May 2020

Tanya Moodie on life in lockdown BRINGING WORLDS TO LIFE Find the sound of your story at audionetwork.com/discover/sound-and-story

FIND OUT MORE : Naomi Koh | [email protected] | +44 (0)207 566 1441 Journal of The Royal Television Society May 2020 l Volume 57/5

From the CEO I am thrilled that the Two sitcom Motherland and Break- the bursary scheme, has written a Society’s online events through Award-winner at the RTS moving account of how young lives have started in earnest, Programme Awards in March. have been put on hold. including a Q&A with Talking of comedy, in these testing We also speak to the indefatigable Russell T Davies from times the ability to kindle laughter is Ben Frow, head of programmes at RTS North West and a precious gift. In the first of a new Channel 5, voted Channel of the Year “News in the new series, Comfort Classic, Matthew Bell at the RTS Programme Awards. norm” from RTS Thames Valley. Both examines the enduring appeal of that Finally, this month’s expanded TV attracted large and engaged audiences. great sitcom Only Fools and Horses. Diary is a candid account of how We now also have weekly events The BBC has stepped up to the plate screenwriter and doctor Dan Sefton for our RTS Futures community and with its Bitesize educational initiative. has returned to the front line of medi- some exciting “In conversation with…” Maggie Brown describes how it is help­ cine during the pandemic. He is one evenings, webinars and virtual screen- ing the nation’s schoolchildren to carry of the heroes keeping our country ings and discussions to come. on learning in the virtual classroom. going during this crisis. We have a bumper issue of Televi- We will be doing everything we can sion for you this month to enjoy in to ensure that our own RTS bursary lockdown. Our cover story is Caroline students are protected as much as Frost’s interview with the amazing possible from educational and career Tanya Moodie, a new star of the BBC disruptions. Anne Dawson, who runs Theresa Wise Contents Cover: Tanya Moodie/Adrian Lourie Dan Sefton’s TV Diary Five thrives under Frow Screenwriter Dan Sefton deals with bereavement and Channel 5’s Ben Frow tells Steve Clarke why lockdown 4 attempted suicide when he puts his pen to one side and 16 is tailor-made for the broadcaster returns to A&E Full marks to Auntie Comfort Classic: Only Fools and Horses Maggie Brown assesses the BBC’s ‘biggest educational Matthew Bell on why Del Boy and Rodney are a 18 push in its history’ 6 comedic match made in heaven A dose of reality Ear Candy: No Such Thing as a Fish Dr Charlie Easmon, a specialist in public health, assesses Kate Holman is hooked by the QI Elves podcast for 20 how the stars of fictionalised pandemics stack up 7 lovers of arcane facts against real-world heroes Working Lives: Foley artist Life at the sharp end Foley artist Ruth Sullivan is interviewed by Matthew Bell ITV News chief Rachel Corp takes Shilpa Ganatra 8 22 through her working day Counting her blessings Tanya Moodie, the winner of the RTS Breakthrough Mob rule 10 Award for her role in Motherland, is taking lockdown in An all-star cast leads Sky Atlantic’s new action thriller, her stride, discovers Caroline Frost 24 Gangs of London. Steve Clarke dodges the blows Young lives on hold TV sport: All to play for Anne Dawson learns how RTS bursary students have Broadcasters are thinking laterally to fill the void left by BRINGING 12 been coping during the crisis 26 Covid-19 in the sporting calendar, reports Matthew Bell No ordinary Joe Susan Calman: Calm amid the crisis Joe Lycett is filling peak-time slots on BBC One and Matthew Bell discovers how making quick-turnaround 14 Channel 4. Roz Laws checks out the upward trajectory 30 shows is helping Glasgow indie Red Sky to keep its WORLDS TO LIFE of the comedian who takes on the corporates head above water

Find the sound of your story at Editor Production, design, advertising Royal Television Society Subscription rates Printing Legal notice Steve Clarke Gordon Jamieson 3 Dorset Rise UK £115 ISSN 0308-454X © Royal Television Society 2020. [email protected] [email protected] London EC4Y 8EN Overseas (surface) £146.11 Printer: FE Burman The views expressed in Television audionetwork.com/discover/sound-and-story News editor and writer Sub-editor T: 020 7822 2810 Overseas (airmail) £172.22 20 Crimscott Street are not necessarily those of the RTS. Matthew Bell Sarah Bancroft E: [email protected] Enquiries: [email protected] London SE1 5TP Registered Charity 313 728 [email protected] [email protected] W: www.rts.org.uk FIND OUT MORE : Naomi Koh | [email protected] | +44 (0)207 566 1441 Television www.rts.org.uk May 2020 3 TV diary

Screenwriter Dan Sefton deals with bereavement and attempted suicide when he puts his pen to one side and returns to A&E

aturday morning, 7:00am. nice to be reminded of how people necessity of it. The buck stops with Heading into the week- really consume television. They’re you. Tough calls have to be made. end shift on my motor- smart and they want to be entertained. Watching the politicians on the bike. A small bonus of But it’s not life and death. news that evening, I sense they aren’t returning to the NHS is used to this feeling. having permission to ■ I see a man in his seventies with ride to and from work. a swollen leg. He has had a probable ■ People often ask me why so many I scoot past a small herd of red deer deep-vein thrombosis for over a week ex-professionals become successful grazingS by the side of the road, tempted but hasn’t attended until now. Going TV writers? I’m more and more down from the hill by the empty roads untreated that long risks complications. convinced it’s due to the ability to and the promise of sweet verge grass. I start him on the correct medication work hard and persist with something An almost perfect post-apocalyptic and chat to him. that is difficult. visual. The nice thing about a slow day is So many people dream of being a As a rural motorcyclist, I fear deer that you can give each patient the time screenwriter, but the reality is surpris- more than anything else, convinced they deserve. Usually, the department ingly hard – brutal, even. Some days, it my ultimate fate is to be speared by a exists on the verge of panic. Bedside feels like it basically consists of people stray antler as I whizz around a blind manner is a luxury. who are unable to do your job telling corner at full lean. Thinking of the He informs me that his wife of you exactly where you’ve gone wrong, NHS, I slow down a bit. 50 years died two weeks ago. He almost independent of any success you might breaks down when telling me about it, have had. ■ Over at the Emergency Depart- but then catches himself just in time Sometimes being a doctor feels like ment, the phoney war is in full swing. and reverts to pleasantries. A very Eng- a holiday. It’s quiet, too quiet. However, no one lish reaction. For me, it’s almost worse ever says the Q word out loud, so that way. ■ Having said that, I’m struggling alternatives are used. Apart from a a bit with the episode of The Good steady stream of Covid-19 patients, ■ When I get home, my neighbour is Karma Hospital I’m working on. most people are avoiding the hospital. waiting for me – complete with iso- Experience tells me I’ll get there, but The talk is of people dying at home, lating facemask and apologies. She’s it doesn’t really ever get any easier. My too scared to attend for the common got a nasty splinter under her finger- ex-agent, Nick, once told me that, one or garden things we can actually treat. nail and can’t get it out. Agony. day, I’d be able to “knock these things One of our healthcare assistants, Luckily, I have the tools to remove out”, but that writing nirvana has Paula, has volunteered for the Night- it, including the essential local anaes- never materialised. ingale unit in Bristol but hasn’t been thetic. As I extract the offending jag, Part of me suspects that’s why I’m called up yet. She’s fuming at this I’m aware of the strange coldness that still working. Nick died a few years injustice. comes over me when having to inflict ago. He had a long-term condition that Paula always has an opinion on TV discomfort for the greater good. As we talked about a lot. Knowing the and is a good and fearless critic. It’s a doctor, you become used to the prognosis meant that I suspected he

4 would die young a long time before the same mental health ward she left he did. That knowledge can weigh 10 years ago. Chalk another one up ‘AFTER 20 YEARS quite heavily. to the lockdown. It happened to me again recently AS A DOCTOR, – another friend who died of cancer. ■ A long time ago, I was asked by I FEEL LIKE I After 20 years as a doctor, I feel like a channel controller why the hell I KNOW DEATH I know Death quite well. Not a wanted to write TV when I could be friend, exactly, but certainly as a doctor instead? QUITE WELL’ an acquain­tance. I knew, even then, that simply mak- It’s very noticeable that so many ing people better wasn’t a totally satis- people are very shocked by the fying end in itself. Life is more than ­consequences of the virus. For many, existence. People need art, films, sport, mortality has never been a big consid- comedy, TV (I draw the line at theatre). eration before. But you can get used Otherwise, life isn’t really worth to anything. living. I wanted to contribute my own bit to that effort. It seemed like a good ■ Next day in the Emergency Depart- answer, but he still didn’t commission ment I see a woman in the middle of the show. I got over it. having a breakdown, her anxiety and Not sure what he’s doing now, either depression skyrocketing due to the dead or in America, one of the two. lockdown. She has drunk half a bottle of bleach ■ After a long weekend, I watch a and put a bag over her head in an programme I recorded on ITV – a attempt to kill herself. Luckily, house- Euro ’96 nostalgia fest. I’d hoped it hold bleach and a “bag for life” is would cheer me up but, weirdly, it has pretty ineffective as a method. the exact opposite effect. Life really Attempted suicide is a pretty com- did seem better then, before corona­ mon presentation. Most don’t really virus, terrorism and Facebook. mean it. The ones who really want to On the news, the politicians still veer die do it in private. In my previous life between terrified and incompetent, as a forensic medical examiner, I had to the NHS steadfastly tough and heroic. certify a couple of domestic hangings. Three lions led by donkeys? They were moving. Quiet despera- If you are suffering mental tion is more common than people Dan Sefton’s credits as a screenwriter health problems, the Samaritans think. And it’s usually men, middle include Trust Me and The Good Karma can be reached on 116 123 and aged and feeling useless. Hospital. He is the co-founder of Seven [email protected] My woman is admitted back to Seas Films.

Television www.rts.org.uk May 2020 5 COMFORT CLASSIC

Only Fools and Horses BBC

f you can judge a sitcom solely on Matthew Bell on why the target of Del’s “plonker” jibes. “I’ve the strength of its catchphrases, got this horrible feeling,” Rodney once Only Fools and Horses is a gem. Del Boy and Rodney said, “if there is such a thing as rein- Three decades on from its hey- carnation, knowing my luck, I’ll come day, Derek “Del Boy” Trotter’s are a comedic match back as me.” sayings – “lovely jubbly”, “you made in heaven Sullivan, who grew up in a work- plonker” and “cushty” – are part of our ing-class south London family, was everydayI language. We even remem- The late John Sullivan’s sitcom ran familiar with Del Boy’s world and the ber his terrible Franglais – “mange tout, for seven series on BBC One from 1981 characters that populated it; most mange tout, as the French say” – by to 1991, continuing, on and off at memorably, second-hand car dealer which Del meant “no problem”. Christmas, until 2003. It was absurdly Boycie (played by John Challis) and But Only Fools and Horses also had popular – 24.3 million people watched daft-as-a-brush road sweeper Trigger slapstick – the smashed chandelier and a 1996 special, the biggest audience (the late, great Roger Lloyd-Pack). Del Boy falling through the bar – to rival ever for a UK comedy. These were comic characters that Laurel and Hardy in its set-up and exe- At its heart were David Jason’s Peck- could have been penned by Charles cution; idiocy – Del Boy and Rodney, ham market trader Del Boy and Nicho- Dickens, whom Sullivan revered. dressed as Batman and Robin, thwarting las Lyndhurst as his hapless younger But Only Fools and Horses was a sit- muggers; and no little poignancy. brother Rodney, more often than not com, not a novel, so the characters

