#wggbawards
THE WRITERS’ GUILD AWARDS
PROGRAMME
The Royal College of Physicians 11 St Andrews Place, Regent’s Park, London NW1 4LE
Monday 15 JanUARY 2018
The Writers’ Guild of Great Britain is a trade union registered at 134 Tooley Street, London SE1 2TU @TheWritersGuild www.writersguild.org.uk PRESIDENT’S WELCOME THE WRITERS’ GUILD AWARDS Welcome to the Writers’
Guild Awards 2018. Photo: Robert Taylor Photography
Isn’t it great to be in a roomful of achievement to be on the shortlist, let alone your peers? To a man and woman, to win. Congratulations to you and thanks to professional liars. And in a post-truth all our juries who have laboured mightily to world, is it any surprise that we are pick the best of the best. in a golden age of writing? The more Making this evening possible is a group of life outside is disappointing, the more spectacular organisations and companies who beautiful and necessary the cabaret work with writers year round but have given becomes. This year we have games that us their support tonight to honour you, the model mental illness, radio plays that give writers. Huge thanks to our lead sponsor LEAD SPONSOR voice to the voiceless, television shows ALCS, to major sponsors ITV, BBC Drama and that examine painfully buried secrets BBC Worldwide, to Company Pictures, Silver and offer surprising new visions of the Reel, Nick Hern Books and Lionsgate. If you past. We have a revived Best First Novel meet a sponsor tonight please praise them, Award and an entirely new category, Best love them – in a non-threatening, appropriate Online Comedy, a welcome recognition manner – appreciate them as best you can. Thank you to all our sponsors that great talent doesn’t wait for permission. Have a wonderful evening. In every category the number of potential Olivia Hetreed worthy nominees has been almost WGGB President overwhelming, so it really is a tremendous
HISTORY OF THE AWARDS
Since they were established in 1961, the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain Awards have been honouring the cream of British writers and writing. The Awards also recognise the importance of our work in preserving freedom of speech, and championing writing as an essential part of our national and international culture. Previous winners include: danny Boyle Jimmy McGovern Alan Bennett Richard Curtis Lynda La Plante Tom Stoppard Jo Brand Anthony Minghella Steve McQueen Matthew Vaughn Roddy Doyle Kay Mellor dawn French Jennifer Saunders Russell T. Davies
The Writers’ Guild Awards @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards The Writers’ Guild Awards PROGRAMME OF EVENTS
6.30pm Champagne and canapés reception 7.00pm Welcome by WGGB President Olivia Hetreed
The WGGB 2018 Awards ceremony Hosted by Vicki Pepperdine Best Online Comedy Best Long Running TV Series Best Writing in a Video Game Best Children’s TV Episode Best Radio Comedy Best Long Form TV Drama Best First Novel Best First Screenplay Remembering WGGB members Best Radio Drama Best Play for Young Audiences Best Play Best Screenplay Best TV Situation Comedy Best Short Form TV Drama Outstanding Contribution to Writing
9.00pm Celebration drinks and canapés 11.00pm Bar close & carriages
The Writers’ Guild Awards @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards ABOUT WGGB
The Writers’ Guild of Great Britain (WGGB) is the TUC-affiliated trade union representing professional writers in TV, film, theatre, radio, books, poetry, comedy, The Future of UK Television Writing in Leeds was just one of many events organised by WGGB in 2017 animation and videogames. Photo: Paul Harness Photography
Our members also include emerging and aspiring writers
(known as our Candidate Members). “
We have been negotiating better pay and working conditions for writers since Perhaps the best example of reach into the new economy is the 1959. The national agreements we have in place cover key employers, including well-established Writers’ Guild of Great Britain which goes some the BBC, ITV, National Theatre, Royal Court and Royal Shakespeare Company. way to bringing worker representation to the expanding online world, “
We have attracted high-profile members throughout our 58-year history, videogames and creative content of all sorts.” and continue to do so today. Their names include, among many others: screenwriters Steven Moffat, Mike Leigh, Kay Mellor, Emma Thompson Journalist, academic, banker and former Blair and Paul Laverty; playwrights Tom Stoppard, April De Angelis, Laura Wade speechwriter Philip Collins, writing on ‘tomorrow’s and Mike Bartlett; authors Tony Robinson, Stella Duffy, Sandi Toksvig trade unions’ in ideas magazine Prospect and David Nicholls.
