UKTV seeks comedy scripts from older women | Call-out to potential writers

UKTV seeks comedy scripts from older women

Call-out to potential writers

Broadcaster UKTV has issued a call for comedy scripts written by women and which revolve around female lead characters over the age of 45.

Four ideas will be developed by the company, whose channels include Dave and Gold, after getting a live read-through by leading comedy talent.

The initiative is part of a drive from Female Pilot Club, which has previously organised similar read-throughs featuring the likes of Arabella Weir, Tracy-Ann Oberman, Kiell Smith-Bynoe and Robert Webb. This is its first collaboration with a broadcaster.

The club was set up by Abigail Burdess,  Emily Chase and Kay Stonham, who said: ‘Female Pilot Club exists to amplify brilliant female comedy voices and to help great TV pilot scripts take off and fly. We’re excited to partner with UKTV to find some great new comedy scripts written by women.’

And UKTV development executive Lindsey Rost added: ‘Partnerships like this are so important. Working with organisations like the Female Pilot Club, we can identify and elevate talent that too often goes undiscovered.

‘We look forward to seeing some wonderful new comedy come from this initiative, and hope it opens doors for the talented writers who participate.’

A 2018 study by the  Writers’ of Great Britain found that just 11 per cent of TV sitcoms were predominantly female-written.

The latest window for submissions opens today and closes on September 11.  Organisers say they are looking for ‘authentic-feeling, relatable, warm, and upbeat stories that reflect modern life in the UK’ but add that they are not looking for scripts about cancer or terminal illness.

Full details here.

Published: 8 Aug 2022

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