6 Ear candy – like Dad’s Army before and The Fast Show to follow – came replete with The QI Elves catchphrases; often, given Del Boy’s pretensions, in French. A Peckham boy might say “Gordon Bennett’; Del inex- plicably settled on “La plume de ma tante”. Sullivan had already given British TV one enduring character – Robert Lind- say’s Tooting Popular Front revolution- ary Wolfie Smith in BBC One sitcom Citizen Smith. In Derek Trotter – with the help of David Jason’s considerable acting chops – he created a second. Del Boy was as delusional as Wolfie, but chose Thatch- erism rather than Marxism as his creed. Selling hooky gear from the back of his yellow, three-wheeled Reliant Regal, Del Boy was only ever one deal away from a life of luxury, far from his flat in Nelson Mandela House. Accessorised with an outsized mobile phone, playboy cigar and the worst of 1980s fashion, Del Boy ducked and

dived. He bottled Peckham Spring Water CC0 Commons Creative and sold men’s wigs as the “Bruce Willis look”. As he was fond of saying, “This time next year, we’ll be millionaires!” If he resembles any Dickens charac- ter, Del Boy is David Copperfield’s No Such Thing ever-hopeful Wilkins Micawber, who is convinced, despite mounting evi- dence to the contrary, that “something will turn up”. Sullivan probably as a Fish thought the same: years later, he wrote a comedy-drama for ITV, Micawber, with David Jason in the title role. f you’re running out of ques- at least 61 species live in an elephant’s Sullivan was unable to repeat the tions for your next Zoom footprint, the Big Bang was quieter success of Only Fools and Horses. A spin- quiz or the conversation is than a Motörhead concert, rats were off,The Green Green Grass, relocated running a little dry with once the size of hippos and the most Boycie’s family to rural England and friends or family, No Such dangerous job in Britain is – yes, you ran for four series, while a prequel, Thing as a Fish may be just guessed it – a hairdresser. Rock & Chips, took the Trotter family what you need. The podcast title comes from the back to the Peckham of 1960. Hosted by QI’s question researchers, “fact”, unveiled in a QI episode, that The truth, perhaps, is that Del Boy Ialso known as the QI Elves, the pod- there is no scientific basis for describing – like Harry Enfield’s Loadsamoney cast has enlivened people’s commutes a disparate multitude of unrelated sea character and Minder’s dodgy importer/ since it launched in 2014, with a creatures as “fish”. That was the conclu- exporter Arthur Daley, beautifully played weekly dose of unbelievable facts and sion of biologist Stephen Jay Gould, who by the late George Cole – belongs to the stories that didn’t make the series. spent a lifetime studying sea creatures. London of the 1980s when every wide In each episode, researchers James The podcast has spawned its own TV boy seemed to be making obscene Harkin, Andrew Hunter Murray, Anna spin-off,No Such Thing as the News, mul- amounts of money. Except, of course, Ptaszynski and Dan Schreiber discuss tiple live tours and a series of books lovable Del. “Mange tout, mange tout”, as the best pieces of trivia they’ve come filled with the world’s weirdest news. the French don’t say. n across that week. With more than 300 episodes, No Such Learn and laugh your way through Thing as a Fish will help keep you enter- Only Fools and Horses is on Gold and some of the world’s most mind-boggling tained through long days in isolation. also available on BritBox. facts. These include the conclusion that Kate Holman

Television www.rts.org.uk May 2020 7 WORKING LIVES

Killing Eve: a ‘fantastic experience’ for a Foley artist BBC Foley artist

oley artist Ruth Sullivan front of a microphone holding differ- effect is needed to accentuate a sound has been adding sound to ent pieces of cloth such as denim, or movement, or whether to stick with TV programmes for more cotton and silk, moving the material to the location sound. than two decades, most match the movement of the actors on recently to Killing Eve. In screen. Then we mimic footsteps, Where do you work? post-production, she using different shoes, and work on Largely in dedicated Foley studios, mimics the actors’ steps and actions spot effects, such as closing a door, which have the props and the surfaces –F and, for the BBC thriller, the grue- making tea or shuffling paper. you need to create the effects. I bring some murders – to add authenticity to my suitcase with me, which is mostly the sound. Her craft is named after So, you’re trying to recreate the filled with different types of shoes. We Jack Foley, who pioneered performing sounds made by actors? take about three days to record the effects live and in sync with the pic- We can also, say, recreate the sound of effects for an hour of drama. tures on early Hollywood talkies. leaves blowing in the wind. We are informed by what’s on the screen and Why not use pre-recorded effects? What does the job involve? try to recreate everything that makes a A sound effects editor does that, creat- We get a feel for a programme and sound in a scene. Then it’s up to the ing and bringing in sounds for a full then record a “moves track”. I stand in sound mixer to decide if the Foley track of sound effects. But, for the

8 detailed sound, it’s so much easier to record them as they happen on screen Mum: Ruth Sullivan worked on the – an actor may put a glass down on a BBC Two sitcom table, but is it done with care or anger? Does it have ice clinking in it? You could spend hours trawling through an effects library to find an effect that matches what you see on screen.

How did you become a Foley artist? I was struggling to find dancing and acting work in the 1990s, and signed up for a small agency that was training dancers to do Foley work. The agency taught us some tricks of the trade and I was allowed into the studio. When I started, we worked in pairs; now that only happens on the bigger films. I was the junior in a partnership for my first couple of years.

It must help that you are also an actor and dancer? It does, and there are a few of us in the

Foley world. In theory, we have rhythm BBC and co-ordination, and are used to following a choreographer. I like to get What has been your most challenging invitations. Yet, no drama or feature into the drama of a piece – that’s the work? film would be released without us. actor side of me coming out. I worked on the film of the controver- sial Russian Dau project, in which Do Foley artists work outside TV What was your first programme? subjects lived Big Brother-style in a and film? Half a day’s work at Shepperton Stu- Soviet-era research institute. I did two I’ve worked in opera, on Simon dios in 1996 on ITV’s Soldier Soldier, weeks of Foley effects, many of which McBurney’s production of The Magic which starred Robson Green and were gruesome. There were pigs being Flute, mimicking the performers and Jerome Flynn. It was terrifying – slaughtered and a violent sex scene synching the sound live. For that, I was the first effect I had to do was some- – it was vile. visible on stage in a booth, from which body jumping out of a plane. I also added atmospheric sound. I got What makes a good Foley artist? to use a huge thunder sheet, which I What Foley effects have you most You need a good ear, and a feel for played with a violin bow and a poker, enjoyed doing? what works in terms of the loudness making all these weird, wonderful and On Highlander: Endgame, I learned how and texture of sound. And you need to huge sounds. to replicate the sound of heads being be able to adapt: to working on differ- chopped off and all sorts of fantasti- ent types of programme, which make How has the job changed over time? cally over-the-top effects. BBC One different demands of you; to the peo- We record more Foley effects now for a thriller Bodyguard was great fun – there ple you work with; and to the facilities programme. Modern TV drama has was a car crash one minute, machine available. more close-ups, which means we need guns the next, and then the fine detail to recreate more sounds – the detail we of the relationship between the two What are the best and worst aspects of go into is extraordinary. protagonists, Richard Madden’s body- the job? Dramas such as Netflix’s Stranger guard and Keeley Hawes’ politician. The best is making a mess and making Things and Killing Eve use Foley as a I’ve worked on all three series of a noise – all the things you’re not method to bring the audience into a Killing Eve, which has been a fantastic allowed to do in life. The worst is the scene. It’s a good time to be a Foley experience. The sound mixer loves lack of recognition within the industry. artist – I’m really enjoying my work. n Foley, so the stuff we do is often mixed Sadly, Foley artists often don’t get at a high level, adding this soundscape credits and are usually missed off Foley artist Ruth Sullivan was interviewed of atmospheric sound. award nominations or screening by Matthew Bell.

Television www.rts.org.uk May 2020 9 Tanya Moodie, the winner of the RTS Breakthrough Award for her role in Motherland, is taking lockdown in her stride, discovers Caroline Frost Counting her blessings

ven in this strange Harris. What of its return later in the Shakespeare. Of course, I was blubbing.” world of lockdown, it’s year? She shrugs. “Everyone wants it Moodie was inspired to act by all relative. While many to happen, it’s a case of getting the watching other teenagers, including of us can amble to our ducks in a row.” her own brother, Andrew (also an backyard or at least to She is sad for two colleagues in par- actor), and thinking, “I could do that”. the hall cupboard, Tanya ticular. “Director Danya Taymor’s tal- She decided, aged 17, “If I’m going to MoodieE is stuck on a chair when I ent should be known beyond the do this, I want to have a scholarship”, speak to her via FaceTime at her sunny borders of the US. And for the writer, and pursued her acting dream all the south London home. Jeremy, this would have been his way to Rada, arriving with one suitcase “I’m on lockdown 2.0,” she explains, introduction to the British stage.” in London in 1990 – “IRA bomb flipping her screen to show off her leg, Moodie could be forgiven for feeling threats, tall Georgian buildings, narrow in plaster up to the knee. What hap- a similar frustration for herself after streets and tiny cars, plus tins of steak pened? She grimaces. “It was April winning this year’s RTS Breakthrough and kidney pie – what is that? – and Fool’s Day, I got over-excited trying to Award for her performance as Meg in sudden tea breaks in the middle of punk my daughter, and ended up fall- BBC Two sitcom Motherland. With such whatever we were doing.” ing down the stairs.” recognition, a whole new host of As a graduate, armed with a two- As I am to discover during our chat, phone calls, meetings and offers was year visa and an agent, Moodie’s career Moodie is a resolutely glass-half-full surely hers for the taking, except… began, but with no starriness in her kind of person, even faced with a dis- She has the calm smile of a long- sights. Instead, she remembers, “I location and bad break requiring a time practising Buddhist. “I’m very wanted to be a working actor, an metal plate. “It could have been so philosophical about these things. Over actor’s actor.” much worse. My partner was home the years, I hope I’ve developed the Talent will out. The years since have at the time, so he could drive me to understanding and wisdom not to brought accolades including a critically hospital; the orthopaedics department attach to outcomes, to what I think acclaimed Medea, an Olivier nomina- was empty and able to treat me quickly. should happen next. There’s no clear tion for her role as Esther in Intimate My daughter is 12, old enough to attend trajectory. Apparel at north London’s Park Theatre to her own home schooling. There “Being a Buddhist fundamentally and, particularly satisfyingly, her Ger- were lots of things in place to make paints the picture of my worldview. It’s trude in an all-black casting of Hamlet me feel lucky.” my toolkit,” she explains. “So far in my for the RSC. What kind of TV is providing dis- career, there is nothing I can complain Ever-thoughtful, Moodie herself traction? Like everyone else, Moodie about at all. I’ve had a wonderful time, questioned director Simon Godwin on and her partner have been sucked in worked with amazing people and the value of this, and remembers, “It by Netflix’s Tiger King – “although we always earned enough to survive. I was delightful, so organic. The director had to ration ourselves to two episodes would hate to think that something pops told me he just wanted to create an a night as it’s an assault on the senses”. in my head, ‘Now I’m owed this.’ That entire world around his star, Paapa Other delights include quirky, gener- would be deeply toxic and unhelpful.” Essiedu, it was that simple.” ally American, comedies, often female- To be sure, she has enjoyed plenty Before she knew it, Moodie felt at led or with an African-American already for which to be thankful. As a home in the theatre – “it was my protagonist. child growing up in Ottawa, she credits home, my back garden, I’d carved my “I’m drawn to things that feel as her mother’s career in medicine for her furrow and I knew what I was doing” though they started out small with a own pragmatic, hard-working approach – and, initially, she felt the opposite in gem of an idea and then mushroomed.” and her father’s love of Shakespeare for TV-land. Moodie is filling evenings when she introducing her to the Bard. Understandably, she is wary, and should have been on stage at the He is now ailing, and she movingly perhaps weary, of talking about diver- Almeida Theatre, north London, in recounts a recent trip home to Canada sity. “There was a big drive to diversify Daddy: A Melodrama, the eagerly awaited where “he could barely remember casting. I’ve seen every phase. You try UK debut of US playwright Jeremy O our names but he could still recite not to get bitter because it’s a journey,”

10 she says, but she remembers several occasions when it was clear that the role she was reading for was not writ- ten for a woman of colour. “People write for what they know. As an actor, I was thinking, ‘How do I not come across as a square peg in a round hole?’ I didn’t have the self-belief. Plus, if you can see it, you can be it – and, in TV, I never saw the woman I am in a narrative, so part of me never thought I deserved to be there.” Fortunately, on the set of an episode of Prime Suspect, an angel appeared to Moodie in the form of Helen Mirren. “On the first day, the name of my character wasn’t quite right, and I sat at the read-through feeling out of place. Helen Mirren came over and told me, ‘I don’t think your character’s name is right. Have a think about what she should be called and I’ll talk to the writers.’ I felt so moved, knowing she saw it, too, and she gave me a bridge.” That meant, by the time the role of Meg in Motherland appeared on the table, Moodie was doubting herself less and punching higher. “It felt such a great fit.” On her third audition, Moodie decided to root inside her Buddhist toolbox, reminding herself, “I have to let go, and just do the work.” It paid off and gave the actor the chance to explore that “me-ness” that had been missing from many previous roles. “They asked me, ‘What would Meg look like?’ I said, ‘She’s a professional woman who’s already made it. She’s beyond trying to impress anyone. She’s going to be herself, she’s going to have her Afro out.”’ Thus was Meg born in all her ball-busting, tequila-swilling, alpha-­ female glory, together with some fresh fan and industry appreciation for the woman who created her. What’s next? With her business partner Sarah Rutherford, Moodie runs a production company with two pro- jects in development, although she squirms, “I don’t know how much I’m allowed to tell you.” Suffice to say, both have prospective lead roles for Moodie that will surely make the best of her palpable glow. She says herself, “I’d love to feel the confidence on TV that I feel in theatre. I’m getting there. I stand on set and I realise, ‘I see now how everything fits together and I’m part of it.’” And even in this most confusing of times, Tanya Moodie once again counts Tanya Moodie

Tanya Moodie/Fiona Photography Fletcher Tanya her blessings. n

Television www.rts.org.uk May 2020 11 Campus closures have left many students in limbo

