TV success for BAFTA award winner

12:30pm Sunday 17th August 2008

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THREE-time BAFTA award-winning writer and director Alex Holmes, a former student at Hereford Cathedral School, is once again on our TV screens.

Last night saw the third part of House of Saddam screened on BBC2 (catch up with the BBC's iPlayer online if you missed it), a drama which, says Roly Keating, controller of BBC Two: "shines a light on the dark and menacing world of Saddam Hussein in an intelligent and compelling way.

"The drama will offer audiences an engaging insight into what happened behind closed doors in this world-renowned regime."

Remaining true to actual events was vital to co-writer and director Alex Holmes, who realised the compelling nature of the story behind the regime and spent two years researching the drama, including interviewing members of Saddam's regime.

"When I looked into Saddam's story it had many of the qualities of a Shakespeare history play or a gangster movie. He and the people who lived within his orbit - including a rebellious son, a glamorous wife, a disloyal son-in-law, a devoted comrade - seemed to become increasingly disconnected with reality as the years went on, and their actions more incredible to the outside world."

The hints of soap opera in the story have not escaped critics, whose reviews have mentioned both The Sopranos and Dallas.

"House Of Saddam was an opportunity to look into this world behind closed doors.

"It was also a chance to examine the political and moral values at play in Iraq, values which gave rise to Saddam Hussein and which he in turn was hostage to. Values like loyalty, strength, honour and pride," Alex continues.

"I was interested in an examination of how Saddam Hussein remained in power for 24 years in spite of being hated by many of his own people and the world.

"It was a chance to delve into the complex nature of a man with whom many Iraqis had such an ambivalent relationship involving respect and loathing."

Alex admits to being anxious as the series began: "Yeah, I was a little bit nervous. It was very different to anything I'd done before."

As with his earlier work, there were two viewers whose opinion mattered more than most, his parents, who watched in their Herefordshire home.

"They said they were gripped," says Alex, with satisfaction.

That review from Cantilupe Street reflects the overall reception to House of Saddam, which concludes next Wednesday on BBC2.

Alex, meanwhile, has been reviewing his own progress so far, and is ready to give that story a new twist and take the next step in a career which began with a degree in archaeology and anthropology from Cambridge before entering the world of investigative journalism.

Work with various TV companies and a stint with World in Action led him into to drama, documentary, and feature film production, where Nice Girl brought him his first BAFTA. Last Resort earned another. With drama documentary Dunkirk making a hat-trick in 2005, Alex is tipped to go far. Now, Alex is ready to go it alone, switching from the BBC to channel his talent as an independent. The first freelance commission is for ITV and a draft series Alex teasingly describes as "an Auf Wiedersehen Pet for the 21st century".

Beyond that lies the USA, from where most of his scripts are now coming - and they're for movies.

Drama... thriller... horror... there's not a genre that hasn't been pitched to Alex yet. And yes, he's "very interested", as soon as the right project comes along.

But Hereford is never too far from his thoughts. He and the family try to get back at least every couple of months to stay with mum and dad and catch up with old friends.

"Hereford is a great place to unwind," he says.