Quote: Perry Nium @ July 12 2008, 6:40 PM BSTI remember the exact cruel words of my first sitcom rejection when I was in my mid-twenties. The sitcom was set in a pub and the Writer's Room said "It's all here - busty tart barmaid, alcoholic landlord, and all the jokes 'Cheers' wouldn't touch with a bargepole."
But they were right, it was shit.
You're lucky Al Murray picked it up in the end.
Quote: swerytd @ July 12 2008, 5:13 PM BSTI'm just wondering if that is what they do with everybody's first script? Maybe they just log the details and wait for a second script before it's worth bothering actually reading? To put off the people that aren't determined enough to write something new.
Just a (cynical) thought...
Dan
I got a fair bit of feedback on my first script from WR. I was hoping, on the strength of that and the fact that I'd put a lot more thought into my second one, trying to learn from their feedback, that it would be better received. But I got a one paragraph thanks but no thanks.
By then, it had already been optioned by a prod co, which was lucky, as if it hadn't been, I'd have probably have given up writing all together at that point.
Is this the right address?
BBC writersroom
1st Floor
Grafton House
379-381 Euston Road
London
NW1 3AU
Yes... http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/writing/submissions_writersroom.shtml
have you not been to their website?
Yeah but the only place I could finds the address was in the faq and the first time I sent something there it got sent back saying it went to the wrong address!
Thats where I sent mine - it got there okay
Quote: Tom G @ April 19 2009, 12:40 PM BSTYeah but the only place I could finds the address was in the faq and the first time I sent something there it got sent back saying it went to the wrong address!
But to be fair that "something" was a dead vole sticky taped to a live pigeon...
I sent one a couple of years back and got a stereo type reply....we're not looking for that sort of sitcom at present.
Quote: bushbaby @ April 19 2009, 2:16 PM BSTI sent one a couple of years back and got a stereo type reply....we're not looking for that sort of sitcom at present.
Shouldn't you have got two of them?
Quote: KJSmyling @ April 19 2009, 12:50 PM BSTBut to be fair that "something" was a dead vole sticky taped to a live pigeon...
I thought it was fresh and original... perhaps not that fresh.
Hi JS,
I recommend you check out the long list of new talent the WR have 'brought on' over the last couple of years. If you find it, can you let me know? 
Quote: Rhubarb @ April 20 2009, 9:22 AM BSTHi JS,
I recommend you check out the long list of new talent the WR have 'brought on' over the last couple of years. If you find it, can you let me know?
Yeah they are a bunch of useless f**kers who don't even know how to spill talent.
This is all they did for 2008 apart from half reading the tens of thousands of briliant scripts they were sent and ignored.
'Sharps Following an open call for original half-hour scripts from unproduced writers, we whittled down from hundreds of scripts to 25 for a workshop with writer Jack Thorne (Skins), and then selected 10 for a week-long residential, where they began to develop their craft and an original calling card script.
Radio Sitcom Nine emerging comedy writers were targeted for a residential to develop original audience sitcoms for Radio 4. One series and a single comedy were commissioned, with more ideas from the scheme still under consideration.
Radio Drama Series 10 writers went on a residential to generate original series ideas for Radio 4. Four writers have been commissioned, and more are under consideration.
Eastenders Voices 12 writers attended a one-day workshop at Elstree, including a tour of the set and a masterclass from Simon Ashdown. Three writers subsequently went on the full EastEnders shadow scheme.
Sparks Twelve writers brand new to radio drama were brought together to develop their craft and ideas for Radio 4 and Radio 3. Five of the writers have since been commissioned across a range of slots and more are being offered.
B.B.C. Bites We targeted British Born Chinese writing talent through workshops, theatre companies and community groups looking for short film scripts, and selected five writers for further development.
Northern Ireland TV Drama With Northern Ireland Drama, we ran a residential for ten writers to develop their TV craft and explore original ideas.
Silver Street We took five writers to a story workshop day for the Asian Network soap, and two were selected to join the writing team for the show in 2009.
Radio Drama North A workshop day for 10 writers with one radio drama credit looking for a second commission.
Writers Academy We sifted scripts and shortlisted for the final interview stage.
Comedy College We helped select the writers from the final shortlist.
Tony Doyle Award We helped BBC Northern Ireland Drama select the winners.
Partnerships
24 Degrees Working with the Royal Court Theatre, we sought out 24 writers in six cities across the UK – Plymouth, Hull, Nottingham, Glasgow, Cardiff, Belfast - for a six month project. Each city group had a writer-mentor to support them in the writing of a new script, and the writers came together for workshops in London and Manchester.