Young lives on hold

t’s all a bit of a mess, really,” Alicia Newing, studying film and Anne Dawson learns says Charlotte Humphreys. “I television production at Hertfordshire how RTS bursary was living in south London, University, was looking forward to which had the most cases of graduating (she’s on track for a First) students have been Covid-19 in the UK, so I and taking up a six-month contract at coping during the crisis packed some of my most post-production company Clear Cut, ‘importantI stuff into Ikea bags and left. now postponed indefinitely. “Be pre- “I’m paying £700 a month for a room pared for an outpouring of emotion,” I’m not living in, my stuff is at four she says, as we agree a time to speak. different addresses and I’m staying When we do talk, she is surprisingly with my Dad, who has a terminal lung calm as we discuss her final-year pro- condition. I bought a car, an absolute ject. Alicia and her group have invested banger, for £275, because I need to get so much time and energy in it, they are shopping for my Dad.” trying to complete it remotely – despite Charlotte is coming to the end of the it no longer forming part of their second year of her course at London’s assessed work. University of the Arts. In common with “I’m going to continue applying for many other RTS bursary students, her jobs, but the likelihood is that most home life is, at the best of times, not places won’t hire anyone for at least a without its challenges, and this is not few months,” she says. “Especially the best of times. when there’s so few shows in

12 production. I’m worried about losing Research by the charity YoungMinds momentum and getting stuck in a rut. on the impact of Covid-19, published I know there are thousands of people on 30 March, shows that vulnerable in this industry who will also be stuck. young people have been particularly It’s going to be harder than ever to get affected by social isolation. The lock- a foot in the door.” down has turned their world upside Similar stories are told by many of down as routines and support systems the students. Those graduating this year have been eroded. have had the worst of it, as universities “We need small challenges to focus were forced to close as part of the on,” says Charlotte Humphreys. “And Charlotte Humphreys lockdown. The end of the final year is information about what’s actually usually a time for collective celebra- going on in the TV industry.” tions, but not for this year’s graduates. ‘WE NEED Understandably, students have Whether to stay at uni or go back wanted speedy answers to their ques- home was a difficult choice – most of INFORMATION tions and universities have had to the students had about 24 hours to ON WHAT’S make some quick decisions. Many make up their minds and pack. have adopted a “no detriment” policy, “I didn’t get to say goodbye to the ACTUALLY GOING which means that any assessment or friends I’d made at uni. We didn’t ON IN THE TV exam taken during this period will not know it would be our last rehearsal, be detrimental to average grades our last lecture, our last project meet- INDUSTRY’ achieved before the lockdown. ing,” says Josie Bakewell, a final-year However, these schemes can’t miti- student at Staffordshire University. gate against students having no final “Graduation ceremonies are post- “It started a week or so before the project to demonstrate their talents to poned, and end of year/degree cele- lockdown,” he says. “First, we were potential employers, or losing that brations have been cancelled.” told we couldn’t hire out any mics, highly sought-after placement they Naturally, students are concerned then any audio equipment. It was all worked so hard to secure. about their results. The goalposts have very strange. I don’t know what’s hap- These are issues for our industry moved – and no one is quite sure pening about my job or whether I’m partners to consider. Many are already where to. Some students have been going to be paid.” stepping up to the challenge. In homes given new project briefs, with the The students recognise that univer- across the UK, people are delivering opportunity to use archive footage. sities are having a tough job making online conferences or webinars for But these depend on the students decisions with so much uncertainty students, usually free of charge. having their own equipment, which over how the pandemic will play out. A big thank you from the RTS is due they often lack. Other universities have Nevertheless, the students all see the to the talent managers at All3Media, replaced exams with course work, or, potential for a better “new normal” in Anouk Berendsen and Tamara Durn- in some cases, open-book exams. the future, including reduced levels of ford, who are providing webinars for One first-year journalism student, pollution and potentially less commut- graduating bursary students (see RTS Oliver Youd, had his exams suspended, ing. For some, enforced isolation has news report on page 34). then reinstated. “I didn’t feel motivated led to increased creativity as they have Thank you also to our mentoring to study,” he says. “I had mentally revived old interests and taken up new volunteers, many of whom have taken switched off from uni. Now, I’ve got to ones. Technology bursary student the opportunity to check in with their get my head back into it. I have an old Keoni D’Souza has created a series mentees. The students really appreci- computer and unreliable internet. The of podcasts, Sip By Sip (www.expluce- ate these connections. Social isolation libraries are closed. It makes it hard to player.co.uk/sip-by-sip.html); Charlie makes them even more valuable. stay focused and positive.” is honing his skills in drone flying; If you find yourself with unexpected Income is a big issue for many of the Charlotte has knitted a scarf. Many had time on your hands and have knowl- students, who support themselves been in touch with old friends on edge or skills that would be helpful to through part-time jobs, often in hospi- social media. those about to join the industry, please tality, entertainment or on campus. Generally, people have been kinder consider mentoring for the RTS or Several are uncertain about their and more compassionate. In some delivering an online masterclass. Let’s employment status or whether they cases, tutors or bursary mentors have all help the class of 2020 to get the foot are likely to be paid during lockdown. been particularly helpful, offering advice in the door they deserve. n Charlie McMorine, a final-year stu- on how to navigate the uncertainties. dent, had more warning of the impend- Overall, there has been a shared sense of Anne Dawson spoke to 20 of the 162 RTS ing shutdown than most. He was “we are all in this together”. bursary students and alumni in the working for Manpower in the equip- The students’ rapid departure from fortnight leading up to Easter. If you ment-hire shop at Birmingham City university and the postponement of would like to offer your services as a University, which runs a partnership their transition into work has, however, mentor or to deliver an online webinar or scheme with Wuhan University of left many feeling a deep sense of loss, masterclass, please email Anne or Megan Science and Technology. anxiety and concern over their futures. Fellows at [email protected].

Television www.rts.org.uk May 2020 13 Channel 4 No ordinary Joe

arm, witty and simpler things. And I don’t have to put occasionally Joe Lycett is filling any pants on. Selfishly, this is all quite waspish, Joe peak-time slots on nice for me.” Lycett is just The hard work that he put in the man to BBC One and Channel 4. pre-lockdown means he can cheer us keep us enter- Roz Laws checks out up with two series – the Channel 4 tainedW during lockdown. It’s fortunate, consumer show Joe Lycett’s Got Your Back then, that he is presenting two lengthy the upward trajectory and BBC One’s The Great British Sewing prime-time TV series, with another on Bee, shown on Fridays and Wednes- the way. And after a whirlwind few of the comedian who days, respectively. months making them, Lycett – while He was also in the middle of making mindful of the suffering that Covid-19 takes on the corporates Channel 4’s Travel Man, taking over has brought many – concludes that the from Richard Ayoade as presenter of new normal has been beneficial to his Birmingham. “For the past year, I’ve the celebrity travel guides. That has mental health. had mild anxiety symptoms, where I been put on hold. Being forced to stop work has made feel sick and dizzy, but that’s all gone. I Lycett’s career began a decade ago Lycett, 31, slow down and enjoy the know, for a lot of people, their anxiety when, a year after he won Chortle’s simpler things in life. “It’s weird, but I has spiked – but I’m the opposite. Student Comedian of the Year, he took don’t feel as anxious as I used to,” he “My wild schedule is not nearly as the Best Newcomer title. Just 12 months says, while isolating in his house in wild now. I can take stock and do later, he was co-hosting a Saturday-­night

14 BBC One entertainment show along- perplexing patterns, transformations side Alexander Armstrong. Epic Win and made-to-measure outfits. flopped but Lycett’s career went from “His programmes are perfect for the strength to strength. current time,” says costume designer He hosted Live at the Apollo and became Jenny Beavan. Lycett lodges with her a regular on Countdown – the normal in London. He calls Beavan his “other show and 8 Out of 10 Cats version – and mother” and celebrated with her in QI. He has competed on Taskmaster and Hollywood when she won an Oscar in Radio 4’s Just a Minute and has stood in 2016. “Got Your Back is wonderful. He has for Sara Cox and Rylan Clark-Neal on such a brilliant energy, which is what Radio 2. we need now. He’s incredibly funny but Perhaps one of his career highlights also genuinely likes doing good. was bemusing Nicole Kidman with his “Joe is very kind, warm and fun, and Black Country accent while sitting on good with people. I don’t like competi- Graham Norton’s chat-show sofa. tion programmes, because I hate see- He is particularly proud of Got Your ing people lose, but Joe makes it better Back, which has made us laugh while on Sewing Bee.” Joe Lycett in The Great achieving results, not least for a small British Sewing Bee Beavan first met Lycett when he

Welsh brewery engaged in a legal bat- BBC became friends with her daughter, tle with luxury fashion house Hugo theatre producer Caitlin, when they Boss. Boss Brewing in Swansea was ‘WHEN I GET were drama students at Manchester one of several companies sent cease University. and desist letters by the multinational BAD SERVICE “When I first met him, I thought he for using part of its name. Lycett I USUALLY looked really weird,” she recalls. “He changed his name by deed poll to wore oversized cardigans and had Hugo Boss to show his support and COWER AND strange, long comb-over hair. He looks annoy the designer outlet. SAY NOTHING’ 10 years younger now and so stylish. The story was widely covered by “I said that, if he ever needed any- media around the world and he where to stay in London, he’d be wel- became the answer to a quiz question Lycett set up a dirty skip as a takeaway come with us. Then he kind of moved on Saturday Night Takeaway. “It’s mad on the app. He flash-mobbed NatWest’s in. A lot of people have stayed in the how it escalated,” says Lycett. “I think HQ and set up fake social media attic of my huge house in Peckham. It I’ve made my point, and the brewery is accounts for one of its senior execu- was very useful for Joe when he was delighted with its higher profile.” tives, pushing the bank into returning starting out in London. He has now returned to being Joe £8,000 to a customer who had been “He’s incredibly easy to live with and Lycett, but the publicity has had one scammed. I don’t even get annoyed with his habit positive effect on his life. “I’m used to It would seem that you would cross of leaving cups on the side instead of being recognised a bit and getting that this champion of consumer rights at putting them in the dishwasher. It’s quizzical look from people trying to your peril, but perhaps not. always a joy when he comes back. I place me. Now I get the look, then they “When I get bad service, I usually miss him, although we have hilarious remember about Hugo Boss and start cower and say nothing. I think it would WhatsApp exchanges.” laughing, when I haven’t even said be a bit crass to complain about being How is Lycett spending lockdown? anything. For a comic, that’s wonder- ripped off, because I’m doing all right. “I’m turning into my mother, because ful, the easiest gig ever.” But, when my friends had holidays I’m really getting into gardening,” he Got Your Back’s hour-long format is cancelled, I was all, ‘You need to send says. “My kitchen table is covered with twice the length of the episodes of the them this form for a refund’. pots of borlotti beans, tomatoes and first series and the run has increased “And, recently, I sent Asda a ‘subject aubergines. I’m even trying to grow a from six to nine episodes. access request’ under the Data Protec- lemon tree from seed. “The scale of it is bigger,” says Lycett. tion Act, as I noticed that they filmed “I also have an idea for a sitcom, but “Last series, we got back thousands of me at the self-service checkouts. I don’t like the pressure to use this pounds for consumers; this year, it’s “I asked to see the footage and they time well. I think there’s value in stop- millions. We’re taking on big compa- sent me a grainy clip of me packing ping and refocusing on community nies who are beginning to take us my stuff. I haven’t worked out what I and family. more seriously. can do with that yet, but it’s useful for “I’m meant to be in Prague filming “At first, they thought it was just some annoying companies because it wastes Travel Man. It’s probably good that the comedian messing around doing stunts their time.” series is delayed, because, with Got Your and didn’t realise we have a team of The Great British Sewing Bee is also Back and Sewing Bee, it might have been amazing researchers who used to work enjoying a higher profile. It was pro- overkill with Travel Man, too. That on programmes such as Watchdog.” moted from BBC Two to One with a would be a lot of Joe on telly. It won’t Uber Eats had to improve its policy record 12 amateur contestants com- do me or the people of Britain any around restaurants’ food hygiene after peting over 10 weeks as they sew harm to have a break.” n

