David Nicholls is a British novelist, screenwriter, and former actor. He is best known for his novels, particularly One Day, an international bestseller, and his work as a screenwriter, which includes screenplay adaptations of his books.
David Nicholls attended Barton Peveril College in Eastleigh, Hampshire, before pursuing higher education at the University of Bristol, where he earned a BA in Drama and English in 1988. In New York, he attended the American Musical and Dramatic Academy to further his acting training.
Despite an initial career in acting, where he performed under the stage name David Holdaway, Nicholls found limited success. His experiences ranged from minor roles in various theatres to a significant stint at the Royal National Theatre.
His realization of difficulties in acting compelled him to pursue writing and script editing. Nicholls worked for London Weekend Television and Tiger Aspect Productions, where he honed his skills as a script editor and began to explore his own writing projects.
His writing career blossomed with the adaptation of Sam Shepard’s play Simpatico and his first original script, Waiting, about frustrated waiters.
With the success of Simpatico in 1999, David Nicholls transitioned into a full-time writing career. He has since been recognized with two BAFTA nominations and has seen his first novel, Starter for Ten, featured in the first Richard and Judy Book Club.
His novels include Starter for Ten (2003), The Understudy (2005), One Day (2009), Us (2014), Sweet Sorrow (2019), and You Are Here (2024). The screenwriting portfolio of Nicholls is equally impressive, including adaptations of his novels and original screenplays for television and film. Noteworthy screenwriting credits include Cold Feet, I Saw You, Rescue Me, and adaptations of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing and Hardy’s Far from the Madding Crowd.
In 2006, Nicholls adapted his play Aftersun, performed at the Old Vic's 24-Hour Play festival, into a one-off comedy for BBC One. He also was nominated for a Primetime Emmy for his adaptation of Patrick Melrose (2018).
Photo credit: X @DavidNWriter
