Sheridan Tongue
Working with Sheridan was a joyous experience. I asked him to work in a genre he was unfamiliar with, and not only did he achieve the high bar I set he far exceeded it.
Caroline Hawkins - Creative Director, Oxford Scientific Films
---
EMMY award winning composer Sheridan Tongue is internationally acclaimed for his dramatic soundtracks for TV drama, films and documentaries worldwide.
Born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Sheridan has scored some of UK television’s most prestigious drama series including 12 series of Silent Witness, 5 series of DCI Banks as well as Spooks and Sea of Souls.
In 2021 he picked up a prestigious Emmy for his work on the film The Last Artifact that featured scientists from all over the planet searching for a new way to redefine the Kilogram, for Montana PBS.
Sheridan’s documentary scores are also highly memorable for work such as the BAFTA winner Wounded (BBC), the lavish natural history series Atlas 4D and Stephen Hawking’s Into the Universe with Stephen Hawking (Discovery) and Steven Hawking’s Favourite Places (Curiosity Stream), as well as Wonders of the Universe (BBC) and most recently his edgy visceral score for Narco Wars (National Geographic) and his dramatic new soundtrack for the 13 part MeerKat Manor: Rise of the Dynasty for AMC+ and BBC America.
With studios in both London and the USA, Sheridan started his career working in recording studios with icons such as Robert Plant, Johnny Marr and Blur and was presented with a gold record for his work on the album ‘Prodigal Sista’ by Beverly Knight.
Sheridan is also an artist and songwriter through his pseudonym IN-IS and released his second album 2068 in 2020, which draws upon his wide range of musical experiences, from orchestral and electronic to folk-influenced global music in collaboration with artists from around the world. Seven Days, his first IN-IS album was released in 2016 (album quote below). Available on iTunes and Spotify.
"Blending choral elements rather effortlessly with gentle, cinematic instrumentation, Sheridan muses on the dystopia into which our world seems to be inevitably devolving." - Hot Press
FILMS
His film work includes scoring the music for the film Bertie which won best short film at the Beverly Hills Film Festival; Down which won the people’s choice award at the BAFTA-qualifying Aesthetica Film Festival and ‘Best Screenplay’ at the Oscar-qualifying Flickers Film Festival in Rhode Island and Magnificient 7, a film starring Helena Bonham Carter as well as the recent EMMY winning The Last Artifact.
AWARD WINNING DOCUMENTARIES
In 2020 he received an RTS NI Best Soundtrack nomination for his soundtrack to the BBC landmark series SPOTLIGHT ON THE TROUBLES: A SECRET HISTORY (7 parts) to coincide with the 50 year anniversary since the conflict began in Northern Ireland that featured in the Guardian’s list of the 50 Best TV programmes of 2019. The Ulster Orchestra subsequently performed Sheridan’s Troubles Suite in Belfast as part of an evening of music of conflict that was broadcast live on BBC Radio 3.
Demonstrating his versatility, Sheridan composed the music for WOUNDED on BBC One about soldiers injured in action in Afghanistan, which won a BAFTA for Best Single Documentary.
Sheridan also composed the music for the BBC series WONDERS OF THE UNIVERSE (and WONDERS OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM) starring Brian Cox, which won a RTS Award for Best Documentary Series.
DRAMA
Sheridan created a magical and moving score for the children’s drama SUMMERHILL, a BBC film based on the real-life court case of a school that took the British Government to court and won. The film took home two BAFTA Awards.
ORIGINALITY
Sheridan draws on a wide range of musical experiences, from orchestral and electronic to folk-influenced world music, to create his unique and diverse musical scores. He has spent years recording and creating a unique library of bespoke sounds and instruments that he uses in many of his compositions.
Ensuring originality throughout his work, he strives to avoid the traditional routes of composition, including field recordings and extensive research in his compositional toolkit. This approach to writing was influenced by many years working in the recorded music industry as a producer, remixer, orchestrator and arranger. He often brings musicians from the pop world into his soundtracks to add another dimension to the mix.
Sheridan’s formal training started on the University of Surrey’s Tonmeister course. It was there that he explored his love of sound recording and acoustics alongside that of orchestration, composing and conducting.
MEMBERSHIPS
Sheridan is a full member of PRS for Music, The Ivors Academy of Music Creators, British Academy of Film and Television Arts, Broadcast Music Inc and Royal Television Society .
