realism to the big screen through his unique improvisational approach to creating his screenplays. he has made some 1a feature films, including such titles as mr turner, secrets and lies, and vera drake. the bbc means a lot to him, it is, after all, the institution where he created some really impressive television films and plays in the 1970s. for 50 years in his films, mike leigh, a seven—time 0scar nominee, has brought audiences stories of often ordinary lives, authentically told. growing up, how aware were you of the bbc in your home? 0h, totally! i mean, at first most people didn't have a telly. going to a primary school in salford, every so often a kid would come in and say, "hey, we've got a telly!" so that was a big deal. of course, we know there was only the bbc, it was the only channel.