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Avengers, ITV, Channel 4 and of course the BBC: the new Television Centre's first 12 months

2018-08-31T08:00:00+00:00

Television Centre hosted a red carpet event for Avengers: Infinity War

Tomorrow, 1 September, marks a momentous occasion in the history of BBC Studioworks as it’s a year to the day we reopened the doors to arguably the UK’s most iconic broadcasting building – Television Centre (TVC) in London’s White City.

The move marked a doubling of the company’s studio footprint and means that TVC is once again home to some of the nation’s best loved and most watched TV shows.

The redevelopment of TVC has been four years in the making, hence there were many last-minute nerves, coupled with great anticipation, excitement and then the taste of success when we hosted our first production, ITV1’s The Jonathan Ross Show, in our biggest studio, TC1.

The fact that our first production was not a BBC show reflects our position as a commercial subsidiary of the BBC, which provides TV studio and post production services to all the major broadcasters and independent production companies.

The autumn of 2017 proved to be an incredibly busy period at TVC as we facilitated over 160 episodes of television in our first three months of opening. Shows included Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two for our sister company BBC Studios, BBC One’s Pointless, new music show Sounds Like Friday Night, and a debut production for Sky One – The Russell Howard Hour.

As we came up for air, the first half of 2018 marked another exciting era for us as we welcomed another new commission in the form of Channel 4’s The Big Narstie Show. We also facilitated BBC One’s The Graham Norton Show, BBC Two’s Mock the Week, Channel 4’s The Last Leg, as well as a host of specials. And, as from last week, The Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice began recording its fifth series with us.

In April, we welcomed ITV into the fold as Television Centre became the temporary home for ITV Studios’ Daytime shows, Good Morning Britain, Lorraine, This Morning and Loose Women, while ITV’s London HQ is being redeveloped. This means 20 episodes of live television every week across these titles alone.

Over the past year we have facilitated 25 different shows at TVC, totalling over 620 episodes of television, over 480 of which have been broadcast live.

In addition to creating memorable television, our studios offer truly unique venues for corporate functions. We have hosted several high profile events including the red carpet fan event for Disney’s Avengers: Infinity War, the Founders Forum opening gala dinner and an internal launch for BBC Studios to mark its merger with BBC Worldwide.

I would be the first to admit that bringing TVC back to life at the same time as maintaining our other operations at Elstree wasn’t easy. But, as the above proves, TVC is back and is as ground-breaking as ever.

TVC has been well received by the production community and we’re incredibly proud to be celebrating our first year in operation from such an iconic site. It has become a powerhouse for creativity once again, and we are all excited about the future!

BBC winners at the RTS Awards 2018

2018-03-21T12:00:00+00:00

Last night (Tuesday 20 March) the ceremony for the Royal Television Society Programmes Awards 2018 were held at the Grosvenor Hotel in London. The awards celebrate TV programmes which, have made a material and positive contribution to their genre, either because their originality in form or content has in some way moved the genre on, or perhaps created a new genre, or because their quality has set standards which other programme-makers can learn from and emulate.

Below is a list of BBC wins at the event:

Scripted Comedy/Comedy Performance/Writer - Comedy

Charlie Cooper and Daisy May Cooper in This Country, BBC Three, the show received three awards

Mini-Series/Writer - Drama

'Three Girls', BBC One won in the Mini-Series category, and Nicole Taylor won the Writer - Drama awards

Single Documentary

'Rio Ferdinand: Being Mum and Dad' BBC One

Arts

'Paula Rego: Secrets and Stories', BBC Two

Single Drama

'Murdered for Being Different' the BBC Three dramatisation of the tragic story of Sophie Lancaster

Formatted Popular Factual

'Muslims Like Us', BBC Two

Science & Natural History

'Planet Earth II', BBC One

Live Event

'World War One Remembered: Passchendaele – For The Fallen', BBC Two's coverage of the commemorations to mark the centenary of the Battle of Passchendaele from Flanders in Belgium

Documentary Series

'Hospital', BBC Two

Children’s Programme

'Inside My Head: Newsround Special' CBBC

History

'Elizabeth I's Secret Agents', BBC Two

Presenter

Anita Rani presenting 'My Family, Partition and Me: India 1947'

Sports Presenter, Commentator or Pundit

Michael Johnson, presenter 'World Athletics Championships', BBC One & BBC Two

Daytime Programme

'Moving On - Eighteen', BBC One

RTS Channel Of The Year

Read the full list of winners on the Royal Television Society website

A minute of inspiration on International Women’s Day

2018-03-08T12:35:00+00:00

Four inspiring women from across the BBC have taken part in 60-second quickfire video interviews for International Women’s Day - discussing their own inspirations and tips for the next generation wanting to follow in their footsteps.

The videos feature television presenter and journalist, Stacey Dooley, BBC Radio 1 DJ and presenter, Clara Amfo, a producer on Blue Planet II, Orla Doherty, and Newsbeat Editor, Debbie Ramsay.

In each one minute clip, the women also discuss their career highlights to date, their most challenging moments and their most valuable advice on how to succeed in their line of work.

Known for her intrepid and tenacious reporting style, television presenter and journalist, Stacey Dooley, has become a household name with a string of gritty and hard-hitting BBC Three documentaries under her belt. In her interview, Stacey reveals the scariest moment of her career so far, the biggest influence in her life and gives her professional advice to aspiring reporters: “Pick projects that you’re passionate about, and don’t feel like you’ve got to conform or behave a certain way.”

This external content is available at its source: https://twitter.com/bbcthree/status/971672009615831040

BBC Radio 1 DJ and presenter Clara Amfo has had a glittering career in the music industry. With a voice that can be recognised across the nation, Clara has a regular presenting slot on the Radio 1 weekday schedule, she has interviewed the biggest names in the music industry, and presented from some of the most prestigious music festivals and awards ceremonies. Watch the clip to discover Clara’s scariest interview, the DJ who inspires her the most, and, most importantly, her top advice for aspiring music presenters and DJs: “Keep creating your own content, don’t wait for the door to knock.”

