Ruth is a Bafta winning writer and director, working across TV, film, music videos and commercials. She has a passion for telling inventive, character-driven comedic stories with a cinematic, visually compelling and imaginative aesthetic.
Ruth grew up in Yorkshire and was state school educated before attending Cambridge University, where she performed and wrote as part of the world-famous comedy troupe, the Cambridge Footlights. She went on to write and perform comedy professionally, including taking a solo show to the Edinburgh Fringe festival, which was described by comedy review site Chortle as “enchanting, endearing – and laugh out-loud funny”. She also performed, directed and edited the web series Printfriends, a comedic finger puppet adventure, which was nominated for an International Emmy Award for Best Digital Fiction.
In 2016, Ruth moved permanently behind the camera, writing and directing several comedy short films including The Honeymoon, which won best short film at Bafta-qualifying Carmarthen Bay festival and was broadcast on Amazon Prime.
In 2020, Ruth directed Transaction, a Comedy Central mini-series which won the Broadcast Digital Award for Best Short-Form Scripted Series. It was described by the judges as “fresh and funny… brilliantly bold.”
In 2022, Ruth directed the third and final season of BBC Three’s critically acclaimed comedy series, Ladhood, described by the Guardian in a 4-star review as “consistently great… completely satisfying… thoughtful and moving.” Later that year, Ruth directed a campaign for Resuscitation Council UK starring Sex Education’s Connor Swindells. The spot features Swindells performing CPR on a mannequin version of himself; a darkly funny take on life-saving instruction that manages to make resuscitation both informative and amusingly meta. The film was shortlisted for a British Arrow.
In 2024, Ruth directed and took part in two call-to-action films for the underwear brand Lemonade Dolls, starring comedian Jayde Adams, encouraging women to swing the vote. The campaign, which urged women to take charge and swing the vote in the November general election, was met with widespread praise for its humour, heart, and message.
2024 was also the year that Ruth directed the BBC comedy short Quiet Life. The film follows Geoffrey (Luke Rollason), a man who buries his phone in an attempt to unplug – permanently – from the modern world. Equal parts absurd and charming, Quiet Life has made considerable noise for a semi-silent film, playing at numerous film festivals including the world-renowned BFI London film festival, and winning a TV BAFTA in the Short Form category.
Ruth regularly steps in as a second unit director for fellow Hungry Men like Bryan Buckley and Taika Waititi, bringing her own flair to big-brand campaigns for the likes of Jameson, Asda, and Waitrose.