My day at the Best In Class TV writing workshop

Best In Class, the initiative supporting working class comedy, held a workshop recently. Having identified a gap in comics taking the step into writing for TV and radio, they put on a day aimed at upskilling performers by demystifying some of the jargon around the industry, offering a tangible writers' room experience and the chance to make useful industry connections. Amanda Hursy, one of the comedians taking part, has written up this account of the day...

The hustle and bustle of a TV writers' room in the heart of London. Ideas flowing around the table, high energy, lots of laughter and a celebratory pint in the pub with colleagues after a successful day creating the future of entertainment!

A taster of what could be, and a far cry away from humble beginnings of growing up on a tough council estate in the east end of Glasgow.

Best In Class supports and promotes working class comedians and it was exciting to attend a TV writers workshop, hosted at Tiger Aspect.

On arrival - calming the nerves of the unknown outside in the rain, taking a deep breath before entering an impressive office block, up the lift, fixing my wet hair in the mirror - I was unsure what to expect.

New to Best In Class, being part of this year's intake, and having worked mainly on the Scottish comedy circuit, I did not yet know anyone. Having moved around a lot as a kid, attending four different schools and having had many different jobs, I was always used to being the newbie and feeling like an outsider looking in.

However, from the minute I entered the building, I was met with a real sense of warmth and belonging. Hugs from Best In Class founder Sian Davies and introducing myself to the alumni, I felt immediately at ease.

I sat myself down with my pen and paper ready for what was next. Beside me was [DLT Entertainment exec] Donald Taffner Jr., only the guy who basically owns half of the comedy world, who generously donated his time to spend the day with us. A friendly and humble man who was easy to get on with, and I had no idea who he was initially, but I think it was refreshing to just have a genuine chat and learn throughout the day.

First up, we heard from Hannah Rose who offered insight into commissioning and broke down some TV script jargon and explained in detail the process of page to screen.

We then heard from Jason Dawson who covered all things topical comedy writing and provided some live examples of how this worked. A fellow Scot, it was great to hear a recognisable voice at the top of the industry.

After lunch, we heard from Saima Ferdows and, as a group, we had fun creating a live story board for a much loved TV show, Only Fools And Horses.

Sarah Asante then brought a presentation to life with video examples of what the industry is looking for and provided tips and tricks of how to get your work visible.

Charlie Perkins then answered all of our questions in our Q&A, and we also learned from Ella Woods on all things audio and podcasts.

An enjoyable day learning and meeting future collaborators and Best In Class alumni. Huge thanks to everyone who made it possible. Exciting to think that the next big comedy TV show will be from the talented people within the workshop.

If you can't wait until then for the laughs, you can catch Best In Class 2024 acts Amanda Hursy, Sean Gorman, Kelly Rickard, Louis Etienne, Garrie Grub, Maxine Wade, Sam Ayinde and Tasha Cluskey at this year's Edinburgh Fringe! We are best in class!