His directorial career started about 1994, with an entry to a Channel 4 film competition. This was soon followed by an busy eight years in which he was a dominant force in children's television. His 1996 adaptation of the Coping With book, Coping with Christmas, won a BAFTA Children's Award for Best Drama, and a regular BAFTA TV Award for Best (Fictional) Children's Programme. He also won a BAFTA Children's Award for the instructional programme, English Express.