This external content is available at its source: https://twitter.com/BBC/status/971664316712849408

Fearless, adventurous, and with a lifetime pursuit to unearth and explore the undiscovered secrets of the ocean, Orla Doherty is one of the producers behind the breath-taking Blue Planet II on BBC One. In her interview, Orla shares what inspires her, the best and worst thing about travelling in a submarine, and gives her advice to aspiring film and nature enthusiasts - including why all you need is a smartphone to hone in on your skills.

This external content is available at its source: https://twitter.com/BBCEarth/status/971686966726156289

One of the BBC’s most experienced multi-platform editors, Debbie Ramsay is currently the editor of BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra’s Newsbeat. In her one minute clip, Debbie gives an insight into her job, reveals who inspires her, and offers her top three tips to aspiring editors who have a drive to succeed in the media industry.

This external content is available at its source: https://twitter.com/BBCNewsbeat/status/971724719782166529

And if you are in search of further inspiration look no further than the BBC:

BBC Somali: For the first time, BBC Somali hosts an all-female discussion and tells the stories of women across the region as part of a week of special content to coincide with International Women’s day. Running from the 3-8 March 2018, special content can be heard and seen on BBC Somali TV, Radio and BBCSomali.com.
BBC Radio 6 Music: On BBC Radio 6 Music, in her show this Friday night (midnight-2am), Nemone interviews with The Black Madonna - DJ Marea Stamper - who picks her five favourite tracks by female artists. Singer-songwriter and composer Mary Epworth will be the guest Resident sound-tracking the show. Plus, all the music played during the whole show will be tracks by female artists including: Sounds of Blackness – the pressure (Frankie Knuckles mix), The Black Madonna – He is the Voice I Hear; Robyn – Indestructable (the Black Madonna remix) and Loleata Holloway – We’re Getting Stronger.
More on BBC Radio 6 Music: From Time’s Up to "Step Up?!” - An International Women’s Day Investigation. In recent months the conversation about inequality in the music business has been louder than ever. To mark International Women’s Day, 6 Music’s Georgie Rogers takes a look at representation of females in music: Shirley Manson, Wolf Alice, Royal Blood, Jessie Ware, music writer Jessica Hopper (Pitchfork, Spin, Guardian) and many more chat about the changes afoot in the music business.
Even more of BBC Radio 6 Music: This weekend, 6 Music is celebrating three of Mary Anne’s favourite new female artists as part of a post-International Women’s Day show. There's profiles of Anna Von Hausswolff, Flohio and Aldous Harding, and also a look at an exhibition in Manchester, ‘Suffragette City’, which champions the continued role of influential females in making Manchester world-renowned for melody.

BBC Radio 5 Live: Three young women with cancer are launching a brand new podcast with BBC Radio 5 live. You, Me and The Big C explores life with cancer through the eyes of three friends who are too busy living to worry about dying. Presenters, Rachael Bland, Deborah James and Lauren Mahon are the powerhouses behind the pod, talking about how they all juggle jobs, parenting, and busy social lives with The Big C. You, Me and The Big C is available to download for free via the BBC Radio 5 live website or your usual podcast store.
Technology and Creativity blog: Meanwhile, over on the Technology and Creativity blog Angela Stevenson, Senior Technologist, BBC Design & Engineering describes some of the inspirations for her career choices to mark International Women's Day in Inspiring the next generation.
BBC Radio 4 Extra: R4 Extra presenters introduce the voices of inspirational women from the BBC archives in International Women's Day: Voices of Inspirational Women.

Leafing through the history of Jackanory on World Book Day

2018-03-01T13:00:00+00:00

Today (Thursday 1 March) is World Book Day, to celebrate we have picked out a few of the books and their narrators who featured on the classic BBC Children's series, Jackanory.

Jackanory began in 1965, created by producer Joy Whitby, who had developed the children's show Play School. The first story, Cap o' Rushes was told by Lee Montague. Initially only meant to run for a six week trial, the show was a major part of BBC Children's television for 31 years, with around 3,500 episodes telling 650 stories, its final episode airing in 1996. The show made a short comeback in 2006 with stories read by Ben Kingsley and John Sessions, and again with Jackanory Junior in 2010 on CBeebies.

Below are just a few of the stories that were told over the three decades the original show was on air:

1965 production shot featuring the first Jackanory storyteller, Lee Montague (centre), with floor manager John Lane and producer Joy Whitby

Dame Judi Dench read 'The Jubilee Bear' written by Ursula Moray Williams in 1977

Michael Palin reading 'Charlie And The Chocolate Factory' by Roald Dahl in 1979

Bernard Cribbins (left) has made the most appearances on Jackanory, over 100. Here he is with Maurice Denham, Jan Francis and David Wood in a 10 part adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's novel, 'The Hobbit', in 1979.

Victoria Wood made her Jackanory debut in 1984 reading 'Little Mabel Wins' by Jilly Cooper

HRH Prince Charles took to the outdoors to tell us his story, 'The Old Man of Lochnagar', in 1984

In 1977, way before his role as Jean-Luc Picard, Patrick Stewart read us 'Annerton Pit' by Peter Dickinson

Jane Asher brought E Nesbit's celebrated children's novel 'The Railway Children' to life in 1981

Rik Mayall in 1993, reading us 'The Fwog Prince: The Twuth' by Kaye Umansky. Mayall also gave us an unforgettable reading of Roald Dahl's 'George's Marvellous Medicine' in 1986

Spike Milligan, reading 'Help! I am a Prisoner in a Toothpaste Factory' by John Antrobus in 1980

Charlotte Coleman read 'Night Birds on Nantucket' by Joan Aiken in 1992

Willie Rushton read us A.A Milne's 'Winnie The Pooh' in 1983

Alan Bennett reads from 'The House of Pooh Corner' by A.A. Milne, in the last series of the original run of Jackanory in 1996

If you are feeling nostalgic for Jackanory why not check out CBeebies Bedtime Stories which features a host celebrities reading stories.