Action for Children Experienced writers-in-residence in projects for young people in or leaving the care system, including the development of a web drama, Trapped, and short films in Liverpool and London.
NE Voices John Yorke launched this partnership with Northern Film and Media. Five writers developed their calling card TV script with mentoring from Michael Chaplin.
Future Talent Award The BBC announced a major shift of production to Salford, and we targeted universities and colleges providing writer training across the north to find the best new talent coming through their courses.
North West Vision Partnership with BBC Comedy North for three writers to develop original sitcom scripts with writer-mentors, including Graham Duff and Georgia Pritchett.
Tinderbox/Fishamble A partnership with two leading Irish theatre companies and BBC Northern Ireland Drama to bring together Northern Irish and Republic of Ireland writers in a residential to develop new voices and work.
Free Thinking Festival Generation Gap developed short monologues for Radio Merseyside and The Verb on R3, and Tony Marchant's first radio drama 24 Weeks was produced by Kate Rowland 'as-live' at the Bluecoat for BBC Radio 3.
Docks Project A partnership with Paines Plough, Live Theatre, and the Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse, to develop true tales from three cities by nine writers for the Everyword Festival.
Atching Tan We supported the development of the first soap written by and about the UK's Romany traveller community for BBC Local Radio stations in the south and east of England.
Graeae A partnership with BBC Radio Drama to take a group of writers with disabilities on a residential to develop their radio writing craft.
Talawa We supported the Talawa new writer development program, including a speed-dating event with new writers, and a TV masterclass by John Yorke.
Screen Yorkshire We shortlisted the Sparks program of writer development.
Residencies
Kwame Kwei-Armah and Michael Bhim were writers-in-residence at BBC Radio Drama, with Kwame also mentoring Michael as a new writer for radio.
Angie Clarke was our writer-in-residence for the Free Thinking Festival in Liverpool, and the Generation Gap project with BBC Merseyside.
Rob Hockley shadowed Keith Brumpton, the creator of MI High, on the third series of the show. Rob came through our unsolicited system.'
Took me two seconds to find that Rhubarb and this.
Keith Brumpton
Keith entered our Story 2k2 competition for northern writers. His script was shortlisted and he was subsequently invited to a CBBC writers' day, where he pitched an idea called Spy Chix. His idea impressed everyone involved and he was encouraged to develop it further. After teaming up with independent production company Kudos, it was commissioned by CBBC as MI High. The successful show will soon have a third series.
Leah Chillery
Leah sent us an impressive unsolicited stage play and was invited onto our Sparks radio drama group in 2006. Her first radio drama was subsequently produced in the Takeaway series for the Afternoon Play on Radio 4. Leah then came on our EastEnders Voices scheme in 2008 and was subsequently taken on to the full EastEnders shadow scheme. She has most recently been selected as one of eight writers/teams for the first BBC College of Comedy, and is developing an original sitcom and storylining for Grown Ups, both with BBC Three.
Sarah Phelps
Sarah came to our notice through Paines Plough Theatre Company. She was invited on our Sparks radio scheme and went on to write two Afternoon Plays, a Friday Play adaptation and a Woman's Hour serial for Radio 4, along with 42 episodes of Westway on the World Service. Sarah was also invited on a CBBC Comedy Drama scheme and had an original series commissioned by CBBC. Since then, she has become a core member of the writing team for EastEnders, written for Holby Blue and adapted Oliver Twist for BBC1. Sarah has also written for No Angels on Channel 4.
Mark Catley
Mark was the first writer to be commissioned as part of our Northern Exposure partnership with the West Yorkshire Playhouse, which has already resulted in three hugely successful productions with the theatre. Mark has written two plays for BBC Radio 4 and was among eight writers selected for the first BBC Drama Writers Academy in 2005, which led to him writing for EastEnders, Holby City, Casualty, and Doctors on BBC ONE. He has since become the lead writer and Story Producer for Casualty.
Read our interview with Mark.
Paul Farrell
Paul sent in an unsolicited script that impressed us and was selected for a week long residential scheme to develop ideas for returning crime shows. He worked intensively on an idea and pitched it to BBC executives. It was soon commissioned to treatment, then to script, and his two-parter was broadcast in the 2006 season of Silent Witness on BBC1. Paul also took part in our BBC Films scheme to develop writers new to the department. He has since been produced for Waking the Dead on BBC1, commissioned for Primeval on ITV and is on a development scheme with Eon Films.
