Hot Shots 2025: Owen Tooth

“Owen Tooth is a brilliant example of why soaps matter so much to the future of British TV,” says Kris Green, a training executive at BBC Studios Drama Productions. “Shows like EastEnders create real opportunities for incredible talent to break through – and Owen has grabbed it with both hands.”

When EastEnders offered Tooth his first paid directing break, he made history when the episode aired in October 2024, becoming the show’s first-ever wheelchair-using director.

It earned him a nomination for the Victor Adebodun Debut Director Award, and an invitation to return and direct a full block, which included the ambitious VE Day standalone episode. The opportunities have kept coming – he’s also set to direct a full block for Emmerdale, and was named BFI Midlands Filmmaker of the Month.

Making the most of this momentum, he’s forged ahead with opportunities with the Directors UK Inspire mentorship scheme 2024-25, BFI Midlands Director’s Lab and BBC Elevate. Most recently, he shadowed the director on Jack Thorne’s BBC drama Best Interests, and is also a recipient of the Netflix Documentary Talent Fund 2025.

Powering on with his career after a recent loss of hearing in one ear, this tenacity is part of what makes him so impressive. “Owen is not just a fantastic director, he’s a brilliant role model for what the future of the industry should look like,” says Green.