We lobby and campaign on behalf of writers, to ensure their voices are heard in a rapidly changing digital landscape, and we wield influence over politicians in Westminster, Brussels, Holyrood, Cardiff Bay and beyond. BECOME A MEMBER We offer a range of benefits to our members, including free training, contract vetting, a pension scheme, Welfare Fund, entry to our Find A We welcome all professional writers working in the fields we represent, Writer directory, a weekly ebulletin, plus member-only events and discounts. and have a variety of membership options, including one for aspiring/ emerging writers (Candidate Members) and Affiliate Members. You can join online at www.writersguild.org.uk or by phoning our membership team on 0207 833 0777
The Writers’ Guild Awards @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards The Writers’ Guild Awards ACHIEVEMENTS IN 2017
In film... IN BOOKS... We have gained funding for a major survey our Books Committee represents poets on gender equality in the film and TV and non-fiction writers as well as writers industries, which will form the basis of of prose and deals with various issues of a campaign. relevance to them. We have run a series of free, exclusive We have supported libraries, museums and WGGB member film screenings, and galleries against devastating cuts. offered members the chance to attend film We have launched the new Best First Novel premieres, including Q&As with writers, Writers’ Guild Award. directors and leading cast members. We have started work on revising our film agreement with Pact. IN ANIMATION... WGGB continues to offer its members free screenings of current and upcoming film releases Photo: shutterstock.com/KEN226 our ‘locked box’ deal with the British Film We have revised our Guidelines for Institute (BFI) ensures that writers now get Animation Writers and have produced a share (alongside producers and directors) a best-practice guide for industry We have been working across all our craft areas to protect writers’ of recouped income from feature films professionals in collaboration with the rights during the Brexit negotiations. supported with Lottery Funding through the Personal Managers’ Association. BFI Film Fund (and held in a ‘locked box’ for reinvestment in the British film industry). Children’s animation scriptwriters are now In television... Alongside sister unions BECTU and eligible for the WGGB pension. the NUJ, we have boycotted the Writers Digital Payments, set up by broadcasters’ Project Diamond diversity WGGB and the Personal Managers’ IN RADIO... initiative, until the broadcasters release IN VIDEOGAMES… Association, ensures writers get paid programme-level data. We have negotiated special fees for the whenever their work is shown online. Home Front Radio 4 drama serial. We hold events, including an annual panel Since the scheme was established in 2015, In theatre... event with the International Game Writers Digital Payments has paid out over We meet regularly with the BBC to raise Developers Association. We negotiate fee increases for playwrights £2 million to writers whose work has been issues on pay and conditions for radio working under our agreements with the shown on BBC iPlayer and ITV Player. writers, which are enshrined in our Independent Theatre Council, UK Theatre national agreements. We negotiate regular fee increases for and TNC (Royal Court, Royal Shakespeare IN COMEDY… writers working under our national Company and National Theatre). We launched a new series of Radio Drama The newly formed Comedy Committee agreements with the BBC, ITV and Pact. Roadshows around the UK. We organise the annual Olwen Wymark has launched the Best Online Comedy We work collectively with other Theatre Encouragement Awards. We organise the annual Tinniswood audio Writers’ Guild Award and held an event unions to combat bullying, harassment drama script award, alongside the Society on sitcom writing with comedy legends We organise an annual Literary Managers’ by managers and colleagues as part of the of Authors, which is presented at the BBC Marks and Gran. Forum to discuss issues directly with Creating Without Conflict campaign. Audio Drama Awards. theatres and touring companies. Our Free is NOT an Option campaign tackles the issue of unpaid development our Welsh branch has called on the Arts work in film and TV. Council of Wales to carry out a full review of the lack of opportunities for playwrights working in the Welsh language.
The Writers’ Guild Awards @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards The Writers’ Guild Awards BEST ONLINE COMEDY Best Long Running TV Series
A Hard Brexit Coronation Barney Fishwick and Street, Will Hislop Episode 9251 Damon Alexis-Rochefort
Meet the city boys Emmerdale, secretly voting Episode 7699 for Corbyn! “Inside the Mind of Dementia” Gabriel Bisset-Smith Maxine Alderton
Showreel for Holby City, One Word or Series 19, Episode 2 Less Parts “Rocket Man” Marek Larwood Peter Mattessi
The Writers’ Guild Awards @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards The Writers’ Guild Awards Best Writing in a Video Game Best Children’s TV Episode
Battlefield 1 Counterfeit Cat Steven Hall, Zachary Betka, “Room of Panic” Mark Bristol, Matt Gibbs, Tim Bain Justin Villiers
Hellblade: Counterfeit Cat Senua’s Sacrifice “Sardonians of Tameem Antoniades and the Galaxy” Elizabeth Ashman-Rowe Ciaran Murtagh and Andrew Jones
Subsurface The Worst Witch Circular “The Mists of Time” Mike Bithell Nick Leather
The Writers’ Guild Awards @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards The Writers’ Guild Awards Best RADIO COMEDY Best Long Form TV Drama
John Finnemore’s Bang, Episode 1 Double Acts, Roger Williams Series 2, Episode 4 “Penguin Diplomacy” John Finnemore
Kevin Eldon Will Line of Duty, See You Now, Series 3, Series 4 Episode 1 “Tarquin and the Tiny Studio” Jed Mercurio Kevin Eldon, Jason Hazeley and Joel Morris
