Elliot Hegarty is a British director specializing in comedy and comedy-drama across television, film, and commercials. He began in advertising in the early 2000s, winning eight awards for his Club 18-30 campaign including Bronze at Cannes Lions and selection for the 2001 New Directors' Showcase. He directed commercials for Guinness, KFC, Hyundai, Enterprise, and The Daily Telegraph before transitioning to television. In the UK, he helmed both series of Channel 4's Star Stories, winning the 2006 British Comedy Award and earning a 2008 BAFTA nomination, and directed seven episodes of BBC's Bad Education and its 2015 feature film, which grossed over £3 million at the UK box office. He directed 21 episodes of ABC's The Middle and episodes of Suburgatory, Black-ish, and other US network sitcoms, plus seven episodes of Lovesick for Channel 4 and Netflix. He directed multiple episodes of Apple TV+'s Ted Lasso Season 1 and led Season 3 of Trying. Most recently, he served as lead director and executive producer on Disney+'s Rivals, directing the first four episodes of both seasons; the series won two BAFTAs, two RTS awards, and the 2025 International Emmy for Best Drama. He is currently working with Hungry Man for commercials and Independent Talent Group for theatrical work.