 Allen directed the first series of ITV's Benidorm in 2007, for which he was nominated for his second BAFTA award.Allen and playwright/novelist Patrick McCabe were organisers and creative directors of The Flat Lake Literary & Arts Festival which was held annually for five years in County Monaghan, Ireland from 2007 to 2011.The Flat Lake was a favourite performing venue of Poet Laureate Seamus Heaney, Colm Toibin and a star-studded array of Irish literary giants.