Sarah Kendall: Taboo Australian Trilogy “A Day In October” Chips Hardy, Steven Knight, Sarah Kendall Ben Hervey and Emily Ballou
The Writers’ Guild Awards @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards The Writers’ Guild Awards Best First Novel Best FIRST SCREENPLAY
Montpelier Parade God’s Own Country Karl Geary Francis Lee
The Bureau of Jawbone Second Chances Johnny Harris Sheena Kalayil
Under the Shadow Towards Mellbreak Babak Anvari Marie-Elsa Bragg
The Writers’ Guild Awards @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards The Writers’ Guild Awards REMEMBERING WGGB MEMBERS
During the ceremony we will also pay tribute to other members we Alan Simpson: have lost during the past year 1929-2017 Rosemary Anne Sisson pictured with former Alan Simpson (left) By WGGB Chair Gail Renard Rosemary Anne Sisson: WGGB General Secretary Bernie Corbett 1923-2017
WGGB stalwart Rosemary Anne Sisson, she was determined that more women’s voices Alan Simpson was half of one of Britain’s This was a far cry from “Take my wife – please!” most important comedy writing Even as a child, I knew I wanted to be in comedy. distinguished author and scriptwriter, be heard in the industry as well as on our own partnerships. Alan was born in Brixton and sadly died in 2017 aged 93. committees. It was Romy who first suggested that After reading that cover, I knew I didn’t want to his bad luck was contracting tuberculosis I join the TV Committee, nudged me towards be a performer like Tony Hancock, but a writer Sisson was a former President of the WGGB at the age of 17. His good luck was being the EC and became head cheerleader when I was like Ray and Alan. I never dreamt I’d end up being (1995-99) and Co-Chair with Bruce Stewart put in a ward with the teenage Ray Galton. their friend and also telling them that story. (1978-80). elected Chair. The two of them became instant soulmates, and friends for life, and during Ray and Alan’s other hit series was Steptoe and She was best known for her work on The Duchess “As a former Chair and President, Romy their two years of recovery, the writing Son, which ran from 1962-1974. It was about of Duke Street, and also contributed scripts for remained interested in all aspects of the Writers’ team of Galton and Simpson was born. father and son rag-and-bone men, Albert and The Six Wives of Henry VIII, Upstairs Downstairs, The Guild and attended AGMs until two years ago. No one knew our Rule Book better than her. (Alan is pictured on the left, with Ray). Harold, living in a junk yard, tied together more Bretts and many other TV series as well as several by need and desperation than love. It was a She was the first person I ran to with Guild news plays and novels. The post-war comedy world in Britain was one time of social realism and Galton and Simpson’s and gossip and, most importantly, wise counsel. of snappy patter and one-liners. From the start work reflected Britain as much as Cathy Come In 1974, she became the first female full All writers have a lot to thank her for. Ray and Alan were only interested in developing Home did. member of the Dramatists’ Club. She was an Rosemary Anne will be missed by many people, recognisable characters in everyday surroundings. enthusiastic attender of the club’s meetings and including me.” At a time when the British Prime Minister Harold Alan used his success to make conditions better wrote a history of the organisation on its 100th Macmillan said, “You never had it so good”, Ray for all writers – he was a WGGB stalwart and sat Current WGGB President Olivia Hetreed anniversary in 2009. and Alan wrote about people who never had it, alongside Jimmy Perry and Denis Norden on the described Sisson as “a wonderful person, Writers’ Guild’s Television Committee, fighting Co-Chair of the WGGB Theatre Committee full stop. dauntless in pursuit of principle and splendidly for writers’ pay and rights. David Edgar said of Sisson: “I first met her while unflagging in spite of her years. She kept us all up Their characters and storylines could make you Ray and Alan also joined forces with Spike trying to negotiate an amalgamation between the to the mark. A loss to the Writers’ Guild laugh so hard you’d hug yourself, but also had Milligan, Eric Sykes, Frankie Howerd and Writers’ Guild and the Theatre Writers’ Union, and writing.” depth. In 1954, Ray and Alan created Hancock’s which she fiercely opposed (on the grounds that Half Hour, first a successful radio series, later Johnny Speight to form a writer’s co-op agency, the TWU didn’t have a professional entry transferring to telly. Their star was comedian Associated London Scripts. Beryl Vertue started as their typist and, not surprisingly, ended up qualification). However, once we had agreed Both these obituaries are edited extracts and Tony Hancock but their creation was Anthony running the whole shebang. terms and joined the Guild, we got on famously. appeared on the WGGB website in 2017: Aloysius St John Hancock, a pretentious failed She was a robust defender of writers’ rights and www.writersguild.org.uk/category/ actor, living in shabby, bomb-scarred 23 Railway Apart from his writing, Alan loved French food both the profession and the Guild will miss her.” obituaries Cuttings in East Cheam. and wines, driving in his Rolls-Royce and eating I discovered an old Hancock LP when I was 11 his way around France. He was a passionate WGGB Chair Gail Renard said: “Rosemary Anne, and read the sleeve notes: Hancock’s “residence football supporter and proud President of or Romy as she was known to all who loved her, is situated in the Borough of East Cheam, pop. Hampton & Richmond Borough Football Club was a dear friend and gentle mentor. When I 73,684 (1931.) Rates in the pound, nine and for many years. first joined the Writers’ Guild as a young writer, three… Schools, none. Churches one. Pubs two hundred and sixty seven.”
