BBC Writers Feed

The Writers' Access Group: What's Next?

2023-04-26T09:46:00+00:00

If you've submitted to the recent Writers' Access Group open call out, you might now be wondering, 'What's Next?' Read on to find out what happens to your script now the deadline has passed and some advice on how to spend your time while you wait for an update from us.

First of all, if you submitted, give yourself some well-deserved praise! Completing and sending your work out into the world as a writer is no easy task. You should be proud of this accomplishment, so take time to tell yourself that.

We want to thank everyone who submitted their script to this year’s Writers’ Access Group (WAGs) opportunity. We received over 650 submissions! So, what’s next?

We’ve started reading! This will follow the below process:

Stage One – 10 Page Sift

All eligible entries will be reviewed by professional experienced script readers. Over 50% of our readers for WAGs identify as deaf, disabled and/or neurodiverse. They will read at least the first ten pages of a script and assess and discuss the applications against the following criteria:

Quality of writing;
Strength of story and structure;
Ability to write believable dialogue;
Skill in inhabiting characters and developing convincing relationships between them;
Ability to authentically bring the world to life; and
Ability to portray the writer's ‘voice’ in their storytelling.

Stage Two – 30 Page Sift

Scripts which hook our reader’s attention will progress to a 30-page read by a second script reader, who will then consider if the script should proceed to Stage Three to be read in full by a third reader.

Stage Three – Full Read (Longlist)

Scripts which reach the full read stage will be read by a third reader who will also provide the writer with a script report once the process has concluded.

Due to the volume of submissions we receive and the resources we have available, we’re not be able to provide any individual feedback to writers who have not progressed to this stage.

Stage Four – BBC Writersroom Team Read (Shortlist)

Following the Full Read stage the BBC Writersroom team will review the remaining scripts and undertake a fourth full read to create a final shortlist.

At least two producers will read each of the final shortlisted scripts and, following this, the BBC Writersroom will then invite shortlisted writers for an interview.

Selected writers

From the interviews, 10 writers will then be invited to take part in the Writers’ Access Group programme which will run for 18 months starting in October 2023 and running until April 2025.

How long will it take?

Please be aware that the careful processing and reading of these scripts can take a number of months and we will not make contact with any writers until we have made our final selection so please refrain from contacting us for an update. We aim to inform all writers of the outcome of their submission by the beginning of October 2023.

What now?

The next Writers’ Access Group programme will return and open for submissions in 2025. In the meantime, writers can also submit to our Open Call 2024 window which will accept entries towards the end of this year. Exact dates are to be confirmed, but please check out our website and social media channels for updates which will be posted several months in advance.

Also look out for opportunities coming up from BBC Comedy and BBC Studios ScriptWorks and our Opportunities page has details of organisations accepting submissions for a variety of mediums.

Most importantly, don’t wait until the next submission window to get writing! You should always be coming up with ideas and new scripts to submit to us and other opportunities across the industry.

For further advice and materials to help your development, please visit our Resources area where you can find useful writing tools in our Scriptwriting Essentials area, as well as an extensive Script Library for BBC shows across Film, Radio and TV.

Writers' Access Group - Answers to some Frequently Asked Questions

2023-04-14T13:00:00+00:00

Our third Writers' Access Group is currently open for applications. The deadline for applications is noon next Tuesday 18th April.

Thank you to everyone who is thinking of applying to be part of the Writers' Access Group and who joined last week's Q&A session. We've compiled some of the frequently asked questions from the webinar below, with replies.

Find full details of how to apply for the Writers' Access Group by clicking here

If you have any further questions or require any support with your application then don't hesitate to contact us at writersroom@bbc.co.uk

Am I Eligible to Apply?

Questions included:

I am dyslexic – Am I eligible?

I am waiting for a diagnosis for ADHD/ADD. I am on an NHS waiting list (a year now). Can I apply?

Would someone who has undergone a brain surgery class as neurodivergent?

I consider myself to be neurodivergent but have not yet been diagnosed. Would I be eligible for something like this, or would it be better to get an official diagnosis first?

I’m dealing with cancer and following chemo, have peripheral nerve damage. Am I eligible?

Is there a formal definition of disabled or some proof required - especially for invisible disability?

I am part of a writing duo. Can we apply as a duo or do we need to apply separately?

Do you accept scripts from people outside the UK?

Answer:

The Writers’ Access Group is a training programme that aims to support and accelerate the professional development of deaf, disabled and/or neurodivergent writers who may have faced significant barriers to progress in their writing career as a result of their lived experience of being deaf, disabled and/or neurodiverse.

If you feel this applies to you then we would very much welcome your application.

You must be a resident of the UK or Republic of Ireland to apply.

If you are applying as a writing duo then both applicants must meet the eligibility requirements. Find out full details by reading the Terms and Conditions of Entry

What information do I need to include with my application?

Questions included:

Should we outline what our disability is in our application? Is it necessary to explain?

If a disablity has been a barrier to career progression as a writer, do you want to know about that when we write about our background as a writer?

Answer:

It's not necessary to explain this information in your application. Primarily, we want to get to know you as a writer and will be making decisions based on your script. If selected for the programme we provide Access Riders for people to let us know how best to support them during the scheme and you can detail what you need to there.

What support is available with the application process?

Questions included:

Is there an example or explanation for how to fill out the online form?

Answer:

There is a preview of the application form available on our website so you can see what's needed in advance and prepare your answers.

See a preview of the application form

To find out more about the E-submissions system and how to use it View support videos

See an Easy Read document which outlines the application process

What do I need to submit in order to apply?

Questions included:

Would you prefer a TV script or is a stage script just as preferable?

Can you submit a film script or is it TV only?

Can you send a stage script that has been performed?

Does the script have to be “complete” , i.e. - if it’s a one hour pilot - does the whole hour need to be sent

How finished does the PDF script minimum 30 pages need to be, a full script or one episode of a series?

When I want to send a TV script, do I also need to send in an overview of the proposed series?

I know we can re-submit a script that's been previously submitted to the BBC Writersroom. On the e-submission form there's a tick box to flag scripts that have been previously submitted. I'm nervous about ticking that box as I'm worried it might automatically filter my submission out as ineligible. Am I being paranoid?

Do you need to submit a logline?

Is there a maximum page limit? Is a 45 or 50 page episode too long?

Does the script have to be written in a specific software?

Can we submit the same script as we did for the BBC Writersroom Open Call?

Does the date we submit make a difference to our chances of being selected? I know the deadline is very soon but has been open to applications since January.

Is sitcom allowed?

Answer:

Please send one complete script in PDF format (minimum of 30 pages in length excluding title pages and character lists). This script must be complete and not an extract from a longer work. It should be a Drama or Comedy Drama script written for TV, Film, Radio, Stage or Online. We do not accept pure comedy (eg sitcom or sketch show scripts) for this opportunity.

We have no preference about the medium of the script, we just ask that you send the script which best represents you as a writer. For example, lots of theatre writers make it onto our development schemes.

If you send a theatre script then it doesn't matter whether it has been performed or not.

If you send a TV script then it can be complete in itself or a pilot episode of a potential series. If you're submitting a TV pilot script then you do not need to also submit an overview of the proposed series.

Whatever medium your script is for you will need to provide a logline. You can read more about loglines and get some advice on writing a good one by reading this blog post.

For this opportunity you can re-submit a script which was previously sent into our Open Call opportunity. The tick box to indicate whether the script has been sent before is simply to let us know whether we have read it before. It makes no difference if you entered in January or April as we won't start the reading process until after the deadline.

There is no maximum length and the script doesn't need to be written in any specific software. However you will need to submit it as a pdf file with a maximum file size of 10mb, so you will need to convert it to this format before submitting it.

Does my sample script need to be about a particular subject matter, or in a specific genre or medium?

Questions included:

Is it encouraged to submit scripts that revolve around or involve themes of adversity in or representation of deafness/disability/neurodivergence?

Do our scripts need to contain characters like us? DDN

Does fantasy come under the drama genre or is it purely realistic/naturalistic writing that you are looking for?

Answer:

No it doesn't need to be about any particular subject matter. While we like to read authentic portrayals written from the lived experience of disabled writers this is not a requirement. Send in the script which best represents your work and your unique voice as a writer. This may or may not include deaf, disabled and/or neurodivergent characters or themes.

Your script can be for any genre - you are welcome to submit a fantasy drama - we love reading genre pieces!

Will I get feedback for my submission? Or be considered for other Opportunities?

Questions included:

Would it be possible to get feedback on the script?

If anybody has submitted to the main Open Call and identified as DDN during that form, if they're not selected for Drama WR is it possible they might be considered for WAGs in the same way I think I heard the Voices groups are working? Or are the two being treated as completely separate?

Answer:

Due to the number of submissions received, we cannot provide feedback on all of the scripts submitted to us. If scripts reach the full read stage of the opportunity then they will receive a script report to help with the writer's development.

This is being treated as a separate opportunity from Open Call so even if you are awaiting an outcome from Open Call you still need to enter this opportunity.

If you are unsuccessful in gaining a place in the Writers' Access Group this time then we may consider you as a potential member of our Voices development groups next year but would recommend re-applying for our next Open Call in the autumn.

How many people apply and when will I hear if I’ve been successful?

Questions included:

How many people normally apply? How stiff is the competition?

How many scripts go to the full read stage?

Answer:

We are expecting to receive several hundred applications so it is a competitive process and you shouldn't feel discouraged if you don't gain a place in the Writers' Access Group this time. With many of our opportunities the writers who are successful have previously applied unsuccessfully on many occasions.

Everybody will hear the outcome by the beginning of October 2023.

If I’m successful what will the development programme involve?

Questions included:

Are there potential opportunties to get into a writers' room on a continuing drama if we get accepted onto the programme?

Will there be guidance in pitching?

What are the benefits of being selected for the access group?

Answer:

Successful writers will gain a place in our third Writers' Access Group. There are ten places available.

The group will run for around 18 months and meet regularly for a series of workshops, masterclasses and panel discussions to develop their craft skills and deepen their industry knowledge and contacts. Sessions will be led by professionals from the television industry and will cover things such as story structure, character development, pitching and the commissioning process.

There will be at least two half-day workshop sessions per month for the first eight months of the programme, followed by a dedicated writing period where participants will complete a new television spec script with the support of a professional script-editor and the BBC Writersroom team.

