Paul Watson (17 February 1942 – 18 November 2023) was a British television documentary filmmaker.

Biography Watson was born on 17 February 1942 in Paddington, London, England, and grew up in Wood Green. Family moved to Bolton in Lancashire after his father obtained work in the textile mills. Attended Altrincham Grammar School, Cheshire. Attained A Level Art aged 16. Watson attended Manchester Regional College of Art, then the Royal College of Art in London, from 1963 to 1966. He started working for the BBC in the mid-1960s, his first job being as a researcher on Whicker's World. He was given his own documentary series, A Year in the Life, followed by singles for the Tuesday's Documentary strand.

Watson attempted to make his drama feature debut as writer and director with A Fine and Private Place but the film was abandoned during production.

In 1974, Watson made The Family, one of his most well-known programmes. In the following decade, he worked with Egyptologist John Romer and made singles for Real Lives and 40 Minutes strands, including The Fishing Party in 1985. In 1987, undertook secondment at WGBH in Boston. From 1989, he headed a production unit at BBC Elstree, where he instigated Sylvania Waters. At Elstree, he worked primarily as an executive producer on series such as Present Imperfect. From 1993 to 1994, he was appointed Series Editor of 40 Minutes. He left the BBC in 1994.

Beginning in 1995, Watson worked for Granada TV, making singles for the Cutting Edge strand and the first of two films about Malcolm Pointon and his diagnosis with Alzheimer's (Malcolm and Barbara: A Love Story). From 1999/2000, he headed documentary production at United Productions (part of United News and Media, in collaboration with Anglia, HTV and Meridian; United Productions taken over by Granada Media in 2000). Left United Productions in 2002. In 2002, Watson formed his own production company Priory Pictures, making one of his most acclaimed films Rain In My Heart. In 2007, the second of two films about Malcolm Pointon and his Alzheimer's disease was broadcast (Malcolm and Barbara: Loves Farewell). In 2009–2010, he returned to media work, writing and directing radio plays for BBC Radio 4. He lived in Tonbridge, Kent.

Watson died from complications of dementia on 18 November 2023, at the age of 81.

