Claire Tonkin

Title
Head of Drama
Company
CJZ
Country (Address)
Australia
Biography
An award-winning writer, producer and executive, Claire Tonkin has worked in scripted drama production and development for over two decades in both network commissioning and independent production.

As Head of Drama for CJZ, Claire’s credits include popular Lucy Lawless-led drama, MY LIFE IS MURDER (Acorn TV/TVNZ/DCD Rights/Network 10/Greenstone TV), which has been sold to over 90 territories and is currently in production on its fifth season. A second series of beloved drama DARBY AND JOAN (Acorn TV/AMC), starring Bryan Brown and Greta Scacchi, has also recently been released on Acorn TV and is also airing on ABC TV.

Prior to this, as Network Drama Executive for broadcaster Network Ten, Claire worked across the development and production of critically acclaimed series and audience favourites including OFFSPRING, RUSH, MR & MRS MURDER, PUBERTY BLUES, HAWKE, WONDERLAND, THE WRONG GIRL, BIKIE WARS: BROTHERS IN ARMS, SECRETS & LIES, UNDERGROUND, THE MAKING OF A PRINCESS, and BROCK. During this time, she was also Network Executive Producer for long-running series NEIGHBOURS.
Claire Tonkin
CJZ is one of Australia’s leading independently owned production companies, producing original primetime content for platforms across the globe. The company works across all genres – specialising in factual, entertainment, comedy and drama.

Signature programs include ABC’s long running entertainment show Gruen, Bondi Rescue (Ten), Murder in the Outback (Channel 4/Seven Network), The Good Cop (Foxtel), Homicide (Seven), Julia Zemiro’s Home Delivery (ABC), Undercurrent (Seven), Shaun Micallef’s On The Sauce (ABC), Life Drawing Live (SBS), Question Everything (ABC), MOJO (ABC), Jimmy Barnes – Working Class Boy (Universal/Seven), and the ground-breaking format Go Back to Where You Came From (SBS) which won an International Emmy and the Rose d’Or.

CJZ dramas include My Life is Murder (Ten/Acorn), Darby and Joan (Acorn) House of Hancock, (Nine), House of Bond (Nine), Blackjack (Ten/BBC) and The Great Mint Swindle(Nine). Scripted comedies include Mr Black (Ten), Street Smart (Ten), You’re Skitting Me(ABC Me) and The Ex-PM (ABC).