It is important to note that this script will not be for production – it is to help create a piece of work that will best showcase writing skills to the wider broadcasting industry, putting writers in a strong position to take the next step in TV writing.

The programme also involves an industry outreach element where participating writers will be introduced to producers and production companies, as well as agents and BBC commissioners. Mentoring will also be offered to the participants to help them as they progress through their careers.

The programme will have an emphasis on developing craft skills and industry knowledge but will also create real opportunities for the participating writers to gain professional experience across the BBC, as well as connecting and developing working relationships with peers amongst the group.

If I gain a place in the group will I develop the same script that I used to apply?

Questions included:

Will the script submitted be used in the programme to develop that idea, or are we expected to develop a new idea?

Does the script we submit have to be the one we are planning to develop or would it be a brand new idea?

Answer:

No. You would be expected to develop a new spec script. We will include a session on ideas generation as part of the programme.

How long will the development programme last and where will sessions happen?

Questions included:

The in-person sessions, where will they be?

How much time commitment is the programme? Is it possible to hold a job during these 18 months?

What sort of times do the zooms run? If people have day jobs would they be able to attend?

What does the schedule format of the 18 months look like? Is it once a week?

If we get in, when do the sessions begin?

How often do we meet in person?

Answer:

The programme will last for around 18 months in total, beginning in October this year. The programme is free to attend for successful applicants and we will cover all travel, accommodation and access costs for selected participants.

The sessions will mainly take place online but we are also aiming for the group to meet in person on a few occasions.

The in-person sessions are likely to take place either at the BBC's offices at Broadcasting House in London or at Media City in Salford, however details will be confirmed nearer the time.

We expect people to have other commitments - work, family etc - and will work around these commitments as much as possible.

Sessions will take place during the day or in the evening but we will provide plenty of advance notice so you can make arrangements. They will last between 1 and 3 hours with regular breaks with at least two sessions per month for the first eight months of the programme followed by a dedicated writing period.

What support is available during the programme?

Questions included:

I’m housebound due to disability, will I be able to participate in this course?

As a dyslexic person am I allowed someone to help me like a scribe? I like to work with someone to help me with the script.

I understand travel is paid for, but due to my condition I would probably need to stay in a hotel to get there on time. Would we get help with those costs?

What kind of accomodations can you make for folks who are differently abled? Are those running the program familiar with the challenges that we face and how have they been trained or making space for us in that way?

Can someone travel with me? I may need my partner to help me in a hotel.

I have a carer with me all the time - will the expenses cover just me or both of us?

Answer:

Before the programme starts, we will have an individual conversation with each writer along with an Access Coordinator to ensure we are in the best position to help them get the most from the programme. It could be that the writer is only able to join sessions from home via Zoom or we provide a BSL interpreter or access worker to accompany them during sessions. We will be also be using the knowledge and experience of our consultants Triple C DANC .

At all stages we will be available to answer any questions that you may have and understand that your requirements may change or evolve and we will need to be flexible and adaptable.

What have been some of the outcomes from the scheme?

Questions included:

What are the outcomes of this programme? What kind of success have previous participants enjoyed?

What's the perception of the Writers' Access Group in the wider industry? Is there awareness and interest?

Have anyone's spec scripts actually gone on to be optioned... even though that wasn't the purpose?

Answer:

The key outcome from the scheme is that each participant will leave with a complete television spec script that they can use as a calling-card script to take out to the industry - to agents and producers.

Although we very much hope that participants will gain credits during or after taking part in the Writers' Access Group we can not guarantee that this will happen. However many previous members of the group have gone onto achieve broadcast credits on television and radio including on EastEnders, Doctors, Casualty and many BBC Childrens programmes. Several members of the group were part of the writers' room and wrote episodes for the recent BBC One drama Ralph & Katie.

One previous group member, Rob Kinsman, credits his involvement with the group in leading directly to his first original series commission for Channel Five. The Writers' Access Group is now well-known inside and outside the BBC. Participants details are included in our Annual Report and on our website, which is used as a resource across the industry.

WRITING TODAY - Why We Need More Disabled Writers

2023-03-10T10:48:00+00:00

This blog post is part of a series where the BBC Writersroom approached selected writers to offer them a platform to discuss what they feel are the most relevant topics affecting the broadcast industry today.

From as long as I can remember, I have always wanted to write for TV. I was one of those nerdy kids who would watch the credits at the end of programmes. I began to notice which writers I particularly liked, writers whose work spoke to me. I was in awe of the fact that everything I’d watched had come out of one person’s head. But I couldn’t help but notice that it was rare to see a character who was disabled, and even rarer to see a character with cerebral palsy like me. I decided long ago that this was something I could help change.

So I was proud to finally have my first original pilot produced and broadcast last year. It was a long slog. I’d been writing TV pitches and scripts for the previous 13 years. I’d practically become an expert at getting rejected. I remember vividly going for a meeting with some BBC TV producers in 2009 about my first attempt at a comedy pilot script. They told me that, if you took away the fact that my main character was disabled, then the script didn’t have a USP. I asked why on earth would you want to take that away? Surely making the character disabled gave him a different home life situation and lived experience that would be unique and engaging to audiences? But at the time they did not agree.

Now I’m not for one minute claiming that first script was perfect, far from it in fact, which is somewhat ironic given that I gave it the title Perfect! Between then and finally getting produced, there have been a string of other failed pilots, script notes, mentoring schemes and training courses. I learnt that the only way to really get better at screenwriting is to pick yourself up after a rejection, dust yourself down, learn from your mistakes and have another go. As Jack Thorne once told me, 95% of this job is being told where you’ve gone wrong!

Laurence Clark's original Comedy, 'Perfect' aired on Dave in August 2022

But also a lot has changed in terms of the screen industry’s attitude towards including disabled, deaf and neurodivergent people over the past few years, although undoubtedly there’s further to go. Significantly, there is a growing recognition that there are only a certain number of stories to tell, therefore a way of making those stories new, interesting and exciting is to include characters from a range of diverse backgrounds, drawing on lived experience. For example, a thriller about a single mum suddenly gets an added dimension if we make that character a wheelchair user who as to navigate all of the various attitudes, barriers and systems that come with that situation.

I’ve noticed, particularly in continuing drama, it feels like there’s a tendency to have disabled characters because they know they ought to, but the writers don’t really know what to do with them. So, these characters are present on screen but don’t get any of the juicy storylines. I put this down to two factors: a fear amongst non-disabled writers of getting it wrong; combined with a lack of disabled, deaf and neurodivergent writers up until now. Certainly, whenever I’ve done writers’ rooms, I’ve always put myself forward to write for the disabled characters, not least because it’s easier as I can draw upon my lived experience.

Laurence was a part of the Writers' Access Group 2020/21

This is why it’s so important that BBC Writersroom are currently recruiting another cohort of disabled, deaf and neurodivergent writers for their Writers’ Access Group. As someone who did it last time, I can vouch for the fact that it gave me the knowledge and skills I needed to start earning a living from screenwriting. The more screenwriters like myself we have working in the industry, the more authentic, nuanced portrayals informed by lived experience we'll see on our screens.

And what did I call my pilot which was broadcast last year? Why what else but… Perfect! It was a completely different script to the one that was rejected in 2009, because I’m now a better writer, but it had the exact same themes. It just wasn’t dismissed as lacking a USP as the industry has moved on and learnt to value lived experience. And I figure, if you are going to plagiarise, probably best to plagiarise yourself!

Applications are currently open for the Writers' Access Group training programme for deaf, disabled and/or neurodivergent writers.

Writing Ralph & Katie

2022-10-04T11:19:34+00:00

Ralph & Katie is a new BBC One drama continuing the story of two of the best-loved characters from Peter Bowker's The A Word. Peter worked with five disabled writers in the creation of Ralph & Katie, most of whom had previously taken part in our Writers' Access Group. One of the writers, Lizzie Watson, explains what happened.

Ralph & Katie begins on BBC One on Wednesday 5th October with the whole series available on BBC iPlayer

Prior to joining the writing team for RALPH & KATIE, I’m not sure I would have called myself a writer. I had always written stuff, but kept my work squirrelled away in various folders on my computer and in my brain. I was mainly focused on script development, as I love working with writers and helping them to develop stories. Deep down, I always wanted to try on the writer’s hat though.

Ralph Wilson (LEON HARROP);Katie Wilson (SARAH GORDY) (Credit: BBC/ITV Studios)

Joining the BBC Writersroom's Writers Access Group changed a lot for me. It was brilliant to connect with other emerging writers, as well as learn more about navigating the industry. It was through this group that the RALPH & KATIE opportunity came up. I was already familiar with the world of THE A WORD and the chance to pitch a story in Peter Bowker’s wonderful universe was too exciting to pass up.

Ralph Wilson (LEON HARROP);Katie Wilson (SARAH GORDY) (Credit: BBC/ITV Studios)

What most drew me to the series was the central relationship between Ralph and Katie as a newlywed couple. At the time of pitching for the show in 2020, I was engaged and in the process of planning a wedding. Early in the development process, I got married and went through the experience which Ralph and Katie did in the third series of THE A WORD. The guest list, the music, the pressures of The Big Day… and then what? I really related to that central premise. Being a newly married couple, trying to figure out who you are both individually and together.

Danny (DYLAN BRADY);Ralph Wilson (LEON HARROP)(Credit: BBC/ITV Studios)

The story of my episode was inspired by that experience of being in a couple and figuring out your own way of doing things. I was keen to explore how Ralph and Katie would negotiate their own customs and traditions, when their families would naturally be used to calling the shots. Nothing really exemplifies this dilemma more than Christmas! Every year, we all have to do a stocktake of our lives and decide who to spend this intense 24 hours with. It can be a lot of pressure, especially if you’re navigating different family dynamics and heated discussions about turkey. This felt like a good place to start for Episode 6.