Read the press release 'Brian Blessed narrates new CBeebies Storytime app tale for World Book Day'
Find out more about World Book Day 2018

National Television Awards 2018 - BBC winners

2018-01-24T10:30:00+00:00

Last night (Tuesday 23 January) at a ceremony at the O2 Arena in London, the winners of the National Television Awards 2018 were announced. BBC shows came away with six of the awards, which are voted for by the public. Here is a round up of those BBC wins:

Drama/Drama Performance:

Doctor Foster won best Drama, and the show's lead actress Suranne Jones was awarded the NTA for Drama Performance for her role as Dr Gemma Foster

Talent Show:

Judges Craig Revel Horwood, Darcey Bussell, Shirley Ballas and Bruno Tonioli get a 10 from the NTA voters as Strictly Come Dancing waltzed off with the best Talent Show award

Impact Award:

Blue Planet II, the documentary series presented and narrated by Sir David Attenborough, exploring the planet's oceans, won the Impact Award - Sir David and the team received a standing ovation as they accepted their award

Comedy:

Peter Kay's Car Share starring Peter Kay as John and Sian Gibson as Kayleigh won the Comedy NTA

Newcomer:

Eastender's Danny Walters picked up the Best Newcomer NTA for his role as Keanu Taylor

Lemurs hilariously hijack BBC Look East report, and it goes global

2018-01-09T14:17:46+00:00

Alex Dunlop, BBC News Correspondent and Look East regular, was filming an assignment at Banham Zoo in Norfolk. He was covering the annual ‘stock take’ or animal count, when he thought it would be a good idea to enter the lemur enclosure to film his piece to camera. Here he explains how, in hindsight, he probably should have chosen a less enthusiastic animal...

BBC reporter Alex Dunlop encounters lemurs at Banham Zoo

It’s a tad surreal seeing this video go global. I can see why they call it “viral”. I’m watching it on the internet, spreading out like ink on blotting paper... first on social media sites like twitter and instagram. It then takes foothold in another country and then another continent. By then the traction is phenomenal - online news websites take it on, followed soon after by broadcasters worldwide.

Articles from around the world about Alex's encounter with lemurs at Banham Zoo

Doing a piece to cameras with a few lemurs seemed like a good idea before I entered their pen, but quickly descended into farce. Break it down and three things were at play here - a brilliant edit by the BBC East online team, greedy ring-tailed lemurs and (did you spot it?) a dominant rogue red ruffed lemur which was trying to dominate and drive away the others. That’s what made them flip - that and handful of tasty nibbles.

Dunlop's report even makes the NBC Morning Show in America

To think, thirty years in the business reporting on serious-minded issues from places like Afghanistan and Iraq, and my journalistic epitaph could be this... being mobbed by a bunch of Lemurs in Norfolk.

For the record, only one injury was sustained at Banham Zoo - my pride.

Alex Dunlop is a BBC News Correspondent.

The clip that went viral on twitter was made up from outtakes of a rehearsal for a report that was broadcast on BBC Look East on Thursday 4 January, 2018

W1A - Nothing worthwhile is easy

2017-09-18T08:11:56+00:00

John Morton, writer and director of Twenty Twelve and W1A discusses how he came to set his sights on the BBC for the hit series, and how he tried to avoid writing a follow-up to Twenty Twelve.

It’s Autumn 2012. Perhaps not surprisingly Twenty Twelve, a show about the organisation of the London Olympics, has come to an end and I’m cycling across London (on a fold up bike bought from the set) on my way to a meeting to discuss any ideas I might have for taking the show or the characters further.

Of course I haven’t got any ideas. I’d said from the outset that unusually for a television show Twenty Twelve had its own end built into it from the start: once the Olympics had come and gone it was dead. The clue was in the title. ‘Yes but will you at least come and talk about possibilities’ was the gnomic and in retrospect very W1A response. Of course I was too weak to say no.

Looking back now I realise that if anything is going to clear the mind and liberate the creative juices in unexpected ways, an hour’s pedalling through central London traffic on a child sized bike isn’t it. But at the time I didn’t know that and I arrive at the appointed Italian restaurant with nothing .

Over fizzy water and some sort of pesto affair Jon Plowman (Twenty Twelve Exec Producer) and Mark Freeman (the BBC’s then Head of something) do their best to prod me gently in various benign ways. Was there somehow a way of transplanting the characters lock stock and barrel to a new situation somewhere else? That’s an easy one. No, there wasn’t. Could they believably be recruited one by one to help with next Olympics in Rio perhaps? Again I was ahead of them. No they couldn’t.

This was going better than I thought. I seemed to have got involved in a sort of anti-pitch process and was beginning to be think that if I stuck to my principles for once I was probably capable of making it out of the building without any kind of commission at all. And the thing is I nearly made it, but then over coffee I made a really basic mistake.

At some point during the life of Twenty Twelve I remember saying, again under intense questioning, that the only kind of future life for the show might be to take Hugh Bonnevilles’s character Ian Fletcher, drop him somewhere else, and start all over again with all the other characters. I’d briefly thought about the BBC as a possible place to drop him and for some reason I reminded them of this now.

I thought it was safe to mention it. With the BBC having just gone through a really tough time, this was surely an even worse idea now than it had been at the time. But it was already was too late. I should never have had the pudding. They’d played the long game and they’d won.

By the time I’d managed to unfold the bike on the pavement outside the restaurant the course of the next four years of my life were set. But really I shouldn’t complain.

When I was first trying to get started as a writer I had a Post It note stuck to my computer screen: Nothing worthwhile is easy. I can’t remember who said it now, but it’s helped me ever since. Back then when rejections came - regularly, often, in fact always for a few years - it was a reminder that no one said this was going to be easy, that most people who are trying to get going probably end up folding at some point, and that not folding was about the only part of the process that was within my control.

These days it’s even more applicable. Confronted with the prospect of writing a third and probably final series of W1A at the start of last year my first thoughts are all to do with the familiar weight of responsibility I feel to the actors, the viewers, the BBC, to the characters themselves who don’t even exist for Christ’s sake. In the attempt to make these six new half hours a bit the same, at the same time different, and crucially better than everything that’s gone before, the daily battle with the writer’s (for me) natural feelings of inadequacy are in some ways even harder to win than they ever were. To remind yourself that it’s never been easy, it’s not supposed to be easy, and that if you were finding it easy the chances are it wouldn’t be any good is an essential part of the process.

