Nigel Williams (born 20 January 1948) is an English novelist, screenwriter and playwright.
Williams was born in Cheadle, Cheshire. He was educated at Highgate School and Oriel College, Oxford, is married with three sons and lives in Putney, south-west London. After graduating from Oxford, Williams joined the BBC as a general trainee, and worked as an arts producer for the Corporation eventually becoming the editor of Omnibus and Bookmark.
His first novel My Life Closed Twice won the 1978 Somerset Maugham Award. For his screen adaptation of William Horwood's Skallagrigg (1994) he won a television BAFTA. Williams was also the primary scriptwriter for the second season - based on Greek myths - of the acclaimed Jim Henson's Storyteller series.
Williams' most successful work has been the 2005 TV drama Elizabeth I, being himself nominated for an Emmy Award for his script and winning multiple awards for the film and its star, Helen Mirren.