Katie Douglas
Katie entered Northern Exposure's 5 Writers for Liverpool competition and was given a bursary award to develop her work. With this, she wrote Here Come the Clowns, which we presented in a reading at the Actors Centre. Katie was picked up by Fred Barron to join the writing team for the BBC1 comedy According to Bex. Since then she has written Grown Ups on BBC Three, Young Dracula and MI High for CBBC, After You've Gone and My Hero for BBC1, Hollyoaks: In the City for Channel 4, Secret Diary of a Call Girl for ITV, and has had original ideas commissioned for the BBC and Shine.
Ian Kershaw
Ian came to our attention through the Flip the Script events at Manchester Contact Theatre, which led to a production of Get Ken Barlow at Watford Palace Theatre. He was invited to workshops including Writing for Radio, and began developing his first radio play which aired on Radio 4 in 2006. Ian was selected for the BBC Drama Writers Academy in 2006, writing episodes for EastEnders, Holby City, Casualty, and Doctors. He also won the North West Writer Prize in the Bruntwood Playwrighting Competition 2006 and has been commissioned by Oldham Coliseum. Pick Ups, Ian's six-part original series for Radio 4, stars John Thomson and airs in 2008. He has also been commissioned for Shameless on Channel 4.
Lucy Catherine
Lucy has written numerous radio plays for Radio 4. She was selected for our BBC Mentors scheme, where she was mentored by Jimmy McGovern and her 30 minute TV single drama The Caravan was broadcast by BBC Choice. Lucy then went on to write an episode of Casualty. In 2006 Lucy came on our Interactive Serials residential scheme and an idea she co-created with two other writers on the scheme, Darke Town, has been commissioned by BBC Serials. She is also under commission to write further original dramas for the BBC.
Levi David Addai
Levi was nominated for The 50 mentoring scheme in 2006 by the Royal Court Theatre, following the his first play 92.4 FM. He was invited on to our EastEnders Voices scheme to bring diverse new writers to the show and was subsequently invited on to the full EastEnders shadow scheme. Levi's first episode was broadcast in 2007 and he has been commissioned for a second. His second play will be produced at the Royal Court in 2008.
Sasha Hails
Sasha came on our Cbeebies schemes in 2002 and subsequently wrote for The Story Makers. She then went on to write numerous episodes for the BBC World Service series Westway and in 2005 was selected for the first BBC Drama Series Writers Academy, writing episodes for EastEnders, Holby City, Casualty, and Doctors. In 2006, Sasha was nominated for The 50, our year long collaboration with the Royal Court Theatre, and has since become one of the core writers for Casualty on BBC ONE.
Karen Laws
Karen won our Northern Exposure competition in 2002, judged by Paul Mayhew-Archer and Lee Hall. She was subsequently mentored by Paul Mayhew-Archer, and went on to write three episodes for Two Pints of Lager (And a Packet of Crisps). She also has an original sitcom in development with BBC Comedy. Karen took part in our NE Voices scheme to develop TV drama calling card scripts, in partnership with Northern Film & Media; she was subsequently selected for the 2007 BBC Drama Writers Academy and is writing for EastEnders, Doctors, Casualty, and Holby City.
Shakeel Ahmed
Shakeel responded to an open call for Muslim writers for a forthcoming comedy show, The Green Mosque. His work impressed us and he was invited to a week-long residential scheme to develop a calling-card script for TV. Shakeel is one of three writers who received a bursary to work with BBC Comedy in Manchester and is being mentored by Graham Duff, writer of Ideal on BBC Three He will be taking part in our 2008 EastEnders Voices scheme to bring diverse writers to the attention of the show.
Quote: Marc P @ April 20 2009, 9:47 AM BSTYeah they are a bunch of useless f**kers who don't even know how to spill talent.
This is all they did for 2008 apart from half reading the tens of thousands of briliant scripts they were sent and ignored.
'Sharps Following an open call for original half-hour scripts from unproduced writers, we whittled down from hundreds of scripts to 25 for a workshop with writer Jack Thorne (Skins), and then selected 10 for a week-long residential, where they began to develop their craft and an original calling card script.
Radio Sitcom Nine emerging comedy writers were targeted for a residential to develop original audience sitcoms for Radio 4. One series and a single comedy were commissioned, with more ideas from the scheme still under consideration.
Radio Drama Series 10 writers went on a residential to generate original series ideas for Radio 4. Four writers have been commissioned, and more are under consideration.
Eastenders Voices 12 writers attended a one-day workshop at Elstree, including a tour of the set and a masterclass from Simon Ashdown. Three writers subsequently went on the full EastEnders shadow scheme.
Sparks Twelve writers brand new to radio drama were brought together to develop their craft and ideas for Radio 4 and Radio 3. Five of the writers have since been commissioned across a range of slots and more are being offered.
