About the Author


Sophie Neville is an author, specialising in true life stories. She is currently promoting the 2nd edition of 'The Making of Swallows & Amazons', a filmography of the 1974 feature film in which she played the part of Titty as a child. Although encouraged to work as an actor she gained a BA in Anthropology at Durham University and forged a career in television production at the BBC, writing a number of the dramas and documentaries that she produced. 

The story of an abrupt change in her life is told in 'Funnily Enough', which became a bestseller on Kindle and won her third prize in the International Rubery Book Award 2013.  The sequel 'Ride the Wings of Morning' tells of her escapades in southern Africa while she was working as a wildlife artist, freelancing for the BBC and researching her current project, the true story of a Commonwealth serviceman who became a prisoner to the Japanese in WWII.  

Once with YWAM, Sophie served as President of The Arthur Ransome Society, is a member of ACW and a Director of Witness Films Ltd. An official speaker for Bible Society, she also gives talks on making the original film of ‘Swallows & Amazons’ to raise funds for The Waterberg Trust, a UK charity that supports health and education projects in a corner of southern Africa where she lived for twelve years.


Writing for Television:
'INSET' x 3 episodes ~ Writer-Producer ~ BBC TV
'The Way People Talk' ~ Writer-Producer ~ BBC TV
'Boys about Girls: Girls about Boys' ~ Writer- Producer ~ BBC TV
'Crazes' ~ Writer-Producer ~ BBC TV
'Just Mum, my Sister and Me' ~ Writer-Producer ~ BBC TV
'Out of Europe into Africa' ~ Director ~ Channel 4

For Revelation Films
Text and photos for the DVD extras for 'Coot Club' & 'The Big Six' 

'Dawn to Dusk' ~ Series Originator
'Through the Dragon's Eye' ~ Book producer and audio-book producer
'Bluebell' ~ Research

For Lutterworth Press:
The Making of Swallows & Amazons (1974) 2nd edition
Foreword to Swallows, Amazons and Coots by Julian Lovelock

Books for Classic TV  Press:
The Making of Swallows & Amazons: behind the scenes on the classic film
Photographs for the ebook version of Remembering Tenko by Andy Priestner

Books for Ashton House Publications:
Funnily Enough
Ride the Wings of Morning
The Secrets of Filming Swallows & Amazons

For Albatros Media:
Forward to Swallowdale by Arthur Ransome

For Hayloft Publishing:
Foreword to An A to Z of Films Made in Cumbria & the Lake District by David Banning

For Lily Publishing:
Foreword for Boats Yet Sailing by Trevor Boult

Articles for The TelegraphCountry Life, Cotswold Life, Classic Sailor, Practical Boat Owner, Christian Writer, iBelieve, Word in Action, Living and local newspapers. 

Literary Awards:
Winner of the Athanatos Christian Novel Writing Prize
Winner of A Woman's Write, 2019
Winner of Eyelands Book Award for an unpublished novel, 2022
3rd Prize International Rubery Book Award 2013
3rd Prize - Association of Christian Writers' novel writing competition, 2019
Shortlisted C&R Press Awards for Fiction, 2022
Finalist - Page Turner Awards for writers, 2021 and 2022
Semi-Finalist - Association of Christian Fiction Writers Genesis Award, USA, 2021
Longlisted - Roadmap's Write Start Competition, 2021
Longlisted - Adventures in Fiction New Voices first novel award, 2021
Longlisted - Flash 500 Novel Opening competition, 2021
Longlisted - Retreat West's First Chapter competition, 2021 and 2022
Longlisted - Exeter Prize, 2022
Longlisted - Cinnamon Literature Award, 2022
Longlisted - Launchpad prose, 2021 
5 Accolades in - Roadmap, 2021 & 2022

Other Awards:
Winner - Create! prize for photography, 2020
Bronze medal - Wildlife Arts Society