BRITISH TINNITUS ASSOCIATION AND HELP MUSICIANS NI
Sheridan is an ambassador for the British Tinnitus Association (BTA) and regularly helps to promote awareness of safe listening levels. In 2018 Sheridan fronted a ‘Champion’ role with Help Musicians Northern Ireland to promote their ‘Hear for Musicians’ campaign.
PANELS
Sheridan has spoken on panels at SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST (Interactive, Film & Music festivals Austin, Texas), BELFAST MEDIA FESTIVAL (Northern Ireland), AVA London (Electronic Music Festival Printworks, London), Sound of Belfast (Northern Ireland), SENSORIA (Film, Music & Digital festival Sheffield, UK), and held composing for film and television workshops at SURREY UNIVERSITY (Guildford, UK), TILEYARD EDUCATION (London, UK), ACADEMY OF CONTEMPORARY MUSIC (Guildford, UK), HILLS ROAD SIXTH FORM COLLEGE (Composer in Residence 2006-7, Cambridge, UK), R.B.A.I (Belfast, NI).
Sheridan Tongue's CV
View our composer's list of TV and film credits here.
![]() |
The Great Rhino Robbery (forthcoming) | Sky |
Forthcoming nature-based feature documentary (2023) | Emaho Films | |
![]() |
Facing North (2023) | Netflix (Pitch International) |
Mavericks (2022) | PBS | Director: Scott Sterling | Producer: Kelly Gorham | Executive Producer: Aaron Pruitt | |
The Last Artifact (2020) | PBS International | Directors & Producers: Jaime Jacobsen, Ed Watkins |
Down (2019) | Director: Garry Crystal | |
Bertie (2017) | Director: Garry Crystal | |
The Fox and the Rabbit (2017) | Director: Garry Crystal |
Silent Witness XX (2017) | BBC | Directors: Stewart Svaasand, Thaddeus O’Sullivan, David Richards, David Drury, Dudi Appleton | |
DCI Banks V (2017) | Leftbank Pictures | Directors: Craig Pickles, Mark Brozel, Robert Quinn | |
Silent Witness XIX (2016) | BBC | Directors: David Drury, Richard Senior, Mark Everest, Keith Boak, Thaddeus O’Sullivan | Producer: Madonna Baptiste | |
Silent Witness XVIII (2015) | BBC | Directors: David Richards, Craig Viveiros, Daniel O’Hara, Marek Losey, David Drury | Producer: Sharon Bloom | |
DCI Banks IV (2016) | Leftbank Pictures | Directors: David Richards, Craig Pickles, Kenneth Glenaan | Producer: Radford Neville | |
Silent Witness XVII (2015) | BBC | Directors: Daniel O’Hara, David Richards, Dušan Lazarević, Craig Viveos, Nick Renton | Producer: Sharon Bloom | |
The Sparticle Mystery III (2014) | BBC | Directors: Jon East, Tim Whitby | |
DCI Banks III (2014) | Leftbank Pictures | Directors: Stephen Woolfenden, Ed Bazalgette, Bill Eagles | Producer: Emma Kingsman-Lloyd | |
Silent Witness XVI (2013) | BBC | Directors: Anthony Byrne, Douglas MacKinnon, David Richards, Thaddeus O’Sullivan, Richard Clark | Producer: Sharon Bloom | |
The Sparticle Mystery II (2013) | BBC | Directors: Jon East, Laura Smith, Jonathan Fox Bassett | Producer: Bernard Krichefski | |
Silent Witness XVI (2013) | BBC | Directors: Anthony Byrne, David Richards, Richard Clark, Thaddeus O'Sullivan Douglas Mackinnon | Producer: Sharon Bloom | |
DCI Banks II (2012) | Leftbank Pictures | Directors: Tim Fywell, Jim Loach, Mat King | Producer: Emma Kingsman-Lloyd | |
Silent Witness XV (2012) | BBC | Directors: Mike Barker, Anthony Byrne, Andy Hay, Ed Bennett, Keith Boak | |
DCI Banks (2011) | Leftbank Pictures | Directors: Paul Whittington, Bill Anderson, Marek Losey | |
The Sparticles Mystery (2011) | BBC | Directors: Jon East, Tim Whitby | |
Silent Witness XIV (2011) | BBC | Directors: Dudi Appleton, James Strong, Antony Byrne, Keith Boak, Sue Tully | Producer: Richard Burrell | |
Silent Witness XIII (2010) | BBC | Directors: Thaddeus O'Sullivan, Sue Tully, Udayan Prasad, Farren Blackburn, Paul Wilmshurst | Producer: Ruth Kenley-Letts | |
