With an outstanding reputation built over 20 years working at the pinnacle of British broadcast television, Ralph has become one of the most sought-after editors in the United Kingdom. Born in London, the editor has been making films since his childhood. Filmmaking has always been his passion, and editing allows him to truly create masterpieces.
“Whether it was filmmaking or becoming a chef, I would always have worked in a creative industry. Initially I wanted to chef, but making short films and music videos with friends really sparked something in me. I’ve always said that cooking and editing are very similar in that they both involve taking a bunch of ingredients that may look like they do not belong together, and turning them into something delicious,” said Ralph.
Ralph’s vast experience and exceptional ability have been instrumental in the huge success of multi-award-winning entertainment formats. He is extremely versatile, as his credits extend to hit reality shows like I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here and critically acclaimed documentaries, popular returning series like Apprentice and First Dates, and fixed rig camera documentary series like The Secret Life of 5 Year Olds. This ability to master such a wide variety of genres sets Ralph apart from his peers, and has allowed him to develop a much desired and unique skillset.
As Lead Editor for many years on the Simon Cowell produced X Factor and Britain’s Got Talent series for ITV, Ralph worked closely with the producers in establishing the formats and style that have made these programs so successful in the UK and abroad. Both programs have won multiple awards and are recognized as having changed the way in which music and pictures are used to tell stories and convey emotion in entertainment television.
“Editors come in many forms, all with varying skillsets and abilities. A simple definition would be the skill of storytelling through the mediums of sound and picture, but it’s so much more than that. It’s the ability to connect not just with your material, but also with people and their ideas and visions,” said Ralph.
UK smash hit Reality show, Love Island, is filmed and edited, daily, on location in Mallorca for transmission back to the ITV. As a Senior Editor, Ralph was instrumental in shaping and creating the ongoing character narratives for each episode, as well as setting the style for the formatted elements of the shows. The huge trust and responsibility of this position was rewarded with record ratings, huge press interest, critical acclaim, and another series.
Ralph was also the editor on the popular show 24 Hours in A&E, a fixed camera rig documentary series for Channel 4, set in the Accident & Emergency department of a busy London hospital. Each episode tells the stories of its patients in one twenty-four-hour period. It is an award winning and returning series. Ralph was responsible for finding and developing the stories within a twenty-four-hour window and creating the human narratives that would resonate with the viewing public.
Furthermore, Ralph was headhunted to work on The Voice UK when it was on the BBC, and was one of only three editors responsible for all performance edits, as well as editing the show’s opening sequences. He had a pivotal role in establishing the visual guidelines for the further 3 seasons on the BBC.
“James is a brilliant editor and an asset to any team. He is incredibly easy to work with, not only because he's a very good editor, but due to his calm and reassuring nature. He is a gifted editor, whether cutting parts of an episode or an entire show, and can turn his hand to anything. Edit Producers always request to work alongside James, which is a testament to both his skill and his character. I would always look to have him on my team,” said Lily Wilson, who worked with James on numerous different Entertainment TV productions, including The Voice UK, Britain's Got Talent, The X Factor, and I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here.
“James is not only good at the technical skill of editing, but he has an editorial brain as well. This means he understands exactly how the viewers should feel when we put a TV show together, and then has the ability to put that into practice, which is a rare thing to find in an Editor. He is brilliant at pace and tone, both of which are crucial to entertainment and factual entertainment shows. He has a great eye for the 'bigger picture', so he will always know what the priorities are and where time and effort is best spent. Skill wise, he can edit both emotional and touching content, as well as funnier and fast paced. His ability to edit music is also great, which is crucial in entertainment TV. Finally, it is James' attitude that sets him above the rest; he understands that sometimes in Television we have to change things last minute and a lot of work can be wasted. James always takes these changes with a smile and a 'tell me what I can do to help' attitude. His passion goes above and beyond every time; he is most definitely one of a kind,” Wilson continued.
With such an esteemed resume, Ralph is very much in demand across multiple genres of television. He is often involved from the outset in setting the style and format of brand new TV commissions. This means he has been directly involved in the ratings and award success of many popular formats, which have enjoyed huge commercial success and have been sold on internationally, as well as working directly with some of the most successful names in British television.
“Being able to express my ideas and stories via moving pictures, sound and music was like a brain burst. It opened a whole new world of creative expression to me, and I jumped in with both feet,” said Ralph.
Audiences can expect to continue to see Ralph’s work for many years. But from now on, when you see a “You Gotta See This Britain’s Got Talent Audition,” that has millions of views, take note not only of the talent on the screen, but the talent behind it.