Gray graduated from Oxford University. During his time at Oxford he wrote for and edited the university magazine Isis, and has explained that this "was basically just an excuse to write funny stuff for an audience".[3] Gray started writing comedy sketches as a student and has cited Peter Cook as the comedian who "opened [his] eyes to what comedy could be".
Television and Radio
Gray began his career in 2006 writing on the Armando Iannucci BBC2 comedy series Time Trumpet.[4] He worked as Assistant Producer on Series 1 of Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle, and wrote for the red button "Stewart V Armando" interview segments with Iannucci.[5] He worked on the BBC comedy The Thick of It, writing or co-writing 14 episodes. For the launch of Series 4, he and fellow The Thick of It writer Ian Martin were interviewed by Kirsty Lang for BBC Radio 4's Front Row, and described how the show's seemingly farcical policies had often been mirrored in real life.[6] Gray also wrote on this subject for the BBC News website.[7]
Gray directed Peter Capaldi in the award-winning short film Bistro, which he also wrote and produced.[14] The film co-stars Alex Macqueen and won Soho House's international "Electric Shorts" competition.
While working on the Oscar-nominated film In The Loop, he and Iannucci reportedly managed to get into the US State Department using their BBC passes,[15] prompting acting spokesman Robert Wood to later issue a statement,[16] and the State Department to conduct "a complete review of their security procedures".[17]
He wrote for the 2019 black comedy thriller The Day Shall Come alongside director Chris Morris and Jesse Armstrong. He had previously collaborated with Morris on the Season 3 Veep episode "Alicia".[18]
He is currently developing "a comedy about artificial intelligence" for Armando Iannucci to direct.[19] He contributed additional material to the satire Greed for director Michael Winterbottom, starring Steve Coogan.[20]
Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle (writer, additional material Series 2; Assistant Producer, writer 6 episodes of "Comedy Extra" segments on red button Series 1)