Is it all worthwhile? It’s not for the writer to judge ultimately and in the case of W1A it’s too late now anyway, it’s out there.

As Siobhan Sharpe herself would say and in fact has said in the past - "We are where we are with this guys. And that’s never a good place to be."

Judge for yourself whether it was all worthwhile or not as W1A series 3 begins at 10pm on Monday 18 September on BBC Two.

Relaunching a British Icon: BBC Studioworks Re-Opens Television Centre Studios

2017-09-01T11:30:00+00:00

In summer 2012, I remember standing in a queue of signatories as the then BBC Director General, Mark Thompson, released the ‘old’ Television Centre for redevelopment works, and then moments later I signed a lease signifying that BBC Studioworks Ltd (a commercial subsidiary of the BBC) would take over the studio facilities on the new, revamped site.

It’s been a long journey since then but it all seems to have happened in a flash. In 2013, we restructured as a business and consolidated the mainstay of our operations into Elstree, a location we were already familiar with. Our footprint grew at Elstree to spread across each of the BBC and Elstree Studio sites, offering a mix of studios and post production services from each facility.

The original intention had been that Studioworks would only have this enlarged presence in Elstree until Television Centre (TVC) re-opened, but things have played out differently. I’ve got to admit that the early days at Elstree weren’t easy but we persevered and since then our offering has proved enormously popular with the production community, and Elstree has once again emerged as a powerhouse of British TV - with dozens of additional shows now being made there each year. This success means that we’ll be retaining our presence at Elstree and the re-opening of TVC represents an expansion in the business rather than a change in location.

TVC could be argued to be the world’s most iconic television studio location and the ‘home of British TV’. It’s familiar to pretty much all of those who work in TV, as well as those who have grown up watching TV made within its walls. Whilst there will be some who are nostalgic about the studio doors being thrown open once again, TVC is now about an exciting new era of production centred on what it’s famous for – creating ground-breaking television for all to enjoy.

Architecturally, the project has seen the careful regeneration of an iconic structure, retaining Television Centre’s Grade II listed façades, and preserving many original features, including the famous circular building with Helios at the centre, the atomic dot wall on Studio One and the original murals by John Piper.

TVC and Studioworks are now part of a new, intriguing and vibrant destination in London’s White City, focused on the media community. Today’s TVC is a mixed-use development and our studios and post production facilities sit alongside a number of independent outlets which will prove very popular with our production customers, studio audiences and on-screen talent – with attractions including a ‘Soho House’ club and hotel, a gym and spa, an array of restaurants and bars, as well as a boutique cinema.

As a commercial operator, Studioworks has customers across the production industry and we work with all the major broadcasters and production companies including ITV, Channel 4, Sky, the BBC and Endemol Shine. We’ve listened to our customers’ requirements and, as a result of that feedback, we believe we have created the most flexible TV studio space in the UK.

The TVC facilities have been designed to retain the features that customers have loved for years, but the new and improved TVC has been further tailored to put productions at the heart of the operation and boasts a range of new technologies, with major investments made in equipment ranging from 4K studio cameras, resilient live broadcast lines through to the latest in gallery control desks.

Our TC1, TC2 and TC3 studios range in size, and can accommodate all genres and styles of programming, from sitcoms and panel shows, to major entertainment and event shows – both live and pre-recorded – providing over 22,000 sq. ft. of shooting space. We’ve also invested in new post production and support facilities, including a tapeless recording capability and a portfolio of scalable edit suites.

These adaptable spaces are all served by an array of other technical and support areas, including dressing rooms, green rooms and production offices, that have been redesigned to provide a more ergonomic layout.

ITV1’s The Jonathan Ross Show was our first show at the ‘new’ TVC on 31st August and has a 12-episode run up to November 2017. BBC One quiz show, Pointless, and the Strictly Come Dancing companion show, It Takes Two, are also booked for what plans to be a busy autumn season at TVC. These two shows will account for over 120 episodes of television produced between late September and mid-December. Other confirmed shows include a brand new production for Sky – The Russell Howard Hour.

From 2018, our TVC facility will also become the temporary new home for the ITV Studios’ Daytime shows, Good Morning Britain, Lorraine, This Morning and Loose Women. These shows are relocating from ITV's London HQ during the redevelopment of the site and will be hosted in studios TC2 and TC3, live on weekday mornings.

Elstree really has provided the springboard for Studioworks to grow back into TVC and we expect the demand to continue for these dynamic studio spaces. Having multiple London locations provides choice for the production community with varying studio configurations and technologies available. There really is a bright future for TV at both Elstree and Television Centre.

David Conway is Managing Director BBC Studioworks

Read also Why we’re changing BBC Studios and Post Production to BBC Studioworks
Discover more about BBC Studioworks at www.bbcstudioworks.com

Children's and News channels moving on Freeview and YouView EPGs

2017-08-02T09:00:00+00:00

If you watch television on a Freeview, Freeview HD, Freeview Play, YouView or EETV device (be it a TV set or a set-top box) then you may need to do a manual rescan on your receiving equipment this afternoon (Wednesday 2 August).

The Children's and News channels are moving to make way for further general entertainment channels on the digital terrestrial television (or Freeview) EPG this afternoon.Sky, Virgin Media and Freesat viewers are unaffected.

In October 2016, Digital UK, who manage certain aspects of the DTT (Digital terrestrial television) platform, embarked on an in-depth consultation to make sure the Freeview EPG would be fit for purpose in future. One of the outcomes of that consultation process was a decision for the Children's and News channel blocks to move in order to accommodate extra growth in the general entertainment genre on Freeview and also to create sufficient capacity within those genres themselves.

Recognising the recent expansion and potential for even further growth in the number of general entertainment channels, the most suitable and appropriate block for the Children's channels was identified as starting at 201, and the block for News identified as starting at 231. As part of the reorganisation, the BBC Red Button text service will also be moving home from its current listing at 200 to its new home at 250.

