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Esta started her working life as an actress on stage and television, but it wasn’t long before she was drawn behind the scenes, finding her niche as one of the UK’s leading casting directors. Her credits include television series The Professionals, and films Quadrophenia, Scum and the Oscar-winning Chariots of Fire.

 

With this experience Esta moved into producing. Her first project was the HTV/Goldcrest family drama series Robin of Sherwood​. After two series she moved to Central Television to reformat and produce Boon for ITV, watched by over 13 million viewers. From here, Esta produced landmark BBC series Birds of a Feather​, Channel 4's cult comedy Nightingales​; and BBC sit-com Grown-Ups. She won a British Comedy Award​ for One Foot in the Grave, and was awarded an honorary degree from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in recognition of her work with students.

 

Esta puts her success down to many things; getting up early, answering the phone after two rings, and wands of mascara, but most of all to her good fortune in meeting and collaborating with great talent. She lives in west London and lists her hobbies as online shopping, talking, filling in consumer questionnaires. What little spare time she has is taken up with collecting underwear and clothing for an asylum seeker and refugee project.