Television www.rts.org.uk May 2020 15 Five thrives under Frow Channel 5’s Ben Frow tells Steve Clarke why lockdown is tailor-made for the broadcaster

hey say that good things come in threes. When Channel 5 won Channel of the Year at March’s RTS Programme Awards, beating Sky AtlanticT and BBC Three, the accolade followed identical wins at February’s Broadcast Awards and the 2018 Edin- burgh TV Awards. “It was thrilling to win Channel of the Year,” says the station’s director of programmes, Ben Frow, looking dap- per in a dark T-shirt. “We’ve won each one once; we’ve finally got them all. I wouldn’t actually enter another chan- nel of the year [competition]. “It was very nice to get the recogni- tion. I don’t want to become like Ant and Dec, and try to win it 30 years in a row. I’ve got enough pressure.” Frow is speaking via Microsoft Teams from his kitchen table, his new workplace in leafy Clapham, south- west London. He may be in lockdown, but Frow is enjoying a high profile thanks to an interview he gave last month to Radio 4’s Media Show in which he declared that the station’s “scrappy” spirit was well suited to riding out the coronavirus storm. “Content is critical and we are pro- Ben Frow

viding a real service to the country,” Channel 5

16 said Frow. “I would hate us to fall back to normal. I’m thinking much As to what shows he is commission- behind the SVoDs because we are longer term. We may be able to work ing, he doesn’t want “programmes that unable to function.” That seems together in some form in the next few are Covid-looking and which look like unlikely. As the smallest of the UK’s months but I have to prepare for a they’ve been filmed on Skype, but terrestrial broadcasters, Channel 5 nine-month, year, two-year period, shows that we would have commis- consistently punches above its weight. which, economically, is going to be sioned without the crisis”. In the seven years that Frow has run very challenging for this country.” He adds: “One thing I am not doing Channel 5 he has transformed the Ambitious plans for more original is any Covid programming. We should station into an agile operator, weaning UK commissions for Comedy Central, be giving audiences the nice, varied it off US acquisitions to become a ser- and reassuring schedule that we’ve vice known for its no-frills, but engag- done up until now. That strategy has ing, factual shows – often hosted by ‘THERE IS A worked very well so far. For us, it is A-list presenters. very much business as usual.... There History, travel, wildlife and an abun- HUNGER FOR is a hunger for reassurance, security, dance of royal documentaries are the REASSURANCE, nostalgia and hope. keys to Frow’s current success. The “I have looked at some of the enter- recent Anne: The Daughter Who Should Be SECURITY, tainment shows being done using the Queen, made by ITN, won Channel 5 its NOSTALGIA Covid criteria and restrictions. Frankly, biggest audience of the year as 1.7 mil- they don’t work for me. I’d rather not lion people tuned in on the night. AND HOPE’ have them.” His defining shows have included Expect more fast-turnaround Satur- The Yorkshire Vet, the Bafta-winning day-night royal documentaries, Cruising with Jane McDonald and, of MTV and Paramount have been put including a fresh take on the story of course, Michael Palin’s standout North on hold. So, too, have some of 5’s less Harry and Meghan. Remarkably, these Korean odyssey. Other established BBC cost-effective programmes that were films take only a week to make. “Often, talent such as Jeremy Paxman and earmarked for production earlier this on a Monday, after I’ve got the ratings, Jeremy Vine have become star names year. I’ll email ITN and give them another on 5’s menu; this month, we get a new, But, make no mistake, Frow sounds idea. If the viewers like them, we’ll 10-part series The World’s Greatest Paint- bullish when he weighs up the advan- give them more. When they don’t like ings with Andrew Marr. tages Channel 5 has in the crisis. them any more, we’ll stop doing them.” Frow’s camp, no-nonsense style, Working with a very small team (he Mindful that most of us are locked avoidance of jargon and love of televi- employs just nine commissioners) in, Channel 5’s pre-school strand, Milk- sion (in his previous job at Channel 4, clearly helps. “We don’t have depart- shake!, has been expanded and Frow is he ran features and was responsible for ments. We are used to working with bringing back NBC’s The Golden Girls as such hits as Jamie’s School Dinners and less money. We are essentially a factual a daytime treat for older viewers. How Clean Is Your House?) have won him channel. We don’t have big entertain- He says: “People ignore daytime but, an army of admirers among independ- ment shows that require studio audi- if you mess with daytime, you’re likely ent producers. ences. And, unlike the BBC and ITV, to lose a lot of viewers. That’s the Last autumn, as a reward for his we have very little drama.” foundation of your schedule. achievements, the broadcaster’s US In other words, existing on a tight “The one advantage that terrestrial owner, Viacom, promoted Frow. As budget (in the region of £140m prior to TV has is that it gives you something well as being responsible for Channel 5 the cuts) and thinking laterally is “what new all the time,” Frow argues. “It is and its portfolio of digital channels, he we do anyway. But now it’s magnified the same old things on Netflix because, now oversees the UK versions of Com- and on a much bigger scale.” once you’ve done Netflix, you’ve pretty edy Central, MTV and the Paramount Running such a trim ship allows much done it. I gave up actually trying Network. locked-in Frow to speak to his team to find anything I wanted to watch on Alas, the national emergency means every day – helpful when maintaining Netflix.” that, in common with ITV and Chan- morale. “I am very encouraged by the So what does he admire on rival nel 4, budget cuts are being made – way our new shows are performing outlets? HBO’s Succession, Channel 4’s around 10%, according to recent reports. and holding our share,” he says. “I am The Windsors – which he watches on “The ad market is down 50% year on proud of the team who have pulled Netflix – and BBC One’s The Repair year. That is catastrophic for commer- together in difficult circumstances and Shop. “I love the fact that The Repair cial broadcasters. We are a commercial are making Channel 5 a continued Shop has become such a phenomenon. broadcaster. It would be naive to think success story.” It was a show that was taken for it is going to bounce back in a V shape,” For the first four weeks of lockdown, granted and has hit the zeitgeist in says Frow, who famously once rinsed Channel 5 grew its audience share by terms of what is precious to you – Judy Finnigan’s tights when he worked 5%, up from 3.63% to 3.82%. Among emotions, family, relationships, and as a dresser on This Morning. hard-to-reach 16- to 34-year-olds, heritage. I am jealous of it, but, unlike He continues: “It would be irrespon- share has increased by 2%. The com- some other people, I don’t want to sible to think everything is going to go parable figure for ABC1s was 5%. copy it.” n

Television www.rts.org.uk May 2020 17 Full marks to Auntie

Maggie Brown assesses the BBC’s ‘biggest educational push in its history’

n the week before lockdown with the DCMS, Department for Edu- began and schools were cation and Ofcom, and the devolved closed across the UK, the education bodies in the nations. We BBC’s Children’s and Educa- have had huge backing and they are all tion department realised it very pleased with what we are able to had a special duty in this offer,” says Webb. nationalI emergency. Greg Childs, editorial director of the “At that moment, we started to see Children’s Media Conference, says: “It stretching out before us what the BBC is absolutely what the BBC needs to do. should do in terms of education during I am highly conscious how hard it is the pandemic. We set the ball rolling,” for people to organise home schooling says Alice Webb, director of BBC Chil- and jobs. The BBC has been given the dren’s and Education. space by the Government to deliver for The Salford-based teams boldly the nation.” gambled that most British youngsters The initiative is anchored on Bite- could lose half a year of formal educa- size, which began in 1998 for online tion. They would become reliant on revision in seven GCSE subjects. Then, makeshift home schooling and online only around one in 10 homes had contact with teachers and marking apps. internet access. As a result, the department created Bitesize has grown into one of the a huge, 14-week programme for the BBC’s most successful brands and now summer term, which started on offers more than 35 subjects. During problems such as checking a pay slip. 20 April, hailed as “the BBC’s biggest exam times, the service, which is con- Familiar faces, such as dancer Oti push on education in its history”. tinually updated by teachers, is used Mabuse and children’s presenters It’s an “all hands to the pump” oper- by upwards of 3 million learners. Karim Zeroual, Oti Mabuse and Katie ation, developing as it goes along, with It has long harnessed celebrities to Thistleton, appear in Bitesize Daily, rapidly expanding “lessons” and col- add sparkle to its often brilliantly clear filmed in the Match of the Day studio in laborators. For example, the arts initia- “lessons”: Professor Brian Cox, Gary Salford. Content is available via BBC tive Ten Pieces from BBC Music, launched Lineker and John Boyega have all iPlayer, the red button, BBC Bitesize in 2014 to introduce children aged 7 to taken part. website and app, BBC Four and BBC 14 to classical music, and championed The BBC’s lockdown offer revolves Sounds. by Director-General Tony Hall, has been around six new Bitesize Daily 20-minute Popular names on the expanded revived as Ten Pieces at Home, while live programmes tailored to six differ- roster of teachers include Sergio Aguero, Radio 4 has created Homeschool History ent age groups spanning five- to Manchester City’s star striker (how to podcasts based on Horrible Histories. 14-year-olds, that outline what chil- count in Spanish), Danny Dyer of East- Webb herself has put her career on dren should be learning that day. Enders (on Henry VIII), and Doctor Who’s hold, delaying a move to become CEO Teachers set tasks related to the cur- Jodie Whittaker. Sir David Attenborough of the Universal Music subsidiary Eagle riculum – with variations for Scotland, is introducing natural history topics. Rock Entertainment. Wales and Northern Ireland. Children Webb declined to disclose the initia- The BBC’s pandemic education initi- are signposted to BBC Bitesize online tive’s cost but said: “We are flexing ative, announced on 3 April, is suppor­ educational resources, lessons, quizzes, resources to meet needs in these diffi- ted by the education secretary, Gavin podcasts and videos. cult times.” Williamson (“I am delighted”), and The service is also extending its The BBC has a huge archive of exist- culture secretary Oliver Dowden (“pub- range up to 18. For example, for the ing children’s content, and its iPlayer lic service broadcasting at its best”). over-16s, there is instruction on apply- Kids is a safe platform for young users. “We’ve had many conversations ing practical English and maths to Playing an interesting role is Twinkl,

18 about ensuring children can progress in their education, so anything that supports them can only be a good thing. Parents will find it positive to have other places to access instant support and information. “For educationalists, it is challenging finding the right balance for parents. Some want lots and lots of work, some less.” Wilson, of Twinkl, has some down- to-earth advice for flummoxed par- ents: for a new topic of learning, allow one minute for each year of a child’s age – so six minutes for a six-year-old. Laurie Jacques, an educational con- sultant in primary school maths, who was involved with the popular Number- blocks CBeebies series says: “Disadvan- taged parents can’t afford printer cartridges to download vast numbers of work sheets. My fear is that the disrup- tion [to schooling from the lockdown] results in a greater gap between those with supportive environments and those that haven’t got them.” And she cautions: “Children are conditioned to classroom teaching – 30 kids to one adult. Will they know how to use Bitesize Daily? The idea of sitting down to something live or streamed is quite an alien concept.” But Bitesize could become part of the daily routine. Wilson notes: “This is a huge amount of resources the BBC is providing to specifically meet the needs of school closure. We’ve never Bitesize Daily tutor: Brian Cox

CosmicShambles.com seen anything like this before and may never again see anything like it. It’s a the Sheffield-based “quiet giant” of expansion of Bitesize. The head- success for us if parents have found it online teaching support material teacher of Northampton’s highly-rated easier to support home learning and founded in 2010. Privately owned, Parklands primary school, Tracey enjoy it.” Twinkl already works with CBBC and Coles, says: “We are all really positive The lockdown world of physical Children in Need and provides pack- about how everyone is just leaping into withdrawal and school closures has ages starting at £4.49 a month. action and trying to be supportive in caused isolation. There is a unanimous The company is opening its archive these bizarre times, and pulling view that the BBC is demonstrating the of 635,000 pieces of content for free together to maintain children’s importance of a national, universal and making new content available. Its engagement with education. public service broadcaster, without a teaching team, the majority of its “The BBC has an excellent reputa- commercial interest. 550-strong workforce, is making sug- tion for quality and will have worked “This crisis makes you aware of the gestions for Bitesize content. “We are hard to ensure its offerings are useful value of British institutions, the NHS very happy to take part,” says Mark and also fun”. and the BBC,” says Jacques. Wilson, Twinkl’s head of strategic She points out that not all homes are Mark Damazer, former controller of partnerships. equipped with computers or laptops, Radio 4, puts it this way: “It is uniquely Another first-time contributor to whereas everyone has access to a tele- placed. Name me one organisation that the BBC initiative is Yorkshire-based vision: “It does provide an excellent is available at a touch of a button in White Rose Maths, which grew from solution for those homes which have 26 million homes.” He thinks that Bite- a government-backed initiative to internet problems, and it adds variety size Daily could be so popular that it improve the standard of numeracy to the day.” may be hard to discontinue. in schools. The service also includes daily pod- And, Greg Childs adds, by harnessing The Premier League, Royal Shake- casts for parents on BBC Sounds to celebrity power and introducing ele- speare Company and Puffin Books are give practical advice for the day’s ments of entertainment and fun, “the all providing external content. home schooling. upside to the whole thing is that edu- Schools have welcomed the Coles adds: “Parents are worried cation just gets a bit more exciting”. n