B.B.C. Bites We targeted British Born Chinese writing talent through workshops, theatre companies and community groups looking for short film scripts, and selected five writers for further development.
Northern Ireland TV Drama With Northern Ireland Drama, we ran a residential for ten writers to develop their TV craft and explore original ideas.
Silver Street We took five writers to a story workshop day for the Asian Network soap, and two were selected to join the writing team for the show in 2009.
Radio Drama North A workshop day for 10 writers with one radio drama credit looking for a second commission.
Writers Academy We sifted scripts and shortlisted for the final interview stage.
Comedy College We helped select the writers from the final shortlist.
Tony Doyle Award We helped BBC Northern Ireland Drama select the winners.
Partnerships
24 Degrees Working with the Royal Court Theatre, we sought out 24 writers in six cities across the UK – Plymouth, Hull, Nottingham, Glasgow, Cardiff, Belfast - for a six month project. Each city group had a writer-mentor to support them in the writing of a new script, and the writers came together for workshops in London and Manchester.
Action for Children Experienced writers-in-residence in projects for young people in or leaving the care system, including the development of a web drama, Trapped, and short films in Liverpool and London.
NE Voices John Yorke launched this partnership with Northern Film and Media. Five writers developed their calling card TV script with mentoring from Michael Chaplin.
Future Talent Award The BBC announced a major shift of production to Salford, and we targeted universities and colleges providing writer training across the north to find the best new talent coming through their courses.
North West Vision Partnership with BBC Comedy North for three writers to develop original sitcom scripts with writer-mentors, including Graham Duff and Georgia Pritchett.
Tinderbox/Fishamble A partnership with two leading Irish theatre companies and BBC Northern Ireland Drama to bring together Northern Irish and Republic of Ireland writers in a residential to develop new voices and work.
Free Thinking Festival Generation Gap developed short monologues for Radio Merseyside and The Verb on R3, and Tony Marchant's first radio drama 24 Weeks was produced by Kate Rowland 'as-live' at the Bluecoat for BBC Radio 3.
Docks Project A partnership with Paines Plough, Live Theatre, and the Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse, to develop true tales from three cities by nine writers for the Everyword Festival.
Atching Tan We supported the development of the first soap written by and about the UK's Romany traveller community for BBC Local Radio stations in the south and east of England.
Graeae A partnership with BBC Radio Drama to take a group of writers with disabilities on a residential to develop their radio writing craft.
Talawa We supported the Talawa new writer development program, including a speed-dating event with new writers, and a TV masterclass by John Yorke.
Screen Yorkshire We shortlisted the Sparks program of writer development.
Residencies
Kwame Kwei-Armah and Michael Bhim were writers-in-residence at BBC Radio Drama, with Kwame also mentoring Michael as a new writer for radio.
Angie Clarke was our writer-in-residence for the Free Thinking Festival in Liverpool, and the Generation Gap project with BBC Merseyside.
Rob Hockley shadowed Keith Brumpton, the creator of MI High, on the third series of the show. Rob came through our unsolicited system.'
Took me two seconds to find that Rhubarb and this.
Keith Brumpton
Keith entered our Story 2k2 competition for northern writers. His script was shortlisted and he was subsequently invited to a CBBC writers' day, where he pitched an idea called Spy Chix. His idea impressed everyone involved and he was encouraged to develop it further. After teaming up with independent production company Kudos, it was commissioned by CBBC as MI High. The successful show will soon have a third series.
Leah Chillery
Leah sent us an impressive unsolicited stage play and was invited onto our Sparks radio drama group in 2006. Her first radio drama was subsequently produced in the Takeaway series for the Afternoon Play on Radio 4. Leah then came on our EastEnders Voices scheme in 2008 and was subsequently taken on to the full EastEnders shadow scheme. She has most recently been selected as one of eight writers/teams for the first BBC College of Comedy, and is developing an original sitcom and storylining for Grown Ups, both with BBC Three.
Sarah Phelps
Sarah came to our notice through Paines Plough Theatre Company. She was invited on our Sparks radio scheme and went on to write two Afternoon Plays, a Friday Play adaptation and a Woman's Hour serial for Radio 4, along with 42 episodes of Westway on the World Service. Sarah was also invited on a CBBC Comedy Drama scheme and had an original series commissioned by CBBC. Since then, she has become a core member of the writing team for EastEnders, written for Holby Blue and adapted Oliver Twist for BBC1. Sarah has also written for No Angels on Channel 4.