Whilst channel numbers are changing, the relative order of the channels within the genre will remain the same – thus the BBC services affected (CBBC, CBeebies, CBBC HD, CBeebies HD, BBC News and BBC Parliament) will all remain at their respective positions in the genres, in accordance with public-service prominence rules. News HD channels are not moving as they will stay within the HD genre – so BBC News HD will remain at 107.

It is worth noting that some equipment will automatically do a rescan today (Wednesday 2nd August), whilst some people will need to do a manual retune.

Once the retune has taken place, holding slides will be in place for two weeks that will redirect viewers to the BBC channels on their new EPG numbers.

More information and help in retuning can be found at : www.bbc.co.uk/reception/news

Neil Walker is Senior Commercial Manager, Distribution Ventures

BBC Writersroom TV Drama Writers' Festival 2017

2017-06-09T15:00:00+00:00

Danny Brocklehurst in conversation with Charlotte Moore

The joyous annual event that is the BBC Writersroom TV Drama Writers' Festival took place on Thursday 8 June 2017 at Stratford Circus in East London. I had the pleasure of attending again this year, along with many other writers - the only criteria being they have to have a television broadcast credit.

The mood of these festivals is always upbeat which surprised me the first time I went to one: surely these writers are in competition with one another for a small amount of working opportunities? Well there’s no sense of that at all. This year there were lots of smiling faces, and I overheard more than one person say that this was 'my favourite writers' event and that there was ‘nothing else like it’. That high profile established writers generously give up their time to talk to emerging writers in an open and honest way is certainly a lovely thing.

As ever, this blog is a round-up of the sessions I attended – and the fact the good folk at the Writersroom lay on such a vast array of session is a double-edged sword in that I can’t be in two places at once. As ever, Chatham House Rules apply as the event is intended to be a safe space for writers to share thoughts, so particular comments may not be attributed to specific people.

The day kicked off with a welcome to this the 7th annual BBC Writersroom TV Writers’ Festival from Anne Edyvean the Head of the BBC Writersroom. She also highlighted the recent festivals in Scotland and Wales to mark the establishment of BBC Writersroom hubs in those regions. Then she handed over to writer Danny Brocklehurst who was chatting to Charlotte Moore, Director, BBC Content who explained she oversees all genres for TV and iPlayer.

The question of what the BBC was looking for in new writing terms came up. Moore asserted that: “It’s not about my particular taste… there’s an extraordinary range across the networks, that’s the joy of the BBC”. She went on to say: “We want a diversity of the broadest voices in the truest sense” and reassured writers that “as long as it’s good it isn’t even about viewing figures.”

For the next session I was torn between ‘Meet the Commissioners’ and ‘Children’s Drama: Writing for drama’s most changeable audience'. I eventually opted for the latter.

Sarah Muller the Head of Children's at Channel 5 chaired a panel that featured Nina Hahn from Nickelodeon, Hannah Rodger from Disney and writers Mark Oswin and Emma Reeves. The panel all agreed that there is no difference between adult and children’s drama – the requirements are the same in both for high quality and values. Then the question was raised: ‘What sort of stories can be told in Children’s drama?’ It was agreed that nothing’s really off limits, but there should be hope at the end of any story.

The subject of research came up again and again with would-be Children’s writers being encouraged to research their audience carefully and also the network they are approaching as each one has its own tone. It was also agreed that a driving storyline is vital, as is a watertight structure and comedic elements.

Panelists agreed that writing for Children’s is "not a good way to get into writing adult telly, it’s a good way to get into writing for Children’s" – it shouldn’t be a means to an end. But both writers said they never felt restricted or limited in this genre and that they could do everything they would in an adult drama (bar sex and violence) and that it was very satisfying work and a kind, nurturing environment for writers. That said, the panel ended with a warning – "children will turn off quicker than any other audience" so you’ll always get an honest response to your work.

Another tough decision followed: the 'Daytime Drama' or 'Comedy Drama' session? I chose Daytime and was delighted to see an all-female panel. The chair was producer Ceri Meyrick who was joined by writers Rachel Flowerday (The Moonstone), Jude Tindall (Father Brown), Sally Abbott (The Coroner) and Collette Kane (Moving On).

A conversation about the under-the-radar nature of Daytime drama ensued, with panelists asserting that you can do more in that ‘while the kids are at school’ slot than you might think. The audience were painted a picture of a simpler commissioning process thanks to a smaller chain of command. Although the budgets are smaller one panelist asserted that "it’s valuable having limitations" and all agreed that with less money you have to rely more on scripts being excellent so it is a very creative environment for writers. Daytime slots also free writers from an hour-long slot, but they said a 45-minute programme time offers its own challenges, demanding rigourous and tight pieces of storytelling.

Three spectacular panels were scheduled next making my decision making even more impossible: The choice was between: ‘How to pitch your show!’, ‘Continuing Drama’ and ‘Changing how our industry looks’. I reasoned that as I’d been to a talk on writing for medical drama a couple of years ago and blogged about it I could justify not going to that one, and the whole topic of last year’s festival was Unheard voices, so I went for ‘How to pitch your show!’

Writer Toby Whithouse chaired the session with writers Jed Mercurio and Danny Brocklehurst and Kudos’ Head of Development Sarah Stack. All agreed the key to a good verbal pitch is knowing what you want to say and saying it in a concise manner. But all warned that saying an idea out loud can expose an its weaknesses, so practice is the key – that way you should get a sense where you are being vague or over-complicating things. They said if you can sum up your show in three sentences then you know it’s a strong pitch.

One panelist thought that a big problem for writers starting out is the fact that they are ‘pitching by proxy’ – so to a producer who would in turn pitch on their behalf to the decision-maker. That way an idea could be compromised. Hence the need for a clear, concise, three sentence pitch that is easy to get a handle on. The question of whether comparisons to other shows should be made in a pitch was raised. The panel agreed this can be useful to give a sense of tone, which is such an intangible thing. But the downfall is that you could be asked how your show is different from any shows you reference. The advice? Reference other art forms like novels and films instead of other telly shows.