'Thinkabout Science' x 5 episodes ~ Director ~ BBC TV
'Through the Dragon's Eye' x 10 episodes ~ Director of FX, Titles and Animation ~ BBC TV
'Dawn to Dusk on Safari' x 3 episodes ~ Originator/Researcher ~ BBC TV NHU
'Global Sunrise' - Live Watch ~ Researcher ~ BBC TV-NHU
'Blue Peter in South Africa' ~ Researcher ~ BBC TV
'Life on a Game Reserve' ~ Research ~ Lion TV
'Russell Harty Christmas Party' ~ Researcher ~ BBC
'Russell Harty' x 9 episodes ~ Researcher ~ BBC TV
'The Book Show' ~ Researcher ~ BBC TV
'Swallows and Amazons Forever! Coot Club' x 4 episodes ~ Researcher ~ BBC TV
'Swallows and Amazons Forever! The Big Six' x 4 episodes ~ Researcher ~ BBC TV
'My Family and Other Animals' x 8 episodes ~ AFM ~ BBC TV
'Bluebell' x 8 episodes ~ Researcher/AFM ~ BBC TV
'Rockliffe's Babies' x 4 episodes ~ AFM ~ BBC TV
'Doctor Who?''Vengenace on Varos' 2 episodes ~ AFM ~ BBC TV
'Rockliffe's Babies' x 4 episodes ~ Location Manager ~ BBC TV
'Charters and Caldicott' x 6 episodes ~ AFM ~ BBC TV
BBC Shakespeare 'Titus Andronicus' ~ AFM ~ BBC TV
'One by One' x 8 episodes ~ AFM ~ BBC TV
'Eastenders' x 12 episodes ~ AFM ~ BBC TV
'The Diary of Anne Frank' ~ AFM ~ BBC TV
'Cold Warrior' ~ AFM ~ BBC TV
'Look North' ~ Field Assistant ~ BBC TV
'Out There' ~ Cameraman ~ SABC

Television appearances:
Antiques Roadshow ~ Herself ~ BBC
Anglia News ~ Herself ~ ITV
News at Ten ~ Herself ~ ITV
BBC South Today ~ Herself ~ BBC
'Have I Got a Bit More News For You' ~ BBC
'Swallows & Amazons' DVD extras ~ Herself ~ StudioCanal
'Cinemaniacs' ~ Herself ~ CBBC TV
'The Wright Stuff' ~ Herself ~ Channel 5
'Obsessive Compulsive Cleaners' ~ Herself ~ Channel 4
'Country Tracks' ~ Herself ~ BBC TV 'Big Screen Britain' ~ Herself ~ BBC TV
'Country File' ~ Herself ~ BBC TV
'The Village Show' ~ Herself ~ BBC TV
'Trisha' ~ Herself ~ Anglia TV
'Safe Sun' ~ Herself ~ MCC
'SC4 Ident' ~ Herself ~ SC4
'Who's Sorry Now?' ~ Herself ~ Intermedia
'Songs of Praise' ~ Herself ~ BBC TV
'Animal Magic' ~ Herself ~ BBC TV
'Points West' ~ Herself ~ BBC TV
'Nationwide' ~ Herself ~ BBC TV
'Sunday Night Thriller: Dark Secret' ~ Actress ~ LWT
'The Two Ronnies' ~ Actress ~ BBC TV
'Crossroads' ~ Actress ~ ATV
'Cider with Rosie' ~ Actress ~ BBC TV

Film credits:~
'Swallows & Amazons' 1974 ~ playing Titty ~ EMI
'Swallows and Amazons' 1974 ~ DVD Extras
'The Copter Kids' 1976 ~ playing Liz Peters ~ CFTF

Film clips:~
The Secret Life of Arthur Ransome ~ BBCTV
The Discovery of... ~ Fisons
'Film 74' ~ BBC
'Film Night' ~ BBC
'Screen Test' ~ BBC
(DVDs available on Amazon):


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