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Eleanor Moran |
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Eleanor Moran started life as an Essex girl, the progeny of two radicalised university students who took a brief break from overthrowing capitalism to become parents. After graduating she joined the Channel 4 press office, where as a very junior arts and entertainment publicist she looked after everyone from Linda Blair to Ken Russell. She left for the BBC, working on EastEnders, had a stint script writing at ITV before returning to the BBC in 2001. Eleanor has worked on a wide range of shows, including Spooks, New Tricks, Hotel Babylon and Rome and recently executive produced a long nurtured and adored Barbara Cartland biopic for BBC4. Eleanor is now working for the BBC Wales drama department shooting across country to Cardiff on a weekly basis. Rumours that the frequent stays in the Cardiff Novotel are turning her into a female version of Alan Partridge are much exaggerated.
Eleanor loves karaoke, scrabble (all big features of Stick or Twist), Flight of the Conchords, Marc Jacobs shoes and Godiva chocolates. Eleanor hates Celine Dion, beetroot, Donald Rumsfeld and rats.
Stick or Twist is her first novel.
Which newspaper do you read?
Being brought up by terrible old lefties means I still read The Guardian, but as the news section depresses me I end up getting most of my current affairs knowledge from Magic FM! I can’t live without Grazia and I subscribe to Vogue, Harpers, Time Out and Vanity Fair.
Who/What is your biggest influence?
I love Melissa Bank, the author of The Girls Guide to Hunting and Fishing and The Wonder Spot. She writes so brilliantly about the trials and tribulations of love and how it feels to be a young woman.
What books are you reading at the moment?
A brilliant American debut novel called The Book of Dahlia about a 29 year old dying of cancer. Incredibly it’s hilarious. It’s also acerbic and truthful and clever. I recently adored Eat, Pray, Love. It’s author ran away from an unhappy marriage to Rome where she stuffed her face with pasta, and then to an ashram where she stuffed her head with meditation. That mixture of indulgence and contemplation really appealed to me. Plus I agree with her that settling is not an option.
What books did you read as a child?
Noel Streatfield’s Ballet shoes was my all time favourite and I gobbled up the Famous Five and Malory Towers like they were going out of fashion (which they kind of were).
Which literary character would you most like to meet?
Rupert Campbell Black – durr!
What’s your day job?
My day job is as an executive producer for drama at the BBC. I’ve worked on lots of shows, including Hotel Babylon, Spooks and Rome (that was a good gig!). I’ve had a bit of a run of writers recently, exec-ing biopics of Enid Blyton and Barbara Cartland. If I could ever reach Barbara’s 6000 words a day average I’d be a happy woman!
Who or what always puts a smile on your face?
Flight of the Conchords makes me laugh more than anything. And I love 30 Rock, although I do worry sometimes that I’m turning into Liz Lemon (and not in a good way). I could watch When Harry Met Sally every day for the rest of my life and never get bored of it.
What is your greatest fear?
I’m terrified of rats. I’m also terrified that we’re all going to be smothered by a layer of pointless plastic packaging.
How do you spoil yourself?
A massage, a box of Godiva chocolates, 2 episodes of Gossip Girl back to back.
Who do you turn to in a crisis?
My girlfriends, I couldn’t ask for a better gang.
What makes you angry?
Cruelty to children. The aforementioned tide of plastic.
What’s your worst vice?
DVD box sets from American Amazon – Beverley Hills 90210 Series One anyone? E-bay’s a problem too – I literally bid on a dead woman’s shoes last week. Thank God I didn’t win.
Where’s your favourite city?
Rome and New York – it’s a tie. You can’t get more romantic than Rome and you can’t get better shoes anywhere other than Manhattan.
When was the last time you cried?
I cry at the drop of a hat, just call me Tiny Tears. Last week’s Grey’s Anatomy most likely.
Did you enjoy school?
HATED school until my A-levels. You try having a wardrobe entirely made up of tank tops and brown cord flares when everyone else is wearing a ra ra skirt.
What's your worst habit?
Sometimes I’m a little bit bossy.
What quality would you most like to have?
The ability to add up (still don’t have a maths GCSE). A fabulous cleavage. Carpentry.
Have you got a party trick?
I do an excellent rendition of Bonnie Tyler’s Total Eclipse of the Heart. Grown men have been known to weep.
Do you have any nicknames?
All my closest friends call me Alan. Don’t ask.
Do you have any unfulfilled ambitions?
Sometimes I wish I’d travelled the world but I’m not very intrepid (bad plumbing makes me depressed) and I got a proper job straight out of uni and missed the moment.
