From the horse's mouth: insights from Lucy Lumsden

I am delighted to be running a unique (and uniquely authoritative) course for small groups of 4 TV comedy writers with Lucy Lumsden. To tie in with the course, here is a taster of the kinds of advice and insights Lucy has to offer.

Lucy has had a long and varied career in comedy, including as the first Controller of Comedy Commissioning for the BBC and then as head of Sky Comedy. She now runs her own production company, Yellow Door Productions, and mentors up-and-coming comedy writers and producers. She is also publishing my third book on comedy, The Complete Comedy Script Toolkit, through the new Yellow Door Books imprint! (Published Spring 2025.)

In this feature, I'll share with you some of the advice Lucy offers to writers in our classes, and in her own mentoring sessions.

Here is some advice from Lucy on getting into the TV comedy industry as a writer.

The commissioning process for new comedy shows involves a few key steps:

• Finding a producer: The writer needs to find a producer who understands the industry and can represent their idea.

• Development: The idea is then developed into a script or pilot.

• Pitching the idea: The producer pitches the idea to a commissioner.

• Commissioning decision: A commissioner decides whether to commission the show for a full series.

Let's go through this process.

You'll first need to find a TV producer to champion your ideas.

• Lucy's advice to writers looking to pitch their comedy ideas to producers is to pick their producer carefully by researching who is making the shows they love and approaching producers who align with their comedic style. You should wait until your material is polished and be prepared to show a variety of ideas, including both your own projects and examples of how they could write for others.

• Lucy advises writers to look for a producer who has a track record in the industry and understands how the channels think and how to get to the commissioners. She also says it's important to find someone with whom you click and whose feedback on your idea you like, as you will be going on a long journey with them. Meet with a few producers. Listen to their feedback about your idea and make sure you're aligned.

• The most important thing for a writer to remember when pitching their idea to a producer is to speak from the core of themselves and transmit the passion and integrity for their own project.

When approaching the industry, Lucy advocates:

• Waiting for the right time: Don't rush to pitch your idea; wait until your material is polished and the timing is right.

• Focusing on presentation: Ensure your work is well-presented and professional, as it reflects your craft and dedication.

• Grabbing attention quickly: The first few pages of your script should be surprising and captivating, capturing the essence of your idea.

• Entering competitions and awards: These provide opportunities to gain recognition and open doors for your work.

And most importantly:

• Being true to your voice: Write from your core and stay true to your unique perspective, as this will resonate with audiences and industry professionals alike. Trust your own ideas, as passion and integrity are key to success in the industry.

The commissioner's perspective

As a writer wanting to get a TV show commissioned, it can really help to see things from the commissioner's perspective. Commissioners consider the track record of the production company and they look for shows that are well-presented and have a fresh voice and perspective, and they are also interested in shows that have an autobiographical feel.

From her experience, Lucy talks about the challenges and rewards of commissioning shows:

Challenges

• Volume of ideas: Commissioners are presented with hundreds of ideas, making it challenging to identify the most promising ones.

• Aligning with channel needs: Commissioners must balance their own instincts with the specific requirements and audience of the channel they are working for.

• Competition for slots: Even with great ideas, there is limited space on a channel's schedule, leading to competition between shows for commissioning.

Rewards

• Discovering new talent: Commissioners have the opportunity to identify and support emerging talent, as in the case of Miranda Hart, who Lucy developed and ultimately commissioned her show Miranda.

• Shaping the comedy landscape: Commissioners play a crucial role in shaping the overall comedy landscape by selecting which shows get produced.

• Being part of the creative process: Commissioners get to be involved in the development and creation of comedy shows, contributing to the final product.

• Supporting shows you believe in: As a commissioner, you can champion shows that you feel passionate about and that you believe will resonate with audiences.

More about Lucy and Yellow Door Productions

At Yellow Door Productions, they really care about nurturing relationships and making people feel looked after. The name Yellow Door reflects Lucy's desire to open doors for writers, and the yellow door also reflects her own personal journey, as she painted her own door yellow as an act of defiance after leaving corporate life!

Yellow Door Productions focuses on developing and producing comedy shows, with a recent project being Ruby Speaking, which is available on ITVX. An earlier show The Cockfields, written by David Earl and Joe Wilkinson, has a low-key naturalistic, very simple, character-driven style. The premise of the show is that a boy has to introduce his girlfriend to his eccentric and embarrassing parents, who live on the Isle of Wight. Lucy found the show relatable and enjoyed the study of parent-child relationships. The show is available on BBC iPlayer.

Lucy is currently developing new shows with ITV and the BBC. Her goal with Yellow Door is to create shows that are joyous, unite people, and reflect the audience back to themselves. As a producer, Lucy Lumsden looks for comedy scripts that are surprising, well-presented, and have a fresh voice and perspective. She also appreciates scripts that have an autobiographical feel and convey a sense of joy.

Lucy is excited about the comedy landscape because she sees the potential for a new romcom, a genre that she believes is currently under-represented. She cites shows like Gavin & Stacey and Catastrophe as examples of successful romcoms and expresses her desire for more shows that are joyous and unite people around a relationship. She also has great appreciation for shows like Colin From Accounts and Alma's Not Normal, which are based on true experiences and offer a fresh perspective.

And finally, as Lucy always says, there are opportunities for new writers in TV because comedy is about surprise and fresh voices and perspectives will always cut through.

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Here is the course I run with Lucy, where alongside her vast industry knowledge and personal insight she will offer you, I will also do a deep analysis of your writing to enhance the characters, action and story, and generally make your writing funnier! There is no other course like it.