Chris Rigby

I’m a freelance Lighting Designer & Director specialising in Television Lighting. If you have a project where you are looking for striking creative lighting delivered in a stressless manner, on time and on budget then that is what I aim to achieve for you. Liaison and communication with Executives and Set Designers at an early stage can bring together the best of peoples talents to fulfil and hopefully exceed expectations. Here’s a little about my history which will build a picture of the experience that I can bring to your show.
I trained and qualified as a Professional Photographer (BIPP PQE) also with a BA in Film & Television before joining the BBC Photographic Department in 1986 at BBC Television Centre, London.
My interest in Photography developed into a keen interest in Lighting, and from there it was an obvious transition into lighting for Television and Film. I went Freelance in 1992 and was a Lighting Director for MTV Europe in its formative years as well as working on many BBC Children’s shows and emerging Channel Four series at that time of its launch. During that period I also lit interesting shows like Spitting Image, Network Seven and several sitcoms including the final few ‘Father Ted’s’. My scope of work has included Film Lighting for Music promos as a D.O.P. and Event Concert Lighting, although over the last 15 years I have worked exclusively in the field of Television Entertainment. I’ve won Royal Television Society Awards for best Multi-camera Lighting in 2002, 2014, 2015 and was nominated in 2006 and in 2014 I won the British ‘Knight of Illumination’ Award for best Television Entertainment lighting.

I’ve shown loyalty to my clients and they in turn have shown faith in me. I’ve worked on ‘Later with Jools Holland’ for 19 years, doing eighteen Hootenanny’s, and their 25th Anniversary at the Royal Albert Hall. In the world of chat and comedy panel shows I’ve lit Graham Norton for 15 years, Alan Carr for all 16 Series of ‘Chatty Man’, Paul O’Grady Live, and all 15 series of ‘A League Of Their Own’ for Sky. I covered as guest LD for several series of ‘Jonathan Ross’ both for BBC and ITV and occasionally pop up on the Quiz show circuit either designing or deputising on shows like ‘Celebrity Squares’, ‘Decimate’, ‘1000 Heartbeats’, Crystal Maze’ and ‘Lingo’. Recently I’ve enjoyed designing Alan Carr’s ‘Something About Movies’, and Viacom’s ‘Guessable’.

Please check credits page for more experience !

I’m very lucky to have the confidence and support of a splendid team of experienced technicians who can help me bring a production to life.
Over the years I have developed with colleagues Aurora Lighting Hire Ltd of which I was the founding Director. Aurora had a proud reputation of being one of the Industries most trusted, creative, helpful and efficient Lighting Companies supporting some of the U.K’s biggest Series and Production Companies before being sold to LA. based VER/PRG. I have also designed several small studio lighting Installations, Planet Hollywood nightclubs and medium sized event installations.

I would particularly like to thank Daryl Bidewell, creative and skilled Vision Engineer for his excellent grading of our pictures who is often supported by John Palmer, Jerry Kelleher my right hand man and talented Generic Console operator along with Alex Pocock too, the glamour boys on Moving Lights (who have polished a few), Svend Pedersen, Ross Williams, Theo Cox, Mark Ninnim, Russell Grubiak, Steve Kellaway and Pryderi Baskerville to name a few, all the Gaffers and Electricians, mostly from TLS and BBC who have supported me as friends and colleagues over the years.
Finally, thanks to all the Set Designers, Programme Makers, Producers, Directors, Cameras, Soundies, Make up and Costume Designers and Production Office staff who all pull together as a TEAM to make the best shows we can in the best spirit and humour.