Mark Catley
Mark was the first writer to be commissioned as part of our Northern Exposure partnership with the West Yorkshire Playhouse, which has already resulted in three hugely successful productions with the theatre. Mark has written two plays for BBC Radio 4 and was among eight writers selected for the first BBC Drama Writers Academy in 2005, which led to him writing for EastEnders, Holby City, Casualty, and Doctors on BBC ONE. He has since become the lead writer and Story Producer for Casualty.
Read our interview with Mark.
Paul Farrell
Paul sent in an unsolicited script that impressed us and was selected for a week long residential scheme to develop ideas for returning crime shows. He worked intensively on an idea and pitched it to BBC executives. It was soon commissioned to treatment, then to script, and his two-parter was broadcast in the 2006 season of Silent Witness on BBC1. Paul also took part in our BBC Films scheme to develop writers new to the department. He has since been produced for Waking the Dead on BBC1, commissioned for Primeval on ITV and is on a development scheme with Eon Films.
Katie Douglas
Katie entered Northern Exposure's 5 Writers for Liverpool competition and was given a bursary award to develop her work. With this, she wrote Here Come the Clowns, which we presented in a reading at the Actors Centre. Katie was picked up by Fred Barron to join the writing team for the BBC1 comedy According to Bex. Since then she has written Grown Ups on BBC Three, Young Dracula and MI High for CBBC, After You've Gone and My Hero for BBC1, Hollyoaks: In the City for Channel 4, Secret Diary of a Call Girl for ITV, and has had original ideas commissioned for the BBC and Shine.
Ian Kershaw
Ian came to our attention through the Flip the Script events at Manchester Contact Theatre, which led to a production of Get Ken Barlow at Watford Palace Theatre. He was invited to workshops including Writing for Radio, and began developing his first radio play which aired on Radio 4 in 2006. Ian was selected for the BBC Drama Writers Academy in 2006, writing episodes for EastEnders, Holby City, Casualty, and Doctors. He also won the North West Writer Prize in the Bruntwood Playwrighting Competition 2006 and has been commissioned by Oldham Coliseum. Pick Ups, Ian's six-part original series for Radio 4, stars John Thomson and airs in 2008. He has also been commissioned for Shameless on Channel 4.
Lucy Catherine
Lucy has written numerous radio plays for Radio 4. She was selected for our BBC Mentors scheme, where she was mentored by Jimmy McGovern and her 30 minute TV single drama The Caravan was broadcast by BBC Choice. Lucy then went on to write an episode of Casualty. In 2006 Lucy came on our Interactive Serials residential scheme and an idea she co-created with two other writers on the scheme, Darke Town, has been commissioned by BBC Serials. She is also under commission to write further original dramas for the BBC.
Levi David Addai
Levi was nominated for The 50 mentoring scheme in 2006 by the Royal Court Theatre, following the his first play 92.4 FM. He was invited on to our EastEnders Voices scheme to bring diverse new writers to the show and was subsequently invited on to the full EastEnders shadow scheme. Levi's first episode was broadcast in 2007 and he has been commissioned for a second. His second play will be produced at the Royal Court in 2008.
Sasha Hails
Sasha came on our Cbeebies schemes in 2002 and subsequently wrote for The Story Makers. She then went on to write numerous episodes for the BBC World Service series Westway and in 2005 was selected for the first BBC Drama Series Writers Academy, writing episodes for EastEnders, Holby City, Casualty, and Doctors. In 2006, Sasha was nominated for The 50, our year long collaboration with the Royal Court Theatre, and has since become one of the core writers for Casualty on BBC ONE.
Karen Laws
Karen won our Northern Exposure competition in 2002, judged by Paul Mayhew-Archer and Lee Hall. She was subsequently mentored by Paul Mayhew-Archer, and went on to write three episodes for Two Pints of Lager (And a Packet of Crisps). She also has an original sitcom in development with BBC Comedy. Karen took part in our NE Voices scheme to develop TV drama calling card scripts, in partnership with Northern Film & Media; she was subsequently selected for the 2007 BBC Drama Writers Academy and is writing for EastEnders, Doctors, Casualty, and Holby City.
Shakeel Ahmed
Shakeel responded to an open call for Muslim writers for a forthcoming comedy show, The Green Mosque. His work impressed us and he was invited to a week-long residential scheme to develop a calling-card script for TV. Shakeel is one of three writers who received a bursary to work with BBC Comedy in Manchester and is being mentored by Graham Duff, writer of Ideal on BBC Three He will be taking part in our 2008 EastEnders Voices scheme to bring diverse writers to the attention of the show.
I do like it when you get aggressive, Marc. 