Television www.rts.org.uk May 2020 19 A dose of reality

Contagion Warner Bros Warner

ore than 30 years The actor Hugh Quarshie, my friend Dr Charlie Easmon, ago, I sat in the St and fellow Ghanaian, who plays doctor a specialist in public George’s Medical Ric Griffin in Holby City, and I did syn- School library in chronised “jaw drops” when the health, assesses how Tooting, south Lon- locked-down set of this show (and the stars of fictionalised don, contemplating Casualty) donated its scrubs, gloves and a framed cowhide that belonged to a other personal protective equipment beastM called Blossom. The hide came (PPE) to the NHS. pandemics stack up from the cow that the great 18th-cen- In the UK, the emperor has no PPE. against real-world tury physician Edward Jenner, the This was epitomised by the brilliant heroes founder of immunology, used in an Morten Morland’s Sunday Times cartoon experiment to demonstrate his vaccine in which health secretary Matt Han- against smallpox. Fast forward 33 years cock tells bemused medical staff: “You and here we are during a pandemic are all covering yourselves in glory.” that will last for many months to come. And they mutter: “It’s all we have.” I have lectured on pandemics and What do feature films and TV rep- was noted, at a conference of private resentations of my profession tell us school bursars, mostly ex-army types, about how to handle a global pan- for getting them to do the Mexican demic? Are the doctors and nurses wave as a way of demonstrating the hard-working and exhausted? Are the rolling spread of an infection – some- experts infallible voices of authority? thing that Boris Johnson’s advisors Does everyone have the same plan? should have known when they failed In real life, we have seen nations to stop the Cheltenham Festival. take different tacks while each has

20 stressed that its approach is based on both a fan club and a hate club. Many doctor Jed Mercurio’s work, from Car- the science, but the bigger picture women (and men) want to have his diac Arrest and Bodies to Bodyguard and plays out like an anarchic Marx Broth- babies, but some are convinced that Line of Duty. Jed has always known how ers’ comedy. he’s the Vincent Price in this particular to show the compassion fatigue that I love the fact that in 80,000 Suspects horror movie and has sold his soul to comes with medical work and fre- (1963), the doctors and nurses are, Satan. quent dichotomy of the lovely chap indeed, hard-working but the focus is For conspiracy theorists, Price’s who’s a hopeless surgeon and the more on the moral dilemmas of one famous role in The Masque of the Red sexist, playboy bastard who’s a great doctor cheating on his wife. Death (1964) resonates uncannily with one (Keith Allen). Gwyneth Paltrow plays a naughty the age of Covid-19. In Edgar Allan The late Michael Crichton used his lady who meets a ghastly early fate in Poe’s tale, the wealthy elite pull the medical knowledge across the wide Contagion (2011). Her detractors proba- drawbridge up behind them as the territory of The Andromeda Strain, Jurassic bly whoop and holler while throwing Park, Westworld and ER (George Clooney, gloop into the air, but the film cleverly incidentally, did wonders for my love uses tracking shots to illustrate the ‘PANIC IN THE life). Crichton specialised in the conse- spread of a Sars-like illness imported quences of following science blindly, from China to the rest of the world. STREETS’ SHOWED the negative effects of well-intentioned Sound familiar? experiments, and the reality of hard The conflict between hard-nosed THAT YOU NEED decision-making in emergencies. military experts and soft liberal public BRAINS AND When we finally reflect on this pan- health experts is well captured in Out- demic with a well-aimed retrospecto- break (1995). Dustin Hoffman, who BRAWN TO scope (no bowel prep required), we loves dogs in the film and therefore COMBAT AN might wish that we had had the benefit must be the good guy, squares off of Winslet’s film character (the com- against Donald Sutherland, who looks EPIDEMIC passionate great explainer committed like he would eat children. to saving lives with no herd in view), a Certainly, the Donald character (any Laurence Fishburne (the competent resemblance to any person living or plague stalks the land outside their Centers for Disease Control maestro, dead is coincidental) has no compunc- castle walls. And, in the modern world, who would never mislead with faulty tion about the ultimate public-health an unholy alliance of Big Pharma and tests) and a Dustin Hoffman (the mor- measure of simply bombing infected Big Tech allegedly conspires to track ally upright scientist seeking a cure). people to hell. When he threatens to and dose us at the same time as 5G Instead, we seem to have got a dis- do this a second time in the US (in his makes us glow in the dark. mal band of Contagion’s Jude Law (the view, Africa mattered less, of course), So far, we have been good citizens conspiracy theorist peddling false drug Hoffman gives one of his great impas- and, mostly, stuck to lockdown but dreams), Donald Sutherland (prepared sioned speeches. Even the deepest might we still see Panic in the Streets? to expend any number of poor people cynic would ditch their bomb safely in In this excellent 1950 film, directed to defeat the virus) and Vincent Price the ocean and pass no comment on by the great Elia Kazan, our good doc- (abandon the herd to its fate). Hoffman’s never-ageing face. tor, the trusty Richard Widmark, teams Oh, and I nearly forgot to mention Outbreak is based on the deadly up with a cynical but effective hunk of the World Health Organization contro- Ebola virus. The scientists in the film an Irish cop – reminding us that you versy. President Trump threatens to talk us through the disease in a reas- need brains and brawn to combat an defund an organisation that the US has suring way, as does Kate Winslet in epidemic. systematically underfunded for years, Contagion. In fact, her explanation of Early in our pandemic, on 12 March, perhaps because it is led by a man who R-nought is so good that I would use public-health expert Professor John looks suspiciously like Barack Obama the clip to teach epidemiology classes Ashton appeared on Question Time. Just with a moustache. on how viruses spread. As we should as depicted in numerous film and TV Well, talking of possible alternatives all know by now, R-nought measures scenes, a Government smoothie to WHO, if you like a bit of rock ’n’ roll how contagious an infectious disease is. immediately pooh-poohed Ashton’s (and can cope with the excessive gor- In real life, we have had few scien- legitimate concerns about allowing geousness of my little girl on a bat tific superstars. Our own chief scien- mass events, the impact of the disease scooter), please enjoy my TEDx talk on tific advisor, chief medical officer for on care homes and call for mass testing that very subject: England and deputy chief medical – all since proved right. www.youtube.com/watch?v=INTlCAQJaro n officer have all lost lustre as the pan- Medical and non-medical writers demic has rolled on and the experi- alike have prepared us for what we see Dr Charlie Easmon MBBS MRCP MSc Pub- ence has belied their projections. now. There’s George Bernard Shaw in lic Health DTM&H DOccMed is: medical The cow whose hide I contemplated The Doctor’s Dilemma: “Who gets treated director of Your Excellent Health Service; at the start of my medical career would [or, in our case, tested]?” And Ibsen in president of the International Association be rolling in its grave at the very idea An Enemy of the People: “Surely, you’re of Physicians for the Overseas Services of promoting herd immunity for a kidding, doctor – why close something (www.iapos.co.uk); co-founder of YEHS disease that might not produce any. popular [in our case, a football match We Care; and co-founder of Global Dr Anthony Fauci, part of Donald or festival]?” Health Action Strategies & Solutions Trump’s coronavirus task force, has Many viewers have enjoyed former (www.ghass.co.uk).

Television www.rts.org.uk May 2020 21 Life at the sharp end ITV News chief Rachel Corp takes Shilpa Ganatra through her working day ITN

or most of those who things, the wedding of the Duke and especially as the seasons are changing.” work in the TV industry, Duchess of Sussex. “But coronavirus is Across ITN, a team of 240 staff the old cliché is true: no the biggest breaking news story that deliver ITV’s lunchtime and early-­ two days are the same. any of us have had for a long time,” she evening bulletins and News at Ten, in But when you’re respon- says. “We were watching it coming addition to any extras commissioned. sible for ITV’s lunchtime, towards us from Asia, then from the They share editorial duties, but one evening,F and 10:00pm news, there’s a continent, so it’s a breaking story that editor focuses on the management structure that can’t bend, not even we could predict but couldn’t plan for.” aspects each day, while the other runs when the world enters lockdown and Even before “the new normal”, Corp the show. Corp is at her desk before changes life as we know it. Welcome to would wake at 6:00am every day in 8:00am, but the day officially begins at the working world of Rachel Corp. Peckham, south London, where she 9:00am with an editorial meeting. She Corp has been ITV News’s acting lives with her husband, Laurence Lee, chairs it when she’s on duty. editor since 2018, after years of high- a senior reporter for Al Jazeera, and “It used to be a big, packed meeting level, high-stakes news experience. their two young daughters. room, but now there’s five or six of us, She joined ITN in 2011, after a spell as Such is the 24/7 nature of the job, spread out, two metres apart. Many the BBC’s Moscow producer, climbing mornings involve a scan through over- more are dialling in,” she says, adding to ITV News London’s editor during the night updates, then exercise, either a run that, nowadays, she often works from mayoral election debates and the or workout at home, with the radio on. home. “We’ve had to adapt almost Brexit referendum. Defined as a key worker, she drives overnight. People have variable inter- She subsequently led the 5 News though all but empty streets to ITN’s net quality, sometimes you can’t hear team, pulling together coverage of the HQ at Gray’s Inn Road. properly, but we’ve made it work. Plus, 2017 snap election with weeks, rather “I feel lucky, as just having a change we get a good old peek into people’s than months, to prepare, before return- of scene is healthy mentally,” she says. houses, which is fun. ing to ITV News to cover, among other “I appreciate that I get to see a bit of life, “At the moment, news is wall-to-wall

22 coronavirus, so we know the subject me as a female editor, but I believe it’s we’ll be covering. Often, you can’t a space to let out the emotion of it, too define the political news at 9:00am, – we need to express that a piece was but so much of our coverage has been a moving or a tough watch. We can’t original pieces that we’ve chosen the forget that we are humans in this.” day before. I want to find the people Afternoons are usually for strategic who are falling through the cracks, work and liaising with ITV. In between, who perhaps aren’t being talked about. at 2:45pm, the afternoon editorial “For example, early on, we realised meeting decides the shape of the that care homes were going to be a evening news. huge issue, not because it was in the She returns home by around 8:00pm, ‘LIKE THE newspapers or there was a government though she’s only a phone call away EMERGENCY press release, but because of our own from her team as they complete reporting.” preparation for the 10:00pm broadcast. SERVICES, WE At the start of the crisis, she and her “At least, as my husband and I are RUN IN THE team changed the lunchtime news to both journalists, we understand what include interviews with experts, to each other is going through,” she says. OPPOSITE deliver information that their audience In ordinary times, her family of foodies DIRECTION TO wanted to know. It appears to have would spend time together in the worked: in March, viewership was up kitchen, but they were mid-renovation EVERYONE ELSE’ by 63% year-on-year, with an average when lockdown began, so it has of 1.3 million tuning in. become a case of moving boxes to The morning meeting also discusses create a makeshift cooking space. how to sensitively challenge the politi- Evenings are also the time to catch cal response. “At the start, we made a up with friends via video calls and commitment to get the Government socialise with the rest of her street. message out – it wasn’t for us to say “Everyone has piled in to make sure whether that message was right or everyone else is OK, and we’ve done a wrong,” Corp says. “We still held them few garden drinks, too,” she says. to account, but not at the expense of Her shift finishes only after the drowning the message or criticising 10:00pm bulletin has been wrapped the response simply as balance. But up. The last debrief emphasises the now we’ve moved into a different positive aspects of the team’s work phase, where there are questions about throughout the day. “After that, I can’t the economy and exit strategy.” pretend I don’t have a glass of wine at At the end of the meeting, the day’s night these days,” she says. “Normally, coverage will have been loosely agreed, I’d be out several nights a week – I and assigned in more detail than usual don’t need much sleep – but, as we’re to reduce pressure for the team as they home, I go to bed around midnight stringently follow the safety rules, during the week.” whether in the field or in the office. The all-consuming work life is only “Like emergency services, we run in just beginning to ease; at the start of the opposite direction to everyone else, the crisis, she worked around 30 days and we have to find ways to do that in a row. “As editor, I am on call 24/7. safely,” she says. I’ve always made myself available and As if to prove this point, following the that just is the way it is,” she says. “In editorial meeting, Corp attends an ITN- the first weeks of the crisis, we were all wide coronavirus meeting with other living off adrenaline, but that couldn’t managers and the heads of editorial, HR be sustained for ever. Now, it’s about and technology, to ensure their policies finding things to replace the adrenaline and guidelines are up to date. and maintaining that energy. Then, it is the lunchtime news, fol- “And this is the long haul, so we’ve lowed by the first debrief of the day. been making sure that people have ITN holds one after each bulletin and down time. I took six days off at Easter. they are seen as key to keeping the The last few years have been domi- output on track. nated by Brexit, where you never knew As the diversity and gender lead at what was coming next, but this is dif- ITN, Corp is the first to ensure diver- ferent because you don’t know when it sity statistics are reported in the is going to end. And we’ve hardly begun debrief, “although it’s an issue that is on the global recession, which is so more challenging now, when we don’t huge in itself.” often have a choice in who’s put up. But addressing the seismic story that “We also discuss what worked and remains in front of us for now, that’s what didn’t work. And perhaps it’s just for another day. n

Television www.rts.org.uk May 2020 23 Mob rule

igh-end television London is unique,” claims Benski. drama has become An all-star cast leads “Thanks to our casting director, Kelly ubiquitous. Even so, it’s Sky Atlantic’s new Valentine Hendry, we assembled a cast unlikely that TV audi- of sophisticated, mostly classically ences have seen any- action thriller, Gangs of trained, actors who could contrast that thing quite like Sky genre world with the sophistication Atlantic’s new crime thriller, Gangs of London. Steve Clarke and prestige that this drama offers.” LondonH, a brooding, tense, cinematic Despite his distinguished pedigree dodges the blows tour de force that is most definitely (which includes directing period hor- not for the squeamish. co-founder of Pulse Films, Gangs of ror film Apostle for Netflix), Gangs of Described variously as a cross London’s main producer. “We wanted London is the first time Evans has made between Peaky Blinders and The Irish- to make something we felt had never a TV series. “Gareth went to a different man, and “revoltingly inventive”, the been done before, at least on British world when he was developing this nine-part series stars Joe Cole (Peaky television. I think we’ve achieved that.” show,” explains Lucas Ochoa, another Blinders), Sope Dirisu (Humans), Colm The series was created by the of the executive producers. “He’s Meaney (Star Trek), Lucian Msamati (His award-winning film-maker behind The immersed in cinema history – Asian Dark Materials), Michelle Fairley (Game Raid martial arts movies, Gareth Evans, cinema, Hong Kong action cinema and of Thrones), Paapa Essiedu (Press), and and his long-time collaborator, Matt Japanese art cinema. He brought to Pippa Bennett-Warner (Harlots). Flannery, and inspired by a video bear that vast range of references, The story begins as rival international game of the same name optioned by which is unusual for television.” gangs jostle to fill a power vacuum Pulse Films. Certainly, the fight sequences have created when the head of London’s “Using action as a story driver is not an almost balletic quality that is rare most powerful crime clan, the Wallaces, something you typically find in British to encounter on the small screen. But is assassinated. TV. Gareth is a visionary action director. perhaps it is Evans’s menacing creation “The proposition was very clear,” says The ambitious narrative of creating of a hyper-violent and deeply unsettling executive producer Thomas Benski, this Shakespearian version of modern London that really punches through.