The Writers’ Guild Awards @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards The Writers’ Guild Awards Best RADIO DRAMA Best Play for Young Audiences
Blood, Sex and How To Be A Kid Money by Emile Zola, Season 3, Money Sarah McDonald-Hughes “Reap” Lavinia Murray
Romance Is Dead The Host Ben Lewis Nessah Muthy
The Things We The Messenger Never Said Mike Kenny Ming Ho
The Writers’ Guild Awards @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards The Writers’ Guild Awards Best PLAY Best SCREENPLAY
Barber Shop Miss Sloane Chronicles Jonathan Perera Inua Ellams
Photo: Marc Brenner
The Children Their Finest Lucy Kirkwood Gaby Chiappe
The Ferryman The Olive Tree Jez Butterworth Paul Laverty
The Writers’ Guild Awards @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards The Writers’ Guild Awards Best TV Situation Comedy Best Short Form TV Drama
Back The Witness for Simon Blackwell the Prosecution Sarah Phelps
Inside No. 9 Three Girls “The Bill” Nicole Taylor Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith
This Country Daisy May Cooper and Waiting for Andre Charlie Cooper Neil Forsyth
The Writers’ Guild Awards @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards The Writers’ Guild Awards THANKS
A big thanks to our host for this evening, Phil Whelans, Amanda Whittington, Vicki Pepperdine. Lindsay Williams, Tom Williams, Olivia Wood, Nick Yapp, Karin Young Like the Guild itself, the Writers’ Guild Also to the superb, resourceful and Awards could not happen without the ever-positive Guild staff: Ellie Peers, work and dedication of a large number Kate Glasspool, Rose Cooney, John Sailing. of volunteers, most of them not only very busy writers but also active Guild To our superb publicity team: Communications members. Reading, listening to and Manager Sarah Woodley, Tom Green, viewing many, many hours of wonderful Premier PR and photographer Matt Writtle. (and not so wonderful) work to select And finally, thanks to Ali Welsh, who herds short lists; organising juries and voting; cats for relaxation. planning, scripting and preparing for this evening. Event team: Ali Welsh, Claire James. Production by Production Plus. Our grateful thanks go to: Maxine Alderton, David Allison, Gabbie Asher, Design by Savage and Gray. Perrie Balthazar, Laura Beaumont, Nancy Boulicault, Edel Brosnan, Karin Brown, Olivia Hetreed Greg Buchanan, Amelia Bullmore, WGGB President Abigail Burdess, Dave Cohen, Fleur Costello, Clive Dawson, Richard Deakin, Samantha Doland de Vaux, Cara Ellison, Robert Farquhar, Helen Farrall, Lucy Flannery, Neil Forsyth, William Gallagher, Andrea Gibb, Brenda Gilhooly, Henrietta Hardy, Sian Harries, Lisa Holdsworth, James Hughes, Alison Hume, Shai Hussain, Mark Illis, Vicky Ireland, David James, Darren Jones, Jayne Kirkham, Jane Lamacraft, Line Langebek, Matt Leys, Simon Littlefield, Anji Loman-Field, David McDermott, Caroline Mitchell, Joel Morris, Simon Nicholson, Lesley-Clare O’Neill, Luke Openshaw, Phil O’Shea, Becky Overton, Julie Parsons, Jane Pearson, Richard Pinner, Carrie Quinlan, Gail Renard, Ali Rutherford, Rebecca Stevens, Kay Stonham, Corinne Sweet, Nathaniel Tapley, Chris Trengrove, Ben Ward, Katharine Way,
@TheWritersGuild #wggbawards The Writers’ Guild Awards
The Writers’ Guild of Great Britain 1st Floor, 134 Tooley Street, London SE1 2TU Tel: 020 7833 0777 Email: [email protected] Web: www.writersguild.org.uk
Twitter: @TheWritersGuild; #wggbawards The THE WRITERS’ Facebook: www.facebook.com/thewritersguild Programme design: Writers’Guild savageandgray.co.uk GUILD AWARDS 6569-17 Awards
THE #wggbawards WRITERS’ GUIL D AWARDS