Episodes Broadcast: 2006-2009

James Strong was raised in Portishead, Somerset; eager to see more of the world, he aspired to be a foreign correspondent. At university, he began acting in student theatre productions, only to realise that he was developing an interest in directing. Strong nonetheless found a job as a reporter for ITV News after graduation, but he soon took a placement on a directors' training courses with Granada. His early work came on factual programmes such as Crimewatch during the Nineties but, by that time, he knew that his ultimate goal was to be a drama director. Strong was finally given the opportunity to make several episodes of Doctors in 2000, after which he moved on to programmes such as Mile High, Casualty and Holby City.

For BBC Wales, Strong directed two installments of Rocket Man. Its Head of Drama, Julie Gardner, was also the executive producer of Doctor Who, and Strong was known to Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies from their days at Granada. This led to an offer of work on the programme's 2006 season; The Impossible Planet / The Satan Pit was well-received, and he was soon invited back for five further episodes featuring David Tennant's Tenth Doctor. Amongst them was the 2007 Christmas special, Voyage Of The Damned, which guest-starred pop music legend Kylie Minogue and won Strong a BAFTA Cymru Award for Best Director. He also made two episodes for the first season of the spin-off series Torchwood, both written by future Doctor Who showrunner Chris Chibnall. Having wrapped up his involvement in Doctor Who with 2009's Planet Of The Dead, Strong moved on to shows like Bonekickers, Silent Witness, Law & Order: UK and Downton Abbey. He also occasionally returned to factual filmmaking, including Elton John: Me, Myself & I and Monty Python In Aberystwyth.

Strong had forged a good working relationship with Chibnall, subsequently directing his script for United in 2011. He was then recruited to Chibnall's popular murder-mystery Broadchurch, directing seven episodes and serving as its associate producer. Strong was later a director and consulting producer on its American remake, Gracepoint. Thereafter, he would often assume both directing and producing responsibilities, including on Vanity Fair, Liar and Vigil. Amongst Strong's other work as a director were two episodes of the Stephen King serial 11.22.63.