24 What, then, is the secret of staging these thrilling spectacles? “Prepara- tion, preparation, preparation,” says Evans, whose own TV viewing choices are more likely to feature US comedies, such as Brooklyn Nine-Nine, than drama. For the fight scenes, he was able to call on his years of experience making martial-arts­ movies. He continues: “We spent lot of time interrogating the ideas and made sure that everything in there was there for a reason. When we stage a fight, it’s not allowed to be just purely style and visceral, but has to feel like a real fight. We design every action sequence, every camera angle and every edit that goes into those sequences. “That allows us to come to set very prepared, so that every department knows what’s required of them, whether it’s wardrobe, make-up, or a different piece of rigging for the camera while we get a certain angle. “Everyone knows what’s expected of them and how many shots we’re aim- ing to get in a day in order to be on schedule. It’s a vital process and the one thing I’ve imported from what I do in Indonesia.” But won’t some viewers have a problem watching such a dark show during these dark times? “No, I don’t think it really plays as dark,” says Ben- Gangs of London

Sky ski. “When you get to see the whole show, you’ll see that it has all of the So why has it taken Evans so long TV series made more sense, 10 hours light and shade of great drama. There to work in TV? Was he worried that it in nine episodes. It’s OK if we want to are flashes of humour. The mix of would be too restrictive for someone veer off for 10 to 15 minutes in one these different elements is something used to creating explosive set pieces episode in order to explore one char- that will give people some respite in for cinema in action movies? acter. It doesn’t matter if they come these difficult times.” “Truthfully, I never really found my from a different culture or speak a Ochoa agrees: “It isn’t a dark show footing in terms of a career until I was different language. but a fast-paced, thrilling story about out in Indonesia [where he made The “You can do all of those things in an families and power. Hopefully, it is an Raid films],” says Evans, who was born episodic TV drama, where there’s the uplifting, kinetic world that has some and bred in Wales and now lives near freedom and flexibility to tell the kind graphic components to it. Of course, Swansea. “There, it was film, film, film, of story we wanted to.” those are not subtle, but I feel they are nothing else. Out there, TV was super He acknowledges that fashioning his played out in a world that doesn’t feel low-budget, so film was the only option. trademark elaborate set pieces for TV, dark or bleak.” “When I returned to the UK, Apostle rather than film production, proved Gangs of London may be the stuff of came first and I was then pitched to be something of a learning curve. fantasy but it is unquestionably, unre- Gangs of London. The thing that fasci- Nevertheless, the same painstaking lentingly violent. How does Evans nated me was how culturally diverse skills were required in order to film the think audiences are likely to react to the city is. You hear so many different action sequences. the violence? “It’s the nature of the languages on the streets. “A high-end drama might shoot for show and the world that the characters “The whole show is set in a height- a similar budget, but we’re throwing in inhabit. Some people will like [the ened version of London. We knew that explosions and stunts. That’s when it violence] and some won’t. I fully we wanted to tell a story that would starts to get expensive,” he says. accept that. Nothing I’ve ever made feel almost operatic – grand, full of “Every single fight sequence or set has been for everyone.” n big emotions and big characters. piece might only be two-thirds of a “I thought: I don’t think we can do page in the script but could take up All episodes of Gangs of London are justice to that city in a film. A long-form to five days to shoot.” available on Sky Atlantic and Now TV.

Television www.rts.org.uk May 2020 25 Broadcasters are thinking laterally to fill the void left by Covid-19’s impact on the sporting calendar, reports Matthew Bell Netflix's Formula 1: Drive to Survive Netflix TV sport: All to play for

elcome to the Downing, head of factual and sport UK are hungry for content, even if it is great British at Eurosport. Its key sports – cycling, wobbly and grainy. summer of no tennis, snooker and motorsports – and, The BBC’s approach fits the template sport. There will this summer, the Tokyo Olympics are of the other major broadcasters: wher­ be no Wimble­ all in hibernation. ever a live event is missing, it is offer­ don, no Euro “We want to find innovative ways to ing a like-for-like replacement to 2020 football, no Open golf and no represent these [sporting] pillars, first “remind people of the great things that Olympics,W which leaves the sport by revisiting archive but also finding sport can do and, we hope, will do broadcasters on the canvas. ways of offering a fresh perspective.” again very soon”, Philip Bernie, head of Punch drunk they may be, but no During the last week of May, Euro­ TV Sport, tells Television. one is throwing in the towel. The chal­ sport will revisit the London Olympics. “We are doing our best to sate the lenge is to fill the hours of telly set Different sports will be featured daily appetite of sports fans, by showing aside for sport this summer and to as long jumper Greg Rutherford and some great sports from the past and attract the bumper audiences being cyclist Bradley Wiggins, among others, adding in some lively comment.” enjoyed elsewhere on TV during the offer retrospective commentary on The BBC can’t hope to fill the hun­ lockdown. their gold-medal-winning perform­ dreds of hours not being taken up by a Live sport has not disappeared ances. “It seems a lifetime ago,” says real summer of sport, but it is planning entirely – Taiwanese basketball and Downing, “but never has it felt more “at least a daily dose” during the baseball anyone? – but there is not right to return to 2012.” Olympics and Wimbledon weeks, much of it about. Athletes will film themselves using including a “celebration of the wonder “We’re a channel that’s been built on Zoom. So don’t expect the picture that is Andy Murray over one of the live sports and [coronavirus] has hit us quality of a normal linear broadcast Wimbledon weekends”, adds Bernie. particularly hard,” admits Simon but, during the lockdown, audiences E-sports are booming during the

26 lockdown, and multinational broad­ caster Eleven Sports is featuring virtual cycling, motor sports and football in its territories around the world. The company’s CEO, Luis Vicente, says: “This is an unprecedented chal­ lenge for the sports media industry but we want to make sure we’re there for fans, to offer them some fun and some entertainment at a time they need it more than ever. “To do this without our usual offer­ ing of premium live sport is obviously a challenge but we need to be innova­ tive and experiment with new things. That means a big focus on e-sports.” Eleven is also responsible for cover­ ing the aforementioned live basketball and baseball in Taiwan, which have played out in empty stadia. It has made coverage available around the world through Twitter and Twitch, attracting Basketball from Taiwan in April more than 7 million views during one CricketnLive.com week at the end of April. Nevertheless, if the content is right, At the time of writing, only Belgium much lower than the 3.2 million e-sports can attract huge audiences, and the Netherlands have declared enjoyed by MOTD earlier in the season too. Almost 5 million viewers tuned in their domestic seasons over; around the when there was actual football to show. to ITV’s Virtual Grand National 2020. It rest of Europe, fans hope that, some­ The BBC is planning for the possible used CGI animation and algorithms to how, seasons can be brought to a natu­ resumption of domestic football this find a winner – Potters Corner, which ral end. Broadcasters feel the same. summer, something the Government won the real Welsh Grand National last Both Sky Sports, which holds the is pushing for hard in a bid to cheer up year – for the cancelled Aintree race. majority of Premier League live rights, the nation, or the footie-loving part of Eurosport and the BBC are also and BT Sport, home to the Champions it, at any rate. experimenting with e-sports, and League, allowed customers to pause “When it does return, it won’t be Eurosport’s Downing says: “If these their sport subscriptions when corona­ returning in the same way as it left, gain traction, we may consider them virus ended live sport. with 50,000-strong crowds and all the once the lockdown is over. Early June is the current target for a apparatus of broadcasting we used “[The crisis] is forcing us to think resumption of the Premier League; for prior to the coronavirus crisis,” says the differently and allowing us to try things fans needing a quicker fix, the German BBC’s Bernie. “We have to see how we that normally we wouldn’t have a Bundesliga could return, behind closed will be allowed to broadcast. It’s going chance to do because the schedules are doors, in May, with BT set to show live to be a really big challenge to space populated with contracted content.” Saturday afternoon football – banned people in galleries and outside broad­ Documentaries can help to fill the in normal times to avoid a clash with cast trucks. We’re doing a lot of think­ vacuum left by live events. Netflix’s UK matches – for the first time in ing to make it work.” Formula 1: Drive to Survive, which follows many years. Bernie adds that the BBC is not look­ the previous year’s racing and is now In the meantime, Sky Sports has ing beyond the summer: “At the into its second season, has won rave launched The Football Show, featuring its moment, we’re trying to cover the cur­ reviews for capturing the sport’s high-­ usual match-day pundits, such as Gary rent scarcity, which is testing enough.” octane drama. But it is impossible to Neville and Graeme Souness, speaking As the summer unfolds, more sport make similarly high-end docs from from their living rooms. It has also been could return. Formula One’s British scratch during the lockdown. raiding its archives for classic matches Grand Prix at Silverstone is set to Sky is making the most of films from to include in Premier League Retro. go ahead – without spectators – in its NBCUniversal partners, with an The BBC and ITV, too, are missing mid-July. Champions League football impressive roster in May, including football; in their cases, June and July’s could resume in early August, with the docs about Usain Bolt and Conor Euro 2020 tournament. But Match of the delayed Tour de France due later that McGregor, as well as a Sky original on Day, which celebrates its 56th birthday month. But, like football scores, this is Tiger Woods. But, more than anything, this summer, remains on air with Gary impossible to predict with any certainty. it is football – the UK’s national sport Lineker at the helm. At least the summer’s biggest events – that is being missed. Match of the Day: Top 10, a podcast – Euro 2020 and the Olympics – are In sport, it’s the hope that gets you. featuring Lineker, Ian Wright and Alan not being lost, merely delayed a year. Your football team may be four-nil Shearer discussing old Premier League “All being well,” says the BBC’s Bernie, down, but dreams of an improbable matches from the safety of their “the next two summers should be comeback never die. This pretty much homes, has averaged 1.9 million listen­ absolutely extraordinary and packed sums up the state of the current season. ers over its Saturday-night run, not with wonderful sport.” n

Television www.rts.org.uk May 2020 27 OUR FRIEND IN WALES

Phil Henfrey hen producing daily national news for Dr Frank describes how ITV Wales in bulletins that run from Good Atherton, Cymru Wales’s Morning Britain to after News at Ten. Wales’s Alongside news, our current affairs chief focused approach teams have innovated quickly to medical reformat two programmes that can officer, to covering the remain on the air for as long as the said in late April that the pandemic crisis has paid off story needs. Wales This Week is broad- Wcurve had not just been flattened, but cast in the heart of ITV peak time squashed, it was reassuring on two each Thursday evening while Y Byd Ar levels: it signalled to viewers that the Bedwar (World on Four) is produced for Welsh NHS appeared to be over the Welsh-language channel S4C. Both worst of Covid-19 and it also suggested programmes are gaining access and that our editorial strategy was working. providing insights that can some- Dr Atherton had given a number of times be harder for the daily news interviews to various media outlets cycle to provide. that day, but only ITV Cymru Wales Our digital team was also quick viewers heard his seminal statement to find its stride. It was the first to that the Welsh Government’s lock- stream the Welsh Government’s daily down measures had “squashed” the press briefing to our website and virus in Wales. social media channels. From the beginnings of this medi- Again, the emphasis is to take the cal emergency, we set out to do live, time to explain by creating in-depth in-depth interviews with the key packages that bring together video,

decision-makers and frontline work- ITV graphics and the written word. The ers in our flagship evening news aim is to help make sense of this crisis programme, Wales at Six. Without doubt, they are our greatest for new and younger audiences, who This has not meant giving those in asset. want trusted news on new platforms. authority a free platform. Our role is The transition from normal office- The reward has been a massive 500% to scrutinise. Extending the time for based production to home working increase in users, year on year. the interview results in fewer inter- was unprecedented, swift and essen- The relative weakness of the indig- ruptions and more room for deliver- tial. Everyone understood that, to enous Welsh news market can result ing information that is hugely keep staff safe at our Cardiff HQ, the in people who live in Wales relying important to the lives of our viewers. majority of us would have to be pro- on media sources that carry little, if And which, due to devolution, can ductive at home. any, Welsh content. sometimes be at odds with what is Within hours, colleagues, who were Ofcom research shows that people happening elsewhere in the UK. already multiskilled, were combining trust ITV in Wales above all other As the most-watched peak-time their expertise with mobile and other commercial media. During a crisis television channel in Wales – and as technologies to keep the show on air. like this, where the devolved admin- a national public service broadcaster One – our health reporter, James istration is playing such a pivotal role – our teams of journalists, production Crichton-Smith, who was self-isolating in the life of everyone in Wales, what staff and programme-makers have a at the time – even commandeered a all the public service broadcasters in clear and vital role to play in this crisis: bath towel to use as a makeshift blue Wales are doing right now really does to tell the story of what’s happening in screen for his home-edited, graphic matter. n Wales accurately and impartially. explainer. I could not be more proud of the Today, 85% of our team are routinely Phil Henfrey is head of news and pro- way our teams have responded. working from their homes and grammes at ITV Cymru Wales.

