BBC Writers

NEW BLOG POST - Follow the Money by Ayad Andrews 📻   Ayad Andrews introduces his new Audio Drama, which explores the genesis of the landmark film about the Watergate Scandal, All the President’s Men.   In 1976, America was still reeling from the Watergate scandal. President Nixon had resigned and public faith in its politicians had been shaken to its core. Into this febrile climate arrived All the President’s Men, a film that would become one of the most celebrated American movies of the 20th century.   Ayad Andrews' new drama Follow the Money tells the story behind the creation of the film. Ayad's new audio drama stars James Purefoy (William Goldman), Rupert Evans (Robert Redford), Kevin Bishop (Carl Bernstein), and Tom Brittney (Bob Woodward).    Head over to our website to read about the creation of this new audio drama produced by CPL productions - linked below. You can also listen to Follow The Money now on BBC Sounds! https://lnkd.in/eVjdr9D3

Struggling with Beat Sheets? Then check out our new Blog Post: Beat Sheets - Making Your Scenes Do More Work, by Writer and Director, Danny Stack.    "Here's something that happens to every writer, at every level. You've got a scene that technically works. The characters are there, the information’s working, the story moves forward. But it reads flat. There's no spark. It's functional furniture, not storytelling. That's where beat sheets come in.    "A beat sheet is a planning tool for your scene, and it does one simple, important thing: it makes you think about your scene in terms of dramatic structure before you write a single line of dialogue. You can use it at the planning stage, or drag it out during a rewrite when a scene isn't quite firing. Either way, it's one of the most practical techniques in a screenwriter's kit." - Danny Stack   Head over to our website linked below to read Danny's wonderful blog post and learn how to nail your beat sheets! https://lnkd.in/eRTXpkCN

“I think at the heart of any good idea is a great risk…” - Richard Gadd on his top three writing tips 🖋️   BBC Writers were lucky enough to sit down with the wonderful Richard Gadd ahead of the premiere of his new BBC One series Half Man. You can now watch the full interview with Richard on our website (link in comments) where he talks all about the craft of writing, how to protect yourself when writing from personal experience, and introduces his new series.    Half Man is available to watch on iPlayer from 24th April in the UK and will air on HBO in the US 📺

Are you looking for somewhere to submit your writing? Here’s a selection of the current non-BBC Writers opportunities that are live right now! For the complete list of necessary details and entry requirements for the free-to-enter writing opportunities outlined below - head to the opportunities page on the BBC Writers Website for more information: 1 - Film Hub North | Script Lab 2026 - Deadline: 17.00 on Monday 11th May 2026 A programme for new writers based in the North of England which sees their short film idea develop into a script that’s production ready. 2 - Perth Theatre | Scratch Night - Deadline: 23.59 on Monday 20th April 2026 Perth Theatre is seeking exciting new writing in the early stages of development for an upcoming Scratch Night. 3 - Rebound Productions | Search for New Playwrights - Deadline: Midnight on Friday 30th of April 2026 Rebound Productions are looking for a series of one act fictional stage plays to be produced. 4 - Caromoon Productions | Playwriting Programme -Deadline: 5pm on Sunday 26th April 2026 Eight writers will be selected to take an idea and craft it into a full length play over the course of four months. 5 - The Big Bite-Size Breakfast Show | Bite-Size Plays in association with Pleasance Theatre Trust - Deadline: 12:00 pm on Friday 1st May 2026 Bite-Size Plays in association with Pleasance Theatre are searching for new 10-15 minute plays to be performed as part of this year's Edinburgh Fringe Festival. 6 - The Bay International Film Festival | Screenwriting Club - Monthly Meet Ups For those who enjoy screenwriting but prefer not to work alone, the monthly Screenwriters Club group in Lancaster offers a space to write alongside others. 7 - Playwrights' Studio Scotland | National Script Reading Service - Rolling Submissions Playwrights' Studio Scotland's free script reading service provides an opportunity for Scotland's writers to receive valuable script feedback from theatre professionals. 8 - Stolen Moments | Writer Call Out - Rolling submissions A call out for short plays from Welsh and Wales-based writers for a new theatre platform. Our opportunities page is constantly being updated throughout the year with new free-to-enter opportunities from organisations outside the BBC. Additionally, you can also send us your own events and opportunities - for more information on what events we can list on our website, head to the Opportunities Page Listing Requests section of our website!

The BBC Comedy Collective is currently open for applications until 23.59 on Wednesday 6th May. This supercharged bursary scheme offers 10 places each year to mid-level comedy creatives; a mix of writers, writer/performers, producers, directors and editors. It’s not an entry level opportunity as applicants must have at least one credit in their chosen field, although this can be across any platform eg TV, radio, theatre, podcast, stand up, short film or commercials. Find out full information and apply via the BBC Comedy Commissioning website linked below: https://lnkd.in/eik8xExc

"The most compelling thing to bring to a script, is you..." - our new Be Inspired interview with Russell T Davies is now live on our website!    Russell was kind enough to take time out of his schedule at the New Writing North Screenwriting Weekender at the start of the year to talk with BBC Writers about his writing career, his best writing advice, and much more.    Watch the full video interview with Russell linked below - and head to our website for a plethora of other writer interviews and resources to help with your writing career! https://lnkd.in/eV55pqgg

NEW BLOG POST - Babies ✍   Writer and Director Stefan Golaszewski (Mum, Marriage, Him & Her) introduces his new bittersweet love story for BBC One.   Babies is a gripping, warm and urgent love story about a couple struggling through the experience of pregnancy loss. Lisa and Stephen (30s) suffer multiple miscarriages, their hope heroic in the face of grief. As the audience yearns for them, roots for them, feels for them, there is always the glow of hope, humour and love. The series also follows Amanda and Dave - a new couple navigating their own challenges and testing their compatibility.    Their complex relationship, set against Lisa and Stephen’s ongoing pregnancy journey, begins to expose cracks in Stephen and Dave’s long-standing friendship.   Stefan Golaszewski introduces Babies on our website linked below: https://lnkd.in/eWAq8UXQ  

NEW BLOG POST - Taking my Long Story Short Film to the SXSW Festival by Theo James Krekis 📣   Theo James Krekis' short film Jealous People are Ugly People was recently screened at SXSW Festival in Austin, Texas. In our latest blog post he outlines the experience... featuring Andrew Scott.   Check out Theo's blog, linked below, and be sure to head over to BBC iPlayer to watch Jealous People Are Ugly People as well as our other wonderful Long Story Short films if you haven't already 📺 https://lnkd.in/eWKQret4

"If you can't answer each of those questions, it may well suggest why you haven't got a story that works" - John Yorke discussing his 10 Questions 📣   John Yorke was kind enough to sit down with BBC Writers and film a short video explainer going through his now-legendary 10 Questions for writers. If you head over to the resources section of our website (linked below) you can now find a video of John going through the 10 questions in detail and then applying them to some TV examples!   John Yorke created the BBC Drama Academy in 2005, to nurture the next generation of TV writing talent. As well as his work as a teacher and story consultant, John is also a drama producer. In his various roles as Controller of BBC Drama, Head of Channel 4 Drama and MD of Company Pictures, he oversaw the production of some of the UK’s best loved, award winning drama, including Shameless, EastEnders, Life on Mars, and Wolf Hall.    John Yorke is also the author of the acclaimed screenwriting book Into the Woods – How Stories Work and Why We Tell Them and follow up Trip to the Moon, released in 2026 📖 https://lnkd.in/e73mcmic

Brilliant to see a former member of our Voices Wales 2025 group writing an episode of EastEnders. Congratulations to Niall Grant-Rowlands!