The Stage

BBC to fund London accommodation costs for Writers’ Academy talent

Published Tuesday 15 April 2008 at 16:00 by Matthew Hemley

BBC executives have pledged to plough thousands of extra pounds into the Corporation’s annual Writers Academy in a bid to nurture new talent from outside London.

Since its launch four years ago, the academy has not been able to pay students from outside London any money towards the cost of living in the city for a 13-week segment of the scheme. This has meant writers living far away have often found it too costly to fund a place on the course.

But the extra investment from the BBC means the Corporation can now pay writers an allowance to stay in London, so it will be able to accommodate a higher percentage of new talent from around the UK.

BBC controller of drama production John Yorke, who established the academy, told The Stage: “The money means we can get people on the course an overnight allowance, which in the past we could not do. The BBC has decided to put more money into it - basically they have seen the results and realise this is exactly the kind of thing it should be doing.”

The Writers Academy is open to people around the UK who have had at least one professional commission in either television, theatre, radio or film.

Those accepted on to the academy will have the opportunity to work on some of the BBC’s biggest continuing drama series, including Holby City and EastEnders.

Students who secure a place will attend masterclasses from some of the UK’s leading writers, such as Life on Mars’ Tony Jordan and Bodies creator Jed Mercurio.

Yorke said the BBC was considering a number of new initiatives aimed at discovering and nurturing new talent, including bringing back the Corporation’s script editors course following a break of eight years. It will return in the autumn and will initially be open to in-house staff. But Yorke said he hoped it would be opened up to people outside the BBC next year.

Applications for the Writers Academy can be submitted from this week. The deadline is Monday May 12. Details on how to apply can be found at bbc.co.uk/jobs