28 RTS NEWS Matthew Bell learns how

RTS Northern RTS Ireland Waddell Media is riding out the coronavirus storm

ittle on TV cheers up audiences more than seeing animals brought back to Lhealth, so Waddell Media’s new series Work on the Wild Side is coming to screens at just the right time. The 20 one-hour shows will be stripped across the daytime week on Channel 4 from mid-May. They follow vets and volunteers who have given up their jobs in the UK and moved to South Jannine Waddell with Hector the hippo

Africa to rescue animals, and Media Waddell reintroduce them to the wild. “It’s good timing for it to go out now, because we all need a bit of escapism, and Working on the hoof to get back in touch with nature,” says Jannine Wad- dell, series executive pro- She describes the finan­ great creative companies industry where cash flow ducer and MD of the cing as “a challenging day- here in Northern Ireland. I is critical. Northern Ireland indie. time budget”, although 7% think we’re going to see quite “We’ve been hounding The idea for the series top-up funding from North- a lot of them collapse now,” broadcasters to get money came to Waddell when she ern Ireland Screen “really fears Waddell. out of them; normally, we visited a number of animal helped – it is very supportive Her company has had to can be more lenient.” rescue centres while filming of the TV industry”. Never- postpone a number of pro- The local TV community Francis Brennan’s Grand Tour of theless, “we had to use every ductions, including Francis needs to work together dur- South Africa for RTÉ. “It took shot… to make our stories. Brennan’s 5 Star Training Acad- ing the crisis, says Waddell, about a year to convince We simply couldn’t afford to emy, for RTÉ and BBC Scot- who chairs Women in Film & Channel 4 – you have to be a sit there for weeks [waiting land, and Northern Ireland Television in Northern Ire- bit of a stalker to get anything for the perfect picture].” travel series Getaways. Post- land and sits on the RTS made,” she recalls. “Eventu- Channel 4 recently ordered production and reversioning Northern Ireland Committee. ally, they gave me some a 10 x 30-minute cut of the of Work on the Wild Side has Northern Ireland Screen development money to go series for peak time – a huge been done remotely and has made extra development out and see if the cast existed, bonus for the Holywood- some filming, largely outdoors funding of up to £50,000 and we found these amazing based factual and entertain- and by drone, is continuing. available for production people devoting themselves ment indie during these “We follow a safe-filming companies working in fac- to saving animals.” tough times. BBC Northern protocol,” says Waddell. tual/entertainment, feature Waddell Media shot Work on Ireland has also just com- “Filming is very limited. documentary, TV drama and the Wild Side with a combina- missioned Waddell Media to We’re not doing interviews; independent film. tion of local and UK crews. “It make a 3 x 30-minute series, we’ll pick those up later on.” “We are a tight community was a real mixed bag. We sent with the working title Suzie “It’s really tough for free- and work very collabora- out producer/directors and Lee Home Cook Hero, to be lance staff. We’ve had to tively, and we’re going to try some cameramen, but I also shot this month.. stand down freelancers and to support each other,” says met amazing camera people “Before coronavirus hit, furloughed quite a lot of our Waddell. “We need to work in South Africa who went out the production sector was staff. There was no alterna- together as a sector, because to shoot for us as well.” growing – there’s lots of tive. It’s a hand-to-mouth it’s going to be really bad.” n

Television www.rts.org.uk May 2020 29 RTS CENTRE NEWS

Socially Distant with Susan Calman Red Sky Productions Sky Red The calm amid the storm

ocially Distant with “We were facing some commission in seven days Matthew Bell Susan Calman has pretty bleak times,” says Jane – and we were on air 10 days discovers how been bringing some Rogerson, co-founder of the later,” Rogerson recalls. much-needed cheer Glasgow factual indie. “We’re The show is filmed in making quick- Sto Scottish audiences every only three years old and Calman’s garden by one Thursday since the early don’t have massive financial camera operator – at a turnaround shows days of the coronavirus reserves. A month ago, we socially responsible distance is helping Glasgow lockdown. knew all our productions – in half a day, just two days But the six-part topical were going to stop and, if our before transmission. “We indie Red Sky comedy show for BBC Scot- productions stop, our cash took a decision with the BBC to keep its head land – filmed in the Glasgow stops. So we had to think right at the start that we were comedian’s back garden, hard about how to survive.” going to lean into the lo-fi, above water with virtual contributions Red Sky pitched Socially rough and ready nature of it,” from comedians, actors and Distant with Susan Calman to says Rogerson. “If it rains, musicians – has also given a BBC Scotland shortly before Susan gets an umbrella out.” huge boost to its producer, the UK entered lockdown. Apart from the camera Red Sky Productions. “It went from pitch to operator, the rest of the

30 production and post-­ quick, decisive and clear, and production team work from take the team along with home. “We have a morning you. At one point, the future Zoom meeting for everybody looked pretty bleak but [with to check in – it’s really these productions] we’ve important for everyone to been able to give work to feel they are still part of a 30 freelancers – that’s been team,” says Rogerson. “We’ve really uplifting.” been very mindful that it’s The lockdown, which has not business as usual for led to the cancellation of freelancers.” almost all shoots, has hit Calman is an increasingly Scotland’s production sector popular presence on televi- hard. Its biggest drama, the sion. Currently, she can also BBC One/ITV Studios cop be seen presenting BBC show Shetland, has been Two’s Great British Menu. postponed, which has had a Red Sky picked up a second huge effect on the country’s commission for a quick turn- TV freelancers. around show, this time from “Indies are struggling and Channel 4. Spring at Jimmy’s we’ve all taken pay cuts to Susan Calman on Farm, a series of four one- protect our staff, but I really hour programmes transport- feel for freelancers who are ing viewers to the rural being hit hardest,” says her new show idyll of Jimmy Rogerson. Doherty’s Suf- Help for pro- folk farm, began ‘WE WERE ducers has been n ‘I was first contacted about something to look forward to? its run at the end announced by the possibility of filming a ‘The idea very quickly of last month. FACING Screen Scotland, show from my home in the became a reality as BBC “We were which is offering middle of March and was Scotland acted decisively already working SOME TV and film immediately taken by the and committed to six with Jimmy on PRETTY indies develop- possibilities. episodes. We had no set another series ment grants of ‘I thought about colleagues dressing in my garden (as for Channel 4 BLEAK up to £50,000. who’d suddenly found them- you can clearly see!), we [Can Jimmy Save TIMES’ “This funding selves without work. If we embraced the lo-fi conditions the Bees?] and so will support could get a show up and and had one cameraman­ we jumped at Scotland’s film running, we could create who stayed very far away the chance to film at his farm and TV producers and writ- employment and keep the from me at all times. during lockdown,” says Ross ers to develop high-quality, industry going, even in a ‘I fashioned an autocue Harper, joint MD, with Rog- commissionable projects, small way. from my iPad and stole a erson, at Red Sky. ready to go into production ‘I was also deeply con- table from my sitting room. “We worked hard to get when the market returns,” cerned about those in the My Asda garden furniture the right measures in place says Isabel Davis, Screen creative community who also came in very handy. to film safely, including pro- Scotland executive director. found themselves unable ‘But we did it, despite all of viding camper-van accom- Red Sky also has develop- to make money and who the challenges. modation for each of the crew ment money from broad- had ideas that needed to be ‘Technology meant that on location. The project went casters for a couple of expressed and appreciated. we could write, communi­ from commission to filming projects, which can hopefully ‘Most importantly, I cate and get a show together in less than a week and to air go straight into production thought about those at without being in the same three weeks later.” when the lockdown eases. home. My neighbours, my room. The team at Red The Calman and Doherty Rogerson admits that, family, my friends, who were Sky have been magnificent shows have brought Red Sky without more commissions, as anxious as I was and who and audience feedback “salvation”, admits Rogerson. it “would be tricky” to sur- found themselves, at times, tremendous. The indie had seen a couple vive a long lockdown. “And extremely lonely. ‘The tone of the show of series postponed and it’s no great secret that the ‘Not everyone is on social changes each week but it others, which, after months commissions that are being media and television has always has the same aim – of development, were about ordered by every channel are such an important place to showcase great Scottish to be green-lit, paused. not high-price ones, nor are in providing comfort in the talent (on and off screen) But, she adds, it has been they long runs.” current environment. Maybe and to provide laughter, an exciting time making Nevertheless, she adds: we could do something to warmth and a bit of joy. I’ve shows on the hoof. “It’s like “We’re a creative industry, cheer people up, to make never been prouder to work the old-fashioned way of so challenge can bring them smile and give them on a show.’ making telly. You’ve got be creativity.” n

Television www.rts.org.uk May 2020 31 RTS CENTRE NEWS Weekly webinars help bursary students n UK production company The duo have been offer- home and stare at television feeling overwhelmed during All3Media has been helping ing advice and practical screens is a bittersweet these uncertain times. It RTS bursary students to find solutions to a range of ques- experience for students really feels like we’re all internships, work experience tions and concerns about longing to see their own coming together.” and jobs. Now, with the students’ studies or career names roll down the credits. The RTS is planning fur- coronavirus crisis, it is pro- aspirations. Sessions are Bursary student Charlie ther sessions. ITV Studios viding extra support through interactive, with six to eight McMorine, who took part in hosted one webinar at the a series of “weekly Wednes- students per webinar. the inaugural All3Media end of April and Dave Castell day webinars”. In these uncertain times, session, said: “The session from global tech company All3Media head of talent many RTS bursary students was extremely helpful and The Trade Desk will be talk- Anouk Berendsen and talent have had to cope with their insightful; it gave me peace ing to technology bursary manager Tamara Durnford are worlds being turned upside of mind knowing that it’s students in late May. running the Zoom sessions. down. Being forced to stay at not just university students Megan Fellows

Film-makers from Ulster University excelled at the RTS

Northern Ireland Northern Ireland Student­ Television Awards, winning four of the prizes on offer. Phoebe Long, John Han- non, Jakub Bojanowski and Jack Creaner were awarded the Animation prize for Cos- mic Echoes, which the judges commended for its “beauti- ful design of character”. Margaret Mackel received the Factual award for A Love Letter to My Mum, a “fantastic, endearing story using a Cosmic Echoes

­personal subject”. The Short- Ulster University Form prize went to Marie- Louise McKenna and Caoimhe Lennon for In the Now, “a beautiful film, loved by all the judges”. Ulster Uni- Ulster bags prize haul versity students also picked up the Craft Skills – Camera North West Regional College winners,” said RTS Northern way to nurture and encourage award for Lost Memories. for Voices of the Border. Ireland Chair Vikkie Taggart. the fantastic creative talent we The ceremony was due to “This year’s entries all The RTS Northern Ireland have in Northern Ireland.” take place in late March, but displayed very high stan- Student Television Awards Carson McDowell, Stellify was cancelled due to the dards of creativity, innova- were supported by Northern Media and Performance Film coronavirus outbreak. tion and technical capability Ireland Screen. Head of edu- & Media Insurance sponsored Belfast Metropolitan Col- and I know the judges had cation Bernard McCloskey the awards. lege won the Comedy and a difficult task selecting our said: “These awards are a great Matthew Bell Entertainment category with Crème Brûlée or Chocolate Souf- flé?, while the Northern Ire- RTS Northern Ireland Jack Devlin, Ronan Karicos, Mark Hanna, McKenna and Caoimhe Lennon, Callum Russell and Dylan Kane, Belfast Ulster University land Film and Television Student Television Metropolitan College Awards winners News•Voices of the Border•Brighid School at the SERC campus, Drama•Circle•Marc McCabe, Sheridan, Michael Kane, Dionne Meehan, Bangor, took the Drama Animation•Cosmic Echoes•Phoebe Samantha Davies, Stephen Parker and Darren Harkin, Daire Villa, Moya O’Don- Long, John Hannon, Jakub Bojanowski Lee Seales, NI Film & Television School nell and Joe Kennedy, North West award for Circle. and Jack Creaner, Ulster University at SERC, Bangor Regional College The News award, a new Comedy and Entertainment•Crème Factual•A Love Letter to My Mum• Craft Skills – Camera•Lost Memories• Brûlée or Chocolate Soufflé?• Margaret Mackel, Ulster University Conor Barrow, David McIntyre and category this year, went to Michael Murray Draine, Stacey Burns, Short Form•In the Now•Marie-Louise Tiarnan Hatchell, Ulster University a team of students from