Documentaries as director and producer Whicker's World: A Dubious Fraternity (BBC Two, 1967). Film about a small-time crook in the wasteland of London's W.11. Whicker's World: South Sea Island Coronation (BBC Two, 1968). Film about a king being crowned in Polynesia. Whicker's World: Singapore 999 (BBC Two, 1968). Film about the city state of Singapore. Whicker's World: Birds'-Eye View (BBC Two, 1968). On the anniversary of the Suffragettes, a film about the dreams and opinions of three young women. A Year in the Life: For the Big Deal Group (BBC Two, 1969). Film about a pop group trying to make it in the music business. A Year in the Life: For Craghead (BBC Two, 1969). Film about the threatened closure of a colliery in Craghead, County Durham. A Year in the Life: For Sonia and David: Just Married (BBC Two, 1969). Film about a new marriage. A Year in the Life for The Honourable Member (BBC Two, 1969). Film about an MP, from by-election to his first year in Parliament. A Year in the Life: For A Man Determined (BBC Two, 1969). Film about a man who has polyneuritis. A Year in the Life for Tony, Rebel Rocker (BBC Two, 1969). Film about a member of a motorcycle gang. A Year in the Life for A Devonshire Farm (BBC Two, 1969). Film about the trials and tribulations of farming. A Year in the Life for Thamesmead, Town for Tomorrow (BBC Two, 1969). Film about the building of Thamesmead new town. A Year in the Life: For King Kathie 100/7 (BBC Two 1969). Film about a race horse. A Year in the Life: For A Very English Haven (BBC Two, 1969). Film about Salcombe, Devon, a retirement town that explodes with tourists in the summer months. A Year in the Life: For the Curate (BBC Two, 1969). Film about the journey from theological college to ordination to first year as Curate in the dock-land area of Liverpool. A Year in the Life for The Making of Mrs Markham (BBC Two, 1969). Film about a playwright. Two Years in the Life: A Dream Car (BBC Two, 1970). Film about the making of a super car. The Red Cross: Tuesday's Documentary (BBC One, 1971). Film about the Red Cross as it carries out its work in England, Switzerland and war-torn Jordan. Strike Command: Tuesday's Documentary (BBC One, 1971). Film about the Defence of Britain in the 70s. Our Children and the Germans: Tuesday's Documentary (BBC One, 1971). A group of young British people experience the German way of life and decide whether they want to be part of the new Europe or not. The Block: Tuesday's Documentary (BBC One, 1972). Filmed in Southwark, London about people living below the poverty line. The Group: Tuesday's Documentary (BBC One, 1973). Film about the rituals of group life in a hospital ward for alcoholics. Race of the Power Bikes (BBC Two, 1973). Film about the Formula 750cc motorcycle race held on the Isle of Man TT week. The Family (BBC One, 1974). Series in which the Wilkins family from Reading have a BBC film crew living with them. Festival 40: Dispute (BBC Two, 1976). Film about a trade union dispute exactly as it happened, with no preparation or rehearsal. Nobody Asked Us (BBC One, 1980). Film about the recent steel strike based which focuses on a steelworker family from Corby. Romer's Egypt: Diary of a Search (BBC Two, 1981). Film about eccentric egyptologist John Romer's search for treasure. Romer's Egypt: 5000-2215 BC (BBC Two, 1983). Egyptologist John Romer visits Giza, Aswan and Sakkara. Romer's Egypt: 2700-1070 BC (BBC Two, 1983). Romer examines the private lives of ancient Egyptians. Romer's Egypt:1570-30 BC (BBC Two, 1983). Romer visits Deir el Medina. Vox Pop (BBC One, 1983). 10-part weekly serial about the views and opinions of the people of Darwen, Lancashire. The Family: The After Years (BBC Two, 1983). Film about the aftermath of the making of The Family. Real Lives: Lost in Space (BBC One, 1985). Film about a lost satellite filmed at NASA in Texas. 40 Minutes:The House of Hope (BBC Two, 1985). Film about a Dorset-based therapeutic community run by Christians. 40 Minutes: The Fishing Party (BBC Two, 1985). Film about four young city commodity-brokers who go on a fishing in Scotland to see if they can break the world record for a catch of skate. 40 Minutes: Convictions (BBC Two, 1998). Film about what turns people into criminals. Revelations (BBC One, 1988). Film about patriots and bible believers in West Virginia. One Day... (BBC Two, 1989). Film about John Wallwork, a heart surgeon. One Day... (BBC Two, 1989). Film about Amelia Bryant, a model. One Day... (BBC Two, 1989). Film about Michael Drummond, a homeless man. One Day... (BBC Two, 1989). Film about Jimmy Devlin, a pop manager. One Day... (BBC Two, 1989). Film about Ellie Laine, a comedienne. One Day... (BBC Two, 1989). Film about Barney Curley, a professional gambler. Yo! Bug Jam (BBC Two, 1990). Film about a Volkswagen festival at a Santa Pod raceway. Yo! Get Shreddin''' (BBC Two, 1990). Film about an event at America's top skate state in California. Yo! Surfs Up (BBC Two, 1990). Film about California's biggest surfing event - the Pepsi/O'Neill Coldwater Challenge.Tomorrow's Child (BBC One, 1990). Film about children's rights . Sylvania Waters (BBC One/ABC, 1992). Series about an Australian family. Sarajevo - A Street Under Siege (BBC Two, 1993). Broadcast as 2-minute shorts before Newsnight for a day-by-day account of the siege and how it affected ordinary citizens. Trick on Two (BBC Two, 1992). Celebrities watch magic tricks performed by talented British magicians. The Factory (Granada TV/Channel 4, 1995). 5-part series on the Robinson Willey gas fire manufacturers in Liverpool 13.Channel 4 (1995). Annual Report 1995. https://assets-corporate.channel4.com/_flysystem/s3/2017-06/annual_report_1995_1.pdf Cutting Edge: The Home (Granada TV/Channel 4, 1996). Film about Redmere Lodge, St. Leonards-on-Sea, a residential home for elderly people.Cutting Edge: The Dinner Party (Granada TV/Channel 4, 1997). Film about a group of Home Counties dinner party guests.White Lives (Granada TV/Channel 4,1998). Film about South Africa.Malcolm and Barbara: A Love Story (Granada TV/ITV, 1999). Film about charting a husband's descent into Alzheimer's dementia and his wife's care for a once-loving husband who now scarcely recognises her.Cutting Edge: A Wedding In The Family (United Productions/Channel 4, 2000). Film about a wedding in middle England.The Queen's Wedding (Priory Pictures/Channel 4, 2002). Filmed in and around Manchester's gay community, the central event is the marriage of two gay men. Desert Darlings (Priory Pictures/Channel 4, 2003). 3-part series following six couples who spend a month in the Namibian desert on an adventure holiday organised by a Falklands veteran.Rain In My Heart (Priory Pictures/BBC Two, 2006). Film charting the traumas faced by four alcoholics and the emotional impact their struggle has had on those around them.Uncharted Territory (Priory Pictures/BBC Two, 2006). Daytime series about people hunting for holiday homes.Malcolm and Barbara: Love's Farewell (ITV Productions/ITV, 2007). Film following the progression of Alzheimer disease in a middle-aged man and its impact of his marriage.

