Despite all this, the unit oftentimes plays a key in protecting the UK from its enemies, both foreign and domestic.
If you have seen the show’s credits, the name “Will Smith” must have caught your attention. If you are wondering whether it’s the same Will Smith as the actor who appears in films such as ‘Independence Day,’ ‘Hancock,’ and ‘Bad Boys,’ we got you covered.
Who Wrote Slow Horses?
No, the actor Will Smith, who won the Best Actor Oscar for ‘King Richard,’ is not one of the writers of ‘Slow Horses.’ The Will Smith of ‘Slow Horses’ is actually an English standup comedian, screenwriter, novelist, actor, and producer. ‘Slow Horses’ is the TV adaptation of the ‘Slough House’ series of novels by Mick Herron. Smith has worked on the script of the series along with Morwenna Banks, Jonny Stockwood, and Mark Denton.
Originally from Winchester, Hampshire, England, Smith spent his childhood in Jersey. He is the brother of Olly Smith, the TV presenter, wine expert, and author.
A Victoria College alumnus, Smith began his career in entertainment as a standup comedian. He has received multiple awards in his career, including Time Out Comedy 2004 and Chortle Best Headliner 2005. As a film and TV writer, Smith has earned much praise for his works involving political satire. His first TV work as a writer was ‘Comedy Nation’ in 1998.
Between 2009 and 2012, Smith wrote for the comedy series ‘The Thick of It,’ starring Peter Capaldi. He also served as the writer and executive producer on HBO’s ‘Veep.’ Between 2016 and 2018, he wrote 12 episodes of the comedy series ‘Damned.’
Smith is also an actor and has portrayed various minor and major characters throughout his career. Arguably Smith’s most significant performance to date has been as Phil Smith in ‘The Thick of It.’
Smith is an accomplished columnist, having written for publications such as the magazine, Intelligent Life. His comedy books include ‘How to be Cool’ and ‘The Joy of No Sex.’ His debut novel, ‘Mainlander,’ came out in 2015.
In the days leading up to the novel’s publication, Smith reflected on his diverse career in an article on The Guardian. “As a teenager, I worshipped John Cleese and Stephen Fry and dreamed of being part of a writing or performing troupe. But I also revered Charlotte Brontë and George Eliot, so in tandem with forging a career as a standup, occasional actor and comedy writer, I’ve also been trying to write novels. This is the first one to pass a publisher’s muster, in part I think because the setting – Jersey, where I grew up – meant that the veracity I prize in screenwriting and fiction came more easily,” he wrote.
Read More: Is Slow Horses’ Sons of Albion Based on a Real Extremist Group?
