ITV, BBC fund Dancing Ledge schemes

UK broadcasters ITV and the BBC have agreed to fund a new schemes for writers and directors run by Fremantle-backed prodco Dancing Ledge Productions.

Polly Hill

ITV will support the writers initiative, through which eight A-list scribes will be invited to each choose and mentor a new writer whose work has impressed them.

The new writers will be given non-refundable bursaries and will write pilot episodes for their own original TV series, which their mentors will help place with a prodco and broadcaster.

Polly Hill, head of drama at ITV, said: “I’m delighted we’re able to partner with Dancing Ledge in creating opportunities for new writing talent following the success of last year’s mentoring scheme.

“I commissioned Trigger Point as a direct result of the scheme, which undoubtedly created an opportunity for writer Daniel Brierley that might not have existed otherwise. It’s an excellent initiative and one I look forward to supporting.”

Piers Wenger

The BBC, meanwhile, will back the directors scheme, with eight A-list directors selecting an outstanding new director whose work they admire. Bursaries will pay for the up-and-comers to work as second-unit directors on productions helmed by their mentors.

BBC Drama controller Piers Wenger said: “We want to help with assisting new directors to break through in the British drama sector, to help establish a talent pool which is both creatively rich and truly inclusive. We are delighted to be working with Dancing Ledge on a scheme to help address this.”

Dancing Ledge will also run regular workshops with the mentees and organise mentor and broadcaster masterclasses.

The prodco first set up its writers scheme in 2018. Since then, two series to have come out of the programme have been commissioned by broadcasters: Tony Schumacher’s The Responder for BBC2 and Daniel Brierley’s Trigger Point for ITV.