After your pitch meeting you should supply a short pitch document with a fuller sense of what you’ve talked about. Panelists urged writers to avoid the tendency to make this too long. And when asked whether pictures could be included they agreed if it was helpful in getting a sense of the show then it would be fine but not to consider this too much – better to concentrate on the words.

A question was asked about how many pitches to have ready in case your main one falls flat. Not too many seemed the consensus – perhaps one but if you have too many it might look like you aren’t sure about which projects you are most interested in.

Toby’s final piece of advice was to go into any meeting prepared – even if you think it’s an informal chat.

My last session choice was ‘Film: So you want to write a feature?’ where BBC Writersroom’s Rachelle Constant talked to BBC Films’ Beth Pattinson. Beth introduced BBC Films as the film-making arm of the BBC – all the films go to the cinema first before later making their way to a BBC channel. Making 8-10 features a year the very small team develops up to 70 a year. They don’t fully finance any one film but work in collaboration with other companies to get films made. They have a remit to support the British Film industry. Rose Garnett has recently joined as the new head of BBC Films after the departure of Christine Langham.

Projects should be submitted by agents or producers, and sent to the Development Coordinator in the first instance. Then submissions are read, discussed internally and people can expect a response in a couple of months. Ideally the form of the approach will be a script, and writers were warned that very few projects are taken on by the small team, so many great projects are rejected. They always have to ask the question ‘will audiences go out to see this film at the cinema?’ As that is the unique challenge of film. Beth said BBC Films tries to promote British filmmakers and often the team will have a first time director or writer, but that person will always have a track-record in another medium.

In terms of themes being sought, a British focus seems key, and a lot of this is about the filmmakers and what they want to say. In addition, contemporary material is of interest and occasionally the team produce children’s films.

The final session was the Keynote: ‘The Scandi Invasion’ with Tony Wood from Buccaneer Media talking to writer and creator of The Bridge and Marcella Hans Rosenfeldt.

It was agreed that key elements of Scandi Drama are violence and/ or a dark tone, though Hans said “I don’t even know what Scand Noir is,” claiming most shows from Scandinavia are labelled as such without any set criteria.

Hans started out in continuing drama in Sweden before working on dark crime dramas, perhaps a natural progression because, as Tony pointed out many Soap lines involve crime stories.

Hans talked about the way shows are written in Sweden – he didn’t find too many differences between the Swedish and the British process. For The Bridge he did not have a writers' room in the American sense but all the writers who would be writing on the show were involved in a very collaborative and detailed storylining process at the show’s inception. Writers penned three drafts of an episode and then Hans took over honing all the scripts across the series.

How did this translate when working in England on Marcella? Tony who was Hans’ producer on the project said the water-tight plotting led to extremely compelling scripts. Tony also noticed there were less words on the pages of Hans’ scripts than a traditional English one, and felt this elicited heighted, engaging performances on-screen.

Hans talked again and again about how he aimed to make scripts as readable as possible. For him this means less discursive staging directions on the page and getting straight to the tightly-plotting story. This is surely good advice for any writer and a good note to end the festival on.

As I couldn’t get to everything so please do feel free to share your experiences of particular sessions in the comment section below.

You can find out more about BBC Writersroom at the website.

Ronnie Corbett Memorial Service at Westminster Abbey

2017-06-07T20:18:05+00:00

The sun shone brightly from a bright blue sky in Parliament Square today. Crowds converged on Westminster Abbey, necks craned to get a glimpse of familiar faces filing past.

Ronnie Corbett, who died last year at the age of 85 from motor neurone disease, drew friends and colleagues from across the entertainment industry, intent on celebrating his lifelong career.

Parliament Square buzzed with activity, the buildings surrounding it beamed in the reflected glow of the sunshine. We were all out for Ronnie.

“What’s your connection to Ronnie?” whispered the lady next to me.

I explained that I didn’t know him. I was writing something about the event. Normally I would have felt apologetic about my presence. This time around, I felt a valid part of proceedings.

That comes from Corbett’s mastery as a comic actor. As a kid he made life seem manageable. Corbett playing Timothy Lumsden in Sorry! didn’t so much outwit his outwit his overbearing mother with youthful subterfuge and chutzpah, as triumph over her by default with hope, grim determination and bittersweet optimism.

BBC sitcom Sorry! – Corbett’s post-Two Ronnies sitcom was an unorthodox proposition. A comparatively edgy proposition. Was Ronnie Corbett taking a risk with Sorry!? I need to watch it again to be sure.
What the memorial service highlighted was exactly the man I assumed he was all his life.

We don’t laugh at Corbett (or his comedy partner Ronnie Barker) because of nostalgia. If that was the reason we’d laugh because we mourned the passing of a comic tradition. We laugh instead at Corbett’s masterful self-deprecation.

A man who can laugh at himself has enviable self-awareness. Someone who has that self-deprecation at the heart of his public persona is a strategic thinker. That Corbett had the talent to deliver the finished product so effortlessly made him all the more endearing.

Little wonder Jim Moir, former BBC Head of Light Entertainment (1987-1993) had this to say of Corbett. “Ronnie was gifted with a sharp editorial mind. He was the comedy alchemist who lifted the words from the page and transformed them into golden comedy laughter.”

It was Corbett’s monologues which I enjoyed the most. His delivery – perched on the edge of a seemingly oversized chair – paid due deference to the meandering and beguiling scripts written for him, whilst reserving just enough space on the seat for his personality. A tricky balancing act for most, effortless for people like him.

That touching Corbett spirit – the likes of Toksvig, Norton, and Clary are the present-day exponents – is down to the man’s love of story. His monologues validated those of us for whom detail is all-important.

The opportunity to indulge in the joys of such an intimate personality was a rare treat. Escaping to Ronnie Corbett’s world should be prescribed as an antidote to the trials and tribulations of the present day.

Jon Jacob is Editor, About the BBC Blog

Remember Ronnie Corbett in a series of pictures illustrating his work at the BBC.

John Noakes (1934-2017)

2017-05-29T12:17:07+00:00

Earlier today news was announced of the death of former Blue Peter presenter John Noakes. He was 83.

