Susan Elizabeth Birtwistle, Lady Eyre, (born 9 December 1945) is a producer and writer of television drama. Birtwistle has won awards for several of her productions, including Hotel du Lac, Pride and Prejudice and Emma, and was one of the nominees for the 2008 BAFTA Awards for her production of Cranford.
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Early life
Birtwistle was born in Northwich, Cheshire, England, and attended Northwich County Grammar School for Girls (now The County High School, Leftwich). She studied drama and English at Coventry College of Education (became part of the University of Warwick).
Her father worked for British Rail, lastly as an instructor in Crewe. Her mother died in March 1998.
Career
Partial filmography as producer
Oi For England
Educating Marmalade, 1982–83
Dutch Girls, 1985
Hotel du Lac, 1986
Scoop, 1987
Ball Trap on the Cote Sauvage, 1989
Or Shall We Die?
v.
Pride and Prejudice, 1995
Emma, 1996
Armadillo
King Lear
Wives and Daughters, 1999
Cranford, 2007
Return to Cranford, 2009
Personal life
Birtwistle married the English film, theatre, television and opera director Richard Eyre in July 1973 at Chelsea Register Office in London; they have one daughter.
In 2008, she was awarded an honorary doctorate at the University of Chester.