Will Charles Lighting Ltd
mobile : +44 (0) 7973 509 267
email : will@willcharles.com
Television Credits
I specialise in the field of multicamera television lighting design and directing.
I started my career at BBC Television Centre in London in 1984. During 15 years working in the BBC studios I gained experience on a huge range of productions.
I left the BBC in 1998 to set up my own lighting design company and have since enjoyed working with many excellent production companies, both in the UK and overseas.
My career has taken me from the smallest studios to the biggest venues.
I was lucky enough to work on three Olympic Games / The Golden Jubilee Party At The Palace / The Eurovision Song Contest in Israel / The X Factor in China and The Brits in London , amongst so many other exciting productions.
At the BBC I had the chance to work as a board op on some of the classic sitcoms, in the days when they were shot multi-camera, in front of a studio audience. These included BlackAdder 4 / Absolutely Fabulous Series 1 / One Foot In The Grave and Keeping Up Appearances.
In the genre of Saturday Night Entertainment I worked on Noel's House Party / The Generation Game / The National Lottery Shows / Parkinson / Top Of The Pops and Britain's Got Talent.
In 2009 I won a "Knights Of Illumination" lighting industry award for my design on The Album Chart Show for Channel 4.
It's been my great privilege to be taught by and to work alongside so many of the great Television Lighting Directors, the hardest working skilled crews and now the new generation of very talented programmers.
Whilst undoubtedly our industry has and continues to change, the challenge of making a show look its very best, no matter the venue or the budget, is still my rewarding motivation.
The Proms
BBC
2025 - 7 concerts
2026 - 11 concerts, including the Bond and Disney Proms - Royal Albert Hall
Lighting Director for Lighting Designer David Bishop
The Martin Lewis Money Show Live
MultiStory Media for ITV
2024-2026 - Newcastle, Bristol, London and Nottingham
Poll Position Pilot - 2026 - Television Centre Studio 2
Lighting Designer and Lighting Director
Taskmaster
Avalon Television
Series 4, 11, 15-17 and 19-23, plus specials - 2017-2026
Deputising Lighting Director for John Ford
The Chase
ITV Studios for ITV
Series 16-19, Beat the Chasers and ident - 2022-2026
Deputising Lighting Director for Chris Kempton
Mastermind
Hat Trick Television
2024
Deputising Lighting Director for John Gallagher
The Apprentice You're Fired
Boundless for BBC
Multiple series, 2015-2024 - ITV Studios, Elstree and Riverside Studios
Lighting Designer and Series Lighting Director
The Overlap on Tour
Sky
2023 - Wembley Arena
Deputising Lighting Director for Gurdip Mahal
The Coronation Concert: Light Up the Nation
BBC One
2023 - Blackpool
Lighting Designer and Blackpool Lighting Director for overall LD Nigel Catmur
Mock the Week
Angst Productions for BBC Two
Series 14-21 - 2015-2022
Series Lighting Director
A League of Their Own
CPL Productions
Series 17 - 2022 - Elstree Studios
Deputising Lighting Director for Chris Rigby
The Graham Norton Show
So Television
Selected music performances and specials - 2019-2022
Lighting Designer and Lighting Director, Deputising Lighting Director and Moving Light Programmer
Lightning
Fizz and RDF Television for BBC Two
Series 1 and 2 - 2020-2021 - BBC Blackstaff Studios
Lighting Designer and Series Lighting Director
The Big Narstie Show
Expectation Entertainment
2021 - Television Centre Studio 1
Deputising Lighting Director for Gurdip Mahal
ITV Sport Boomzone Virtual Studio
ITV Sport
Darts and Women's Football - 2021 - Ealing Studios
Lighting Designer and Lighting Director
Love Triangle