Documentaries as executive producer Different Drummer (BBC Two, 1989). Series about unusual and eccentric Americans. Power Behind The Throne (BBC Two, 1989). Portrait of politician Willie Whitelaw. Denis Healey - The Man Who Did the Dirty Work (BBC Two, 1989). Portrait of Denis Healey, defence secretary, chancellor of the exchequer and deputy Labour leader. Great Journeys (BBC Two, 1989). 8-part series about travellers on the world's great highways, including poet Hugo Williams taking the Pan-American Highway. A Year in the Life (BBC Two, 1989-1990). Series of films about the people who took part in the series A Year in the Life.Present Imperfect (BBC, Two 1990). Series about life in 90s Britain. Carnival Street (BBC One, 1990). Series following five families in the lead up to the Notting Hill Carnival. Belle and the Glory Boys (BBC Two, 1990). Film about Second World War American bomber. Tomorrow's Child (BBC One, 1990). Film about the terrible conditions under which many of the world's children live. The Sentence (BBC Two, 1990). Series about Glen Parva Young Offenders Institution. In Solidarity (BBC Two, 1991). 4-part series about Poland and the collapse of communism. Bunkum and Balderdash (BBC Two, 1991). Film Portrait of Sir Bernard Ingham. From Wimps to Warriors (BBC Two, 1991). Series about the myths surrounding masculinity. Follow the Money (BBC Two, 1992). Series about the UK business landscape Classic Adventure (BBC One, 1992). Series about global adventure. States of Mind (BBC Two/PBS, 1992). Series exploring American life. Inside Victor Lewis-Smith (BBC Two, 1993. Victor Lewis-Smith's observations on the world of television from his hospital bed. Jungle Janes (United Productions/Channel 4, 2001). 12 British middle-aged women trek their way through the jungles of Brunei.

Documentaries as series editor Theatre School (BBC Two, 1993). Series following hopefuls through a year at London's Drama Centre. 40 Minutes (BBC Two, 1993-1994).

Fiction/drama documentary as writer, director or producer A Fine and Private Place (EMI, 1969). Feature film project developed, written but not completed with Bryan Forbes Head of EMI.The Rothko Conspiracy (BBC Two, 1983). Dramatisation of the 1970 New York art world financial scandal.Breakaway Girls (BBC One, 1978). 4-part series, each episode telling a real life case history about a girl who has run away from home.

Radio plays as writer/director