Acclaimed writer Tony Schumacher had one dream when he was a kid, and that was to be a writer. Instead of becoming a writer he bombed out of school aged 16 with no qualifications and a sigh of relief.
He worked his way around the world as a roofer, a jeweller, a bouncer, a barman, a binman, and on-board cruise ships selling underpants, before eventually returning to Liverpool to become a response policeman dealing with 999 jobs morning, noon and nights.
Eleven years later, after a breakdown and a period of homelessness, he found himself driving a taxi around the night-time streets of Liverpool. That was when he remembered his dream and finally started to write.
His first three novels were published by HarperCollins in the USA, and he was then mentored by Jimmy McGovern as part of the ScreenSkills High End TV Writers Bursary Scheme (2018) and invited to join the BBC Writersroom Northern Voices Scheme.
Tony went on to create and write the hit BBC1 police drama The Responder, which has been renewed for a second series.
Tony spoke at the stunning Sefton Park Palm House to a sold out audience.
