The BBC Comedy Collective, which supports and accelerates the next generation of comedy talent, will be open for applications on Wednesday 8th April.
The supercharged bursary scheme offers 10 places each year to mid-level comedy creatives; a mix of writers, writer/performers, producers, directors, and editors who would like to further their careers in scripted comedy.
Previous bursary winners and BBC Comedy Collective delegates have gone on to make BAFTA-winning TV series, land multiple script commissions, secure agents, write and produce radio shows, and gain directing credits.
Each bursary winner will receive up to £10,000 worth of paid shadowing on a BBC Comedy production, along with an allocated production mentor, plus a £5,000 development grant to put towards the individual’s development. They will also have a dedicated point of contact within the BBC Comedy Commissioning team, and access to the Collective ambassadors.
The BBC Comedy Collective ambassadors are made up of director Christine Gernon, editor Gareth Heal, and producer Ash Atalla, alongside estate representatives including Geoff Schuman and Paul Whitehouse (representing Felix Dexter), Tessa Le Bars and the Galton family (representing the writing partnership of Ray Galton and Alan Simpson), and Lucy Ansbro (representing Caroline Aherne).
The BBC Comedy Collective continues to gain supporters and champions within the industry, constantly increasing the opportunities for the delegates to build strong networks and connections - working with the support of BBC Writers, post houses (including Fifty Fifty, Suite, Splice, The Farm and Envy), Versa Studios and The TV Foundation, to name a few. Indies that have already supported include Hat Trick, Big Talk, BBC Studios, Birdie Pictures, Nice One, VAL, Tidy Productions and Merman. We also work closely with a range of screen agencies from across the UK who will also continue to collectively support the next generation of comedy talent.
Jon Petrie, Director of Comedy at the BBC said: “The BBC Comedy Collective is a fantastic way for emerging comedy talent, both on screen and behind the scenes, to get stuck into the heart of the industry. It’s about opening doors and helping the next wave of voices find their place in the comedy community. We’re thrilled to launch the search for this year’s cohort.”