Director-General Tony Hall paid tribute to John:

"John Noakes was one of the BBC's most loved children's presenters. He was a warm and engaging presenter who appealed to all ages and provided children's TV with some of its most memorable moments. He will be missed by his many friends and family."

The BBC picture archive is awash with images of John - too many to include in one blog post. We've collated those which really resonated with us.

Noakes' bright blue eyes, wiry frame, and thick mop of hair made for a compelling sight. An everyday man who connected with a whole generation of young TV viewers. An intrepid sense of adventure combined with an adorable look of vulnerabity. His time in the Blue Peter presenting team came at a point in TV history when being a presenter was still a relatively new role, meaning we connected with Noakes, just like his cohort, like friends.

Left to right: Christopher Trace, Valerie Singleton, and John Noakes

Valerie Singleton, Peter Purves, and John Noakes

John Noakes with puppy Shep, 1972

John Noakes with Shep

Intrepid adventurer and cake decorator

Telling the story of Three Girls on BBC One

2017-05-16T08:01:19+00:00

Three Girls is on BBC One, Tuesday 16 May 2017 at 9pm

‘Three Girls’ is the true story of the 2012 Rochdale Grooming case, in which 9 men were successfully prosecuted for offences including rape, trafficking and conspiracy to engage in sexual activity with a child.

It was the first case of its kind to come to national attention and the first successful prosecution for sex trafficking within the UK. The story has been widely covered in the press, most notably by Andrew Norfolk in The Times, and there exists a huge amount of information in the public domain.

As we were researching the story grew in national significance as other arrests were made and it became clear that there were many cases throughout the country with thousands of victims. It’s a story that has shocked the nation and changed the way that social services and police think about and handle cases of child sexual exploitation.

If so much is known and has been covered already by the media why tell this story again as a drama? What could possibly be more powerful than the documentary truth? It’s a good question and one that’s not always easy to answer.

There are many true stories that an audience might be interested in reliving through drama but the ones that really resonate and arguably deserve to be made are those which can change an audience’s perception of the victims because, for all the media noise, their true voices haven’t yet been heard.

The way in which Jimmy McGovern’s ‘Hillsborough’ changed the perception of the behaviour of Liverpool football fans is a good example. Or the way in which the audience was put into the shoes of the girls hunted down by the Ipswich serial killer in ‘Five Daughters’.

Similarly the voices of the children abused and exploited in Rochdale had not been heard. Who were these young girls, why were they out on their own day and night, how did they get to know these men in the first place and how could they have been raped repeatedly without anyone in authority putting a stop to it? Crucially how did they feel while all this was happening to them and how do they feel now?

The team behind ‘Three Girls’ has an impressive track record in producing powerful factual drama.

Executive Producer Sue Hogg, producer Simon Lewis and director Philippa Lowthorpe were also responsible for ‘Five Daughters’. Writer Nicole Taylor wrote the screenplay to ‘The C Word’ which Sue and Simon also produced.

This was a close knit team that had the commitment to stay the course over the four year period it took to research, write and produce the three hour series. Gaining the trust of the three girls that the drama focuses on was of course key.

Simon, Nicole and later Philippa carried out multiple interviews with the girls and their families in an effort to get to know them and relive with them their experiences from four years previously. The pace and timing of the interviews had to be dictated by the girls themselves for whom talking about what happened was both painful and cathartic.

At the same time for Nicole and Philippa it was important for the veracity of the drama that they retained some distance on what they were being told. Every experience described by the girls needed to be backed up by at least one other source.

As well as the volume of information in the public domain especially from the trial itself the team also had invaluable input from the two whistle-blowers at the heart of the story; Sara Rowbotham who worked for the NHS as a sexual health worker and Maggie Oliver, a police constable with Greater Manchester Police. These two women worked tirelessly to change the perception of these young girls in the eyes of the authorities just as we have tried to do for audiences through the drama.

A perception that the girls were simply displaying a lifestyle choice and didn’t need or want protection. Never mind that they were 13, 14, 15 years old at the time and had such low self-esteem that free chips and alcohol would turn a grubby room at the back of a kebab shop into the equivalent of a clubhouse.

Sara and Maggie have remained close to the girls and were key in helping us gain their trust and support them emotionally at every stage. The real girls and their families, and our other contributors, were involved throughout the process from beginning to end, including being on hand during filming and post production for their advice. We couldn’t possibly have done it without them.

Hilary Salmon is BBC Studios’ Head of Drama, England

Three Girls will be available to watch on BBC iPlayer from Saturday 16 December, 2017
Watch Three Girls at 9pm on Tuesday 16 May 2017 on BBC One
Three Girls is a BBC Studios production in association with Studio Lambert

Absolutely fabulous: Joanna Lumley receives BAFTA Fellowship

2017-05-14T20:30:23+00:00

At the British Academy Television Awards on Sunday 14 May, actress Joanna Lumley received the academy's Fellowship, the highest accolade bestowed by BAFTA in recognition of outstanding and exceptional contribution to television. She joins a list of previous recipients including Julie Walters, Sir David Attenborough and French & Saunders.

This is not Lumley’s first BAFTA, in 1993 she received the Light Entertainment Performance award, and in 1995 won Comedy Performance both for Absolutely Fabulous. In 2000, along with Honor Blackman, Dianna Rigg and Linda Thorson, she received the Special Award for The Avengers.

In celebration of her Fellowship, we took a look through the archives at some of Joanna Lumley’s appearances on the BBC:

Lumley's first appearance on the BBC was in 'The Wednesday Play' in 1969. In 1971 she played the role of Samantha Ryder-Ross in Jilly Cooper's comedy 'It's Awfully Bad For Your Eyes, Darling' (pictured above)

In 1972 she played Harold's girlfriend Bunty in the 'Steptoe And Son' episode 'Loathe Story'

Joanna with the very first 'Children In Need' mascot Pudsey in 1985

She appeared in a number of BBC shows including 'Are You Being Served', 'The Two Ronnies', 'The Kenny Everett Show' and 'Lovejoy' before landing a part in 'Absolutely Fabulous' in 1992, where she played Patsy Stone, best friend to Jennifer Saunders character Edina Monsoon and nemesis to Edina's daughter Saffy, played by Julia Sawalha. The original cast appeared in the 2016 BBC Films production 'Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie'.