32 Leroy Da Silva from the University of Cov- entry won the presti-

Midlands Centre gious Sir Lenny Henry Award at the RTS Midlands Student Television Awards, which were announced at the end of March. The Dudley-born comic and actor chose Le Roi de la Forêt (The King of the Forest) as the overall winner of the awards, adding, in a special message: “This really touched me and I thought it was incredibly well done.” Da Silva also won the Com- edy and Entertainment and Craft Skills – Editing prizes. This year, owing to the coronavirus outbreak, the awards were made during an online presentation streamed on the RTS YouTube channel. Gus Kearns with his winning animation, St George and the Dragon

Students from Stafford- University Staffordshire shire University led the way, with seven awards, including victories in the Animation (St George and the Dragon), Drama (One-Eighty), Factual (Caffeine Staffs film-makers and Machine) and Short Form film (Night Hopper) categories. Three of these films – St scoop up awards George and the Dragon by Gus Kearns, Georgia Taylor’s One-Eighty and Night Hopper To all the winners, nominees RTS Midlands Student News•Inked•Alex Bridgewood, Univer- by Lauren Burnham – also and entries, we send our sity of Derby Television Awards winners picked up prizes in the Craft congratulations on your Short Form•Night Hopper•Lauren Skills categories. work. The creative ability Burnham, Staffordshire University Sir Lenny Henry Award• Alex Bridgewood from the from our region shines Le Roi de la Forêt•Leroy Da Silva, Craft Skills – Camera•Night Hopper• Coventry University Lauren Burnham, Staffordshire University of Derby took the through and we look forward University Animation•St George and the Dragon• News prize for Inked, a film to seeing all your work in the Craft Skills – Editing•Le Roi de la Forêt• Gus Kearns, Staffordshire University about the life of a tattoo future,” said Dorothy Hobson, Leroy Da Silva, Coventry University artist. The final award, for chair of the judges. Comedy and Entertainment• Craft Skills – Production Design• Le Roi de la Forêt•Leroy Da Silva, St George and the Dragon•Gus Kearns, Craft Skills – Sound, went to BBC Birmingham, Film Coventry University Staffordshire University De Montfort University’s Birmingham and the Univer- Drama•One-Eighty•Georgia Taylor, Craft Skills – Sound•Paranoia•Connor Connor Snape for Paranoia. sity of Worcester sponsored Staffordshire University Snape, De Montfort University “This year, the standard of the awards. Factual•Caffeine and Machine•Sam Craft Skills – Writing•One-Eighty• Herdman, Staffordshire University Georgia Taylor, Staffordshire University entries was again very high. Matthew Bell New chairs appointed in Wales and North West

n New chairs have been who served as Chair of the professionals together in a “I am really grateful to announced at two RTS cen- RTS centre for three years. real celebration of Welsh Judith and Cat for their tres, Cymru Wales and North “Holding our first industry talent,” said Winnan. dynamic and inspiring West. Former Doctor Who awards in February has to be At RTS North West, BBC leadership while serving as brand manager Edward Rus- the highlight for me, as they Breakfast editor Richard Fre- centre chairs,” said RTS Chief sell has taken over in Cymru were so well received and diani has replaced Cat Lewis, Executive Theresa Wise. Wales from Judith Winnan, brought students and CEO of Nine Lives Media. Matthew Bell

Television www.rts.org.uk May 2020 33 RTS CENTRE NEWS Davies warns of ‘great threat’ to TV

Russell T Davies warned channels hugely… and [the process where people will write about a family now? of the severe problems streamers] will start cutting have to move is ADR – addi- How can you be topical with TV faces in the wake of back as well. tional dialogue recording. the stuff you’re writing,

North West North West Centre the coronavirus crisis: “We’ve got a Government But it’s going to be quite because it’s all changing “There is a great threat to all that is morally and pro- simple to pop an actor in a so fast? broadcasters, everywhere.” foundly opposed to the BBC. car and get them safely to a “The last thing I would The writer was talking at an Please don’t think they’ll studio.” want to watch now is a RTS North West online Q&A change their minds about the As a writer, he said, life drama on lockdown, with in late April. He recalled the BBC in this crisis.” during lockdown was “not everyone in isolation. Unless 2008 recession, when friends Davies’s latest project, Red very different. I’m lucky it’s very gay and sexy, I sup- at ITV told him, “‘We don’t Production Company’s Boys, because I’m in that lull pose – then I’d watch it.” know if we can show this about Aids in the 1980s, is between projects, so I don’t Rachel Pinkney produced episode of The Bill tonight,’ in post-production and due have to think concretely.” the RTS event, which was [because] they were so short to air on Channel 4 in the But, if he were writing a hosted by Red Production of advertisers and money. autumn. domestic drama, “it would Company’s LA Smith, and “This recession is going to During the lockdown, he be so hard to work out what held in partnership with be even bigger and it’s going said, “everything is doable life was going to be like in MediaCity UK and Red. to affect the commercial online. The only part of the 12 months’ time. How do you Matthew Bell

through a lot more than his years suggest.” At the same time, DS Lola Franks (Myles) and DI Jack- son Mendy (Ceesay) are thrown together to investi- gate a high-profile murder. The pair are opposites, which causes them to clash. This, plus Franks’ inability to deal with her own demons, could push them both to breaking point. Myles recog- nised that her character was in a “very vulnerable” place. “She is very cold and prickly and doesn’t want to connect with anyone.” Mendy, though, is an opti- mist and of the opinion that Babou Ceesay and Eve Myles in We Hunt Together

UKTV no one is a criminal; people who commit crimes are always human beings first. “Jackson is there to ruffle Alibi to air new thriller every feather Lola has on her back,” said Myles, laughing. On set, Ceesay clicked The first episode of which is written by Gaby “survival instinct” in Freddy: with Myles from day one: new Alibi crime series Hull (who also wrote ITV “She uses her attributes to get “Working with Eve has been We Hunt Together thriller Cheat). We Hunt what she wants, she’s a hus- one of [my] best experi-

RTS Futures received an exclusive Together sees the magnetic tler.” Freddy and Baba are ences… if you don’t have that screening, followed by a Q&A and intelligent Freddy (Cor- drawn together. “He’s a dark chemistry, the continuity with the main cast, via Zoom field) meet vulnerable former soul, and she has this inner doesn’t work.” at the end of April. child soldier Baba (Ola) and darkness, too,” said Corfield. The UKTV event, to which Babou Ceesay, Eve Myles, the pair form a deadly “Freddy comes along and RTS Futures members were Hermione Corfield and Dipo connection. she awakens something in invited, was hosted by DJ Ola discussed their roles in Corfield was drawn to him,” Ola explained. “They and presenter Edith Bowman. the UKTV original drama, the role because she saw a need each other… he’s been Imani Cottrell

34 Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly with their Entertainment Performance awards at the RTS Programme Awards 2016 Richard Kendal

hears how Midton Acrylics staff being furloughed. Three and pharmacies need pro- Steve Clarke prototypes were created tecting as well. We need to has switched from making RTS awards within 24 hours, with the get back to making awards, assistance of the hospitals but we’re looking at how we to protective visors for health workers and 4c Engineering in Inver­ can continue making PPE ness, before a final version alongside our other activities. was chosen. “No one knows how long The shields are free to the this is going to go on for, but I NHS because they have been would say several months. We Turning trophies financed by a crowdfunding couldn’t just sit and watch this campaign that saw local crisis unfold on the news. We businesses and individuals had to do something to help into ward wear raise £5,500 in a fortnight. people, especially when we “We reached our original saw local hospitals struggle target in hours,” said Ramsay. with the lack of PPE.” nyone who’s been Hospital and Mid Argyll “The local community has RTS CEO Theresa Wise to an RTS awards Community Hospital in been amazing.” said: “I am impressed and ceremony will be Lochgilphead. An appeal helped source proud that Midton has ­pivoted familiar with the “We wanted to do some- more of the plastic and elas- its business to the manufac- Awork of Scottish firm Midton thing to help the local com- tic required to produce the ture of vital PPE. It is a won- Acrylics, maker for these past munity,” explained Midton visors – “People have been derful example of British 30 years of the Society’s director Graham Ramsay. dropping [material] in at the agility.” much-coveted and distinc- “There’s a massive shortage factory gate.” Midton is a global manu- tive trophies. of personal protective equip- The aim is to make around facturer of cast acrylics, and As the coronavirus crisis ment [PPE]. We’d seen the 20,000 visors a month – pos- produces deal toys, acrylic deepened, Midton swapped plastic shields that provide sibly rising to 30,000 if funds embedments and memora- making awards to manufac- complete coverage of the can be raised. bilia for specialist events. turing plastic visors to help face on the news and thought Midton plans to start Ant and Dec are just two protect health workers treat- we could make them quite manufacturing­ face masks of the celebrities who have ing local Covid-19 patients. easily from the stock we had and has also offered to make received awards produced by The company has pro- in the factory.” parts for ventilators. the Lochgilphead firm over duced up to 600 visors a day A volunteer team of eight “We’re looking at going into the years. Ramsay added: from its factory in Lochgilp- have laboured for free on the production on 3D-printed “Ant and Dec love their RTS head, Argyll. visors at the factory, which face masks,” said Ramsay. awards and they had them in The visors have been sent reopened on 1 April following “Care homes are desperate the background on Saturday to Oban’s Lorn & Islands the national lockdown and for PPE. Ambulance crews Night Takeaway.” n

Television www.rts.org.uk May 2020 35 RTS PATRONS RTS Principal BBC Channel 4 ITV Sky Patrons

RTS A+E Networks International The Walt Disney Company International Discovery Networks Viacom International Media Networks Patrons Facebook WarnerMedia Liberty Global YouTube NBCUniversal International Netflix

RTS Accenture EndemolShine KPMG Spencer Stuart Major All3Media Enders Analysis Motion Content STV Group Patrons Amazon Video Entertainment One Group The Trade Desk Audio Network Finecast netgem.tv UKTV Avid Freeview NTT Data Vice Boston Consulting Fremantle OC&C Virgin Media Group Gravity Media Pinewood TV YouView BT IBM Studios Channel 5 IMG Studios S4C Deloitte ITN Sargent-Disc

RTS Autocue Grass Valley Lumina Search PricewaterhouseCoopers Patrons Digital Television Group Isle of Media Mission Bay Raidió Teilifís Éireann

Who’s who Patron Chair of RTS Trustees CENTRES COUNCIL Education at the RTS HRH The Prince of Wales Jane Turton Lynn Barlow Graeme Thompson Phil Barnes Vice-Presidents Honorary Secretary Tony Campbell RTS Futures David Abraham David Lowen April Chamberlain Alex Wootten Dawn Airey Agnes Cogan Sir David Attenborough OM Honorary Treasurer Caren Davies RTS Technology Bursaries CH CVO CBE FRS Mike Green Stephanie Farmer Simon Pitts Baroness Floella Richard Frediani Benjamin OBE BOARD OF TRUSTEES Rick Horne AWARDS COMMITTEE Mike Darcey Lynn Barlow Will Nicholson CHAIRS Greg Dyke Julian Bellamy Tony Orme Awards & Fellowship Lord Hall of Birkenhead Tim Davie Edward Russell Policy Lorraine Heggessey Mike Green Vikkie Taggart David Lowen Armando Iannucci OBE David Lowen Fiona Thompson Ian Jones Anne Mensah Michael Wilson Craft & Design Awards Baroness Lawrence of Jane Millichip Anne Mensah Clarendon OBE Simon Pitts SPECIALIST GROUP David Lynn Sarah Rose CHAIRS Programme Awards Sir Trevor McDonald OBE Jane Turton Archives Wayne Garvie Ken MacQuarrie Rob Woodward Dale Grayson Gavin Patterson Student Television Trevor Phillips OBE EXECUTIVE Diversity Awards Stewart Purvis CBE Chief Executive Angela Ferreira Siobhan Greene Sir Howard Stringer Theresa Wise Early Evening Events Television Journalism Bursaries Manager Keith Underwood Awards Anne Dawson Simon Bucks

36 Television www.rts.org.uk May 2020