Summerhill (2008) | Tiger Aspect | Director: John East | Producer: Stephen Smallwood | |
Cinderalla (2008) | Director: Peter Lydon Producer: Rhonda Smith Hattrick Productions Starring: James Nesbit | |
Silent Witness XII (2008) | BBC | Directors: Diarmuid Lawrence, Alex Pillai, Sue Tully, Dudi Appleton | Producer: George Ormond | |
Sea Of Souls (2006) | Carnival / BBC | Director: Andy Hay Producer: Tim Bradley Executive Producer: Gareth Neame | |
Silent Witness XI (2007) | BBC | Directors: Diarmuid Lawrence, Maurice Philips, Brendan Maher, Bruce Goodison Producer: George Ormond Executive Producer: Hilary Salmon | |
Hotel Babylon (Series 1) (2006) | Carnival Films Director: Alrick Riley Producer: Chris Aird | |
Dead Clever (2007) | Granada | Director: Dearbla Walsh Producer: Rebecca Hodgson Writer: Sally Wainwright Executive Producer: Sita Williams | |
Silent Witness X (2006) | BBC | Directors: Michael Offer, Alrick Riley, Martyn Friend, Philippa Langdale, Nick Renton | Producer: Tim Bradley Executive Producers: Jessica Pope, Hilary Salmon | |
Magnificent 7 (2005) | * Winner - Monte Carlo Festival 2006 Signis Prize * | BBC | Director: Kenneth Glenaan Producer: Deborah Jones Writer: Sandy Welch Starring: Helena Bonham-Carter | |
Silent Witness IX (2005) | BBC | Directors: Richard Signy, Andy Hay, Bryn Higgins Producer: Tim Bradley Executive Producers: Jessica Pope, Hilary Salmon | |
Spooks III (2004) | * BAFTA Nomination 2005: Best Original TV Music * Kudos / BBC | Directors: Jonny Campbell, Cilla Ware, Justin Chadwick, Bill Anderson, Alrick Riley Producer: Andrew Woodhead Executive Producers: Jane Featherstone, Simon Crawford Collins | |
Redcap II (2004) | Stormy Pictures / BBC | Director: Justin Chadwick | Producer: Sarah Wilson Executive Producer: Gareth Neame | |
Down To Earth I, II & III | Whistling Gypsy / BBC | Directors - Series I: Ashley Pearce, Rob Bangura Directors - Series II: Juliet May, Indra Bhose, Claire Winyard Directors - Series III: Juliet May, Frank Smith, Mike Cocker, Rob Evans Producer: Rosemarie Whitman | |
Sunburn II (1999) | BBC | Directors: Keith Boak, Dan Zeff, Morag Fullerton Producer: Julie Gardner Executive Producer: John Yorke |
![]() |
The Great Rhino Robbery w/t (Sky, 2023) | BBC Studios |
Meerkat Manor: Rise of the Dynasty (2021) | BBC America | Director: Caroline Hawkins | Producer: Hayley Smith | |
Narco Wars (Series 1&2) (2021) | National Geographic | |
Spotlight on The Troubles (2019) | BBC | Directors: Maurice May Denise O’Connor Tamara Rahman Chris Moore Sarah Mole Lena Ferguson Claire Irwin Ciaran O’Neil Rory Tinman Jennifer O’Leary Mandy McCauley | |
Stephen Hawking's Favorite Places (2016) | Curiosity Stream | Directors: Ed Watkins | |
Stephen Hawking's Grand Design (2012) | Discovery Channel International / Darlow Smithson Productions | Directors: Nick Green, Dan Clifton Producers: Ian Riddick, Ben Bowie | |
Wonders of the Universe (2011) | BBC | Directors: Chris Holt, Michael Lachman, Stephen Cooter Producer: James van der Pool | |
Atlas 4D (2010) | Discovery Channel International / Darlow Smithson Productions | Producer: Alex Marengo Executive Producer: Susan Winslow | |
Who Framed Jesus? (2010) | Discovery Channel / Renegade Pictures | Discovery Channel / Renegade Pictures Directors: Mark Lewis, Emma Whitlock | |
Into the Universe with Stephen Hawking (2010) | Discovery Channel International / Darlow Smithson Productions | |
Wonders of the Solar System (2010) | * RTS Award Winner: Best Documentary Series 2010 * BBC Directors: Paul Olding, Michael Lachmann, Gideon Bradshaw, Chris Holt Producer: Danielle Peck | |
Wounded (2009) | BBC | Producer: Sarah Hardy |
Sheridan Tongue
If you'd like to work with Sheridan, please get in touch