UKTV has ordered a feature length documentary celebrating the life of Britain’s beloved comedy icon Victoria Wood for U&GOLD, the nation’s favourite comedy channel. Produced by BAFTA-winning Rogan Productions, Becoming Victoria Wood (1x90’) delves into the complex inner world of this national treasure nearly ten years after her passing.
The film is produced in association with Phil McIntyre TV, and distributed by Dartmouth Films and will air on U&GOLD next Spring following a nationwide theatrical release.
Victoria Wood remains one of Britain’s most cherished entertainers - a northern comic genius whose work reshaped the landscape of British humour. But behind the joyous persona - the singer, the satirist, the sharp-witted writer - lay a young woman navigating insecurity, anger, and self-doubt. Told in her own words and through the voices of those who knew her best, the film uncovers the formative experiences and personal battles that powered Victoria’s unmatched ability to make the nation laugh.
The film will explore never-before-seen archive material and previously unheard audio recordings, to paint a vivid portrait of the woman behind the fame.
Among the unearthed treasures are her first-ever recorded performance from 1973, behind-the-scenes footage from stage and screen, unseen interviews with Victoria and intimate audio diaries recorded during the making of dinnerladies - candid, confessional entries that reveal the unfiltered Victoria: thoughtful, biting, vulnerable, and funny. From Wood and Walters to As Seen on TV, Pat and Margaret to dinnerladies, the documentary carefully threads her most iconic work into her personal story, highlighting how her lived experience shaped the characters and worlds she created.
Testimony from those closest to her, friends and colleagues from her formative years - brings further insight into her evolution as a performer and person.
Becoming Victoria Wood is commissioned for UKTV by Hilary Rosen, Director of Commissioning, and ordered by Gerald Casey, Director of Programmes, Comedy and Entertainment, and is produced by Rogan Productions with Phil McIntyre TV. Executive producers for Rogan are James Rogan and Mark Hedgecoe with Helen Nightingale for UKTV. The film is directed by Catherine Abbott and the producer is Heather McCorriston. The film is distributed by Dartmouth Films.
Hilary Rosen said: "Without doubt, Victoria Wood is one of the finest comics Britain has ever produced. This new biopic will shine a light on Victoria’s early life, the start of her career, and will go on to explore how she became one of our very best - and beloved - performers, who had the unique ability to capture the absurdity and the tenderness of everyday life in her exquisite writing.”
Gerald Casey said: "It's an incredible privilege to be working with Rogan, Phil Mcintyre and Victoria Wood's estate to bring Victoria Wood's life to U&GOLD viewers. An untold story that's truly cinematic in emotion and scope, this is an ambitious project that fits perfectly with our desire to bring our audience the absolute best of British comedy."
James Rogan, Creative Director at Rogan Productions, added: “I am delighted to be working with U&Gold and Phil McIntyre again after collaborating on the feature documentary Monty Python: The Meaning of Live. Victoria Wood is an icon and a force of comedy. The story of where it all comes from is a fascinating and unexplored area of her extraordinary life. We are looking forward to showcasing her genius and her journey for cinema and television audiences alike, and reminding the world of her unique vision and ability to make us laugh.”
Becoming Victoria Wood will air next Spring on U&GOLD, following a nationwide theatrical release.
Further information on casting and additional contributors will be released at a later date.
Picture credit: Copyright Phil McIntyre TV
