Partnerships
Partnership is integral to everything that we do at BBC Writers
... out of the blue, it was commissioned by BBC Radio 3 to be adapted for The Verb. And I was ecstatic and terrified in equal measure, because I'd never written an audio-drama before.
As BBC Writers is not, in general, a producing department, partnership is key in achieving our aim of tangible outcomes for writers.
From spring 2021 we are part of the TV Drama Commissioning department in BBC Public Service, however we regularly partner with other parts of the BBC, for example BBC Childrens, Children in Need, BBC Film, BBC Sounds or Research and Development.
Find out more about What We Do
Alongside our work with internal BBC partners we have also regularly worked with organisations outside the BBC, including theatres, production companies, charities, Disabled and D/deaf-led organisations and others. In the first ten years of BBC Writersroom this resulted in successful initiatives including the Royal Court 50 and 24 Degrees schemes. The Northern Exposure scheme partnered with the Everyman and Playhouse in Liverpool, Contact in Manchester, Asian Theatre School in Bradford, West Yorkshire Playhouse in Leeds and Live Theatre in Newcastle. Outcomes included the Khidhaaar! soap for Bradford. Bollywood Shorts partnered with the BFI on short films for BBC Four. The Bang to Write scheme was run with Oldham Coliseum and Tamasha Theatre. Partnerships with organisations included the charity Action for Children and the West Yorkshire Playhouse.
More Partnerships
Awards and Bursaries
Many of our successful partnerships have involved Awards and Bursaries including the Trans Comedy Award, the Wales Writer in Residence, the Hartswood West Award, the Alfred Bradley Bursary and the Popcorn Award for new writing at the Edinburgh Fringe. Find out more about these and other awards and bursaries.
Cineast
A digital short film programme in 2011 produced by BBC Writersroom and B3 Media which supported, developed and produced short films from the next wave of emerging writing, directing and acting talent from the UK’s East and Southeast Asian diaspora. Find out more and Watch Now.
Climate Spring - The Hot House
In 2023 we worked with Climate Spring on their new Hot House opportunity - a development lab for scripted long form TV and feature film projects about climate change which is run in partnership with BFI Network (made possible with National Lottery funding). The Hot House returned in 2024 and 2026.
Continuing Drama New Director's Training Scheme
The Continuing Drama New Director's Training Scheme, run by BBC Writersroom with Directors' UK and ScreenSkills supported early career directors towards their first TV credit on one of the BBC's continuing TV dramas (EastEnders, Casualty, Holby City, Doctors and from 2016 River City). In 2019 the scheme won a Creative Diversity Network Award for Best Partnership.
EAST
Beginning in autumn 2024 we joined up with EAST to deliver a mentoring programme for promising emerging screenwriters. In the first iteration four writers were selected and partnered with experienced industry mentors. The scheme culminated with an event at the Film and TV Charity offices in Soho, London.
Film Network
Four short dramas from emerging writing and directing talent produced in partnership with BBC Film Network and Lighthouse Arts in 2009, which premiered at the Encounters Short Film Festival. Turning by Karni + Saul was nominated for a BAFTA, while Wish 143 written by Tom Bidwell was shortlisted for an OSCAR. Find out more and Watch Now.
Pilot
Pilot runs every two years and offers a script commission for the first episode of a potential BBC Drama series or serial. Each writer is placed with an independent production company to support and develop their episode. This is not a scheme for new, untested writers or experienced writers with significant original television drama credits. Find out more.
The Writers' Access Group
This bi-annual programme is part of the wider BBC's commitment to reflecting the experiences of the UK’s diverse communities in its output and in order to get more realistic and more authentic portrayals of disabled people on air, as well as interesting and complex views from the disabled community.
Write Across
In 2022 BBC Writers launched the first Write Across programme, a development scheme in which each iteration focusses on a specific area of the UK. For the first Write Across, we worked closely with various partners in the Liverpool city region to identify fresh talent and create accessible entry points to the BBC for new writers in the area. Write Across returned in 2024 with a focus on Birmingham & the Black Country in conjunction with Create Central and local partners. Write Across returned for the third time in 2026 working with local partners in the Bradford district.
Writersroom 10 / The Parade
Writersroom 10 in 2011/12 and 2014/15 supported emerging theatre writers and led to a live showcase, short dramas on The Verb on BBC Radio 3 and site specific digital theatre on The Space. Find out more and Watch Now.