Ralph Wilson (LEON HARROP);Katie Wilson (SARAH GORDY) Behind the Scenes (Credit: BBC/ITV Studios)

The writers’ room took place on Zoom. Myself and the other writers – the delightful team of Annalisa Dinnella, Genevieve Barr, Tom Wentworth and Amy Trigg – were led by Peter, and supported by the fabulous combination of Executive Producer Kat Pugsley and Script Editor Ollie Grieve. This online process led to much hilarity, including my dog trying to eat my laptop, and our discovering that we’re all obsessed with cake. Working with this creative team has taught me an enormous amount and I feel so lucky to have had the opportunity. Seeing our scripts brought to life by all the talented cast and crew – led by the fantastic Sarah Gordy and Leon Harrop - has been a privilege.

Lizzie Watson

Overall, the experience of working on RALPH & KATIE has genuinely changed my view on the world, as well as my place in it. I know I will take all the brilliant things I’ve learned with me for the rest of my life.

I think audiences can expect a lot from Ralph and Katie’s story. Laughter, tears, joy, fabulous music… The key thing I think they can expect is heart. We all love the show, and I think that shows in the end result. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Watch Ralph & Katie from Wednesday 5th October on BBC One and BBC iPlayer

Meet the co-writers of Ralph & Katie

Find out more about our Writers' Access Group

Applications for the next Writers' Access Group will be open from 24th January to 18th April - find out full details on our blog

Love Across the Ages on BBC Radio 4

2022-09-28T08:49:12+00:00

Shahid Iqbal Khan was a part of our 2020/21 Writers' Access Group and has recently gained a commission with BBC Radio 4 for his first Afternoon Drama, Love Across the Ages. Here he shares his experiences of writing for Radio as a deaf writer.

This external content is available at its source: A tweet from writer Shahid Iqbal Khan about recording his first full length Radio Drama, Love Across the Ages

If you’d told me several years ago that I would one day be writing for radio, I would not have believed you. I was convinced that I couldn’t write for radio. I am deaf and listen to very little radio. I listen to podcasts or radio shows that have transcripts available. As a majority of radio content does not have transcripts or subtitles, my exposure to radio drama is limited.

The general rule is that if you want to write for a medium, you should consume, study and observe a lot of the content in that medium. For example, if you want to be a TV writer, you should watch lots of TV. If you want to be a playwright, then you should read playtexts and go to the theatre regularly. As I couldn’t listen to much radio drama, I thought that naturally precluded me from ever writing for the form.

I first became attracted to the idea of writing for radio after attending a workshop by Fin Kennedy as a part of the Write To Play course by Graeae Theatre. I was obligated to attend as part of the course and wasn’t expecting to get much out of it. I sat through it out of politeness. What he said about radio drama resonated with me long afterwards on the train home from London. He said that radio gives you freedom as a writer. You can tell whatever story you like. It could be set on Mars, it could be set in someone’s ear or it could be set in a country you’ve completely made up. You don’t have to worry about budget or CGI. Everything and anything can be conveyed through the ingenious use of sound. This excited the storyteller side of me - this idea that there isn’t a limit in terms of subject or how you choose to tell a story. I decided that I should question my assumptions about who is allowed to write for radio and to just go for it.

You might think my situation is unique but it would not have been possible without trailblazing artists to look up to. There is a history of D/deaf and disabled writers writing for radio. In the 1930s and 1940s, prolific and acclaimed playwright, Teresa Deevy wrote many popular dramas for radio. She originally moved to London to study lipreading before being distracted by the bright lights of theatre and radio. I imagine her sitting in on the recording days and reading the lips of the actors reciting her words. More recently, Sophie Woolley started her career by writing and performing radio plays for the BBC. Graeae Theatre, a company that places Deaf and disabled artists centre stage, has a long association with radio, producing works such as Amy Dorrit, Three Sisters Rewired and Night of the Living Flatpacks.

This external content is available at its source: Promotional tweet from Poduction Company, Naked Productions with the transmission details of the Afternoon Drama, Love Across the Ages

Through Graeae, I met the wonderful radio producer Polly Thomas. I worked on a 15 minute piece for the Connections series. I really enjoyed the experience. There is something remarkable about hearing your script brought to life by the director, producer, actors, sound designer, composer and editor. Although I didn’t experience the studio recording of this due to lockdown, I got to experience the studio production process with the subsequent short, Brandlesholme, for BBC Radio 4 (part of the United Kingdoms series). I loved the open, warm and positive atmosphere at Naked Productions. I was hooked.

Director of Love Across the Ages, Nickie Miles-Wildin, delivering notes during the recording.

Love Across The Ages is my first full length piece for the Afternoon Drama slot. Renowned poet Abu Nuwas guides the listeners through various moments of the ages following the same two men, Saif and Danyaal. Through the course of a day, I often question what I have heard or am hearing. What is that sound? Where is it coming from? I have a similar relationship with history, I don’t always trust what we’ve been told. History is not actual history. History is a man-made construct with many perspectives missing. This drama is my way of navigating through some of that. Abu Nuwas is not a familiar name in the west, his work and legacy lives under the radar. I thought it would be interesting to use that as a way in, as a way of imagining the small yet big moments of relationships lost to time. Both Polly and the brilliant director Nickie Miles-Wildin worked with me to strengthen the link that Abu Nuwas has with the two men. They gave such invaluable input and I could not have done it without them.

This external content is available at its source: Writer Shahid Iqbal Khan sharing the Pick of the Week listing in the Radio Times for his Radio Drama, Love Across the Ages.

Love Across The Ages is now available on BBC Sounds.

Download and read Shahid's script in our Radio Drama script library.

BBC Writersroom’s Writers’ Access Group is returning in the New Year

2022-08-12T08:45:57+00:00

We are delighted to announce that our BBC Writersroom Writers’ Access Group will be returning for a third time in 2023 and we’ll be looking for a brand-new group of talented deaf, disabled and/or neurodivergent writers to work with over the course of 2023/2024.

We’ve been working closely with our friends and colleagues at TripleC DANC to make the programme open and inclusive.

For the first time we will be selecting writers for the group via an open call out.

We thought it would be useful to share the timeline with you now to allow for planning time.

We know that people will have questions about the programme and how it all works so please do get in touch with your questions and we will collate them into a helpful FAQ document and video in due course.

We’ll also be running some drop-in webinars to answer your questions and support your application. Again, we will let you know the dates of these drop in webinars when we have more information.

Please read on for more info about the Writers’ Access Group programme and the application dates, and please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have any thoughts or questions at all via writersroom@bbc.co.uk We welcome video and audio messages as well as text.

BBC Writersroom’s Writers’ Access Group will return in the New Year. Listen to find out more details including submission dates.

What is it?

The Writers’ Access Group is a training programme that aims to support and accelerate the professional development of deaf, disabled and/or neurodivergent writers who have faced significant barriers to progress in their writing career as a result of their lived experience of being deaf, disabled and/or neurodiverse. 

What does the programme involve?

The programme will run for 18 months from October 2023 until April 2025 and include sessions led by professionals from the television industry. We will cover things such as story structure, character development and the commissioning process.

These will be primarily delivered over Zoom with some in-person sessions (which are likely to take place in London or Manchester) at key moments in the schedule. There will usually be two half-day sessions per month for the first six months. This is followed by a dedicated writing period where participants will complete a new television script in their own time with the support of a professional script editor. 

It is important to note that this script will not be for production - this is to help you create a piece of work that will best show off your writing skills to the wider broadcasting industry.

Who can submit?

Anyone who identifies as deaf, disabled and/or neurodivergent AND:

Is aged 18 or over
Is a resident of the UK or Republic of Ireland

What do I need to submit?

ONE complete script in PDF format (minimum 30 pages). It can be for TV, film, radio or theatre.
A paragraph about your writing history (you do not need to have any credits or professionally produced work. We just want to understand your passion for writing)
A paragraph on what you hope to gain or develop by taking part in the programme

How do I submit?

Full details of the application process including Terms and Conditions of Entry will be published in December. Once the submission window is open, the link to submit a script and other supporting information via our online E-Submissions system will be made available. If you do not already have an E-Submissions account, you will be able to create one via the same link.

When is the submission window open?

The submission window opens on Tuesday 24th January 2023 and closes on Tuesday 18th April 2023.

When will I find out the outcome of my submission?

We aim to let everyone know the outcome of their submission by October 2023.

Who can I contact for further information or assistance?

You can email writersroom@bbc.co.uk with any questions in text, video or audio format. You can also include your telephone number if you would prefer us to phone or text you to discuss your query, please let us know the most accessible way to contact you.

Find out more about the Writers' Access Group

Meet the writers who took part in our latest Writers' Access Group

2022-04-12T09:14:16+00:00

Meet the 13 writers who took part in our second Writers' Access Group and find out what they've been up to during the scheme and since it concluded.

The writers who took part in our second Writers' Access Group were announced back in October 2020. The Writers’ Access Group is a 1-year development scheme that gives talented disabled writers the chance to expand their writing skills and to be offered opportunities in TV and radio at the BBC including BBC Daytime, BBC Radio, Continuing Dramas, CBBC and CBeebies.

The group met, roughly once a month (all sessions were held online due to Covid), with targeted training and development including workshops, masterclasses, introductions and networking events. In addition to this, they were each paired with a script editor to work with across the year to develop and write an original pilot spec' script.

The group (together with the first Writers' Access Group) were also offered the chance to be involved in working on new BBC One drama Ralph And Katie, a spin-off of Peter Bowker’s hit series, The A Word. Five co-writers were announced in February 2021.

Find out more about the whole group below.

Read about Mandy Redvers-Rowe's experience as part of the Writers' Access Group

Watch The Break on BBC Three - several episodes were written by members of the Writers' Access Group

Details of how to apply for the next Writers Access Group will be announced later in 2022, where writers will be selected via an open submission window.

Adam Fenton

Adam Fenton is a neurodiverse, LGBTQIA+, working class writer-performer from the north of England. They graduated from drama school in 2019 and have since been working as an actor and writer in theatre. Over the last few years Adam has worked with Graeae Theatre Company, Dada Fest, Theatre by the Lake, Oldham Coliseum and others creating work online and for live performance.

In 2021 Adam won The Evening Standard’s Future Theatre Fund award for Acting, using this springboard to further develop his own play ‘//Tuning In//’, a piece exploring disability prejudice, especially around Tourette’s Syndrome, utilising the spontaneity and imagination of his tics.

As a writer, Adam has part of The Royal Court Introduction to Playwrighting Group (2020/21), Box of Tricks - Playbox (2021/22), and Dada Fest - Incubate (2021).

Amy Trigg

Amy Trigg is an actor and writer from Essex. She was the first wheelchair user to graduate from a performance course at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts. Her acting credits include work with the Royal Shakespeare Company, Shakespeare’s Globe, The Stephen Joseph Theatre, Nottingham Playhouse, BBC and Universal.

As a writer, Amy’s first full length play Reasons You Should(n't) Love Me was joint winner of the inaugural Women’s Prize for Playwriting 2020 (Ellie Keel Productions and Paines Plough) and premiered at the Kiln Theatre in May 2021.

Her essay An Ode to Improv (and Poehler and Fey) features in the book ‘Feminists Don’t Wear Pink (and other lies)’. She won Colchester New Comedian of the Year 2016 for her one woman sketch The Rebrand.

Amy is a writer for the upcoming BBC series Ralph and Katie (produced by ITV Studios) and is developing original projects for stage and screen with various production companies.

Amy is also currently part of both the BBC Writersroom TV Drama Writers’ Programme (2021/22) and Drama Room (2020/21). She was recently part of the Royal Court Introduction to Playwriting Group 2020/21 and 4Screenwriting 2021.

www.amytrigg.com

Angela Clarke (photo credit: Ben Broomfield)

Born in the exotic wilds of Watford, Angela Clarke was the first in her extended family to make it to university. There she learned entertaining your mates with tall tales was called ‘creative writing’. And that all the famous authors she studied were dead. That didn’t seem like a healthy career plan, so she took a job in fashion. After about a decade, her feet stopped working. Though it actually took doctors six years to work out she had the rare connective tissue disorder Hypermobility Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (hEDS), it fits better with her narrative arc if we say that this was the moment she started writing.

Angela is the bestselling author of crime thrillers including On My Life (Hachette), Trust Me (HarperCollins), Watch Me (HarperCollins), Follow Me (HarperCollins), and the humorous memoir Confessions of a Fashionista (Penguin Random House).

For screen, Angela has written 2 x 11’ episodes for the second series of JoJo & Gran Gran (CBeebies), and one episode for the fifth series of BBC Three’s The Break (BBC Studios). She wrote and performed the comedy short The Masseuse Who Pulled My Arm Out (BBC Edinburgh Festival Stage / iPlayer).

Current projects include: Creative Consultant for Anisha, Accidental Detective (CBBC), 10 x 30’ children’s mystery adapted from popular novels; Co-Writer for Edge of Chaos (FilmWave), 4 x 60’ original returning crime drama; Concept & Lead Writer for Agency (SunnyMarch), 12 x 30’ original returning drama. She is one of six writers selected for the 2021 BBC Children’s In-House Mentorship, and is also currently on the Doctors shadow scheme.

For audio, Angela wrote 1 x 15’ episode for Mallory Towers (BBC Sounds).

A career high for the bookish young kid who read every Enid Blyton in her local portacabin library.

Caron Brand

Caron Brand has enjoyed a varied career as an actress for many years. Following an accident in 2010, she faced years of surgery and many complications, ending with her having a prosthetic hip and limited mobility. Having always had a passion for writing, she found her time spent recovering, became her time to put pen to paper.

Her piece for the Monologue Slam Manchester - written and performed by herself, reached the semi-finals. Having gained an entry into the Tron Theatre100’s Summer Festival, Caron went onto write several short plays for street theatre. One of these pieces, which was adapted for TV, was long-listed for the BBC Drama Room.

Her entry for series five of The Break (BBC Three) earned her a commission and she is currently working on a piece for Doctors (BBC One), which could go into production later in the year.

One of her plays has recently reached a second stage read with The Graeae New Writing Department.

Caron has been busy polishing up her skillset with courses such as the John Yorke story for Screenwriting online course.

Karen Featherstone

Karen Featherstone writes screenplays, stage plays and fiction. She has an MA in Screenwriting from the University of the Arts and she is a former storyliner for ITV’s Coronation Street and Emmerdale. Her writing has featured on Channel 4, and at theatres around the UK, including the National Theatre Studio, at Hampstead Theatre, for Oldham Coliseum, and as part of a Little Pieces of Gold showcase at Southwark Playhouse.

After a brief stint in stand-up (sit-down; she’s mobility-impaired!), in 2019 she wrote and performed her first solo show. She’s been shortlisted for BBC’s The Break, for LA Production’s Moving On, for a BBC Children’s In-House Mentorship and for the current EastEnders’ shadow scheme.

For radio, her play The End of Sleep was a finalist in BBC’s Alfred Bradley Bursary Award for radio drama. She was most recently a writer for Naked Productions’ United Kingdoms episode on the theme of fearing for Radio 4, a programme which was The Guardian Guide’s Pick of the week, and Radio 4’s drama of the week.

An alumna of Graeae Theatre’s year-long Write To Play initiative, and a mentee of Manchester-based DANC, her play Essential Needs, a comedy drama about the orgasm gap, was staged in Manchester in October. As a fiction writer, she’s a Northern Writers’ Award winner. Her stories, including in the YA and horror genres, have been published widely, including in Mslexia, by Retreat West books, Otranto House, Comma Press and the Daily Mirror.

Kate Wickens

Kate Wickens’ writing career began with a short film about a female getaway driver, The Fishdance Kid, which was commissioned by ScreenSouth/Film UK and shown as part of the London Film Festival’s Best of UK Shorts. She used her son’s nap times to write a novel Cursed Love Blues about a misunderstood goddess, which got to number one on Amazon Hot New Releases for two minutes in 2017. She has recently written a stage play, Deaf Frets, about the problems of dating a wannabe gangster. Her blog about being a deaf writer can be found at www.katemagwickens.com

Since beginning her journey into television writing in 2018, she was one of 8 commissioned writers for Series 5 of The Break and her first drama spec script about modern day witches, Strange Inheritance, has been optioned by LA Productions. As part of Writers’ Access Group, she has completed another spec script Eden about a deaf teenager seeking the truth behind her mother’s death. She is currently developing ideas for a new crime drama series with Other Productions and she has just been accepted on the Triple C/Screen Skills Mentoring programme.

As a writer, she has a fondness for subverting expectations, especially where gender and disability are concerned, and she likes honing in on the small funny quirks that make us human.

Laurence Clark

An award-winning stand-up comedian and writer, last year Laurence Clark was selected for 4screenwriting 2021 alongside the Writers Access Group. He is a finalist in the Triforce UKTV Writerslam (out of 1600 submissions) and consequently has a pilot in development for UKTV. He’s completed The Dumping Ground shadow scheme and is writing an episode for season 10. He’s briefly been a storyliner on Hollyoaks and Coronation Street.

His sitcom pilot with Objective Fiction and thriller with Lime Pictures were both previously put into paid development with Channel 4. His play Cured, about a young, disabled Scouser who manipulates a pilgrimage to Lourdes in order to lose his virginity, won an Unlimited commission and will be produced in 2023.

He also wrote additional material and performed in Birds of Paradise’s critically-acclaimed play Purposeless Movements about 4 guys with cerebral palsy at Edinburgh International Festival 2019. In October 2021 he started the EastEnders shadow scheme.

He is also the Chair of TripleC, a Community Interest Company led by disabled artists which runs the Disabled Artists Networking Community (DANC) project. This provides an extensive programme of networking events, mentoring and masterclasses for disabled writers and other artists.

He has an MA in Disability Studies and a PhD in Molecular Biology / Computing. He was born in Manchester but is destined to live in Liverpool with his wife and two children forever because he married a Scouser!

Leanna Benjamin

Leanna Benjamin is an emerging playwright and script writer from Leeds. Leanna is a Graeae Theatre Write to Play alumna and a former West Yorkshire Playhouse Fuse writer. She is a passionate storyteller, performer, jewellery designer and human rights activist.

Leanna enjoys using her creativity to share stories that inspire, encourage and to provoke a change within our society.

Leanna won first prize at the 2013 Ilkley Literature Festival for her hilarious monologue Sister Joy. In 2016 Leanna was invited to take part in the WANTED project as part of the Transform Festival at the West Yorkshire Playhouse. Leanna wrote and performed her piece I Smile at the West Yorkshire Playhouse, at WOW (Women of the World) festival Bradford and at Southbank Centre.

Leanna was one of the writers for the BBC Writersroom Northern Voices 2020 and is currently working on her first TV spec script as part of this one year-long development programme. Leanna recently had her first commission Soul Food performed online as part of the Burn Bright Theatre’s Better In Person 2 showcase. Leanna is working on her second commission with the Graeae theatre and will be released later this year.

Lizzie Watson

Lizzie Watson is a screenwriter based in Leeds. She likes to explore emotive and character-driven stories, with funny moments throw in! Lizzie is particularly interested in the small ways that characters might express themselves - the way they enter a room, the way they might stumble on a particular word. Lizzie has found television drama to be vital to her development and engagement with the world and hopes to write scripts for viewers like her.

Lizzie is a writer for BBC1’s Ralph and Katie, the spin-off of Peter Bowker’s The A Word. For 2022 she has been selected for the EastEnders New Writers scheme as well as ITV's Original Voices initiative, where she'll write a shadow script for Emmerdale and receive 12-month mentorship.

Lizzie graduated from the University of Leeds in 2020, with a Distinction in the MA Writing for Performance and Publication programme. This was funded by a full fee Excellence Scholarship. A member of the Leeds Playhouse Writers Group and RTYDS New Directions scheme, Lizzie also collaborates as a Dramaturg and Director in theatre.

She is represented by Mark Brennan at United Agents.

Mandy Redvers-Rowe (photo credit: AB Photography)

Mandy Redvers-Rowe has written for television, radio and stage. Most recently her monologue for Love Liverpool was part of a new production at the Playhouse in August. She’s working with Justine Potter from Savvy and CanCan Productions, developing a new script Getting Even, funded by Manchester Independence Festival.

She’s one of the writers on the CBeebies series Biff, Chip and Kipper, available now on BBC iPlayer. She’s developing a new verbatim theatre piece Shielded in partnership with The Everyman & Playhouse, funded by the Arts Council. She is part of the Graeae Beyond Programme.

Mandy’s TV drama, Second Sight, appeared in series 11 of Jimmy McGovern’s Moving On (BBC1) in March 2020 and was The Times Critics’ Choice.

During lockdown she had several online commissions with both The Everyman & Playhouse Theatres including A Love Letter To Merseyrail as part of the Love, Liverpool: An A To Z of Hope, and SnapShots with Northern Broadsides.

In 2019 her show, Measuring Up, was developed in partnership with the New Works Department at the Liverpool Everyman Theatre and funded by the Arts Council. She also wrote her first radio play Blind School (co-written with Sarah McDonald-Hughes) which broadcast on Radio 4, and tutored a course Writing for Performance for The Arvon, with playwright Tim Crouch.

She has an MA in Creative Writing from LJMU. She has had play readings at both The Young Vic and The Royal Exchange, and various small commissions.

Robbie Curran

Robbie Curran is a neurodivergent actor and writer from Walthamstow, London. After studying Drama and English at Birmingham University, he became the first autistic actor to graduate from the Oxford School of Drama. Robbie’s acting credits stretch across the UK, and included projects with Soho Theatre, Nottingham Playhouse, Turbine Theatre, Selladoor, Wildcard Theatre and the BBC.

As a writer, Robbie performed his debut play Thomas at VAULT Festival 2019 with Snapper Theatre, which channelled his experiences of growing up diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome. Directed by Lucy Foster, it featured in the Evening Standard as one of their ‘Must See' shows of the festival, and is currently in the early stages of planning for a regional tour of England.

His second play Turnip, a love story between the Creator of the Universe…and some guy, reached the second round of Papatango 2020, and has been workshopped with Sean Turner (Artistic Director of the Trinity Theatre, Tunbridge Wells).

As part of the Writers Access Group, Robbie wrote his first television spec script Aspirational - a comedy drama. His short play Tuning In was shortlisted for Radio 3's The Verb and he is currently on his first TV writing job developing an episode for BBC’s Doctors.

Robbie is co-artistic director of Neurospectacular - a collective of neurodivergent artists, a member of DANC’s neurodivergent focus group, and a co-ordinator for the Alumni Group of Soho Theatre Writers Lab, which he trained on in 2018/19. Robbie will soon start on Vital Xposure's 'Wellspring' programme, in which he will be facilitated to build a relationship as a playwright with either the Bush, Theatre503, Paines Plough or the Hampstead Theatre.

In short, Robbie is interested in creating unique work that is as funny as it is moving, whilst hopefully sharing more positive representation of neurodiversity along the way.

Shahid Iqbal Khan

Shahid Iqbal Khan’s foray into creative writing began with a short play for Carol Godby’s Festival of Plays (Met Theatre, Bury). He joined the Manchester Muslim Writers’ group not long after, a collective that inspired him to explore and compose poetry.

He was Associate Artist for Phizzical Productions and is an alumnus of Graeae Theatre’s prestigious Write To Play programme.

His next play, 10 Nights, ran from October 7 to November 6 at the Bush Theatre. It is a co-production between Bush Theatre, Graeae Theatre and Tamasha Theatre.

Theatre credits: The Smile of Despair (Attenborough Arts Centre), Stardust (Belgrade Theatre), Never Been Away (2020: Collection 1) (Tara Theatre).

Audio credits: The Return (That Podcast) (English Touring Theatre and Fremantle’s Storyglass), Bhavika (Connections) (Naked Productions), Brandlesholme (Sheltering) (BBC Radio 4).

Shahid Iqbal Khan is also part of Writers Group, co-led by Royal Court Theatre and Deafinitely Theatre 20/21.

William Barrington

William Barrington is a writer and filmmaker. In 2018, he graduated from the University of Winchester with a BA in Film Production. Whist studying, William wrote and produced several short films, some of which were nominated for awards in film festivals across the country.

After leaving Winchester, William co-founded Candy Apple Grove Productions, a small company which produces wedding and cooperate videos.

William studied for an MA in Screenwriting at the Royal Holloway University and graduated in 2019.

He is now a researcher in non-scripted television, working on both productions and development projects. During his time in development, William has worked on pitches for all major British broadcasters, and some American ones as well.

But William keeps writing his own material too.

In 2021 William wrote the episode Losing It for the fifth series of BBC Three’s The Break (BBC Studios) and took part in a thinkBIGGER scheme where he was mentored by Jack Thorne.

Currently, he is developing a script for Doctors (BBC One).

My experience in the Writers' Access Group

2022-04-11T10:00:00+00:00

It’s a cold Thursday morning in November 2020, and I’m sitting in front of my computer waiting to join my first BBC Writersroom Writers' Access Group Zoom session. I’m nervous, of course I am, but I’m also excited...

I think I’ve always been a writer. As a child I wrote pantomimes for my family to perform at Christmas. When I began to lose my sight, I went from using a biro to a felt tip, then to a marker - as the words on the page got bigger and bigger. Until no matter what size magnifier I used, I could no longer see the words.

Losing my sight didn’t stop me writing, in fact it spurred me on. My world had shifted so dramatically, that I had endless material to draw on. I just had to find different tools to write with! I learnt braille, then became a touch typist and adapted to using screen-reader software. So now the technical side was sorted, I just had to learn the craft!

Fast-forward several decades to March 2020 and I’m finally making some inroads into the profession. I’ve co-written a radio play, written and performed a solo theatre show, and my first TV drama Second Sight for series 11 of Jimmy McGovern’s Moving On is being screened, I’ve given up my day job. This is going to be my launch pad into a career in television.

But then because of the pandemic everything stops. Agents close their lists. Producers stop producing. Writers are furloughed and studios are shut.

As the months go by, I have to confess that I begin to feel a little dismal. My ‘golden moment’ is slipping away and I haven’t managed to capitalise on my success. Then one of my writing friends Charlie Swinbourne asks me if I’d be interested in the BBC Writersroom Writers' Access Group. I wasn’t sure what it was, but sent in a script, undertook an interview and amazingly was offered a place!

The Writers' Access Group (or WAGs), had been set up in recognition of the fact that Disabled Writers experience access barriers in the industry. It aimed to create a space where we could engage on our own terms. In 2020 we were the second cohort and because of Covid19 we were to operate entirely over Zoom. Hence me sitting in front of my computer.

There are thirteen of us in our group. All talented writers with various backgrounds in fiction writing, theatre and screen. All of us have different access needs, and all are relatively new to the industry. We immediately set up a WhatsApp Group – and we haven’t stopped talking since! It’s been a great way for us to share ideas, support each other and generally stay in touch.

And the course – well it’s been amazing!

The Writers' Access Group 2020/21

We’ve had workshops with John Yorke (producer, script editor and writer) who helped us grapple with structure. Sharon Sefton (audio producer) introduced us to the possibilities of sound. Chris Head and Holly Walsh (comedy writers and performers) gave us a glimpse into the world of comedy writing, shared their practice and have been so supportive.

Peter Lloyd (series producer of award-winning continuing drama Doctors) took us through the writing process and invited us to pitch. Several of the group are currently under commission to write their first episode. Gretta Mullany (script editor) took us through the process of pitching. We all pitched to her and she gave us feedback – this was such a helpful session to me as pitching is something I used to dread. Who am I kidding – I still dread it, but at least now I know what I’m supposed to do!

Emma Green (agent) took us through the "dos and don’ts" of how to get an agent. She was amazing, and those of us who weren’t represented had one to one sessions with her. Andrew Burrell (writer and producer) ran our final session where we got to work together to storyboard an episode of Danger Mouse. Andrew and us WAGs working collaboratively was great fun!

We have also had "speed-dating" sessions with indies (Independent Production Companies) and with agents, where we’ve been able to pitch our ideas and ourselves.

Perhaps the biggest game changer for a writer in this business, is getting the opportunity to develop a new spec script with a professional script editor. I’ve been lucky enough to work with Jeremy Page, who has helped me develop a script that I’m really proud of.

And so what’s next for me?

During the course we have had plenty of opportunities to pitch for various programmes, both with the BBC and other companies. As a consequence, I’m currently on the EastEnders Shadow Writing Scheme.

I’ve also written one episode for the new CBeebies series of Biff and Chip which is available on BBC iPlayer, and have been asked to attend a two day Story Conference to pitch ideas for series two.

I’m sad that we’ve come to the end of the course. I’ve enjoyed all the hard work and the camaraderie. Most importantly, I’ve learnt a lot. I now feel better equipped to make my way through the daunting labyrinth of the TV industry.

Thank you BBC Writersoom. Thank you to the WAGs team for all your help and support. And thank you to all my fellow WAGs – for just being WAGs!!

Meet all 13 writers who took part in the latest Writers' Access Group

Creating The Break

2021-04-01T08:41:16+00:00

The latest series of BBC Three's The Break landed on BBC iPlayer this week with all five bold short dramas showcasing some brilliant writing, directing and acting talent.

When Fiona Campbell (Controller of BBC Three) said she wanted the next series of The Break to be from disabled talent we were delighted. We told our Writers’ Access Group (BBC Writersroom's development group for writers with disabilities), and called out to agents and leading disability Arts organisations. We asked for ideas for short films that might fit the brief.

The writers who sent the best ideas were invited to attend a one day workshop based around The Break in particular, and short-form storytelling in general.

Meet the writers of Series 5 of The Break

We then developed some ideas further, working with the production company (BBC Studios) who were going to make the five films. In the end, we all jointly settled on the five stories that went on to form Series 5 of The Break.

Three of the final five writers are from our first Writers' Access Group, and the writers of the other two were invited to join our current group, as were some of the others who got quite far through the process.

Bim Ajadi, director of ‘Oh Toni!’ for The Break, explains their experience of being a film director who is deaf.

BBC Studios went on to interview disabled directors, and started the casting process for disabled performers.

Filming was held up due to Covid, and when we did eventually film in November we took stringent precautions. We could not risk any infections on the shoot, and managed to achieve that goal.

Socially distanced post-production was successfully achieved, with editors working remotely and sending though files for us to view. Some films went through various versions as we worked to tell the story in the clearest and most effective way. The final steps were in a post-production facility in Soho, with much hand sanitiser and mask-wearing, and limiting the number of people in each room at a time.

Let’s Talk: Disability Representation with George Robinson - George Robinson and the cast of The Break talk about disability representation in the TV industry.

Everyone involved worked tirelessly on these films. and we all love the results – I hope viewers enjoy them too!

Today is Anne Edyvean’s last day as Head of BBC Writersroom after six years. We’d like to thank her for her unstinting work supporting new writing and writers at the BBC from across the whole of the UK and wish her all the best for her future endeavours.

Watch Series 5 of The Break now on BBC iPlayer

For the first time all 25 episodes of The Break are now available to watch on BBC iPlayer

Find out more about the writers of The Break series 5

Ralph and Katie: Co-writers Announced

2021-02-01T11:01:31+00:00

The creator and lead writer of ‘Ralph and Katie’, Peter Bowker (The A Word; Marvellous; World On Fire), has today revealed the writers that will work alongside him on the new BBC One series, which focuses on Ralph (Leon Harrop) and Katie (Sarah Gordy), the well-loved characters from The A Word.

Katie (SARAH GORDY), Ralph (LEON HARROP) (Image Credit: BBC/Fifty Fathoms/James Stack)

Co-produced for BBC One by ITV Studios and Keshet Productions in association with Tiger Aspect, ‘Ralph and Katie’ (6 x 30’) tells the continuing story of Ralph (Leon Harrop) and Katie (Sarah Gordy), an inspirational and loving young couple who are embarking on the biggest adventure of their lives. Ralph and Katie have just had the wedding of the year… so what happens next? ‘Ralph and Katie’ tracks their first year of married life, with each 30 minute episode featuring a different story focusing on the domestic challenges faced by the newlyweds – challenges faced by all newlyweds, but with the added fact that they have Down’s syndrome.

The new and emerging disabled writers, who have all been chosen in partnership with BBC Writersroom, are:

Amy Trigg

Amy Trigg is an actor and writer from Essex. She is currently part of the Channel 4 Screenwriting Course 2021, BBC Drama Room 2020/21 and BBC Writers Access Group 2020/21. She was recently part of the Royal Court Introduction to Playwriting Group 2020/21. Amy’s essay ‘An Ode to Improv (and Poehler and Fey)’ features in the book ‘Feminists Don’t Wear Pink (and other lies)’. Amy’s first full length play 'Reasons You Should(n't) Love Me’ was joint winner of the inaugural Women’s Prize for Playwriting 2020 (Ellie Keel Productions and Paines Plough).

Annalisa Dinnella

Annalisa Dinnella is a writer for film, TV and radio. Her original thriller series THE BRIGHTNESS is in development with Euston Films for Channel 4 and her comedy drama EYEBALLS is in development with Two Rivers Media. She has written for DOCTORS (BBC One) and THE BREAK (BBC Three). Annalisa is an alumnus of Channel 4's 4Screenwriting 2020 as well as BBC Writersroom's Writers Access Group 2019. In radio, Annalisa's 2019 BBC Radio 4 play SICK (a vom com) starred Alison Steadman and Cariad Lloyd. The same year, her monologue THE DEAD DAD SHOW was commissioned for Radio 3 as part of their Music Monologues series.

Genevieve Barr

Genevieve Barr is a screenwriter and actor. In 2020, she won the coveted Red Planet Prize with her pitch for a complex legal drama which she is currently developing with Red Planet Pictures/ITV. Her first produced credit, THUNDERBOX premiered last year as part of the CripTales series for BBC Four/BBC America. Genevieve is writing scripts with Eleven/Channel 4 and The Forge/BBC. In addition to these solo ventures, she is co-writing two projects with Jack Thorne: a US feature for Jonathan King (Spotlight, Roma) and a greenlit factual drama for Dragonfly/BBC Two about the Disability Act.

Tom Wentworth

Tom Wentworth is a playwright, journalist and screenwriter whose recent work includes THE REAL DEAL (part of the CripTales series for BBC Four/BBC America), BURKE AND HARE (Watermill Theatre/Jermyn Street Theatre), BULLY (Wales Millennium Centre) and WINDY OLD FOSSILS (Pentabus Theatre Young Writers Festival). He has recently been a part of BBC Writersroom’s London Voices and Writers' Access Group.

Lizzie Watson

Lizzie Watson was selected for the BBC Writersroom Writers Access Group 2020/21, and is currently developing a number of projects for television. She was awarded a full Excellence scholarship by the University of Leeds, and graduated with Distinction from the MA Writing for Performance and Publication programme last year. She is also part of the editorial team at CORONATION STREET.

Peter Bowker said: "It is genuinely exciting to be collaborating with these five writers who have already written startlingly new and engaging work. We have already started to work together to build the series and the one thing that is clear to me is that I am going to have to up my game!”

Filming will commence later this year. ‘Ralph and Katie’ will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

Find out more about BBC Writersroom's Writers' Access Group

Writing my first episode of Doctors via the BBC Writersroom's Writers' Access Group

2020-11-23T11:59:08+00:00

David Proud was part of BBC Writersroom's First Writers' Access Group for disabled writers. David explains how the opportunity to write his first episode of Doctors arose from being part of the group and what the process involved.

It was the mid-nineties and I sat in a bright yellow wheelchair on stage at my secondary school in front of my entire year during assembly. For some reason I can’t explain, I would routinely write school plays about issues: drugs, bullying, disability etc, and with a group of friends perform them in front of assembly. My dear friends Joe Ferridge and Jason Health would be corralled by me to join in. I was obsessed with Bon Jovi at the time and as John belted out his lyrics we would head to the stage to act out our little pieces, hoping to positively influence our school mates with the power of drama.

David Proud

Cut to January 2020 and I was working at ITV on Coronation Street, having been selected for ITV Original Voices. I was one of four people offered the chance to work with the story team and then write a sample script on a show that was turning 60 years old.

Just before I started my time at Coronation Street I had handed in draft one of a script of Doctors for BBC One. I had been commissioned on my broadcast debut script after taking part in the BBC Writersroom's Writers' Access Group. As I sat in the canteen on lunch, overlooking Weatherfield, I took script notes from the wonderful Emma Keaveney on my Doctors script. It hit me how far I had come from that boy who wrote stage plays at school, now working on two iconic TV shows. No Bon Jovi this time, but the same boy who had so much he wanted to say, and so much ambition to change the world by creating entertaining, engaging drama.

Tom Robson (MAX TRUE), Rob Hollins (CHRIS WALKER) in Doctors episode 26th November 2020

Having worked on Doctors twice as an actor I was pleased that my Writers' Access Group journey led me to a continuing drama that has a special place in my heart. I’ve been lucky to work with many departments of the BBC and without a shadow of a doubt the most welcoming, supportive and enjoyable for me has been Doctors. It is a wonderful show, and the perfect environment to grow talent. From the pitch concept, to the scene by scene, and all the subsequent drafts the team are an absolute joy to work with. It is also one of the most rewarding shows to write for, as fifty percent of the episode is completely generated by the writer, while fifty percent is the serial. It is challenging too, as the speed of production and budgets mean that you have to really engage your brain to overcome problems and work within the limits of the show. There is a reason that Doctors is a gateway into writing for the BBC, it sharpens all your tools, and many writers enjoy coming back to the show time and time again.

Max Sterling (ED LARKIN) in Doctors, 26th November 2020

My first episode was delayed due to Covid-19, and now with some slight Covid tweaks it is hitting TV screens this week. Suddenly all the years of rejections that all writers experience begin to fade, all that is left is my deep gratitude to the BBC Writersroom team for amplifying my voice.

My advice to anyone still waiting for that email saying they made it to the next round is to never ever give up, keep applying. For those who do make it onto a BBC Writersroom development scheme it might feel like you are finally arriving at a destination, but it is only the beginning of a brilliant journey. The BBC Writersroom team dedicate their entire time to taking your whisper of a voice and turning it into a roar. The masterclasses, meeting commissioners, having access to mentors, all of this gives you the skills and confidence to pitch for the next project on your journey as a writer. The hard part is deciding what you want to write, and what you are trying to say.

For me, having been born with a disability, that kid on stage knew exactly what he was trying to say even back then, he just didn’t know that someday he would get the chance to say it on BBC One!

Watch David Proud's first episode of Doctors on Thursday 26th November 2020 on BBC One or on BBC iPlayer

Announcing the Writers' Access Group 2020

2020-10-28T15:37:37+00:00

The Writers' Access Group 2020/21

BBC Writersroom has today announced the names taking part in The Writers Access Group 2020, after the huge success of its inaugural group last year.

The initiative gives talented disabled writers the chance to expand their writing skills and to be offered opportunities in TV and radio at the BBC.

Working with a number of organisations and practitioners in the field, thirteen disabled writers have been chosen on the merit of their scripts, their experience and via an interview process.

They have today been announced as:

Adam Fenton
Amy Trigg
Angela Clarke
Caron Brand
Karen Featherstone
Kate Wickens
Laurence Clark
Leanna Benjamin
Lizzie Watson
Mandy Redvers-Rowe
Robbie Curran
Shahid Iqbal Khan
William Barrington

The initiative, backed by BBC Content and BBC Drama Commissioning, offers the opportunity to meet and pitch to various BBC departments, including BBC Daytime, BBC Radio, Continuing Dramas, CBBC and CBeebies. They will also be offered the chance to be involved in working on new BBC One drama Ralph And Katie, a spin-off of Peter Bowker’s hit series, The A Word.

For nine months, from November onwards, they will participate in a programme of masterclasses designed by BBC Writersroom, covering essential topics such as story and structure, pitching and treatments, understanding the industry, as well as talks from A-list writers, script-editors, executive producers and BBC commissioners.

Throughout the initiative BBC Writersroom will provide professional, freelance script editing support to enable the ten writers to develop a 'calling card' Drama script so they can take the next step into authored TV or radio work. Each of the writers will be allocated an experienced mentor, depending on their area of interest, and will be introduced to independent producers and production companies, agents and commissioners.

This year’s programme has been tailored by BBC Writersroom to adhere to all current government guidelines during this time of global pandemic.

Participants in last year’s Writers Access Group have already had major accomplishments as a result, including work for EastEnders, Doctors and The Break, BBC Radio 3 and Radio 4, CBBC and paid development with Independent Production companies.

Anne Edyvean, Head of BBC Writersroom, says: “We are thrilled with the quality of the talent assembled in this year’s Writers Access Group. The success of writers from last year’s group has attracted much interest, causing both writers and producers to reach out to us directly, resulting in further opportunities being offered up this time. We are very excited about the prospects for this year’s group. In the current situation, we are conscious that many disabled writers are shielding, and we have moved our workshops and masterclasses on-line until the risk of COVID-19 recedes.”

This BBC initiative follows a number of schemes which support the BBC’s ambition to raise the profile of disabled talent on and off screen.

Find out more about the Writers' Access Group

Casualty - Writing Jade's Story

2020-07-09T15:00:36+00:00

In this week's episode of Casualty (Saturday 11th July) nurse Jade Lovall (played by Gabriella Leon) meets her birth mother and finally uncovers the truth behind her past. Co-writers Charlie Swinbourne and Sophie Woolley were both part of our first Writers' Access Group. We spoke to them to find out more about how being part of the group led to the opportunity to write the episode, and how it was created to authentically tell the story of the show's first regular deaf character.

Susie Ashby (SOPHIE LEIGH STONE), Jade Lovall (GABRIELLA LEON) in Casualty

What was the journey to the point of being given the chance to write this episode of Casualty?

Charlie: I'd spent over a decade creating dramas, comedies and documentaries with deaf actors and contributors, in sign language, having a lot of different experiences of telling different types of stories, always with deaf people at their heart.

Becoming part of the BBC Writersroom's Writers' Access Group gave me the chance to meet mainstream producers for the first time, share my work with them and take steps into making programmes for a wider audience.

It was through the group that both Sophie Woolley and I met Loretta Preece, who worked for Doctors at the time. She later moved to Casualty and contacted us about discussing an episode about the character of Jade. We went down to Cardiff and spent a day discussing the character and potential stories, including having a tour of the set! It was a really positive, encouraging day, and we were delighted to be commissioned to co-write the episode.

Sophie: I’ve written for stage and BBC radio drama and sitcom. I took part in the BBC Writersroom's Writers' Access Group. I wrote a pitch for another show which led to being asked to pitch and then write for Casualty with Charlie. We went to Cardiff for the first two meetings and had a set visit.

Jade (GABRIELLA LEON)(Image Credit: BBC / Alistair Heap)

Once the opportunity to write for Casualty came about, what was the process of devising and pitching this episode? Who did you work with? How long was that process?

Charlie: During the initial day we spent in Cardiff, we started sketching out stories, sharing a lot of ideas and thoughts. We then went away and wrote a treatment for the episode, before then going on to write a scene by scene document.

Along the way a lot of things changed as we got feedback from the team and made changes, big and small. It was a very collaborative process. I remember we went back to Cardiff again a couple of months later for another meeting and our sign language interpreter commented that the stories seemed completely different than the first time! We were tweaking the stories all the time as we went through different drafts and moved on to writing the scripts.

Sophie: I worked with Charlie and the script editor, the medical editor, and the producers. We also met with the wider production team including the people designing the sound, because the sound will be from Jades POV. When we got notes from the medical editor, it was from all of the medical experts employed by the show. So each section of medicine in the show, is checked. The medical aspect of the writing was as creative and exciting as the emotional and character storylines.

Theresa Ashby (JILL BAKER), Susie Ashby (SOPHIE LEIGH STONE), Jade Lovall (GABRIELLA LEON), Dr. Rashid Masum (NEET MOHAN)

What help are you given in terms of story documents, character profiles etc? Do you work with a Story Producer, Script Editor? Who supports you?

We were sent documents with all the storylines for the episodes around ours, so we had a sense of what came before our episode and what was going to come after it. We also had a series bible, character biographies and a floorplan of the set!

We were directly working with our Script Editor, who'd collate the responses from the team so that we would get one set of notes for each draft, which we'd then usually talk about and discuss before working on our next draft. We also had a lot of input from the producer, Dafydd Llewelyn, throughout the process.

Jade Lovell (GABRIELLA LEON), Susie Ashby (SOPHIE LEIGH STONE)

Is there a structure to a Casualty episode in terms of A, B and C storylines, guest stories and serial stories for the show’s permanent cast? Was this new to you?

Charlie: When you're writing a Casualty episode, it is a mixture of continuing stories about the show's permanent cast which are combined with your own guest stories and characters to create your episode.

There are A, B and C storylines, as well as other story beats that writers will need to include! I was aware of this way of working through my previous experiences, but each show is different - the team gave us great guidance and support with this.

Sophie: I hadn't used A B and C story lines in my previous theatre and radio work so that was all new and very exciting!

Charlie Swinbourne (Co-writer), Gabriella Leon (Actor), John Maidens (Director)

Can you set the scene in terms of Jade’s story to this point for anyone who hasn’t been watching?

Jade was in foster care at a young age and has put off meeting her birth mother. She doesn't know why she was given up as a child and is scared of being rejected. This episode shows her meeting her birth mother, who she knows very little about.

Recently, she's read a short letter from her birth mother and met her social worker, and this has led her to make the decision to meet her. When she does meet her, the situation is different to what she'd thought...

This episode takes Jade into new territory in terms of dealing with her history, her sense of her self, and her deafness. From now on the audience will know her in a deeper way than ever before.

Sophie Stone (Actor), John Maidens (Director), Gabriella Leon (Actor), Charlie Swinbourne (Co-writer)

At what point in the development of the script did you include elements like the audio giving the audience a sense of Jade’s hearing loss and her world, how it changes with and without hearing aids and in different environments? Are these written into the script?

Sophie: I thought about it from the start. Yes it was in the script. We spoke to the actor Gabriella Leon at the start as well, to get her experience. We all have different types of deafness. I have acquired deafness. I went totally deaf slowly, over 20 years, I used captioners and BSL interpreters to access my work and a few years ago I got a cochlear implant. This means I have experienced many types of deafness. Each time I lost more hearing, The world was suddenly changed again.

Charlie: This was a part of the script from the earliest stages. We were always including what Jade's soundscape might be like as she went through her journey in the episode, drawing upon our conversations in Cardiff, which Gabriella Leon, who plays Jade, was a big part of.

We also made it clear which words Jade might miss, as people spoke to her. And of course, there are points when she's not wearing her hearing aids at all, so that was included.

The descriptions of the sound became a bigger part of our thinking once the team started planning how the audio would be recorded and would play out on screen, giving the audience a true sense of what Jade hears.

Tom Hines (DoP), James Mountain (1st AD), Tracey Arrowsmith (BSL Interpreter), John Maidens (Director)

How important was it to show Jade’s mother being Deaf (ie using sign language) and the distinction with Jade’s use of hearing aids?

Sophie: Deaf people are all different. And we are all brought up differently. This impacts the way we communicate and our confidence in the world and in life.

Charlie: We wanted to explore deafness within a family dynamic, to show that the thing people take for granted - that you can talk to your mother, or daughter - might be a bit more complicated. This went beyond just Jade and her mother, but also reached her grandmother too. We see three generations of a family in this episode and how deafness has touched each of their lives in different ways.

What challenges did this bring for production? Did you work with the sound department to explain your intentions?

Charlie: We did quite a lot of thinking about how the sound would work as the process went on, and we had a meeting in Cardiff where we all decided that the audience would hear what Jade hears.

We talked with the sound team that day, got a sense of what they could do, and gave them a sense of our vision. A lot more work went into it as the director John Maidens (who is also deaf) became involved and started planning his vision for the episode.

Having John as director was brilliant because he completely got the story, knew from experience what we were getting at. With two deaf actors as well, the episode was made with deaf people in many of the key creative positions, which I believe is a real first and something I hope the industry sees as a real example to follow.

Co-writers Charlie Swinbourne (l) and Sophie Woolley (r)

What do you hope people will take away from the episode?

Sophie: A deeper understandng of how brilliant Nurse Jade is. I hope people will take away understanding about the complexity of the different deaf experiences. We are all different.

Charlie: I hope the audience really enjoy it, that they're moved by the story, and get to know Jade in a different way to before. I also hope that long after they've watched it, a sense of deaf people's lives and experiences stay with them.

For many deaf people, difficulties with communicating with their own families, and sometimes the feeling of their deafness not being fully accepted by those close to them, is a big part of their lives. Knowing that from real-life experience definitely helped to inspire elements of this story. Hopefully deaf people will feel their lives are reflected in this episode, and non-deaf people get to see a side of life they might never have thought about before.

What have you got coming up next?

Sophie: I’ve been doing some more TV writing (under wraps for now!). I also have a writer bursary at Wellcome Collection, a medical archive to research there this summer.

Charlie: The Eastenders storyline I pitched is still on screen, I've also written a script for a new CBBC series, and I'm currently writing a 45 minute drama for BBC One. As well as that, I'm writing a short lockdown comedy featuring two grumpy old deaf men who are trying to talk to one another on Facetime! The current situation has delayed some of my work but I'm still writing every day and I'm hoping to keep learning and developing as time goes on. The last year has been really transformative for me and I'm really excited about what the future holds.

Watch Jade's story on Casualty on BBC One on Saturday 11th July at 8.25pm and on BBC iPlayer

Join in an accessible Facebook Live event immediately after the broadcast over on the Casualty Facebook Page

Casualty is a BBC Studios Production for BBC One

From the Writers' Access Group to working as Story Consultant on Ben Mitchell's deafness storyline on EastEnders

2020-06-05T11:20:00+00:00

You can't always see what's coming. EastEnders, on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

On Monday night, a special ‘silent’ episode of Eastenders was broadcast from the perspective of the character of Ben Mitchell. The episode was unlike any previous episode of the show - to reflect Ben’s deafness, it had limited audio, fractured sentences and incomplete subtitles.

Watching the episode was a proud moment for me because it was part of a storyline I pitched to the show’s writing team last summer. And it was the latest step in a journey that began when I joined the BBC Writersroom’s Writers Access Group.

How it began

Two years ago, I went to a scriptwriting workshop featuring the BBC Writersroom which was run by the Disabled Artists Networking Community (DANC) in Manchester. It was there that I found out about a new BBC writing scheme for writers with a disability.

Meeting once a month for nine months, there’d be masterclasses in all elements of scriptwriting for TV, from producers and writers from inside and outside of the BBC. It sounded almost too good to be true.

After applying with samples of my previous scripts and talking about my previous work and approach to writing at an interview in London, I was really pleased to be offered a place.

The Writers' Access Group

The Writers' Access Group

One of the best things about being in the group was simply getting to know the other writers as each month went by.

Everyone had previous credits in TV or theatre, and everyone was talented and passionate about their writing. They also happened to be very nice people who were willing to share their chocolate rice cakes during coffee breaks! Some of the writers became good friends and after a while we set up a WhatsApp group so that we could chat and debate stuff with one another wherever we were.

We all had different access needs which were provided for by the BBC Writersroom. I’m partially deaf and hearing everything when in group situations is the thing I find hardest, so I had a speech-to-text palantypist at each session, meaning I could read what was being said and fill in any gaps.

Monthly Masterclasses

The monthly sessions with writers like John Yorke, Tim Prager and Kirstie Swain, plus producers from different parts of the BBC, gave us a strong sense of the principles and realities of writing for TV and radio and what works for different types of programmes.

One practical tip has changed my daily writing routine. Frank Spotnitz gave us a tip of using a cork board to place story beats on, and emphasised the importance of spending serious time planning our stories. I’ve now got my own slightly worn out cork board which I spend a lot of hours staring at while rearranging pieces of card, which may not sound glamorous but has really transformed my approach to structuring my scripts. So a big thanks to Frank for that!

After initial sessions in London, we visited the set of Doctors in Birmingham to meet the show’s producers, then went up to Media City in Salford to visit CBBC and CBeebies. We were assigned script editors and worked on new spec' scripts which would help us draw more interest for our work. In our final monthly session, we had a speed dating session with producers and agents where we were able to pitch both our ideas and ourselves as writers.

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Getting involved with EastEnders

Each of us was assigned a mentor and I was linked up with Jon Sen, the Executive Producer of EastEnders. Jon gave me an insight into how the programme works, and invited me to visit a long-term story conference with all the writers.

To be in a room with 30 writers and producers talking about all the show’s legendary characters and what might happen to them in the next year was an amazing experience. The BBC Writersroom arranged for me to have a palantypist there so that I could follow what was said. Listening to (and reading) all the stories and discussion got me thinking.

The character of Ben Mitchell had been deaf in one ear since childhood, but his deafness hadn’t really been focused on for many years. I’d also long wanted to see a signing deaf character become part of the square.

So on the train home, I wrote a story where Ben loses more of his hearing, with Frankie, who is a deaf character, coming into his life to support him. The idea was that the two characters represented different ways of being deaf - while Ben struggles to accept his deafness, Frankie shows him how it’s possible to be positive about deaf identity. The story drew on my own experiences of growing up knowing different types of deaf people.

After I sent the story in, Jon replied positively, asking me to develop the story further, and then after a few more drafts, he invited me to the next story conference to pitch it to the writers.

Ben Mitchell (MAX BOWDEN) Image Credit: BBC/Kieron McCarron/Jack Barnes

Pitching my own story

Pitching my story to the EastEnders writing team at the end of a very long, hot day of the summer was probably the most nerve-wracking moment of my life. Would they want one of their main characters to change so much? Would I be able to explain the deaf world in a way everyone could understand?

After I’d outlined my story and the character of Frankie, along with the idea of an episode from Ben’s point of view, the writers asked me lots of questions about deafness and deaf culture and how it could be portrayed on screen. This time I had two sign language interpreters, again arranged with the support of the BBC Writersroom, which enabled me to understand everyone properly and (hopefully!) explain the deaf world as clearly as possible.

As I left the room everyone seemed really positive and I felt like the story had a chance.

Multitasking

In the meantime, having made contacts through the monthly masterclasses, I’d been sending my work to different producers I’d met, which led to meetings and workshops at Casualty in Cardiff, and CBBC in Salford.

This led to a real breakthrough - two script commissions, to write an episode of a children’s series for CBBC, and co-write an episode of Casualty with another member of the Writers' Access Group, Sophie Woolley. Then I found out that EastEnders were running my story, and I was going to work as an adviser on the storyline. This is when things got really busy!

Over the next few months, if I wasn’t writing either of my scripts, I was reading EastEnders story documents and scripts relating to my story and feeding back on them. It was fascinating seeing which parts of my original story were kept and which parts were changed, as the story expanded to become part of episodes running over a number of months.

I was busier than I’d ever been in my life, working with different production teams, hitting multiple deadlines, and learning about my own strengths as well as areas I need to work on!

Ben Mitchell (MAX BOWDEN), Lola Pearce (DANIELLE HAROLD) Image Credit: BBC/Kieron McCarron/Jack Barnes

Reaching the screen

In late March, after EastEnders’ 35th anniversary episodes, the storyline of Ben becoming deaf finally hit the screen. It was surreal watching the story I’d pitched finally becoming part of a show I’d watched since I was a child.

A few weeks ago, Frankie (played by the brilliant deaf actor Rose Ayling-Ellis) arrived on the square, then the silent episode (I worked with the writer Simon Ashdown as Story Consultant on the episode) aired on Monday night.

It’s been incredible to see the audience response. Frankie is a character a lot of deaf people feel they relate to. I think the biggest achievement of the silent episode was taking the wider audience into a deaf person’s perspective for half an hour, showing how altered Ben’s world is. I’ve seen comments from deaf people who said that the silent episode helped their families to understand how they hear the world for the first time. It’s amazing what can be sparked off by writing a story on a long train journey from London to Yorkshire!

Charlie Swinbourne

The future

The Writers' Access Group has definitely transformed my career. I’ve learned from the masterclasses, gained experience, made vital contacts, and written for programmes I’d always dreamed of being part of.

What the group shows is that with the right access, writers with disabilities are able to show what they can do.

There’s still a long way to go, but it feels like the industry is starting to change in terms of its approach towards disabled writers. People are realising that we offer a different perspective, whether we are writing stories related to disability or not.

The group are still in touch nearly every day, supporting one another through the ups and downs of a writer’s life on our WhatsApp group! Writing is a solitary pursuit, so having people you can chat with and ask for advice from is really valuable.

You’ll be seeing more of our work appearing on your screens soon. I’m also looking forward to seeing what future intakes of the Writers' Access Group get up to! If you’re thinking of applying, I’d definitely recommend it.

Watch the EastEnders episode from Monday 1st June on BBC iPlayer

Charlie Swinbourne has written dramas, comedies and documentaries often focusing on deaf characters. He won an RTS Yorkshire Writer Award for his sketch show Deaf Funny in 2018 and has also worked as a journalist. He is based near Leeds. The episode of Casualty which he co-wrote will be broadcast in July, and his CBBC episode will be filmed later this year.

Find out more about Charlie Swinbourne on his website

Find out the latest from the Writers' Access Group (our development group for disabled writers)

2019-02-26T15:37:01+00:00

When I explained to my family that I had been invited to join the BBC Writersroom some thought it was actually a room, somewhere within the BBC, where we would all hang out on sofas eating vegan croissants, drinking tea and discussing characters. If the room did exist, then my idea of it would be a dimly lit bat-cave in the basement with a secret entrance via the Doctor Who Tardis in BBC Broadcasting House reception, (someone should definitely look into making that a thing).

The 10 writers in the Writers' Access Group including David Proud (top left), Amy Bethan Evans, Rebekah Bowsher, Sophie Woolley, Athena Stevens, Charlie Swinbourne, Michael Southan, Ross Willis, Matilda Ibini, Nicola Werenowska

I fell into the industry thirteen years ago as an actor in a CBBC Drama called Desperados and made my way to the BBC Writersroom via EastEnders' Albert Square, playing a bad boy in a wheelchair with a very dodgy haircut. Along the way I became obsessed with storytelling and bringing a more authentic portrayal of disability to scripts. So, thirteen years later I sit in the Writers' Access Group writers' room (not a bat cave), drinking tea (Earl Grey) and eating biscuits (not vegan croissants). I am surrounded by hugely talented disabled writers and we are treated to two days of an utterly brilliant BBC Drama workshop.

David Proud (l) in EastEnders

Day One:

Script Editors Danny Takhar and Clare Batty negotiated the disruption on the Victoria line to come and introduce themselves to the group. Each member of the Writers Access Group (WAG) will be paired with a script editor to work together over the coming months. It was great to chat over and find out more about the relationship between writer and script editor.

The group were then treated to a talk by Simon Harper the Executive Producer on Holby City and Casualty. By the time Simon left I think everyone wanted to write an episode of Holby or Casualty just to be able to work with him, he was so lovely and spoke so nicely about the collaborative nature of writing for continuing drama.

Our last session of the day was with Roanna Benn and Kirstie Swain discussing the new series Pure on Channel 4. We learnt about the producer–writer relationship and how it evolves during production. It was clear to see why Pure is so utterly brilliant, the offscreen dynamic of the creative team sparkled as much as the show does.

Frank Spotnitz with the Writers' Access Group

Day Two:

Still on a high from the day before we rocketed into an amazing session with Frank Spotnitz who explained how every episode of the X-Files was developed. I immediately purchased a cork board, some sharpie pens, index cards and pins, my storyboarding game was raised! I could have listened to Frank talk about the craft all day, what a lovely man.

Next up it was time to meet Ben Irving and Liz Kilgarriff from BBC Commissioning. Hearing about writing from their perspective was eye opening, to know just how many projects they are pitched a week. As a group we bombarded them with so many questions and they were very generous with their time and experience.

Last but no means least was Marco Crivellari who spoke to us about Factual Drama commissioning. Having worked on a great number of hard hitting projects including Murdered by My Father it was interesting to hear how those projects are tackled and how the story is developed and formed.

Frank Spotnitz explains the US writers' room system used on shows like the X Files - breaking down the story's beats and acts on a cork board using cards.

We rounded off the two days having a chat about how we are all finding the Writers Access Group. Bringing together a group of disabled people with differing needs is not easy, it is one of the reasons as a minority we are often fractured and isolated. I am always amazed at the magic that happens when a group of disabled people are brought together, that collective understanding and ambition is like an energy you can feel in the room. I am so grateful to the BBC Writersroom team, Anne Edyvean (Head of BBC Writersroom), Charlotte Moore (Director of Content for the BBC) and Piers Wenger (Controller, BBC Drama Commissioning) for championing the voice of disabled writers. The door of opportunity has to be opened a little wider to allow for disabled access, thank you to all those at the BBC who are kicking it open for us.

If the writers' room bat-cave idea does happen I will of course see you all there, we will take it in turns to bring the croissants.

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Find out more about the Writers' Access Group