Naked Television
2021 pilot - Pinewood Studio A
Lighting Designer and Lighting Director
French and Saunders: Funny Women
Double Yellow Television
2020
Lighting Designer and Lighting Director
Britain's Got Talent Christmas Spectacular
Thames for ITV
2020
Deputising Lighting Director for Dave Davey
Jeremy Clarkson on TV
Expectation Entertainment
2020
Deputising Lighting Director for Gurdip Mahal
Family Fortunes
Thames for ITV
2020 - Maidstone Studios
Deputising Lighting Director for Roger Williams
Frankie Boyle's 2020 New World Order
Zeppotron
2020 - Pinewood Studios
Deputising Lighting Director for Gurdip Mahal
Britain's Got Talent Judges' Audition Tours
Thames for ITV
2017-2020 - UK theatre tour
Lighting Director in 2017; Lighting Designer and Lighting Director, 2018-2020
Britain's Got Talent The Champions
Thames for ITV
2019 - Wembley Arena
Deputising Lighting Director for Dave Davey
Britain's Got More Talent Live Finals
Thames Television and Syco for ITV2
Annual live finals shows, 2014-2019
Lighting Designer and Lighting Director
Earlier Credits 1998-2019
Selected work from the beginning of my freelance career in 1998
Animal Rescue Live: Supervet Special
Blast Films
2017 Newcastle and 2019 Raystede
Lighting Designer and Lighting Director
The Surjury
Gobstopper TV
2019 - dock10, Salford
Lighting Designer and Lighting Director
Jim Jefferies: This Is Me Now
Netflix
2018 - Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith
Deputising Lighting Director for Chris Kempton
The Old Grey Whistle Test Live: For One Night Only
BBC
2018 - Television Centre Studio 1
Lighting Designer and Lighting Director
Car SOS Live
Renegade Pictures
2018 - British Motor Museum, Gaydon
Lighting Designer and Lighting Director
BBC Proms in the Park
BBC
2018 - Glasgow Green
Deputising Lighting Director for Nigel Catmur
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire
ITV Creative
2018 promotional shoot - ExCeL London
Lighting Director for series LD Dave Davey
Top Gear and Extra Gear
BBC Studios
2017-2018 - Dunsfold Aerodrome
Moving Light Programmer and Deputising Lighting Director for Gurdip Mahal
The Weakest Link
BBC
2017 Children in Need special - BBC Elstree Studio 8
Lighting Designer and Lighting Director
5 Gold Rings
ITV Studios
Series 2 - 2017 - BBC Elstree Studio D
Deputising Lighting Director for Gurdip Mahal
Football on 5
Sunset and Vine
2017 - Sky Studios
Deputising Lighting Director for Roger Williams
Question Time
BBC One
2017 - Wigan
Deputising Lighting Director for Paul Devine
Soccer AM
Sky Sports
2017 - Sky Studios
Deputising Lighting Director and Moving Light Programmer for Malcolm Reed
The Money
Gameface Productions
2017 pilot - dock10 HQ2
Lighting Board and Catalyst Programmer for Gurdip Mahal
The Question Jury
Monkey Kingdom
Series 1 and 2 and US pilot - 2016-2017
Lighting Designer and Lighting Director
Radio 2 in Concert
BBC Music and BBC Radio 2
Paul Weller, Sam Smith, Seal and A-ha - 2015-2016
Lighting Designer and Lighting Director
Newsnight
BBC Two
Nuneaton and Manchester in 2015; EU Referendum Debate and Boston in 2016
Lighting Designer and Lighting Director
8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown
Zeppotron for Channel 4
2016 - dock10, MediaCity
Deputising Lighting Director for Roger Williams
The Big Spell
Remarkable Television for Sky 1
2016 - Sky Studios
Moving Light Programmer, shared with Martin Higgins, for LD Gurdip Mahal
Live at the Trattoria
Hungry Bear Media
2016 - Fountain Studios
Moving Light Programmer for Gurdip Mahal
Hair
BBC Television for BBC Two
Series 2 - 2015
Lighting Designer and Lighting Director
The Before the Morning After Show
Brown Eyed Boy
2015 - The Biscuit Factory, Edinburgh
Lighting Designer and Lighting Director
BAFTA Children's Awards
BAFTA
2015 - Roundhouse, London
Lighting Director
TFI Friday
2015
Deputising Lighting Director for Dave Davey
Big Star's Little Star
12 Yard Productions for ITV
Series 3 and 4 and later cover - 2015-2017
Deputising Lighting Director for Gurdip Mahal
A Question of Sport
BBC
Recurring engagements, 2014-2016 - dock10, Salford
Deputising Lighting Director for Roger Williams
Big Brother and Celebrity Big Brother
Initial and Endemol
Live shows and finals - 2014-2017 - Elstree Studios
Moving Light Programmer in 2014; Deputising Lighting Director for Gurdip Mahal in 2016-2017
The Totally Senseless Gameshow
Roughcut for BBC Three
2014 - Pinewood TV1
Lighting Designer and Lighting Director
Free Speech
Mentorn for BBC Three
Series 3 - 2014
Lighting Designer and Lighting Director
The Crime Thriller Awards
2014
Lighting Designer and Lighting Director
Sport Relief Does Glee Club
BBC Scotland for BBC One and CBBC
2014 - BBC Pacific Quay
Lighting Director
Mary Beard: Oh Do Shut Up Dear
BBC Four
2014 - British Museum
Lighting Director
Superstar Dogs: Countdown to Crufts
Tuesday's Child for Channel 4
2014 - dock10 HQ1
Generic Board Operator for LD Mark Kenyon
The Million Pound Drop
Channel 4
2014
Moving Light Operator
Danny Baker's Rockin' Decades
BBC Four
2013-2014 - The Hospital Club
Lighting Director
Sing My Song
Star China and Starry Productions for CCTV 3
Series 1 - 2013 - Shanghai and Jiaxing
Lighting Designer and Lighting Consultant
The Weakest Link Original Series
BBC Entertainment for BBC One and BBC Two
2000-2012
Original Lighting Design and Lighting Director
Minute to Win It UK
Shine
2011 - BBC Television Centre
Lighting Designer and Lighting Director
Odd One In
Zeppotron for ITV1
Pilot and Series 1-2 - 2009-2011 - BBC Elstree Studio D
Lighting Designer and Lighting Director
Ghost Story and Crocodile
Sky Arts Playhouse Live
2010
Lighting Designer and Lighting Director
Frank Skinner's Opinionated
BBC
Show 2 - 2010 - BBC Television Centre
Lighting Director
Pocket TV: Pitch Black - Friendly Fires
JA Digital for Sony Ericsson
2009 - Vinopolis
Lighting Director
The Album Chart Show at KOKO
3DD for Channel 4
2006-2009
Original Lighting Design and Lighting Director
Charlie Brooker: You Have Been Watching
Two series - 2009-2010 - Riverside Studios
Lighting Designer and Lighting Director
I'd Do Anything
BBC - 2008
Board Operator for LD Mark Kenyon
When Joseph Met Maria
BBC - 2007
Board Operator for LD Mark Kenyon
Any Dream Will Do
BBC - 2007
Board Operator for LD Mark Kenyon
How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria
BBC - 2006
Board Operator for LD Mark Kenyon
Codex at the British Museum
2006
Lighting Director
Didn't They Do Well
BBC - Shows 5-10 - BBC Television Centre
Board Operator for LD Mark Kenyon
Shock Treatment
Diverse for Sky One
May-July 2004
Lighting Director
Parkinson
BBC
1998-2004 - BBC Television Centre Studio 6
Console Operator for Lighting Director Mark Kenyon
Director Stuart McDonald - Set Designer Simon Kimmell
Royal Variety Performance
2000
Board Operator for LD Bernie Davis
Comic Relief
BBC
Board Operator for LD Graham Rimmington
The Bond BAFTA Tribute
BAFTA
Board Operator for LD Mark Kenyon
Early Career Highlights
Goodness Gracious Me
2000
Moving Light Programmer
One Foot in the Grave
1998
Galaxy Operator
Absolutely Fabulous Series 1
1992
Galaxy Operator
Blackadder Goes Forth
1989
Galaxy Operator
Blackadder the Third
1987
Vision Control Racks
Blackadder II
1986
Colour Balance Engineer
Noel's House Party
BBC Entertainment for BBC One
1994-1999
Galaxy Operator
National Lottery Stars Shows
1994-2002
Galaxy Operator and Lighting Director
Bruce Forsyth's Generation Game
1990-1994
Galaxy Operator