The actress spent nine days on the deserted island of Tsarabanjina, Madagascar for the documentary 'Girl Friday' in 1994

Production shot taken on the set of 'The Cazalets', a period drama that Joanna co-produced, which was broadcast on the BBC in 2001

Lumley, far right, as Delilah Stagg with the cast of the comedy series 'Jam And Jerusalem' in 2006

In 2008 she retraced her grandfathers steps to Bhutan in the BBC Four documentary, 'Joanna Lumley in the Kingdom of the Thunder Dragon'

Production shot from series 3 of Mistresses in 2010, in which Joanna played Vivienne Roden, mother to Sarah Parish's character Katie.

In 2014 she travelled to Los Angeles to make a documentary about 'The Voice' judge, music performer, producer, and social entrepreneur in 'Joanna Lumley meets Will.i.am'

She appeared in 'Walliams And Friends Xmas' in 2015, pictured here with David as 'Great British Bake Off'' presenters Paul Hollywood & Mary Berry.

Real Marigold Hotel: demystifying old age

2017-02-09T13:31:27+00:00

Next week eight well-known senior citizens journey to India to experience retirement in another country. A few weeks ago, I met them all of the new cast with a group of other journalists at a special press launch promoting the forthcoming series.

While they told us what they learnt filming the programme, what did they teach me during the press conference? Some notes below.

1. Television does distort personality, it amplifies it

Amanda Barrie

The people you warm to on screen are the same ones you warm to in real life. That’s a defining characteristic of the likes of Real Marigold Hotel: authenticity.

The chance to see the first episode at the press launch was enticing enough, but half an hour or so in the company of the participants left me feeling like I wanted to go on holiday with them. They quickly became my adopted family.

2. Individual personalities don't change radically, they mature

Paul Nicholas

Paul Nicholas is as charming and handsome now as he was when his sitcom character Vince tried in vain to reboot his failed relationship with Penny in Just Good Friends.

Rusty Lee exudes that zest for life she possessed in the original Good Morning Britain which helped make her a household name in the 80s.

And Denis Taylor displays all the passion for his sport and humility as a human being that makes me want to be a bit like him. Lovely as he is, he failed to change my ardent view on snooker.

3. When I'm older I'd like to be ...

Denis Taylor

Meeting the cast gives me a hint of how I’d like to be (and how I'll probably be) in my senior years. I am happy to admit that I'm a little bit nervous about the prospect of being alone, or worse beset by loneliness. But a short time in the company of the cast and I end up thinking that my future self will turn out just about OK. I’m hoping I'll have cut down on the nail-biting and the wine too.

What I realise speaking to the participants in the programme (and reflecting on the first series) is that I don't engage in conversation with older people anywhere near as much as I'd like. At the same time they succeed in demystifying life as a senior citizen.

4. Real Marigold Hotel challenge assumptions

Rustie Lee

We make assumptions that old age is all infirmity, illness and irascibility, that age-old quirks are a block to new friendships, and that stubbornness stops insight.

It may do. But to assume that we stop being curious about the world around us when we pass 60 does us and those in that age bracket a massive disservice.

Like the first series, the cast of the Real Marigold Hotel series 2, remind me of the clichés and the stereotypes we all need to be vigilant of.

5. We should all listen to one another more - a lot more

Lionel Blair

Older people have been around for longer, ergo they have more stories to tell. And because we don't listen to those stories as much or as intently, we're bound to be surprised and delighted when we hear them. Denis Taylor is the master of such anecdotes. Rusty Lee comes a close second. Lionel Blair’s professional career demands an updated autobiography. I leave the press launch with renewed intent to reconnect with my older family members.

6. When I'm older I'd also like to be ...

Sheila Fergusson

When I'm Sheila Ferguson’s age I want to be as proud of my appearance as she is of hers. I want to cling on to the same level of irreverence Amanda Barrie does. I want to be as at ease with myself as Bill Oddie is. And when I'm Lionel Blair's age I'd like to be talking about the things I'd like to do next in life.

7. I don't want to succumb to loneliness, or bitterness

I want to meet new people from time to time, make new companions maybe even friends. I can see myself signing up for coach tours and cruises when I’ve retired. I don't want to turn into someone who looks suspiciously at the world around him. I want to keep moving, keep active, and keep engaged. I want to learn new things. I want to be open to new experiences.

8. Robust conversations

Bill Oddie

Discussions with my new friends should be robust, enlightening, challenging, and warm. We shouldn't be coasting into our old age and giving up on discourse. A bit of feisty-ness would be useful. A wit and a sharp mind too, thank you very much.

I think I basically want to be Dr. Miriam Stoppard when I grow up.

9. Fun Fun Fun

There will need to be a sense of fun in order to embrace newness with relish. I'll need that from other people. There'll need to be one or two people who breeze into my world and take me by surprise. I need people to aspire to be a bit like. I want to laugh at myself having all of these experiences. I want others to laugh with me (but not at me). No-one should be getting too serious about things. There needs to be some levity.

10. I want to take risks

I realise now what's been going on in the press launch for me. Whilst the other journalists are gesturing with their pens or scribbling down notes I, true to form, have descended into a spot of navel gazing. Good or bad, what emerges is how being in the presence of people I remember from my childhood who now have an opportunity to make another appearance on the small screen, that the opportunity to reflect on my approaching age has been all too difficult to resist.

So as Lionel Blair talks about the villainous (non-dancing) roles he'd quite like to play in a TV drama, I end up scribbling how I want to take risks in my old age. I don't want to lose that sense of anticipation when I'm about to do something which just that little bit out of my comfort zone. I don't want my old age to be safe and boring.

Jon Jacob is Editor, About the BBC Blog

Watch clips from series 2 on the Real Marigold Hotel programme website
Catch up with residents from series 1 and series 2 in The Real Marigold on Tour on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer