sign in sign up
<<
Home , Alex Horne, Andy Harries, Angela Scanlon, BBC East, BBC North, BBC North West Tonight

January 2018

The class of 2018 CAREERSTV Fair

6 February 10:00am-4:00pm Business Design Centre, N1 0QH Journal of Society January 2018 l Volume 55/1

From the CEO Welcome to 2018. In With luck, some of these industry Hector, who recalls a very special this issue of Television leaders will be joining RTS events in evening in when a certain we have assembled the coming months, so we can hear 91-year-old natural history presenter a line-up of features from them directly. was, not for the first , the centre that reflects the new Following the excesses – and per- of attention. Did anyone mention TV landscape and haps stresses – of Christmas, our Janu- Blue Planet II? its stellar class of 2018. ary edition contains what hope read- Our industry map looks like it’s Pictured on this month’s cover are ers will agree is some much-needed being redrawn dramatically. Disney’s some of the sector’s leaders who are light relief. Don’t miss Kenton Allen’s historic $52.4bn bid for 21st Century certain to be making a big splash in pulsating review of 2017. I guarantee Fox is among a number of moves the year ahead – , Ian Katz, that it’s laugh-out-loud funny. responding to the need for scale. We Jay Hunt, Carolyn McCall, Alex Mahon, Also bringing a light touch to this will be looking at this trend in the Simon Pitts and Fran Unsworth. month’s Television is Stefan Stern’s coming months. Each of these senior executives take on some familiar TV types. I’d I wish all our readers a prosperous has a new or bigger job. The also like to commend Russel Herne- and very happy New Year. will be on them and the decisions man’s stunning cartoons, which ac- they make during 2018. I personally company Stefan’s piece. wish them all well and look forward Other highlights include a diary to hearing about their plans as the from the super-energetic Kirsty Wark year progresses. and Our Friend in the West, Julian Theresa Wise Contents Kirsty Wark’s TV Diary A balancing act for turbulent times Kirsty Wark salutes the power of documentary story­ Stewart Purvis argues that Fran Unsworth’s experience 5 telling and has a close encounter with organised crime 20 will be vital in her new role as the BBC’s head of news Cupcakes for Armageddon RTS Student Programme Masterclasses Kenton Allen fast-forwards through 2017. He is terrified The road to the top is rarely a straight one, as 6 by Trump and thrilled by Bake Off, but looming over 22 Matthew Bell and Steve Clarke report everything is RTS Craft Skills Masterclasses The ultimate TV reality stars The first priority is hands-on experience, hear Stefan Stern takes a sideways look at some of the key 24 Matthew Bell and Steve Clarke 9 players who keep Planet TV spinning Our Friend in the West ITV’s first lady , head of BBC Studios’ Natural History Unit, Steve Clarke profiles ITV’s new CEO, Carolyn McCall, and 25 remembers a very special premiere in Bristol 12 examines some of the challenges facing her A panel show like no other hails a world of opportunity Matthew Bell learns how Taskmaster made the journey The search engine giant’s European head, Matt Brittin, 26 from the fringe to UKTV’s Dave 14 tells the RTS why online and TV need to work together RTS Futures Christmas quiz Cool for Katz Test your televisual knowledge with our festive quiz ’s new director of programmes, Ian Katz, is 28 17 well equipped to bring a new vitality to the broadcaster, RTS Craft & Design Awards 2017 says Maggie Brown 29 The winners and nominees over eight pages Cover: Apple/Gordon Jamieson

Editor Production, design, advertising Subscription rates Printing Legal notice Steve Clarke Gordon Jamieson 3 Dorset Rise UK £115 ISSN 0308-454X © Royal Television Society 2018. [email protected] [email protected] London EC4Y 8EN Overseas (surface) £146.11 Printer: FE Burman The views expressed in Television 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

Television www.rts.org.uk January 2018 3 Your guide to upcoming events. Book online at RTS NEWS www.rts.org.uk

DEVON & CORNWALL National events ■ Jane Hudson ■ RTSDevonandCornwall@rts. Gaming and TV: RTS FUTURES org.uk Tuesday 6 February What’s the score? RTS Futures TV Careers EAST Fair 2018 Thursday 15 March 10:00am-4:00pm Annual Awards Venue: Business Design Centre, Venue: University of the 52 Upper Street, London N1 0QH Arts, Francis House, 3-7 Redwell Street, Norwich NR2 4SN RTS AWARDS ■ Nikki O’Donnell Wednesday 28 February ■ nikki.odonnell@.co.uk RTS Television Journalism Awards 2018 LONDON Sponsored by GuestBooker Wednesday 24 January 2 May Venue: London Hilton on Park BBC World Service Lane, 22 Park Lane, London 6:30pm for 7:00pm ITV London Studios SE1 9LT W1K 1BE Venue: TBC Wednesday 7 February RTS AWARDS Student Television Awards author. 6:30pm for 7:00pm Tuesday 20 March 6:30pm for 7:00pm Venue: ITV London Studios, SCOTLAND RTS Programme Awards 2018 Venue: ITV London Studios, Upper Ground, London SE1 9LT Wednesday 31 January In Partnership with Audio Upper Ground, London SE1 9LT ■ Daniel Cherowbrier Student Television Awards Network Wednesday 21 February ■ [email protected] Venue: TBC Venue: Grosvenor House Hotel, Future past: Will archives Wednesday 9 May 86-90 Park Lane, London survive digitisation? RTS Scotland Awards W1K 7TN Joint RTS London and Focal ■ Jayne Greene 07792 776585 Venue: TBC International event. Panellists: ■ [email protected] ■ Jane Muirhead RTS AWARDS Steve Daly, head of technol- ■ [email protected] Friday 22 June ogy, information and archives, NORTH EAST & THE BORDER RTS Student Television BBC; Dale Grayson, director Saturday 24 February SOUTHERN Awards 2018 of content management and Annual Awards Friday 23 February Venue: BFI Southbank, Belvedere information policy, ITV; Charles 6:00pm onwards Student Television Awards Road, London SE1 8XT Fairall, head of conservation, Venue: Hilton Newcastle Venue: TBC BFI National Archive; Tom Blake, Gateshead Hotel, Bottle Bank, ■ Stephanie Farmer RTS CONFERENCE commercial director, Imagen. Gateshead NE8 2AR ■ [email protected] Tuesday 18 September Chair: Sue Malden, Chair of ■ Jill Graham RTS London Conference 2018 Focal International. 6:30pm for ■ [email protected] THAMES VALLEY Sponsored by Viacom 7:00pm ■ Tony Orme Venue: Kings Place, 90 York Way, Venue: ITV London Studios, NORTH WEST ■ [email protected] London N1 9AG Upper Ground, London SE1 9LT Wednesday 28 February Wednesday 7 March Student Television Awards Building a buzz: What makes Venue: TBC Wednesday 31 January Local events a good PR campaign? ■ Rachel Pinkney 07966 230639 Student Television Awards 6:30pm for 7:00pm ■ [email protected] Venue: TBC BRISTOL Venue: ITV London Studios, ■ Hywel Wiliam 07980 007841 Tuesday 6 February Upper Ground, London SE1 9LT ■ [email protected] Student Television Awards Wednesday 2 May Tuesday 20 March Venue: TBC Gaming and TV: What’s the Student Television Awards Sunday 11 March score? Venue: The Black Box, 18-22 Hill Wednesday 28 February RTS West of Awards Panellists: Steve McNeil, writer, Street, Belfast BT1 2LA Student Television Awards Venue: TBC comedian and streamer; Sam ■ John Mitchell Venue: TBC ■ Belinda Biggam Pamphilon, actor, writer and ■ mitch.mvbroadcast@ Friday 6 July ■ [email protected] comedian; Julia Hardy, presenter, btinternet.com Annual Awards journalist, YouTuber and broad- Venue: TBC caster. Chair: Ellie Gibson, jour- ■ Lisa Holdsworth 07790 145280 nalist, presenter, comedian and ■ Charles Byrne (353) 87251 3092 ■ lisa@allonewordproductions. ■ [email protected] co.uk

4 TV diary

Kirsty Wark salutes the power of documentary storytelling and has a close encounter with organised crime

t’s the party season but, on a writer who deserves to be in was never one to waste anything. rather than the usual dry the pantheon of great 20th-century How Scottish of her. sausage rolls and even drier novelists, but who has never had the quiche, BBC Scotland’s cater- wide recognition of, say, John Updike. ■ Earlier, I hosted a BBC event at Bafta ing team pulled out the stops He, incidentally, admired her, to herald the BBC’s big international for the celebration of 10 years describing her as “one of the few organised-crime drama series, McMa- at PQ – that’s Pacific Quay to writers on either side of the Atlantic fia, starring James Norton. Naturally, the uninitiated – on the River Clyde. with enough resources, daring and I thought they’d asked me because it II have a love-hate relationship with stamina to be altering as well as feed­ was Scottish and set in Scotland, home the building. I love the architect, David ing the fiction machine”. of quite a lot of organised crime. But I Chipperfield, but the vast liner on the Muriel Spark, whose centenary in was wrong on the first two counts. Clyde has often felt rather austere and February is already being celebrated It’s based on Misha Glenny’s non- underpopulated. with a wonderful exhibition at the fiction book of the same name and, We made The Review Show there and, National Library of Scotland, has loyal although anchored in London, it is a most memorably this year, it was the and devoted fans all over the world. truly thrilling, violent but emotionally best and most modern-looking part But I hope that our BBC documen­ engaging and moving story of inter- of the BBC’s general-election night. tary may spark (sorry) fresh interest national crime, connecting London, At the bash, Steve Morrison, the new in her mordant, ruthless, whip- Russia, and Israel and more. BBC board member for Scotland – or cracking, word-snapping books, The performances are terrific. I is that BBC Scotland’s member on the from The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie to can’t think of a better thing to do on unitary board? – took us through his my favourites, The Girls of Slender New Year’s Day than to make a date early career at BBC Radio Scotland…. Means and A Far Cry from Kensington. with McMafia. Oh and the title is a nod a path that, rather spookily, I followed I can hardly believe that, when I to McDonald’s – it’s everywhere. six years later. studied Scottish literature at Edin­ Donalda MacKinnon, the director of burgh University in 1973, she was not ■ It’s Bafta screener season and BBC Scotland, set out her huge ambi- on the reading list! She was simply a at the my husband, Alan tion to transform the corporation’s brilliant, economic wordsmith who Clements, and I watched the grip­ services in Scotland and to the world, happily killed her characters at will, ping, horrifying LA 92, an entirely partly via the BBC’s new TV channel and enjoyed the moniker “the gen­ archival, observational documen­ in Scotland. teel assassin”. tary, with a lot of unseen footage, She then introduced the new man She was also incredibly stylish and which goes a long way to explaining who’s going to deliver it… all the way adored expensive clothes and fine why America has such a bad recent from BBC Northern Ireland, ladies jewellery. Fishing through her ward­ history in race relations. and gentlemen, please welcome Steve robes at the house where she lived in It also reinforces my view that doc­ Carson. He has the vision, the drive, Italy for many years before her death umentary often beats fictionalised and, hopefully, he has a few Bitcoins in 2006, I came upon a perfect brown storytelling. Think Senna, Blackfish and to make the figures work. velvet hat, complete with a veil. even the controversial Trophy. They I remembered that she wrote a just make a more lasting impact. ■ I’ve been working on a BBC docu­ poem about hats, and that it was by mentary (which will go out on BBC the tilt of their hats that the five girls Kirsty Wark is a television journalist and Two Scotland early in the New Year) of the Brodie Set were identified. She presents BBC Two’s .

Television www.rts.org.uk January 2018 5 Cupcakes for Armageddon

anuary our chums at Netflix were promising I can barely remember what I had Review of the year to launch a new drama series on the for breakfast, so thinking back to hour, every hour, for the next 12 months, January 2017 is a little challenging. Kenton Allen fast- until we all started to bleed from the J From memory, I think we were all eyeballs. It’s going to be a fun year! discussing whether Jay Hunt was going forwards through 2017. Unless Trump does something stupid… to host The Great British Bake Off. like provokes the North Koreans into Certainly, we were all discussing He is terrified by Trump testing out their nukes or retweets those Jay Hunt rumours, which must and thrilled by Bake some random British fascist fake news. have been about the vacant position But he wouldn’t do that – we all pray. of Bake Off chair. Off, but looming over In other news, we were all braced for February the Great British Drama Boom and everything is Netflix One of my favourite actors, Kevin hoping that wouldn’t Spacey, is back for House of Cards season get any more commissions from SVoD a very different kind when Apple Tree five. I love Kevin Spacey. He is the best. services that hadn’t yet been invented. Yard made its Sunday night debut on In other news, Big Talk starts shoot- In programming, Tom Hardy grunted BBC One. ing season seven of . This about in the mud for Taboo, lots of Across the Pond, and presumably to involves plenty of trips to . famous faces grunted about in the snow deflect us all from the horror show that I can’t help wondering why Channel 4 for Fortitude 2 and there was grunting of was the inauguration of the Donald, doesn’t move to this fabulous city.

6 Note to self, someone should suggest it moment for the creative – and many claptrap injury, ITV announces that but I mentally note, like a teenager, other – industries, Bill O’Reilly, the Carolyn McCall will be its new CEO. #itwillneverhappen. hugely successful and commercially Back to the programmes: Love Island Broadchurch season three launches valuable Fox News commentator, is becomes a break-out hit for ITV2, with on ITV. Critics say the show is back to forced to resign over allegations of a show that young people actually its best. The Nightly Show also launches sexual misconduct. In unrelated news, watch, shock! The Handmaid’s Tale wows on ITV. Critics slay the show. But I Amazon announces a new drama audiences with its overall brilliance suspect Kevin Lygo knows what he’s series, I Love Dick. and general lack of Netflix involvement. doing. I love Kevin Lygo. He is the best. Hulu goes up in everyone’s estima- May tion, until Netflix announces that it has March Those Jay Hunt rumours are back: 100 million subscribers and is worth Bloody hell! It’s all kicked off at Chan- a) Jay is going to be the new CEO of almost nine times ITV, at $60bn. nel 4. First up, 50% of The Mighty Boosh Channel 4; b) Jay is going to run Apple/ Everyone not working for Netflix and a brilliantly witty Danish lesbian Facebook/Amazon/Uber/Deliveroo; straps on nappies for the rest of 2017. are hosting GBBO. Those Jay Hunt c) Jay is going to replace Bill O’Reilly rumours have gone bonkers. Not on Fox News. I place a bet. August least because, in the world’s worst-kept No one at any UK broadcaster returns secret, David Abraham has announced a call or email, so I resort to catching he is standing down as CEO to start a EVERYONE NOT up on House of Cards and Baby Driver, GBBO-themed cupcake shop, I think. Edgar Wright’s latest Big Talk Pictures Tipped candidates include Jay Hunt, WORKING FOR film, also starring Kevin Spacey. J Hunt and Jacqueline Hunt, alongside It’s released to critical and huge the likes of Julian Barratt of The Mighty NETFLIX STRAPS commercial success. I love Kevin Boosh, (job-share box tick) ON NAPPIES Spacey. He is the best. GBBO launches and Kevin Lygo. I love Kevin Lygo. He on Channel 4 and is an instant hit. is still the best. Shops sell out of cake-making gubbins. Across the Pond, as we annoyingly Then, sadly, it emerges that Adam Prue Leith adds thousands of call the nearly 9,000km gap between Crozier is going to step down from ITV followers. Everyone is thrilled. the UK and West Coast US, the spring after seven years. I place another bet. season kicks in: 13 Reasons Why and Iron We are genuinely gutted at Big Talk September Fist premiere on Netflix, followed soon Towers. Adam has been a brilliant and Big Talk launches an awful lot of shows by Girlboss and Dear White People. transformational leader of ITV. He’s also all at once, which is terrifying: Diana Everyone in US network TV has a a thoroughly nice bloke and has always and I, Back, Cold Feet season seven, Time- collective aneurysm and all that any- taken the time to keep across what wasters. I start drinking even more one can talk about in the UK is Prue we’re doing and buy us breakfast once heavily than normal. Meanwhile, Peak Leith. Despite what people say about or twice a year. He will be sorely missed. TV reaches a new frenzy. Prue, she’s the best. I follow her on While all this is going on, Theresa No one does any work other than Twitter because she’s “hilarious”. May, having called another bloody discussing what they’ve been watching election, has then declined to take part or listing the shows they have yet to April in any leaders’ election debates. That’s watch. Narcos series three, Deuce, Ameri- It’s MIPTV. Yay! We don’t go: we prefer democracy,­ folks! can Vandal, Big Mouth, Tin Star, Liar – and the October event, as, it seems, do most that is just up to 3 September. of our colleagues. Channel 4 relocation June In response to the SVoD threat, The bingo kicks off. Those Jay Hunt rumours were all bol- One Show dedicates a whole show to Speculation about Channel 4’s new locks. It’s announced that Alex Mahon knitting. It’s a golden age, says CEO steps up a gear and Charlotte is the new CEO of Channel 4. Jay leaves everyone. Moore is talked of as a front runner Channel 4. Those “who is going to – although it seems that no one has replace Jay Hunt?” rumours start in October actually talked to her about it. earnest. I place a bet on Prue Leith. Mipcom. Those Ian Katz rumours start. Fox’s takeover of Sky is approved by And a side bet on . Otherwise, it’s biz as usual, with the Eurocrats. takes over regulating FAANGs announcing even more ambi- the BBC. All of this is “fascinating” but July tious programming slates and an arms “it’s the programmes, stupid”, as the Just before everyone buggers off for race of expenditure on drama. At this nation is gripped by on August, all kinds of fun and games rate, it won’t be long before one of them BBC One and Jeff Pope’s Little Boy Blue begin. First up, the BBC make a total strikes a deal to remake Lord of the Rings, on ITV. Meanwhile, Better Call Saul sea- Horlicks of announcing its top stars’ I remark over a bucket of rosé. son three debuts on Netflix. pay, which erupts into a massive gen- There doesn’t seem to be a more In an act of defiance designed to stop der pay-gap issue. Tony Hall actually appropriate place to read the New the flood of 16- to 24-year-olds migrat- considers gender reassignment in a bid Yorker and New York Times revelations ing to SVoD services, the BBC retaliates: to appease his top female stars. about Harvey Weinstein than where runs a 15-minute story on Next, the BBC announces Jodie I’m staying – the Majestic Hotel – the resurgence of caravanning. Take Whittaker as the first female Doctor apparently, the scene of some of his that, you Yankee SVoD bastards! Who and Paul Dacre’s head explodes. execrable behaviour. In what will become a defining Then, to add insult to sexist Back in London, a domino effect �

Television www.rts.org.uk January 2018 7 The Handmaid’s Tale: some male TV executives confused their ‘rights’ with those exercised by the rulers of Gilead Channel 4

� kicks in and it feels like society is to Lord of the Rings. These tech guys December shifting on its axis and moving are crazy, I think, while perusing the Expensive bits of California are on fire. towards a far better place. But it is overnights. Three terrestrial shows get And the news of the landmark acqui- going to be a very painful process. more than 10 million viewers on sition of Fox by Disney creates an As a diversion from the daily tsu- Sunday night – I’m a Celebrity…, Blue earthquake. Everyone says this is nami of horrific revelations, I check Planet and Strictly. Those linear-TV Murdoch getting out of the entertain- in on Prue Leith’s Twitter feed. She’s guys have still got some moves, I ment business, until it’s revealed that in Bhutan and… Jesus Christ, Prue! muse, as I scan the web, expecting to the Murdochs will be the largest Not now! I stop following Prue as I discover that Netflix has signed David shareholders in Disney. The Canny hear she’s a big fan of Stranger Things Attenborough and a shoal of yellow Old Fox has entered the Mouse House. and I don’t want any more spoilers fin tuna on exclusive deals to join We’re now at Peak Sexual Harass- after Bhutangate. Shonda Rhimes. ment Scandal. Every time I get an Meanwhile, those Ian Katz rumours email alert, I expect it to be a revela- are true! is strangely tion that another “star” has been quiet on the subject. Goodness knows exposed for inappropriate behaviour. why. Those other Jay Hunt rumours I PONDER It can’t be long before Homer are eventually proved to be true, as it EMAILING JAY Simpson’s time is up. In a parallel is revealed that she is to be Apple’s universe, the BBC wakes up and new European content head. ABOUT GETTING announces exciting plans to launch I ponder emailing Jay about getting A NEW IPHONE X an SVoD service. Only 10 years and a new iPhone X before anyone else, 100 million Netflix subscribers too but decide against this. I write to Zack BEFORE ANYONE late. But, hey ho. Van Amburg, instead. I doubt the BBC could have com- manages to piss off ELSE missioned , watching the the entire industry in the US and UK story­lines in season two, which has by getting the first major UK drama just “dropped”, as young people say. commission from YouTube Red. Origin But, sadly, this is not true. What is Also “dropped” are Mindhunter, The is a sci-fi series that will cost $20m an true is that the sexual harassment Grand Tour season two and, for the love episode – just for Left Bank’s fees and scandal has gained further traction, of DHL, an avalanche of Bafta . Andy’s hairdresser. God knows what with almost daily stories of unforgiv- I’ve worked out that, if I don’t sleep the actual show will cost but, next able behaviour from those that should at all over Christmas, I’ve just about time I see Andy Harries, he’s buying know better from all walks of life. time to catch up on all my 2017 view- me a small country. Netflix is not immune. Those Kevin ing before 3 January. See you on the Spacey rumours surface and Netflix other side. November subsequently halts production on Monday morning. Amazon announces House of Cards and removes him from Kenton Allen is Chief Executive of Big that it is spending $250m on the rights the show. I don’t like Kevin Spacey. Talk Productions.

8 The ultimate TV reality stars

Television tribes

Stefan Stern takes a sideways look at some of the key players who keep Planet TV spinning

ome things change, some stay the same. As the industry gets back to work this new year, there will be talk of new commissions, new hires, new ventures and, possi- bly,S even a few new scandals. But look around the office or your professional networks and a few familiar characters will be looking back at you. They are still there. Here is a small selection of them. Remind you of anyone? The runner It’s not an easy life being Philip, you know. Sometimes misunderstood. Often overworked. And occasionally looked down on by colleagues who have forgotten what it’s like to start at sound of the the bottom, and who can be impatient diggers. These Russel Herneman with that “know-nothing” youngster arty types, who has never heard of Michael honestly. Grade or . Philip is not getting Philip, the runner At the end of a long day’s filming, paid a great deal for these when more senior figures are to long hours of effort and stress go home, Philip will still be there till (and, not so long ago, he wasn’t quite late at night, putting in the calls, being paid at all). But does he get getting some knock-backs, and wor- much gratitude? No, he does not. The writer rying about how he will explain his Still, he means well, and rarely The spark of life. That’s what Louise failure to sort out a full cast list of causes so much of a disaster that he delivers. Straight-talking, sassy banter interviewees when the execs stroll can’t be bailed out by one of his more and laugh-out-loud laughs. Since her in the next day. experienced colleagues. And, for all breakthrough 30 years ago, with a And, really, was it Philip’s fault that the mishaps, it might be wise not to semi-autobiographical drama about the location he’d picked for the street get on the wrong side of him: he’s a her childhood in Hull, Louise has scene turned out to be next on the list fast learner is Philip. He’s determined been the person to turn to for dia- for the council’s programme of road- and, one day, it might be him who is logue that resonates with viewers and works? If the actors knew how to calling the shots and hiring some makes people laugh. project properly they could have veteran producers – who will be There’s just a bit of a problem. Lou- made their voices heard over the grateful to get the gig. ise does not always see eye to eye �

Television www.rts.org.uk January 2018 9 � with some of her executive produc- ers. They miss the flair and verve of some of her earlier work. She thinks she’s writing better than ever, and it’s the producers who struggle to take a decision or make up their minds about what they really want. But what the series producers never see, in their , central-London offices, is that picture of Louise ham- mering away at her MacBook in the early hours of the morning, working on draft after draft, chuckling occasionally as she finally gets a joke to work, all in the quest to find the form of words that will bring the drama to life. Louise has worked long and hard in the service of the great British viewing public. She has made the country laugh, and cry, over and over again, Louise, the writer and the audiences still love her even if the execs don’t always get the joke quite as quickly as the viewers do. The head of sales For Anil, the dealmaker, there is no skipping ads, where’s the language too colourful and no bikini future for him? too small. The lesson of Love Island, Creative product Anil says, is that there is a huge market placement, native for bronzed, buff nonsense. Bums on and targeted ads screens will deliver bums on seats, may offer a life- mega ratings, and massive ad revenue. line. Anil has never When he hears the word culture, ducked a challenge and he is Anil frowns. How much money do the confident that he will find a way beautiful creative people pull in? to keep selling. If he can keep the Who do they think pays their quota of arty crap down, and keep wages and gets their arty pro- the flow of surprise hits coming, all grammes made, anyway? will be well. There will still be water- The lack of respect – and cooler telly moments that advertisers suspicion – between Anil and find irresistible, even if everyone on the creatives is mutual. every single programme has to appear Anil likes data. He wants ratings. on screen in their swimming costume. Eyeballs equal ads. “What do points make? Prizes!” he can often be heard The presenter saying, like Brucie. “Now, he under- He likes to see the whites of his inter- stood show business and what people viewees’ eyes, does Robin – but, magi- want,” says Anil. cally, his hair remains a deep chestnut But, while others embrace the online brown, even after all these years. His digital future, and marvel at the power hair is very important to him. The hair of the new channels such as Netflix or Anil, the is crucial. Amazon – or YouTube – Anil is not so salesman It takes a steely nerve and a quick sure. He liked his old world of control. brain to front-up, live, night after night. How can you sell ads in the box-set It’s not just about reading an Autocue.

era? If people are bingeing and Herneman Russel illustrations: All Oh, no. An encyclopedic knowledge of

10 world events and current affairs is needed to handle breaking news stories and slippery or evasive guests. How Robin maintains these energy levels and this sort of commitment, even now, is a matter of some specula- tion. The spa visits, the personal train- ers, the “refuelling” – it’s a mystery. Maybe the story will come out one day. And, if presenting all this output were not enough, once the show is over, Robin, the Robin leaps on to Twitter to do battle presenter with ignorant critics and flirt with his many admirers, male and female. For the right fee (a big one), he will host your industry awards or make a travel programme – if the location world that Marjory grew up in and in and the size which she learned her trade. But there could only be one channel controller back then, one head of drama – and of the Marjory, the Marjory’s face did not fit. cheque pass super indie But now look. Amazon, Netflix, muster. Apple… there are just so many new Of course, there are customers out there. Viewing habits some younger rivals snap- are transformed. Box sets and ping at his heels, some bril- binge-viewing­ sessions liant female presenters who rule. And there is no are overdue a promotion. end of talent heading in Change is coming, and the mod- Marjory’s direction, ern world cannot be kept out because a super indie much longer. He won’t cling on such as hers can open for ever. But, while he’s still in some crucial doors. possession of the prime slots, Robin So what else has she got is going nowhere. They’ll have to up her designer sleeve? drag him out of there. By the hair, She’s not telling. But sagas, probably. gritty thrillers, period dramas and all form part The super indie of her repertoire. There Marjory may have left the BBC under are great roles for a bit of a cloud, but look at her now. established Everyone wants a piece of her – or at movie stars who least some of her “content”. Wielding like the idea of her two , and navigating committing to an immensely crowded schedule, lavishly funded Marje weaves her way from meeting to series. There are meeting, to LA, New York and back to breakthrough roles London, selling, selling, selling. It’s a for beautiful, aspiring new world out there and Marjory’s stars who are not put off by shooting shows are smashing it. scenes packed with sex and violence. Once upon a time, spectrum scarcity And, at the apex of it all, there is kept things under control. The sched- Marjory: closing deals, producing ule mattered, and there were huge great “content” and making an awful

audiences to be won. This was the Herneman Russel illustrations: All lot of money. n

Television www.rts.org.uk January 2018 11 ITV’s first lady

or many people working While advertising accounts for in TV, the only opportu- ITV 47% of ITV’s turnover, it still delivers nity they have had to 75% of the firm’s profits observe Carolyn McCall Dame Carolyn (she was made a has been at ’s Steve Clarke profiles dame in 2016 for services to the aviation annual post-MacTaggart ITV’s new CEO, industry) joins the broadcaster at a lectureF dinners, held at the Edinburgh time when ad-funded TV businesses TV festival. Carolyn McCall, and across the world are under pressure As the newspaper’s Chief Executive, from the likes of Facebook and Google. she co-hosted the events alongside the examines some of the Many media buyers are now biased then-editor, . This lack challenges facing her in favour of digital, rather than tradi- of visibility in TV circles is about to tional advertising media. So, one of the change as she prepares to take over as TV chief, highly experienced at run- new CEO’s first jobs will be to persuade the first female head of ITV. ning a FTSE 100 company. Equally these people of ITV’s effectiveness as a “There have been some quite senior important, she is deeply knowledgeable marketing tool against a backdrop of women running distribution compa- about the advertising market and its Brexit jitters. nies in British TV, but I think I’m right complexities. “Carolyn understands conventional in saying we’ve never before had any- It is this latter skill that will be tested and digital advertising and the strengths one quite like Carolyn working in our in the years ahead. Despite Crozier’s and weaknesses of both,” points out a business at such a senior level,” says successful rebalancing of ITV’s busi- media insider. Exactly how much of one veteran TV executive. ness to the point where it operates as ITV’s advertising challenges are down In common with her predecessor at a global producer of scale, securing to structural or cyclical factors is a ITV, Adam Crozier, she is completely advertising revenue remains pivotal moot point. But, following a difficult new to TV. She is, unusually for a new to ITV’s success. 2017, during which British broadcasters

12 when the broadcaster was searching education job ads aggregated in spe- for the best person to succeed Crozier. cial, weekly sections and a hefty media At the Guardian, where she worked section (previously unknown in Fleet from 1986 to 2010, she successfully Street). helped the newspaper move to the In 2006, she succeeded Bob Phillis digital space. as CEO of the , “Carolyn enabled the Guardian to having been appointed Managing become a major online brand,” says Director of Guardian Newspapers six someone who has taken a keen inter- years earlier. est in the upward trajectory of her Married with three children, Dame career over the Carolyn, 56, is years. “She under- famous for being stands what it hyper-organised means to be digi- SHE LOVES and for her relent- tally challenged BUILDING TEAMS less dedication to and to make the AND LEADING the job at hand. transition to the She is also digital era.” FROM THE known for her Others point out FRONT. SHE HAS inclusive that the Guardian’s approach to run- web presence, A REALLY OPEN, ning companies. however brilliant, TRANSPARENT “She loves build- has not been a ing teams and cash cow. “What STYLE OF leading from the people forget MANAGEMENT front,” notes an when they talk admirer. “She has about Carolyn is a really open, that, while the Guardian’s free online transparent style of management.” model has brought it millions of new In 2016, she was approached to run readers across the world, it has never Marks & Spencer. It is understood that been a financial success,” observes one of the reasons she turned the job media journalist Torin Douglas. down was because she was interested He accompanied her and other in working again in media, rather than Guardian executives on a wine-tasting in retail. trip to the Loire for its big advertisers At EasyJet, she maintained her con- back in 1986. At the time, the newspa- tacts in advertising and is perhaps per wanted to persuade the marketing better connected with the world of community to remain with the Guard- advertising than anyone who has ever

Rex Features Rex ian, rather than move their business to run ITV. the newly launched Independent. So, how will Carolyn McCall out- have battled an advertising downturn, McCall, who’d spent a brief spell as a manoeuvre the online tech giants, ITV’s ad revenues appear to have teacher at Holland Park School, was which are moving into the business of ended strongly. then working as a planner in the commissioning long-form content for McCall’s seven-year tenure as CEO advertising team at the Guardian. “She platforms such as YouTube Red? of EasyJet was crucial to her landing was brilliant at her job, very persona- Expect to see a greater emphasis on the ITV job. After joining the company ble, and built an excellent young team,” individually targeted advertising and in 2010, she turned it into one of Douglas recalls. greater use of data – and more collab- ’s best-performing airlines, Brought up as an only child in India oration between ITV, Channel 4 and almost quadrupling its share price. by British parents, ITV’s new CEO was Sky as they find common cause That she did it without ever having educated there and in Singapore, fol- against the Silicon Valley behemoths. worked in aviation before was a point lowed by a spell in her teens at a “We need to keep the value of our not lost on ITV. Catholic boarding school in the UK. mass audience, which is a real asset, Michael O’Leary, head of rival Ryan­ At the University of Kent she read but we need to ensure that TV adver- air, once famously labelled her a “media history and politics, subsequently tak- tising is data-rich and targeted,” says luvvie” but he ended up eating his ing a masters in politics at the Univer- one ITV insider. words. “I clearly underestimated her sity of London. That she comes to ITV unburdened and I was proved wrong,” he told the FT. At the Guardian’s sales department by any baggage of having worked in “She forced us to up our game on cus- she was guided by her mentor, Caro- television before could prove be a big tomer service. EasyJet and the industry line Marland, ’s first female advantage. One experienced TV head are better as a result of her tenure.” advertising director. Together, the two suggests this may result in a close It is sometimes overlooked that women succeeded in turning the working relationship with Channel 4’s EasyJet and ITV are both regulated, paper into a formidable advertising new CEO, Alex Mahon. “That would be international companies – something medium, thanks in large part to the a very formidable alliance,” he forecasts. that clearly weighed in her favour hundreds of public-sector­ and Few would disagree. n

Television www.rts.org.uk January 2018 13 Online video Google hails a world of opportunity roadcasters fear that the global tech giants are The search engine giant’s European head, hungry for their audi- ences and advertising. Matt Brittin, tells the RTS why online They are probably right and TV need to work together to be fearful, but Goog- le’sB Matt Brittin had some soothing words for Britain’s TV community, mixed in with criticism, when he spoke at a sold-out RTS event in late November. “It’s a wonderful industry, but it’s incredibly inward-looking in the UK,” he said. “Don’t take this as me being rude, but – as a Brit who’s proud of, and has grown up with, our amazing content – [I urge you to experiment] with different platforms and technolo- gies. I really believe that there’s an enormous opportunity for original British content. “We need some positive opportuni- ties for export right now and the [online] audience is there, it’s growing and it’s going to double in the next five years.” He continued: “People are watching more video than ever before. If you’re making great video content, there’s never been a better time to build an audience – 3.5 billion people online today; 5 billion online by 2020.” As Google’s head of business and operations in Europe, the and Africa, he was in conversation with journalist Kate Bulkley at the RTS early-evening event. She wanted to know whether he accepted that YouTube (snapped up by Google in 2006 for what now seems the ridiculously small sum of £883m) should face greater regulation in the UK. “YouTube is a significant video consumption platform,” she argued. “You’re looking more and more like a broadcaster. Why shouldn’t [you] be Matt Brittin

Paul Hampartsoumian Paul regulated like a broadcaster?”

14 [COMMERCIAL BROADCASTERS] Exploit your data to boost revenue NEED TO SHOW UP, WISE UP Google’s Matt Brittin mounted a stout like the rest of the industry does,’ he defence against charges that his responded. AND SPEED UP company is hoovering up both adver- But the Google chief claimed that tising data and television’s advertising YouTube was generous with the adver- revenues. tising revenue it pulled in, returning ‘Data is the new oil – everybody much of it to the people making its wants data,’ suggested event chair Kate videos and programmes. Bulkley. The Google executive strongly ‘On YouTube, when we put advertis- refuted this assertion: ‘Oil is a scarce ing around content, the majority of the resource, the control of which has, his- revenue goes to the content creator,’ The Google executive agreed that torically, led to tremendous wealth. he said, adding that ‘the split is around YouTube was now a huge platform: ‘Data is an infinite resource – we’re the 50:50 mark’. “About 1 billion hours [of video] are creating data at an astonishing rate. Moreover, he argued, YouTube watched every day, of which about With oil, either you’ve got it or we’ve attracted a different type of advertiser 100 million hours are on television got it – we can’t both have it. to those buying spots on linear-TV: screens – that’s actually the fastest ‘With data, you and I and everyone in ‘People often say that Facebook and growing of the screens.” this room can all have the same data Google are taking all the money out of But he did not accept that YouTube and all use it at the same time, and we the market… but search advertising is a was a broadcaster – which he defined can combine it with our own data. whole new category of advertising. as an organisation that commissions ‘It’s not [about] having data – it’s ‘When you look at a TV company or programmes from “professional con- what you do with it.’ a newspaper, they typically have 100 to tent creators” to fill airtime. “On You- The chair tried a new line of attack. 200 advertisers that represent 80+% Tube, anybody with a can ‘TV companies think that you are after of the total revenue. upload video content to a YouTube their advertising money,’ she said. ‘Your ‘Google has millions of advertisers – platform and it can be accessed any- business model is advertising.’ the vast majority are small companies where. That feels slightly different to ‘Absolutely right, and we will com- that have never advertised on televi- a broadcaster.” pete violently for advertising just sion or in the newspapers.’ He was adamant that YouTube was already sufficiently regulated: “We have to comply with all the rules in there’s an opportunity for every all the countries in which we operate. sport and every hobby to be online We’re not a broadcaster, but we do QUESTION and share its passion. have responsibilities and regulations that we need to comply with.” & ANSWER Do you have three pieces Lord Puttnam, the film producer, Qof advice for a commercial is prominent among those who have broadcaster? argued for greater regulation of the Matt Brittin: Show up, wise up tech giants. Indeed, he used an RTS What can online platforms A and speed up.… lecture in October to advance the case Qoffer sport? Show up: be where the digital that legislation – together with robust Matt Brittin: There are huge stuff is happening… you’ve got to ­journalism – was required to protect A opportunities for sports – some be where people are.… democracy. do it well, some are just starting, Wise up: data is abundant and “I’m a big fan of Lord Puttnam – he’s some haven’t figured it out, yet. can be used by everyone, but it’s a fantastic industry figure but also a Will we bid for big sports rights? totally useless unless it leads to an thinker on issues,” said the Google We have done – for cricket in India insight that can allow you to take chief. “I don’t think any business per- in the past as an experiment – [but] action.… [In] the digital world, every son is going to put their hand up and I don’t think, right now, that the interaction can make you smarter.… say, ‘We need loads more regulation.’ advertising model is enough to fund Speed up – literally. If a mobile But we are regulated. We don’t have that kind of bid; a subscription page takes more than three seconds the same set of rules as a newspaper or model might be. to load, 50% of people leave. Speed a television station – and I think that’s I don’t think that we’re going to is now the killer app online and on appropriate.” be at the front of the queue on sub- mobile [and there is] also speed of With the launch of its new subscrip- scription models for a while, but organisational change.… 5 billion tion service, YouTube Red, in the US who knows? It depends on the people [will be online] by 2020 on two years ago, Google has started to consumer.… But I do think that 25 billion connected devices. commission original, professional �

Television www.rts.org.uk January 2018 15 YouTube Red drama commission The Thinning YouTube

� content. Just like, some would argue, remove the economic incentive to the rise of the online platforms: “At a broadcaster. produce fake news. Google, we love the TV industry and “Ideally, you want a combination “Why was a Macedonian village we want to be partners in the trans- of advertising, subscription and pay- publishing 100 websites about the US formation. Some bits of it are bumpy, per-view services in the digital elections, purporting to be from US but, genuinely, it’s a huge opportunity. world,” explained Google’s European newspapers?” he asked. “Because “I hope we can be partners in mak- business head. “You want people to they could make money. We don’t ing amazing content that comes from have lots of different ways to monet- want them to make money from our here and thrives across the world.” n ise their content over time.” programmes, so we have tried to With YouTube Red already available introduce much better screening for The RTS early-evening event ‘In con- in Australia, Mexico, New Zealand and misrepresentation – you have to be versation with Matt Brittin’ was held at South Korea, it would come to the UK who you say you are.” in central London on “at some point”, he added. “It’s been At the end of the evening, he sought 29 November. The producer was Paul relatively popular so far. It gives you a to reassure broadcasters worried by Naha-Biswas. whole bunch of benefits, including exclusive content [and] some music capability.” But he denied that the company Making the web safe for brands had “any ambition to follow” the model of SVoD companies such as Over the past year, brands have we use a combination of people and Netflix. “YouTube will remain over- withdrawn business from YouTube machines. whelmingly this enormous platform in response to their ads inadvert- ‘People look at and classify videos where people can share and find ently being placed next to extremist against these policies, including work- content of all sorts.” material and inappropriate videos of ing with expert non-governmental Later on at the RTS event, he tackled children. organisations and language experts, the eruption of fake news online, and At the RTS event, Google’s Matt and then [use] what they’ve done to Google’s response to it. The company Brittin explained how YouTube had train machines.’ wanted “good content to thrive and been addressing this problem. ‘We’ve The Google executive claimed have a sustainable business model,” he put in place a combination of policies that ‘more than 83% of the content said, “and we want to stop bad actors [and] enforcement processes, and we remove for violent extremism is and bad content.” [worked] closely with real experts in removed before it meets any human Google News, which launched some of these types of content – “flagger”’. 15 years ago and now aggregates news we’ve made real progress,’ he said. Since June, when YouTube introduced from 80,000 accredited sources, pro- ‘One of our challenges has been: how a new child protection policy, he said, vides some of that “good content”, he do you identify these things at speed 2 million videos no longer supported argued. and address them before they get advertising and 165,000 videos had Google’s approach to the “bad con- any audience at all – this is where been removed altogether. tent” was to “follow the money” and

16 Cool for Katz Adam Lawrence Adam

an Katz starts his career at engenders respect and fuels the hope Channel 4 on 8 January buoyed Channel 4 that there will be new favourites. up with the confidence that “I’m really excited about the Chan- comes from defeating far more Channel 4’s nel 4 opportunities opening up for experienced TV rivals for a plum us,” says Jamie Isaacs, who heads job. He convinced the new Chief new director of Avalon Television’s factual division. Executive, Alex Mahon, that he pos- programmes, Ian Katz, A clue to Katz’s remarkable elevation sessesI the ideas, drive and maverick from his previous role editing Newsnight light touch to sustain the broadcaster’s is well equipped to can be found in his track record as a creative . former editor of the Guardian’s tabloid As an outsider, the new director of bring a new vitality to supplement, G2. From 1998 to 2006, he programmes, who is 50 in February, the broadcaster, says ran a mischievous publication and argued that Channel 4 must, above delighted in the juxtaposition of high all else, be distinctive. He wants more Maggie Brown and low culture. edgy disruption brought into the G2 embraced short, quick-fire regu- schedules, which, arguably, were pol- announced on 31 October has been lars such as Pass Notes, serious long ished to something of a monotone by replaced by detached pragmatism. reads and introduced a range of the powerful influence of his prede- “That’s a matter for Alex Mahon,” snaps prominent new columnists, including cessor, Jay Hunt. one senior Channel 4 commissioner, the great . At that This is not so different from Mark when approached for comment. time, Katz was viewed by the paper’s Thompson’s mantra of “Do it first; But there is still concern that pow- old guard as too tabloid. make trouble; inspire change”, which erful independent producers may Stephen Lambert, CEO of Studio he promulgated when he took over opportunistically see him as a blank Lambert and a friend who encour- Channel 4 in 2002. The challenge is, sheet of paper to inscribe their inter- aged him in his candidacy, says he of course, how to do it. ests upon. The size of his annual will bring that G2 “fizz and energy” The shock over Katz’s lack of broad- budget for original programmes – to Channel 4. But adds that his friend casting experience that engulfed the even in an ad recession – of some will also need to pay attention to company when his appointment was £450m to £500m inevitably 9:00pm returning series, which �

Television www.rts.org.uk January 2018 17 � would include Lambert’s own pro- duction Gogglebox. Daily newspapers tend to hone buzzy characters; Katz, after 23 years of Guard- ian deadlines, is a fast worker. Within two weeks of his appointment, he had held introductory meetings with Chan- nel 4 commissioning chiefs and depart- ment heads, and placed obligatory calls to key talent, including , who is emphatically back in favour. Fresh from one such conversation, Kelly Webb-Lamb, Channel 4’s head of factual , told the Tele- visual Factual Festival on 14 Novem- ber: “I feel really upbeat and positive about it. Having someone coming in who doesn’t have the received wisdom of what works for factual entertainment will be a creative challenge. “Already, [he has] some questions. That’s where brilliant creativity comes from. I feel that it is genuinely an opportunity to rethink the way we make things, what we make things about and who we make them for.” This suggests a dialling down of celebrity factual entertainment, or, at least, a more careful use of such shows. Expect, too, a return to shorter series, more single documentaries and fewer likely that he can avoid the wholesale rose to deputy editor of the Guardian – formatted shows. Nick Mirsky, Chan- changes of the 2010-13 period. Then, is an essential part of his skillset. nel 4’s head of documentaries, who almost every department head outside Prash Naik, the outgoing head of was speaking at the same conference of news and current affairs changed. legal affairs at Channel 4, emphasises as Lamb, talked up a quirky, three-part Hunt had the experience to know that, in a crisis, the director of pro- -documentary,­ Inside the EU. when to strip a series across successive grammes must serve as a shield to Another shift will flow from Katz’s days (as with The State) because she had protect the chief executive (ultimately, stated intention to run Channel 4 done this at BBC One. She also knew the editor-in-chief) and the broadcast- commissioning in a more devolved how to analyse a and adjust it for er’s reputation. way. During his predecessor’s reign, success. Remember, Googlebox was not As a current affairs expert, the pro- some referred to Hunt as “the Mon- an overnight sensation. gramme chief knows the station needs arch” and feared her piercing intelli- It was Hunt who alighted on Noel more raw, live debate, partly to reflect gence. Her “diktats” included a recent Fielding for The Great British Bake Off. Brexit and the Government’s predica- ban on more dating shows. Her successor will have to rule as primus ment. He admires Channel 4 News, despite The new director of programmes inter pares. He promises more space for its recent gaffes. One swift way to make knows that he has gaps in his knowl- differences of tone and taste. an impact at the broadcaster (given that edge. Even the fastest of learners would On his two-month gardening leave it will take two years for his first com- struggle to master the computerised from Newsnight, Katz has been on his missions to come through), would be programme schedule and the detail best behaviour, avoiding blunders such to run more live debate and satire. of fulfilling remit quota targets. He will as his tweet after joining Newsnight in The channel-defining cult comedy-­ need a strong and experienced team 2013 – when he lambasted stock polit- drama was lost to Netflix in around him until he grasps all the arts ical interviews and called Labour MP 2015. Another cancelled favourite of of television. “boring, snoring”. Katz’s is the East End gang drama Top His main job is to have and select An unsuccessful bid to land the Boy, which is being revived by Netflix. ideas. He is open to the prospect that Guardian editorship in 2014 made him Humans, soon returning for its third Channel 4’s existing commissioners look slippery. But his lengthy experi- series, is another show that gets a big may already be ideas mines. So it is ence of news and current affairs – he tick from him. The broadcaster has

18 The Great Festive Bake Off

The challenges facing Ian Katz

The Great British Bake Off has given a boost to Channel 4, bringing it large audiences for the first time since it possessed Big Brother. But ratings still swing wildly. Goggle­box (launched in 2013) is the broadcaster’s most consistently successful and profit- able strand. Channel 4 has seen the rights to horse racing and Formula One whisked away, after working hard on their presentation. It needs replacement sports, especially new, youth-skewing ones. And it also needs programmes that impress the Channel 4 brand on the young. E4 is under pressure from ITV2. Channel 4 is hunting for fresh 9:00pm programmes to replace – and reduce dependency on – fixed-rig shows such as One Born

Channel 4 Every Minute (launched in 2010) and 24 Hours in A&E (2011). been concerned that top producers will that news organisations and many These are commissioned in long pick Netflix over Channel 4, but it has politicians were out of touch. runs and rely on access agreements. been assured that they know the value The new programme director will Arguably, they have edged out of working for a linear broadcaster. focus on driving forward the All4 digital fresh, risk-taking programmes, but New comedy acts are needed. Enter- platform, with its 16 million registered they have buttressed audience tainment is in the doldrums, beyond users (though not all are using it). share and, therefore, ad income. . Alan Carr: Chatty Man is Offering catch-up and archived Established 8:00pm features, lacking a vehicle. ­programmes, and working towards including long-running property And then there is relocation. Along personalised advertising, it is the major shows, form the backbone of prof- with Mahon, the new programme legacy of David Abraham’s regime and itable . Ian Katz will have to director has committed to making key to retaining Channel 4’s youth and address this tension, trading relia- meaningful changes, not token ones. young-adult audience. The launch of bility for risks. By which, he means having commis- Walter Presents, which appeals to more Survival formats, including The sioners located in regional production mature viewers, has underscored its Island, are out of favour. Eden centres, rather than a couple of hun- potential as a host. flopped and Mutiny overspent. dred back-office jobs leaving London. As a newspaper executive, Ian Katz Drama matters. However, Electric Katz, born in South Africa, is a North wrestled wrestling with the digital rev- Dreams, the series of co-produced Londoner, who lives in Islington and olution a decade before Philip K Dick adaptations, failed to attended University College School and was hit by similar disruption. He ran ignite viewers. New College, Oxford. His wife, Justine the Guardian’s internet site for a while. Grayson Perry is a treasure, but Roberts, founded and runs Mumsnet. So he starts with confidence. But the arts, music, culture and authored They have four children, so knows moment he begins rejecting proposals history have been neglected. from his own experience that teenag- from independent producers, the The broadcaster has sought pro- ers rarely, if ever, watch scheduled TV. honeymoon­ will be over. grammes on Muslim issues, though In common with opinion leaders “Taking that job is like being a goalie,” it spent nothing on religion, per se, and politicians, he was shaken by the quipped Avalon’s Jamie Isaacs. “You are last year. Brexit vote but regards it as evidence going to be hit – it goes with the job.” n

Television www.rts.org.uk January 2018 19 A balancing act for turbulent times

ran Unsworth will need across the globe, websites, podcasts no reminding that the BBC News and Snapchat. BBC calls itself “the big- She can expect an annual salary of gest provider of news in around £350,000 and, based on her the UK” and “the world’s Stewart Purvis argues predecessor James Harding’s expenses largest broadcast news that Fran Unsworth’s for 2016-17, can anticipate travelling organisation”F and that it recently experience will be vital as far afield as New York, Moscow, announced the “biggest expansion since Riyadh, Istanbul and Milton Keynes the 1940s” in international operations. in her new role as the and spend five nights at the Davos With more than 35 years’ experience economic summit. of working for the corporation, she BBC’s head of news One of her big decisions will be how also knows that BBC News regularly to run the place and how to divide her quotes independent evidence that it is, people. While everyone else hacks day between management and jour- “by far, the most trusted and impartial away at their local news operations, nalism. Spend too much time in those news provider in the UK”. the BBC has found enough cash in its meetings brilliantly parodied in WIA At 77% of the UK population, the attic to scrap planned cuts of £10m to and you lose touch with the day’s news. reach of BBC TV news is double that of its local radio stations. Avoid them to focus on journalism and its nearest competitor. And it has a In other words, Unsworth, who was you won’t be there to say “bollocks” threefold lead in online news. the favourite to land the job, having when a “brilliant, brilliant” director of The corporation calculates that its overseen an expansion of the World strategic governance makes a move on “total global news audience” last year Service, will be running an empire that your patch. was no fewer than 345.5 million encompasses TV and radio journalism The buck will absolutely stop with

20 her on how £80m is to be saved aren’t exactly interchangeable with failing to stand up for her team suffi- each year until 2022 from the licence- those in new language services in ciently at a time when Brexit has cre- fee-funded news operations. Amharic, Igbo, Marathi and Pidgin ated new and lasting levels of toxicity. We don’t know what percentage this English. At an industry event last year, a BBC represents of the total BBC News As a result of a separate government executive was asked why ITV, not the budget, because that figure isn’t pub- decision made during the Charter BBC, had the bright idea of using George lished. What we do know is that the review process, Unsworth will be the Osborne and Ed Balls as election-night BBC’s two TV news channels have to first to face a fully independent outside pundits. The executive replied that the shave 10% off their total costs. Neither regulator, who can rule on the BBC’s BBC could not have done so because can be considered over-resourced impartiality. both men were anti-Brexit. compared with their competitors. My own experience as a senior It sounded like a symptom of what BBC Newsgathering has to “stream- Ofcom executive was under the old some academics have called “regu- line” its operations by sending fewer lated equivocation”, where “objectivity people to cover the same story. And is trumped by impartiality”. Ofcom is due to review the BBC’s A LOT MORE Lord Hall has said that Fran operations in the English regions – Unsworth brings a “combination of also part of the news empire. SEEMS EXPECTED excellent news judgement, authority, Some £8m per year is already being FOR LESS MONEY management know-how and the trust moved out of internal budgets to pay of her colleagues, both in news and for 150 “local democracy reporters”, across the BBC.” employed by external regional news system. Then, the regulator had the The new chief’s experience is beyond organisations. final say on what used to be called doubt. She is a known quantity, unlike The BBC’s Annual Plan has a long “harm and offence, taste and decency” James Harding, who was a newspaper and ambitious to-do list for Unsworth. but not on “impartiality and accuracy”, person through and through. Just a few examples: more impact on which the BBC kept to itself. Her previous roles include working young audiences; more Reality Checks I would categorise the BBC’s attitude as the BBC’s home news editor, head and other ways of fighting back against to Ofcom as unduly aggressive, border- of news gathering and deputy director fake news; more “slow news” to ing on hostile to the very idea of inde- of news and current affairs. Tellingly, develop greater understanding of pendent regulation. A sign that this she was acting director of news and events; more video on mobile through mindset has not completely disap- current affairs in 2012-13, following the the BBC News app. A lot more seems peared under the broader system of Jimmy Savile scandal.

BBC expected for less money. Ofcom oversight emerged this autumn, Running BBC News and Current There are those in BBC News who during a dispute between the two Affairs has always been one of British think that the cost-cutting has been organisations over audience complaints. broadcasting’s biggest and most left late and that the new director will This was resolved only when Ofcom demanding jobs. Her appointment can have to cut deeply and painfully in demanded that the BBC publish the be interpreted as turning to an experi- order to meet the targets. data about such complaints that ITV enced hand during a time of unprece- Moreover, sorting out equal pay for and Channel 4 already disclosed. dented challenges for everyone the men and women in BBC News One way of the BBC limiting such working in broadcast news. earning under £150,000 is likely to be clashes with Ofcom is to admit to Crucially, she is no stranger to cutting another net cost. This issue appears to on-air mistakes earlier than it has costs. Three years ago, she explained to have been simmering long before the traditionally done. This may explain me: “Another £50m [of cuts], well, it’s names of on-screen talent paid more the recent decision by the BBC’s exec- going to be tough. I’m not saying it’s than £150,000 were disclosed. utive complaints unit to overrule the going to be easy. But I think the chal- Coincidentally, while the overall Today programme and to apologise for lenge is to do it in a way that the audi- savings target is £80m, an equivalent breaching editorial guidelines by ence doesn’t notice. And the fact that figure is arriving in new money from allowing Lord Lawson to claim that we’ve done it before gives me some the UK government. In an unusual and global temperatures had not risen in kind of hope.” n little noticed “give and take” process, the last decade. the BBC promised savings to take on The item was transmitted in August. Stewart Purvis was one of the BBC’s first the cost of free TV licences for the The apology was made in October. news trainees in 1969. He joined ITN in over-75s, but was then offered money In the world of complaints handling, 1972 and went on to become editor-­in-chief by the government for a significantly that is prompt. and Chief Executive. He is currently a enhanced World Service. The downside for the director of non-executive director of Channel 4 and However, central newsroom jobs news is that she may be perceived as writes here in a personal capacity.

Television www.rts.org.uk January 2018 21 RTS Masterclasses I The road to the top is rarely a straight one, as Matthew Bell and Steve Clarke report Andy Harries CEO, Left Bank Pictures he Chief Executive and co-­ founder of Left Bank Pictures claimed his TV career had been “very up and down”. He recalled:T “One of my biggest disasters was being a TV presenter – I was put on screen and it ended in total humili- RTS Student ation, with me being fired at the end of the show.” It has certainly been a varied career. Andy Harries spent his formative TV Programme years at Granada, making factual pro- grammes, including , before becoming a freelance producer and director. Masterclasses In 1992, he was appointed Granada’s controller of comedy (his “greatest love”), making The Mrs Merton Show and given him more control over output: his young family, Nath moved into with the late Caroline “If you wouldn’t watch the show – executive producing, first at LWT and Ahearne. In 2000, he took over drama don’t make it.” then with indie Betty, but the lure of at the company, subsequently reprising directing proved too strong.

police series Prime Suspect following a “You can forget the reason that you gap of seven years: “I had a bit of an went into [TV] in the first place,” he obsession with – I thought David Nath said. “I need to make films because it she was the greatest actress in the UK.” Co-founder, makes me the person I am.” The Deal, documenting the leadership Story Films Since returning to directing, he has “pact” between Tony Blair and Gordon won Baftas for Channel 4 series Bedlam Brown, saw Harries work with writer avid Nath served his appren- and The Murder Detectives. The former . It won numerous ticeship on a local newspa- was filmed at an NHS mental health awards and marked the start of a long, per. “It was a brilliant training trust; the latter examined all facets of successful partnership, which includes ground for work in television a murder in Bristol. The Queen (again starring Mirren) and becauseD you learnt how to tell a story,” In 2016, he and fellow film-maker now The Crown. “Writers are what it’s he said. Peter Beard co-founded Story Films to all about,” said the Left Bank chief. Journalism helped to prepare him for make documentaries and fiction. Nath “The key to my career as a scripted a career that has been characterised by has already notched up two single [producer] has always been my rela- hard-hitting, often heartbreaking, doc- dramas for Channel 4: The Watchman, tionship with writers.” umentaries. Channel 4’s 2001 film starring Stephen Graham as a CCTV He set up Left Bank Pictures a dec- Brian’s Story followed a operator who goes rogue; and Unspeak­ ade ago and the drama specialist has graduate reduced, by mental illness able, with Indira Varma, who suspects gone from strength to strength, moving and alcoholism, to homelessness. her boyfriend may be a paedophile. beyond traditional UK markets to work There was no happy ending – Brian The subject matter of the dramas with US tech giants such as Netflix and Davis was found dead before the pro- wouldn’t be out of place in a docu- Amazon. “If you’re going into media, gramme was broadcast, leaving Nath mentary, he conceded: “We don’t put you’ve arrived at a fantastic time – the with a difficult decision: “The last time ourselves in a straitjacket about the [TV] world has totally changed,” he I saw him, we had a good conversation form a film will take. We look at the said. “Streaming services from tech about what the film was. I felt he was in most visceral way of telling [the story] companies have taken over.” a position at that point to give consent.” – it could be documentary or it could Running his own indie has also Wanting to spend more time with be drama.”

22 Andy Harries (right) HAVING CAREER LOWS GIVES YOU A being interviewed by Alex Graham STEELINESS THAT YOU ABSOLUTELY NEED IN THIS BUSINESS… WORKING IN TV CAN BE A BIT OF A ROLLER-COASTER RIDE

With competition from social media, Entertainment, where she oversees TV journalists are under acute time such shows as I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out pressure to publish, but it is always of Here!, Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Take­ better to wait until the facts are checked. away, University Challenge and Love Island. “There have been times when mis- “I was door-stepped, I couldn’t live in takes have been made,” she stressed. my house and I had a 15-month-old “Our approach now is to check first child at the time.” and not just retweet and put stuff out She added: “You think that you’re unless you can verify it.” just making a television show but its She acknowledged that talking to impact can be far-reaching. Every day, people in stressful situations, such as a I think about that. The decisions that I riot or a tragedy like the Grenfell fire, make are completely influenced by the was challenging for reporters. Being power of television. polite and respectful of individuals’ “Uninvited, you go straight into peo- privacy was paramount. ple’s rooms and that carries with On the subject of diversity, Soni it a responsibility. It’s exciting but, acknowledged that broadcast news- when the shit hits the fan, it’s really rooms have a huge amount to do to quite horrible.” reflect the social and racial make-up of However, the entertainment execu- the nation: “A lot of newsrooms are still tive learnt from the experience: “You’re

Paul Hampartsoumian Paul very white and very male. There are a a stupid person if you make the same lot of people who went to private school. mistake twice.… Now, I can definitely “My own background [she was see that situation before it occurs.… Darshna Soni brought up on a Leicester council “Having career lows gives you a Channel 4 News home estate] meant that I could bring a dif- steeliness that you absolutely need in affairs correspondent ferent perspective to the newsroom. this business. You have to be pretty We do need to better reflect the com- Teflon-coated because working in TV arshna Soni stressed the munities we serve.” can be a bit of a roller-coaster ride.” importance of getting under As channel commissioner at E4, Jain the skin of a news story: it is commissioned such hits as The Inbe­ imperative for reporters to Angela Jain tweeners and Misfits as well as buying leaveD their desks, knock on people’s The Big Bang Theory and Glee. doors and make contacts. MD, ITV Studios She urged people from all back- “If the story is too good to be true, Entertainment grounds to consider working in TV: “If then it probably is,” she reminded the I can do it, then anyone in this room audience. As a Midlands-based jour- ever underestimate the power can.… The challenge for people like me nalist who came to reporting relatively of TV. That was one of the key is to make TV feel as open as possible. late in her career – her first job was points made by factual enter- There’s plenty of work there but I working for one of Britain’s first black tainment specialist Angela think people feel that it’s not for them. MPs, Bernie Grant – Soni advised JainN during the final masterclass. “The more I can say that it is for you against taking everything on social Ten years ago, she found herself at – because working in TV should be for media at face value. the centre of the Celebrity Big Brother everyone – the happier I feel.” n A far better way of discovering the racism row involving the Bollywood truth of any situation is the traditional actress Shilpa Shetty and Jade Goody. The RTS Student Programme Master­ journalistic method of talking to people As head of the Big Brother commis- classes were held at the IET in central face-to-face. That way, it is possible to sioning team at Channel 4, it was Jain’s London on 14 November. The sessions build up a network of contacts, who job to help douse the media firestorm were produced by Helen Scott. The inter­ can help you sift facts from fiction and that erupted when Goody was accused viewers were Alex Graham, Joint CEO, alert you to what’s really happening. of racially abusing Shetty in the Big Two Cities Television; Ruth Pitt, creative “Don’t be lazy, don’t just look on Brother house. director, Under the Moon; Deborah Kelly, Twitter or Facebook. Get out there, “In many respects, I define it as my head of training and communications, yourself, and actually see what’s hap- absolute career low,” recalled Jain, now Thomson Foundation; and Boyd Hilton, pening,” she advised. Managing Director of ITV Studios entertainment director, Heat magazine.

Television www.rts.org.uk January 2018 23 RTS Masterclasses II The first priority is hands-on experience, hear Matthew Bell and Steve Clarke

Sound ound has often been dubbed the “Cinderella” craft of the TV industry, but this was not a description that found favourS with recordist Mick Duffield and sound supervisor Kevin Duff. Duffield is usually found on location, whether that’s in the Alps for the Bafta award-winning documentary film Touching the Void or China for BBC Two’s RTS Craft Skills The Story of China. For the former, he had to capture sound from a crevasse in a glacier, 4,000m above sea level and with temperatures far below zero. Masterclasses “One of the wonderful things about

the job is that you get put in the most ITV extraordinary situations and gain privileged access to all kinds of envi- in Thailand and bears in Alaska for However, via a contact, he secured ronments,” he said. programmes such as the BBC’s Planet work at a commercials production Duff works on studio and live Earth II. “If you do what we do, you house. “That wasn’t what I wanted to shows, combining both specialisms for have to love it because it’s not easy. do, but I was willing to do anything The Voice on BBC One and, now, ITV. It’s pretty much an all-consuming and do showreels and learn what Earlier this year, he supervised the passion,” she said. everyone did on set,” he said. “I sound at the Ypres concert to com- The footage of the macaques feast- taught myself Final Cut Pro and Pre- memorate the 100th anniversary of ing on seafood is stunning, but it miere. After a couple of years, I Passchendaele for BBC Two. “That came at a cost: “I arrived back after jumped from the commercials house was a big job and quite terrifying, but three weeks with lacerations on my to an edit house that did commercials [it gave me a] buzz,” he said. “If you legs, and [covered in] sand fly and and music videos. I made a short film capture the sound, that’s [the] hit.” mosquito bites.” and used that to teach myself Avid.” Discussing his fondness for live While they both get to use the latest Samuel R Santana, documentary sound, Duff said: “It is about captur- kit, they argued that the photogra- and film editor, told students that it ing the moment. Some of my favour- pher’s eye matters more. “How you was important not “to be sniffy” ite recordings aren’t the [best quality], control the light that you capture in about working on low-budget films. but you can hear an atmosphere.” the lens,” said King, “and what you “I did a very short, online course in choose to [shoot] makes you a order to get into low-budget TV. It Camerawork cameraperson.”­ And, added Darling- was great experience and led to me ildlife cinematographer ton, “It doesn’t matter what camera working on National Geographic Sophie Darlington and you have, if the story’s no good you’re documentaries,” he said. “You director of photography on to a loser.” shouldn’t be sniffy about low-budget Christopher Titus King productions as an editor because it’s haveW seen the world from behind a Editing fantastic experience. When you’ve got lens. “I’ve been from the bottom of he importance of gaining really tight deadlines, it makes you the Pacific Ocean to the top of a vol- early, hands-on experience as think quicker.” n cano in Ethiopia and everywhere in an editor was stressed by two between. I’ve had the most amazing experienced practitioners. The RTS Craft Skills Masterclasses were experiences – and been paid to do it,” FilmT editor Johnny Rayner was disap- held at the IET in central London on said King, whose work straddles doc- pointed that his tutors at university 15 November. The sessions were pro­ umentary (BBC One’s Seven Ages of failed to provide useful tips on how to duced by Helen Scott. The session chairs Britain) and drama (History mini-­ land a job in the industry. “It was all were: Ruth Pitt, creative director, Under series The Bible). theory,” he said. “We were told some the Moon (editing); Helen Scott (camera­ Darlington has shot cheetahs in pretty negative stories about the work); and Andrew Sheldon, creative Africa, macaques on a tropical beach industry, which was not helpful.” director, True North (sound).

24 OUR FRIEND IN THE WEST

s BBC Studios’ Julian Hector, head A few seats along were Sir David Natural History of BBC Studios’ and Liz Bonnin. Liz had kindly agreed Unit turned 60 this to host a question and answer session autumn, 2017 was Natural History with Sir David and II a particularly ex- production team following the citing and busy Unit, remembers screening. year. But I was a very special I noticed that Sir David looked a nervous about whether Blue Planet II little fidgety. He stood up and walked wouldA equal the impact of Planet premiere in Bristol over to Tony Hall and whispered into Earth II almost a year previously. the DG’s ear something along the In November 2016, II lines of: “Do you want to sit at the attracted record TV audiences in the back with me?” An exodus from the UK; the series went on to win RTS, front row ensued as everyone fol- Bafta and Emmy awards. That lowed Sir David. sequence of racer snakes hurling My speech presented the natural themselves at hatchling marine igua- world as a global commons that keeps nas won a Bafta for TV’s most memo- all humanity alive. I pointed out how rable moment. the natural world informs our human- Hence, my nervousness on Wednes- ity through human expression. day 4 October, a week before the For 60 years, the NHU has delivered Bristol premiere of Blue Planet II. Press the wildlife close-up and defined new pick-up had been extraordinary and boundaries of technical innovation. positive; the London royal premiere It was 1979’s Life on Earth, produced the week before had gone well. by Chris Parsons and presented by Sir There were 106,000 ticket applica- David, which spawned the super-

tions from the public for 200 seats. BBC landmark series. My colleagues impressed on me: Chris went on to lead the NHU. He “He’s a rock star… we can fill Wemb- risk to draw the audience away from was a hero in our history but is sadly ley Stadium and Ashton Gate Stadium the wonder? no longer with us. simultaneously… This is greater The Bristol premiere was attended The Bristol premiere ended with demand than Glastonbury!” Sir David by numerous VIPs. They included rapturous applause from the audience, Attenborough was coming. former heads of the Natural History who were thrilled by our latest super- The Blue Planet II team had taken Unit (NHU) John Sparks, Alastair landmark. I shall never forget the upward of four years to get here, with Fothergill, , Neil Night- sight of the amazingly youthful Sir more than 1,000 hours spent in deep- ingale, Andrew Jackson and Wendy David skipping down the stairs with sea submersibles and over 1 million Darke. Tony Hall and Liz Bonnin to join the feet of accumulated descent filming The NHU was founded in 1957 by the production team for the Q&A. during the series. then-head of BBC Bristol, Desmond What an extraordinary week that Audiences come to natural history Hawkins. He tried to persuade David was. It brought together people who super-landmarks to escape and be Attenborough to come to Bristol to share a common vision to bring the immersed in awe and wonder. Blue head it up but, alas, David had his own wonder of the natural world to peo- Planet II is the first big natural history fledgling Travel Unit, based in London. ple’s lives and who will never tire of landmark to embed strong environ- The premiere kicked off at 7:30pm giving nature a voice. n mental stories within the body of the and we were led to our reserved programmes. seats. Tony Hall was sitting next to Julian Hector is head of the Natural We wanted to do this, but was it a me in the front row. History Unit, BBC Studios.

Television www.rts.org.uk January 2018 25 RTS Futures ainting a horse while learns how Taskmaster made the riding a horse and con- Matthew Bell cealing pineapples on journey from the Edinburgh fringe to UKTV’s Dave their person are just two of the ridiculous chal- lenges that have been setP for comics who have appeared on Taskmaster. The hit Dave game show has racked A panel show up five series since its launch in the summer of 2015 and it held a “cham- pion of champions” special this Decem- ber. It has also earned nominations for the RTS, Bafta and Emmy awards. Yet, despite a couple of successful like no other runs at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe (see box, opposite), broadcasters were reluctant to commission Taskmaster until UKTV’s then senior commis- sioning editor, Richard Watsham, gave it the green light. At a sold-out RTS Futures event in early November at the London Trans- port Museum, the team behind Task- master – including its creator, comedian – revealed how they got TV’s oddest game show made. “This was a really brave commis- sion. No one else commissioned it because they couldn’t quite [visual- ise] it – they could see the enthu- siasm but it felt risky,” said UKTV deputy director of com- missioning Hilary Rosen. She has looked after the show at the broadcaster from the start. Taskmaster didn’t follow the template of TV’s popular panel series: standalone shows, with different panellists each week. “We had to commission several episodes of [Taskmaster] because it has a narrative arc. The same people are in the show every week. No one else was doing that at the time,” explained Rosen. “[UKTV] was very supportive and trusted us,” said executive producer and series director Andy Devonshire. “It’s not a panel show – and it’s a bit strange.” The first series aired on Dave in the summer of 2015 with a top- notch panel of Frank Skinner, , , Romesh Ranganathan and . “We got Frank involved [and he] Taskmaster and show creator Alex Horne

was crucial in terms of getting [that] UKTV

26 the facts and figures, and I know QUESTION he’s got the jokes. How do you cast the show? calibre of people,” said Horne. Most of & ANSWER Q the tasks are invented by Horne. He Alex Horne: It starts with us described the process as similar to A thinking about which people “coming up with a joke” but with a Is Taskmaster expensive to would be great in the show.… For crucial difference: “I write the opening Qmake? example, would be line and get a better comedian to write Andy Devonshire: It is time- great – I know him, he’s a funny the punchline.” A consuming – the scheduling bloke. [Then we think], who would The first part of the show is shot in a of the comics is always tricky… work well with Jon – we can’t west London house where most of the but it’s not a massively expensive have another grumpy, short man. tasks are attempted. show. Its lo-fi nature is its beauty. So, we build it from one person.… Occasionally, it goes further afield. Andy Cartwright: Andy We never have anyone we don’t Horne’s favourite task – “Impress the A [Devonshire] makes it look want and [Dave] doesn’t have any- mayor” – took Taskmaster to Chesham like an incredibly big production one it doesn’t want. Town Hall. but it’s a crew of two [director of Hilary Rosen: The casting of Not all tasks work, said series pro- photography and second camera]. A the show is something that ducer Andy Cartwright, who explained Hilary Rosen: We never we collaborate on and it takes a how “Burst wrap” was tried A discuss our budgets… but our long time. and failed in three series. “Everyone budgets are competitive to other ended up stamping on it,” he said, channels.… We match the budget During pitching, was there which made for dull telly. The same to the idea. Qone element you were des- task cropped up in the Swedish ver- perate to keep in the show? sion of the show but worked better. Why did you want Greg Alex Horne: We wanted to “They were allowed to use petrol QDavies to host the show? A have the same people in and torched it, which got rid of the Alex Horne: I’ve done a lot of every episode – that seemed like bubbles very quickly,” said Devonshire. A stand-up gigs and knew [Greg] it was breaking a mould.… We had When the tasks for an episode have from the circuit. I’d never worked to persuade [the commissioners] been filmed, the show takes to the with him on a TV show or done that it was more like a than studio where the “taskmaster”, come- anything together on a stage. But I a panel show. dian Greg Davies, assisted by Horne, knew him enough to know he was People didn’t think [audiences] passes judgement and awards points right for the job.… would tune in the next week to see for the panellists’ performance. He can do anything off the cuff, the same people do the same things “People have asked, ‘Were you whereas I like doing a lot of anal – [in fact,] people got to know the annoyed that you didn’t get to host preparation… so he knows I’ve got contestants and followed them. your own show?’” said Horne. But he revealed that Davies had always been his choice for the role: “Greg is ideal and it was always the plan. I love Taskmaster: its life before TV my role as sidekick.” Rosen added: “We could ‘One of the many drawbacks of having got over a pound – and that funded say, ‘We always knew that children is that you can’t have as much the project.’ Other tasks followed. ‘Send Greg and Alex would have fun as you used to. [My first child] me something large through the post’ great chemistry – it was was born in May [2009] and I wasn’t elicited copies of Eddie Large’s autobi- obvious from the start’ – allowed to go to the Edinburgh Festival, ography, while Key found a hedgehog but it’s not. which was the first time in a decade,’ in just eight minutes. “Greg is known to be an recalled Alex Horne. ‘Tim Key did go – At the festival, all 20 comics were extremely nice and popular who was my friend – and he managed on stage with Horne as he reviewed person. But that doesn’t nec- to win the Edinburgh Comedy Award their efforts. ‘It was a fun night, but it essarily mean that the chem- that year. I wanted to be pleased for was long and unwieldy,’ recalled Horne, istry is going to [work] him, but was very jealous.’ who halved the numbers of comics for – you’ve got to be lucky.” n Horne decided to launch his own a repeat performance at Edinburgh the awards, ‘Taskmaster’, and signed up following year. The RTS Futures event ‘Task- 20 comics to compete. Every month of Horne’s management company, Ava- master masterclass:­ get your idea the year before the 2010 festival, Horne lon, whose TV arm makes the on TV’ was held at the London emailed them a challenge. Catastrophe and , thought Transport Museum on 8 Novem- The first task he sent them was: the Edinburgh show would work on ber. It was chaired by Sky com- ‘Deposit some money in my bank screen, so ‘we filmed the [show], missioning editor Bill Hobbins account – most money wins. Mark turned it into a pitch and started taking and produced by Tara Magan and Watson put nearly £200 in; no one else it around different TV companies’.

UKTV Tom Popay.

Television www.rts.org.uk January 2018 27 he RTS Futures Christmas Televisual history Quiz was back at ITV’s 1 1970s: Which children’s series told of life London Studios in 2017, in a London comprehensive? and hosted by comedian 2 1970s: What made up the Bouquet in and Naked the series with Susan Penhaligon? Attraction’s Anna Richard- 3 1980s: What were the students at the son, ably assisted by presenter Ria New York High School of Performing Hebden.T Teams of young Futures Arts seeking? From left: Anna Richardson, members joined forces with industry 1980s: Whose shooting in November Sue Perkins and Ria Hebden 4 

heavyweights to battle it out across Hampartsoumian Paul 1980 was watched by 27 million people? eight rounds of hard-hitting TV trivia. 5 1990s: Which series starred Robbie The Mile Sky Club took home the Coltrane as a police psychologist? series of small plastic trophies on the 6 1990s: On which long-running current night, as well as tickets to the filming affairs programme did Diana, Princess of Channel 4’s The Last Leg. Limping in of Wales give her first solo interview in to last place were the Hairy Baubles, Xmas 1995? Discovery’s team. 7 : Who was the first housemate Can you match wits with the win- ever to be evicted from the British Big ners? How do your baubles compare? Brother house? 8 2000s: The Apprentice has been run- quiz ning for 13 series. Who was the first-­ True or false 1 Scarlett Moffatt trained as a ballroom ever winner in 2005? dancer. True or false? 2 Blue Peter’s longest-serving female 5 In 2011, lent his voice to a Christmas on the box presenter was . kids’ cartoon rodent. What was its name? 1 Jamie Oliver’s controversial 2016 Christ- 3 Meghan Markle was the ‘briefcase girl’ 6 On which racy dating show was the TV mas dinner recipe was highly calorific. on the American version of Deal or host heard to say, ‘the bells hanging lower How many calories per person, and to No Deal. than the rope is never a good thing’? the nearest thousand, for the full Christ- 4 Ant and Dec’s first ever series, Byker 7 What is the only animal that David mas lunch? Grove, was set in Sunderland. Atten­borough says he doesn’t like? 2 Every year, Channel 4 broadcasts an 5 Eric Spear, composer of the Coronation alternative Christmas message. In 2004, Street theme tune, received a grand A year in television it was given by some popular animated total of £6 for his work. 1 Which hit show broke records this sum- characters. Who were they? 6 Singer, presenter and actor Emma Bun- mer and brought ITV2 its biggest view- 3 No Christmas is complete without a ton had a cameo role on . ing figures ever? crackling fireplace on your TV… Netflix 7 Award-winning documentary-maker 2 Which broadcaster did Gemma Collins offers six fireplaces to choose from. How Louis Theroux was in a cover band in his threaten to sue when she fell through many are on ? university days. at an awards events this year? 4 British TV star is 3 In October, Netflix paused filming of one starring in a new version of The Grinch. TV talent of its biggest series. Why? In which year did the Grinch originally 1 Bruce Forsyth was well known for his 4 This year, Apple looked to the UK for its steal Christmas? catchphrases. Which of the following new European boss. Who will now be 5 Which movie did readers were his: ‘I’m in charge’, ‘Good game, eating an apple a day? vote as their favourite in 2016? Was it good game’, ‘Here, pussy, pussy’, ‘Give 5 Which production company won a Love Actually, Elf or It’s a Wonderful Life? us a twirl’? multi­million-pound contract for Chan- 6 Last Christmas, which home-grown 2 Which TV actor who made the big time nel 5’s daily show ? show did we Brits stream most on on The Wire got his first break acting in 6 Which commonly used broadcast term, Netflix? Crimewatch reconstructions? much loved by the US President, will be 7 What year did Alexandra Burke win The 3 Comedy legend is one of included in the next edition of the Col- X Factor, and what was the name of her the founders of . What year lins English Dictionary? Christmas No 1? did he kick it off? 7 ITV was praised for its 2017 election 8 Finally, did you pass out before seeing 4 What connects TV legend Clare Balding coverage. Who were the two politicians who replaced Peter Capaldi as the Doc- and national treasure Mo Farah? enjoying ITV bromance on the night? tor this Christmas? Who was it? n

ANSWERS

 8 Fame 3 7,000 1 Productions ITN 5 Attraction Naked False 7 Jodie

Christmas on the box the on Christmas  7 2 True 6 Jay Hunt Hunt Jay 4 on Richardson Anna 6 Hallelujah. 2008 wire Barbed

True 5  1 Spacey Kevin cut To 3 5 2003 Special Christmas Grange

Televisual history Televisual 8 False 4  6 BBC 2 mobot the invented CB 4 Horses and Fools Only Campbell Timothy

7 True 3 Love Actually Love 5 Island Love 1 1985 3 Sada Walkington Sada

A year in television in year A Panorama 6 False. It was Konnie was It False. 2 1966 4 Osborne Elba Idris 2

Cracker 5 True 1 121 3 George and Balls Ed 7 them of All 1

True or false or True TV talent TV JR Ewing’s JR 4 Marge and Lisa Simpson Lisa and Marge 2 noooooz Fake 6 Rats 7

28 Hosted by Iain Stirling, the awards were presented on 27 November at the London Hilton, Park Lane RTS Craft & Design Awards 2017

Design & Craft

Innovation Host: Planet Earth II BBC Studios, The Natural History Unit for BBC One

‘A documentary series that was simply gorgeous to look at. It brought us a world of wildlife drama bigger and better than ever before, clearer, brighter and more comprehensive. ‘From their home in Bristol, these brilliant programme-makers have, for over half a century, pioneered the use of ground-breaking technical and creative innovation to open our eyes to the wonders of the natural world. But technology can only take us so far. Like all great programmes, it needs dedicated, talented professionals across the whole production. ‘One reviewer said… “It has become predictable to heap superlatives upon the BBC Natural History Unit and wax lyrical about Attenborough’s status. But both institutions should be treasured while we’re lucky enough to still have them.’’’

The winners and nominees of all 31 awards are listed over the following seven pages � BBC

Television www.rts.org.uk January 2018 29 Music – Original Title: Victoria BBC

Costume Design – Drama Design – Titles Director – Comedy Drama/ Joanna Eatwell, Taboo Huge Designs – Hugo Moss, Paul Situation Comedy Scott Free London and Hardy, Son and McDonnell and Ben Hanbury, Fearless Damon Beesley, White Gold Baker for BBC One and FX for ITV Fudge Park Productions for BBC Two ‘Just sensational. It was lavish, and ‘Powerful, creative and stand-out. A ‘Nostalgically embraced the period textural, with incredible detail.’ real extension of the show. Nice con- with a great soundtrack. It had great Nominees: cept and well crafted.’ ambition [and] a great balance of dark Rosalind Ebbutt, Victoria – Series 1, Nominees: humour and slapstick comedy.’ Mammoth Screen for ITV Patrick Hall, Broken, LA Productions for Nominees: James Keast, Guerrilla, Fifty Fathoms for BBC One , Peter Kay’s Car Share, and Showtime Alex Maclean, The Durrells II, Sid Gentle Goodnight Vienna Productions for for ITV BBC One Costume Design – Tom Marshall, Chewing Gum, Retort for E4 Entertainment and Non Drama Design – Trails and Packaging Caroline Pitcher, White Gold Rob Heath, John Cryer, Shizuka Hata Director – Documentary/ Fudge Park Productions for BBC Two and Rachel Warr, Film Fear Factual and Non Drama ‘The costumes were utterly joyous and Platform Post and 4Creative for Dan Edge and Lauren Mucciolo, Last original… like photographs come to life.’ ‘Fantastic campaign. Brilliant copy, Days of Solitary Nominees: witty and good use of music.’ Mongoose Pictures and Frontline PBS Vicky Gill and the Costume Team, Nominees: for BBC Four Strictly Come Dancing 14, BBC Studios BBC Marketing Team, Taboo, Scott Free ‘An exquisitely crafted assault on the Entertainment for BBC One London and Hardy, Son and Baker for senses. Directed with humanity, confi- Heather MacVean, The Keith and Paddy BBC One and FX dence and restraint.… Shot over three Picture Show, Talkback for ITV Richard Gort, Julian Gibbs, Reuben years, with astonishing access. It is an Armstrong and The Intro outstanding testament to the directors’ Design – Programme Content Team, Mexican F1 Grand mental strength and creative ability.’ Sequences Prix – Channel 4 Formula 1 Nominees: Made in Colour, Finding My Family – 2016, Intro/Whisper Films for Arthur Cary and Jonathan Taylor, Partition Channel 4 American Justice, Minnow Films for Made in Colour for CBBC BBC Two ‘Outstanding cinematic and evocative Marcus Plowright, American High piece.… Incredible on the budget.’ School, Swan Films for BBC Three Nominees: Made in Colour, Inside My Head, Made in Colour for CBBC Marc Knapton/The Brewery, The Marvellous World of Roald Dahl, BBC Studios/Pacific

Richard Kendal Quay Productions for BBC Two Host Iain Stirling

30 1 2 3

4 5 6

8 7 8 9 All pictures: Richard Kendal

1 Design & Craft Innovation: Planet Earth ll 2 Costume Design – Entertainment and 3 Design – Programme Content Non Drama: White Gold Sequences: Finding My Family – Partition 4 Design – Titles: Fearless 5 Design – Trails and Packaging: 6 Director – Comedy Drama/Situation 7 Director – Documentary/Factual and Film Fear Comedy: White Gold Non Drama: Last Days of Solitary 8 Director – Drama: The Witness for 9 Editing – Documentary/Factual: the Prosecution Bring Me Back To Life

Television www.rts.org.uk January 2018 31 Editing – Sport Matt Roberts, Kevin Evans, Jordan and Scott Deaming, UEFA Champions League Final 2017 – Real Madrid vs Juventus For BT Sport ‘Perfectly timed edits, fabulous shot selection and subtle sound design, all centered around the intelligent and eloquent storytelling of Loyle Carner.’ Nominees: Andy Collins, Silverstone Grand Prix – Opener, Whisper Films for Channel 4 Timothy Lee, Lukas Musil, Marc Connor and James Wilson, 2017 UEFA Champions League Final, IMG Productions for BT Sport Effects – Digital The Digital Effects Team, One of Us, The Crown Left Bank Pictures for Netflix ‘Flawless, breathtaking and utterly true to the world it was trying to convey without you ever being able to see the join… hard to believe that digital effects could ever have been done better.’ Nominees: BDH Creative Digital Effects Team, The Triple award winner: Taboo

BBC Secrets of Your Food, BDH Creative/ BBC Science for BBC Two Director – Drama Editing – Drama Justin Hutchinson-Chatburn, Julian Jarrold, The Witness for the Úna Ní Dhonghaíle, Three Girls , Glassworks and Painting Prosecution BBC Studios in association with Studio Practice, Black Mirror: Playtest, House Mammoth Screen and Agatha Christie Lambert for BBC One of Tomorrow for Netflix Productions for BBC One ‘The skill and expertise to weave mul- ‘A beautiful crafted and complete tiple, non-linear timelines together Effects – Special vision that brought performances, while enhancing the emotional con- Real SFX, Sherlock camera work, sound and design text was outstanding. The shot selec- Hartswood Films/Masterpiece for together to make a rich and classy tion was incredibly poignant and BBC One production.… It found a new way to sensitively constructed.’ ‘Brilliant, not only in execution and present a period piece that felt rele­ Nominees: imagination but in their sheer range vant, contemporary and exciting.’ Patrick Hall, Broken, LA Productions for across the programmes… love, effort Nominees: BBC One and attention to detail in every scene.’ Philippa Lowthorpe, Three Girls, BBC Johnny Rayner, Murdered for Being Nominee: Studios in association with Studio Different, BBC Studios for BBC Three Chris Reynolds, The Crown, Left Bank Lambert for BBC One Pictures for Netflix Euros Lyn, Damilola, Our Loved Boy, Editing – Entertainment and Minnow Films for BBC One Comedy Lighting for Multicamera Editing Team, Love Island – Series 3 Nigel Catmur, World War One Editing – Documentary/Factual ITV Studios / Motion Content Group Remembered: Passchendaele – Sam Santana, Bring Me Back To Life for ITV2 For the Fallen The Garden Productions for Channel 4 ‘Outstanding editing, packed full of BBC Studios for BBC One and BBC Two ‘An arresting mix of brutal observa- personality, with an exceptionally slick ‘Subtle, sympathetic lighting… contrib- tional documentary, haunting reality quality, especially given the tight turn- uted to the power and emotion of the and honest, heartfelt video.… Poetic around of this daily reality show.’ event. A hugely impressive achievement.’ editing at its finest. Outstanding.’ Nominees: Nominees: Nominees: Matt Brown, Peter Kay’s Car Share, Andy Hibbert, Peter Kay’s Car Share, Editing Team, The Trial: A Murder in the Goodnight Vienna Productions for BBC Goodnight Vienna Productions for Family, Dragonfly Film and Television for One BBC One Channel 4 William Webb, White Gold, Fudge Park Gurdip Mahal, Rob Bradley and Bill Production Team, Planet Earth II, BBC Productions for BBC Two Peachment, Let It Shine, BBC Studios Studios, The Natural History Unit for for BBC One BBC One

32 1 2 3

4 5 6

7 8 9 All pictures: Richard Kendal

1 Editing – Drama: Three Girls 2 Editing – Entertainment and Comedy: 3 Editing – Sport: UEFA Champions Love Island – Series 3 League Final 2017 – Real Madrid 4 Effects – Digital: The Crown: One of Us vs Juventus 5 Effects – Special: Sherlock 7 Multicamera Work: One Love 6 Make Up Design – Entertainment and Manchester 8 Multicamera Work – Sport: 2017 IAAF Non Drama: The Drug Trial: Emergency at World Athletics Championships the Hospital

9 Music – Original Score: Damilola, Our Loved Boy

Television www.rts.org.uk January 2018 33 Make Up Design – Drama Erika Okvist, Jan Archibald and Audrey Doyle, Taboo Scott Free London and Hardy, Son and Baker for BBC One and FX ‘… so distinctive and original, fully fitting the narrative. Each character was enhanced and brought to life by the make-up, across the main and supporting cast. There was a strong concept, with a thorough approach to detail, lavish and gorgeous.’ Nominees: Nic Collins, Victoria – Series 1, Mammoth Screen for ITV Jenna Wrage and Harriet Thompson, Murdered for Being Different, BBC Studios for BBC Three Make Up Design – Entertainment and Non Drama Siobhán Harper-Ryan, The Drug Trial: Emergency at the Hospital Double award winner: Three Girls

Raw TV for BBC Two BBC ‘Jaw dropping in its veracity. It was totally believable, restrained, but Multicamera Work – Sport Music – Original Title ­brilliant. It was superbly executed, Helen Kuttner, Tim Moses, Mark Martin Phipps, Victoria – Series 1 and a fantastic achievement on a Dennis and Camera Team, 2017 IAAF Mammoth Screen for ITV low budget.’ World Athletics Championships ‘A masterpiece [with] a haunting, yet Nominees: Sunset+Vine (Host Broadcaster) glorious theme.’ Lulu Hall, The Windsors – Christmas ‘The skill shown by the production Nominees: Special and Series 2, Noho Film & team, shifting effortlessly between Dan Jones, SS-GB, Sid Gentle Films for Television for Channel 4 different events. The story behind BBC One Nadine O’Toole and Reza Karim, The every moment was captured perfectly Max Richter, Taboo, Scott Free London and Keith and Paddy Picture Show, Talkback with effortless camerawork.’ Hardy, Son and Baker for BBC One and FX for ITV Nominees: Pete Andrews, Micky Payne, Bill Morris Photography – Documentary/ Multicamera Work and Dave White, The Boat Races 2017, Factual and Non Drama Richard Valentine and Matt Ingham, BBC and CTV for BBC One Production Team, Planet Earth II One Love Manchester Matthew Griffiths, Chrissie Collins, BBC Studios, The Natural History Unit BBC Studios for BBC One Sam Maynard and Andrew Jackson, for BBC One ‘Despite the restrictions on time Six Nations Wales vs England, BBC ‘Brilliantly creative and innovative… and resources, this production Sport and Telegenic for BBC One [involving] incredible camerawork.’ perfectly captured the emo- Nominees: tionally charged event, making Music – Original Score Arthur Cary and Jonathan Taylor, Ameri­ the crowd a key part of the Dru Masters, Damilola, Our can Justice, Minnow Films for BBC Two experience.’ Loved Boy Dan Edge and Tim Grucza, Last Days Nominees: Minnow Films for of Solitary, Mongoose Pictures and Camera Team, World BBC One Frontline PBS for BBC Four War One Remembered: ‘Incredibly sensi- Passchendaele, BBC tive.… An excep- Photography – Drama & Comedy Studios for BBC One and tional score, for an Matt Gray, Three Girls BBC Two exceptional film.’ BBC Studios in association with Studio Nikki Parsons Nominees: Lambert for BBC One and the Rupert Gregson- ‘The emotional intimacy of the photog­ Camera Team, Williams, The Crown, raphy enabled you to be inside the Strictly Come Left Bank Pictures characters’ heads during this incredibly Dancing 14, for Netflix powerful and emotional story.’ BBC Studios – Natalie Holt, Three Nominees: Entertainment Girls, BBC Studios Carlos Catalan, Broadchurch – Series 3, for BBC One in association with Kudos/Imaginary /Sister Pictures Studio Lambert for for ITV Music – Original Score: BBC One Gavin Finney, The State, Archery

BBC Damilola, Our Loved Boy Pictures for Channel 4

34 1 2 3

4 5 6

7 8 9 All pictures: Richard Kendal

1 Photography – Documentary/Factual 2 Photography – Drama & Comedy: 3 Picture Enhancement: Hospital and Non Drama: Planet Earth II Three Girls 6 Sound – Drama: Taboo 4 Production Design – Drama: 5 Production Design – Entertainment and Black Mirror: Non Drama: Britain’s Got Talent 9 Lifetime Achievement Award: Tony Revell 7 Sound – Entertainment and Non 8 Judges’ Award: World War One Drama: World War One Remembered: Remembered: Passchendaele Passchendaele

Television www.rts.org.uk January 2018 35 Triple award winner: Judges’ Award World War One World War One Remembered: Remembered: Passchendaele Passchendaele BBC Studios for BBC One and BBC Two ‘The Judges’ Award goes to a live event that, while being incredibly complex and ambitious, was nevertheless delivered with a flawless brilliance. It was a true collaboration of content and technology working seamlessly as one to enable the history of the First World War to be brought to a live television audience in an innovative and original way. ‘From the incredible projection mapping to the detailed and emotive storytelling, together with orchestras, military bands, choral music, never-seen-before archive, global stars, and, not least, a team of hugely talented people, these elements all came together to

tell the tragic story of one of the BBC most horrific battles of the First World War in the place where it Picture Enhancement Nominees: happened, a century on.… A truly Dan Gill, Hospital – Series 2 Antony Cartlidge, Murder in memorable and engaging piece of Label1 for BBC Two Successville, Tiger Aspect/Shiny Button television.’ ‘Displaying powerful rawness… the Productions for BBC Three picture enhancement [took] this excel- Mo Holden, The Windsors – Christmas lent production to another level without Special and Series 2, Noho Film & attempting to over-beautify or hype it.’ Television for Channel 4 Lifetime Nominees: Achievement Ross Baker, The Missing – Series 2, New Sound – Drama Pictures for BBC One and Starz Sound Team, Taboo Tony Revell Patrick Hall, Broken, LA Productions for Scott Free London and Hardy, Son and BBC One Baker for BBC One and FX ‘This year’s award deservedly goes ‘An outstanding piece of work with to a sound supervisor who, for Production Design – Drama huge attention to detail.’ more than 30 years, has been at Joel Collins and James Foster, Black Nominees: the very top of his game. Mirror: Nosedive Brian Nelson and Gary Desmond, ‘From to Only House of Tomorrow for Netflix Broken, LA Productions for BBC One Fools and Horses, from The ‘This drama was total design. It drew Sound Team, Sherlock – Series 4, Harts­ Eurovision Song Contest to Strictly you in and felt hyperreal. The colour wood Films/Masterpiece for BBC One Come Dancing – on every type palette was extremely effective.’ of programme imaginable – his Nominees: Sound – Entertainment and contribution to television has been, Grenville Horner, Man in an Orange Non Drama and continues to be, immense. Shirt, Kudos for BBC Two Sound Team, World War One ‘It is in live situations where Sonja Klaus, Taboo, Scott Free London Remembered: Passchendaele he raises the bar and sets the and Hardy, Son and Baker for BBC One BBC Studios for BBC One and BBC Two standard for others to follow, and FX ‘A technical feat that took a huge whether it’s the BBC’s Millennium amount of effort… a stunning example Night Celebrations – over 48 hours Production Design – of sound craft of the very highest tech- of live, global television – or Children Entertainment and Non Drama nical and creative standards.’ in Need, Comic Relief, The Voice, Florian Wieder, Britain’s Got Talent Nominees: Eurovision and Strictly. He is a Thames Syco for ITV Gary Kelly, Ambulance – Series 2, hugely talented, and yet incredibly ‘It looked like an expensive chocolate Dragonfly Film & Television for BBC One modest, man. He is, quite simply, box. Very clever use of filling a space Production Team, Planet Earth II, BBC one of the good guys.’ and using tiered seating to give the Studios, The Natural History Unit for impression of a real theatre.’ BBC One n

36 Apply now for the 2018 Shiers Trust Award The Trust can make a grant of up to £4,000 towards publishing work on any aspect of the history of television

Objectives The promotion of public education through the study and research of the history of ­television in all its aspects and without regard to country of origin, including the development­ and encouragement of publications and associated projects such as WGW Mitchell (left), ­bibliographies and monographs on particular honorary secretary aspects, provided that the results of such study and of the Television research shall be published and that the contribution Society 1929-44, made by the Trust shall be suitably acknowledged in with John Logie any publication. Baird, preparing for Criteria a demonstration Grants will be given to assist in the ­completion of new or unfinished projects, work or literature specific to the objectives of the Trust. ‘Literature’ is defined as including audio-visual media such as DVDs and websites. The Trustees must be satisfied that the work they are supporting either could not be finished or ­published without the grant and that, with it, the Do you need work will be completed,­ or, the grant will provide the ­initial phase of a project that will be ­continued and completed with other identified­ funding. Applications will be considered broadly in support of research, development, writing, editing or publica- £4,000 tion. Grants for research will require that the results of the work will be made known and accessible through appropriate means. In the case of literature, for a history of projects must have a real prospect of publication. Applicants must demonstrate that their work will have a clear expectation­ of making a significant­ contribution to the objectives of the Trust. ­television project? Applicants will be required to satisfy the Trustees of the soundness of their projects, and identify any grants from other sources. The Trustees will not Previous recipients make commitments to support recurring­ funding, 1 2017 : City 8 2011 : presented an nor make grants to cover fees or maintenance of University recorded interviews illustrated retrospective of his students undertaking courses. with programme-makers to exceptional career as a expand its online oral history of groundbreaking television and BBC Pebble Mill, 1971 to 2004. film producer to a large George Shiers number of live audiences George Shiers, a distinguished US television histo- 2 2016: The Scottish Broadcasting rian, was a long-­standing member of the RTS. Before Heritage Group recorded 9 2008/2010: Steve Arnold interviews with people who digitised back issues of Radio his death in 1983, he and his wife, May, provided­ for a worked at and watched STV Times to make a searchable bequest in their wills. The Shiers Trust grant, now in from 1957 to 2017. online archive of articles and its 18th year, is normally worth £2,000. This year, to schedules mark the 90th anniversary of the RTS, it has been 3 2015: Oral history project by 10 2010: John Wyver conducted raised to £4,000. Grants will be consid­ered and former Granada staffers interviews on the presentation approved by the Trustees who may, at their Stephen Kelly and Judith Jones, of theatre plays on British ­discretion, consult appropriate experts to assist their with interviews published at: television www.granadaland.org decisions. In assessing priorities, the Trustees will take into account the sums of money available. 4 2014 : Shared between Dr 11 2009: Ronald Sandell, a key Sheldon Hall, whose Armchair planner of the analogue Cinema is a study of feature terrestrial transmitter network, Application procedure Applications are now invited and should be submit- films on British television, and conducted research for a book, Marc Scott, who has researched Seventy Years Before the Masts ted to the Trustees by Friday 30 March 2018 on an the unofficial development of officialapplication ­ form (available from the RTS, TV in Australia 12 2005: John Grist wrote a address below). Applications should set out the 5 2013 : Barry Fox has built a biography of Grace Wyndham nature of the project in not more than 500 words. website (www.tekkiepix.com) , the first Head of BBC Supporting documentation­ may also be included. Television News and Current to present his collection of Details of your experience or qualifications should Affairs historical consumer electronics be provided. Applicants should ensure that their imagery and documents. 13 2004 : Don McLean compiled project conforms to all the criteria. Applications 6 2012 : Paul Marshall researched an authentically accurate audio should be accompanied by a budget that clearly a biography of Alan Archibald two-CD presentation of the identifies the sum being requested for a grant and Campbell Swinton, the early beginnings of TV in Britain visionary of all-electronic the purposes­ for which it will be used. Application forms are available either from the RTS website: television 14 2001: Simon Vaughan, archivist www.rts.org.uk 7 2012 : Simon Vaughan digitised of the Alexandra Palace the 300-page ‘Black Book’, the Television Society, printed a or Clare Colvin, to whom they should be returned: first manual of the Marconi-EMI collection of 1,200 photos by Clare Colvin, Archivist, Royal Television Society, electronic television system, the father of television lighting, 3 Dorset Rise, London EC4Y 8EN. installed in 1936 Desmond Robert Campbell [email protected] RTS NEWS Lord Bragg celebrates RTS at 90

Bank Show, which was broad- Matthew Bell cast on ITV until 2010 and has

Yorkshire Centre reports from aired on since 2012. Forty years ago, recalled on a day of the peer, he wanted to “change the way TV did arts”. events marking the Specifically, he wanted to birth of the Society challenge the idea that the so-called high arts, such as opera, were inherently supe- elvyn Bragg rior to popular culture. described TV as the The first-ever episode of “greatest commu- the show, on 14 January 1978, nication medium featured an ex-Beatle. The Mever developed” at the York- arts broadcaster recalled: shire Centre’s celebration of “We got slaughtered for that, the 90th anniversary of the but I started with Paul Royal Television Society. McCartney to show I was The Society was founded serious [about my mission].” in September 1927, following His second highlight was a lecture at Leeds University the programme devoted to by television pioneer John (also in Logie Baird. Enthused by 1978), whose film, Summer hearing about Baird’s experi- with Monika, was the first

ments, a society was set up Harness Paul subtitled movie Bragg saw. for – in the words of its first “I came out of that cinema Chair, Dr Clarence Tierney hope and fear.” Television, could sway opinion. “Yet completely transformed. I – those “interested in the too, had “a dark side”, he said. this is child’s play, compared realised films weren’t just progress of television”. He discussed George with what could be done to about actors but writers and “Invented before TV – the Orwell’s 1984, in which citi- scare and cower people with directors, [too]. I became RTS was always ahead of its zens are under constant the help of mass surveil- obsessed with Bergman.” time,” said RTS Yorkshire surveillance from “tele- lance, which grew out of the Among those who turned Chair Fiona Thompson, screens”: “Here we see, at specific pursuits of TV.” down appearing on The South when introducing the long- its most naked, television He argued, however, that Bank Show were Samuel Beck- time host of The South Bank watching us – the eye of the television was also “a force ett, with whom Bragg “had a Show to a sell-out crowd world has become the cam- for good”. The arts supremo nice tea and chatted about at ITV’s Leeds Television era eye on those who live apologised for offering his cricket”, and Graham Greene. Centre in late November. here. This own pro- Responding to a question RTS Yorkshire and ITV country is said gramme, The about London’s economic Yorkshire were hosting a day to be the most Bank dominance of the UK, he of events, including a TV quiz, CCTV-intensive Show, which labelled the treatment of the and tours of the nation on the ALSO HAS A celebrates its North of England a “disgrace”, Studio Experience and ITV planet.” DARK SIDE 40th birthday accusing the Thatcher Gov- Archive. Experts from the Noting the this month, in ernment of the “destruction BBC, the , power of TV, evidence. “[It of 3 million skilled jobs in the Yorkshire Film Archive and Lord Bragg said: “We recog- has] a good size, democratic 1980s because they were in Focal International (which nise its ability to shift millions audience, many of whom Labour strongholds”. represents commercial audio/ of pounds-worth of mer- were largely unable to see, The broadcaster – who visual libraries) were on hand chandise on the commercial hear or even read the greatest sits in Parliament as a Labour to discuss their archives. channels every week.” artists until a very few peer and was brought up in During a wide-ranging The Brexit campaign and decades ago, thanks, of – added: “What is address, the TV veteran the “populism of [various course, to television.” amazing about the North is argued: “All new inventions politicians] had shown how He picked two highlights its people, their resilience provoke wonder and horror, “mendacious messages” from the vaults of The South and good humour.”

38 RTS events IN BRIEF isitors were admit- ted to the vaults of the ITV Archive in Midlands travels Leeds to mark the back to the 1930s V90th anniversary of the RTS. The archive hosts an aston- Norman Green brought the early ishing collection, bringing days of the BBC alive at a joint together programmes from RTS Midlands/IET event in Bir- ITV’s former regional compa- mingham in November. nies, as well as classic British The first head of technology movies. The latter include: at ITV Network and founder ’s early films of the RTS London Centre, he such as The 39 Steps; Powell came armed with a series of and Pressburger classic Black fascinating test transmissions Narcissus; and ’s and films from the 1930s. The Roger Moore in The Saint

Great Expectations. ITV BBC officially launched its TV It houses more than service from Alexandra Palace, 250,000 hours of TV and film. London, on 2 November 1936. The archivists preserve two Its first major outside broadcast copies of every show ITV Inside the archive was the coronation of George VI broadcasts or distributes, in May 1937. This technological keeping one safe in the mas- director, Dale Grayson, who of film, which were shot but breakthrough was captured ter vault. Older programmes name checked The Saint, Thun- not used on The South Bank in a BBC film, Televising the are restored and digitised, derbirds and World in Action. Show, to the archive. “It’s a Coronation Procession, shown with priority given to those He explained that the feast: seven hours of unseen at the event. on the “at risk register”, where archive’s best-selling content Norman Mailer; hours and only one tape, often in a poor tends to be the “no gore” hours of stuff by Pavarotti condition, survives. crime dramas such as Poirot. and Eric Clapton,” he said. Media boot camp As well as restoration, the Clips of celebrity interviews “Archives like ITV’s,” Lord pitches up in East ITV Archive also makes its and music performances Bragg added, “are fast content available to other from shows such as Tyne becoming the repositories of Forty students tried their hand broadcasters and programme- Tees Television’s The Tube are the public and private lives at making films on a smart- makers. “We have so many also heavily in demand. of the nation. It’s extraordi- phone, pitching a documentary iconic TV shows in our cata- The archive is growing narily important that they idea and making a radio news logue, with so much amazing from gifts. Melvyn Bragg are properly preserved.” show at the latest “Breaking into content,” said the archive’s recently donated 8,000 tins Matthew Bell broadcasting boot camp”. The event was held at Nor- wich University of the Arts in late November, and hosted by Fran Acheson of the BBC Acad- Shiver North shines in TV test emy in collaboration with RTS East and BBC East. n The competition was Archive, Leeds Trinity Univer- Variety Performance. Local The day began with sessions fierce at the RTS Yorkshire sity, Leeds Beckett University knowledge was tested with given by BBC smartphone and quiz, which followed Melvyn and, the ultimate winners, questions about Emmerdale, video journalism trainers Marc Bragg’s lecture, with all the Shiver North. Last of the Summer Wine and Settle and Deirdre Mulcahy, major players in the region They were subjected to five Harry Gration. The final ‘What respectively. Then the students fielding teams. fiendish rounds of questions year?’ round was illustrated – from creative and media Participants – who deemed covering TV history, from John with some nostalgic clips courses at Norwich universities the quiz ‘tough but enter- Logie Baird’s first demonstra- from the ITV archives, includ- – split into two groups: one half taining’ –­ included Daisybeck tion to the 2017 RTS Awards, ing a fresh-faced Ken Barlow made radio shows, the others Studios, BBC Yorkshire, True via the first Moon landing, the from the 1960s. learned about what makes North, ITV Yorkshire, ITV 1966 World Cup and the Royal Lisa Holdsworth a good TV news and current affairs feature.

Television www.rts.org.uk January 2018 39 RTS CENTRE AWARDS ITV drama enjoys winning night

Heartbreaking ITV factual drama Little Boy Blue enjoyed a trium-

North West North West Centre phant night at the RTS North West Awards in early November, taking home three top prizes. The programme, about the murder of 11-year-old Rhys Jones in in 2007, took the Drama prize. It also secured an award for its writer, Jeff Pope, and the female drama performance prize for Sinead Keenan. More than 450 industry professionals and guests attended the awards cere­ mony, which was held at the Hilton Deansgate in Man- chester and hosted by Robert Rinder from ITV court show Judge Rinder. won the male drama performance award for his role as a troubled priest in Jimmy McGovern’s BBC One drama Broken. The Sinead Keenan in Little Boy Blue series’ director of photogra- ITV phy, Joel Devlin, also received a craft award. West Tonight: Manchester Bomb Peter Kay’s Car Share won Compilation triumphed in the RTS North West winners Regional News•BBC North West Tonight: Manchester Bomb Compila- two comedy prizes: the hit Regional News Programme Single Drama or Series•Little Boy tion•BBC North West for BBC One BBC show took home both category. Blue•ITV Studios for ITV Regional Story•Inside Out North West: the Comedy award and Per- The high number and Performance in a Single Drama or Who’s Driving You Home?•BBC North Series – Male•Sean Bean: Broken•LA West for BBC One formance in a Comedy prize, standard of entries, said RTS Productions for BBC One Entertainment•The Real Housewives of the latter for its co-star, North West Chair , Performance in a Single Drama or •Monkey Kingdom for ITVBe Sian Gibson. was a “reflection of the fact Series – Female•Sinead Keenan: Little Current Affairs•Kicked Out: From Care Boy Blue•ITV Studios for ITV to Chaos•Blakeway North for BBC One Coronation Street was our region now hosts not Scriptwriter•Jeff Pope: Little Boy Sports•Sports Personality of the Year another show to pick up two only the second-largest Blue•ITV Studios for ITV 2016•BBC Sport for BBC One prizes: Kym Marsh won Per- ­creative industries sector Performance in a Continuing Animation/Puppetry•Twirlywoos: Drama•Kym Marsh: Coronation More About Twirling•Mackinnon formance in a Continuing in the country, but also the Street•ITV Studios for ITV and Saunders/ Drama and the soap also second-largest in the whole Continuing Drama Storyline• for CBeebies Coronation Street: Michelle’s Late Children’s – Pre-School•Justin’s House: took the Storyline award for of Europe”. Miscarriage•ITV Studios for ITV Justin’s Last Badge•CBeebies Michelle’s Late Miscarriage. The CEO of Manchester- Comedy•Peter Kay’s Car Share•Good- Children’s – School Age•My Life: Born Manchester indie Blake- based indie Nine Lives Media night Vienna for BBC One To Vlog•Blakeway North for CBBC Performance in a Comedy•Sian Gibson: Learning or Education (In Memory way North won two awards: added: “Television drama is Peter Kay’s Car Share•Goodnight of Katy Jones)•When I Worry About Current Affairs, for BBC continuing to enjoy a golden Vienna for BBC One Things•Mosaic Films for BBC Learning One’s Kicked Out: From Care age, led by the amazingly Single Documentary•The Selfless Sikh: Low-budget•Rugby League Live Faith on the Frontline•BBC Studios for Streaming: Siddal vs Toronto Wolf- to Chaos, and Children’s – talented writers and produc- BBC One pack•BBC Sport for BBC Sport School Age, for CBBC’s My ers based in Liverpool and Factual Series•Sex, Drugs & Murder: Use of Multiplatform•Hollyoaks: Life: Born to Vlog. Manchester. Life in the Red Light Zone•BBC Studios #MyJadeIs• for Channel 4 for BBC Three Production – Craft•Joel Devlin: Director Nina Warhurst was named “Moreover, the number of Factual Entertainment•Watchdog of Photography, Broken•LA Productions Regional News Journalist for programmes made in all the Live•BBC Studios for BBC One for BBC One Regional News Journalist•Nina War- Post-production – Craft•Tina & Bobby• her work on BBC North West other TV genres continues hurst: BBC North West Tonight and Digital Imaging fx/Blue Spill/Fifth Wall Tonight and Sunday Politics to grow.” Sunday Politics North West vfx for ITV North West, while BBC North Matthew Bell

40 Neil Morrissey and Line of Duty creator Jed Mercurio received a

Midlands Centre Baird Medal each at the RTS Midlands Awards in November. The Midlands-born actor, who made his name on BBC One sitcom , also starred in ’ police corrup- tion series Line of Duty. Jed Mercurio was raised and went to university in the Midlands. BBC Studios’ Doctors won the Outstanding Contribu- tion to the Region award, with the soap’s Dido Miles picking up the Acting Perfor- mance prize. Local channel Notts TV celebrated two awards: Hugh Casswell was named Broad- cast Journalist of the Year and Richard Minkley, Out- Neil Morrissey (left) and Jed Mercurio standing New Talent. Photography Ainsworth and Aston ITV performed strongly in the news categories with Des Coleman from ITV News ­Central named Midlands Line of Duty duo win On-Screen Personality and ITV News Central East winning the News Programme of the Year Award, for Claudio Ran- Midlands’ Baird Medal ieri Sacked. The BBC also made its Television Awards were held Design craft award for #Jump- for The Cosmonaut and Andrea mark, with its regional news on the same evening, with frompaper; and Matthew Haenze took the Factual prize and current affairs pro- University Jopling won the craft award for Byc Moze. gramme, Inside Out, winning claiming four prizes. Liam for Sound for TJWhite Gun- The University of Lincoln two awards. Inside Out East Young won the Comedy and makers & Co. student film Jessica, also Midlands won the Current Entertainment prize for The Students from Birmingham picked up two awards (for Affairs Feature award, for Ketchup Conspiracy. Giorgia City University won two Drama and the craft award Sports Direct: What Happened Perini took both the Short awards: Nina Parker Noon for Editing). Next?, and Inside Out West Feature and Production scooped the Animation prize Matthew Bell Midlands took home the Diversity Award for Ed Dool- RTS Midlands winners Outstanding New Talent• Student Drama•Jessica•Patrycja Reimus, an’s Battle with Dementia. Richard Minkley•Notts TV Saul Tyler, Isaac Tingey, Laura O’Brien and Matt Captieux, University of Lincoln Two shows won awards Baird Medal•Jed Mercurio and News Programme•Claudio Ranieri Neil Morrissey Sacked•TV Central for ITV News Student Factual•Byc Moze•Andrea for a third year running: the Outstanding Contribution•Doctors• Central East Haenze, Birmingham City University BBC’s Father Brown (Fictional BBC Studios for BBC One Diversity Award•Ed Doolan’s Battle Student Short Feature•#Jumpfrompaper Programme) and Channel 4’s Acting Performance•Dido Miles, with Dementia, Inside Out West •Giorgia Perini, Doctors•BBC Studios for BBC One Midlands•BBC for BBC One Student News•Music on Prescription• Travel Man: 48 Hours in…, Fictional Programme•Father Brown: Promotional Programme•Holy Anna Butler, Nottingham Trent University fronted by Richard Ayoade, The Star of Jacob•BBC Productions Ground•Vermillion Films/ Javelin Block Student Craft Skills – Sound•TJWhite (Factual Programme). for BBC One Excellence in Digital Content• Gunmakers & Co•Matthew Jopling, Factual Programme•Travel Man: First Acts•Rural Media/Maverick TV Staffordshire University The Midlands Awards were 48 Hours in...•North One Television for for Channel 4 Student Craft Skills – Editing•Jessica• held at the National Motor- Channel 4 Excellence in Production Craft Skills• Patrycja Reimus, Saul Tyler, Isaac Tingey, Current Affairs Feature•Sports Direct: Animation and visual effects•Second Laura O’Brien and Matt Captieux, Univer- cycle Museum and hosted by What Happened Next? Inside Out East Home Studios sity of Lincoln two of the region’s news Midlands•BBC for BBC One Student Animation•The Cosmonaut• Student Craft Skills – Production Design• presenters, ’s Broadcast Journalist• Nina Parker Noon, Birmingham University #Jumpfrompaper•Giorgia Perini, Hugh Casswell•Notts TV Student Comedy and Entertainment• ­Staffordshire University Nick Owen and ITV News On-screen Personality•Des Coleman• The Ketchup Conspiracy•Liam Young, Student Craft Skills – Camera•Teafe: Life Central’s Bob Warman. ITV Central for ITV News Central Staffordshire University for Tea•Xiaoping Yan, University Of The RTS Midlands’ Student

Television www.rts.org.uk January 2018 41 RTS NEWS Student TV fest makes its mark

“The energy in the room is incredible,” said Watershed Man- Bristol Centre aging Director Dick Penny, looking on at the second RTS Bristol Student Festival in full swing. More than 180 students from across the region signed up for the RTS event – held at the city’s Water- shed, in early November – and arrived armed with CVs and showreels. Staff from 15 of Bristol’s leading Game of Thrones: production and post-pro- on location in duction companies were on Northern Ireland hand at stalls to offer advice Sky and provide information. RTS Northern Ireland puts television events senior digital producer Gavin Strange kicked off the eve- Northern Ireland Centre at the of Belfast media festivals ning with a presentation on why creative careers are best. Strange is an illustrator, film- maker and digital designer, Thrones’ chief crowned who also appears in CBBC show Art Ninja. tellify Media walked spending five days in solitary meant that he was unable to Three 20-minute panel away with two major confinement. attend the ceremony at the events on documentary prizes from the RTS Producer Mark Huffam Belfast arts venue, the MAC, film-making, talent and Northern Ireland received the Judges’ Award in but he said, via a video mes- production management SProgramme Awards in recognition of his outstand- sage: “It’s great to see how ran alongside “speed dating” mid-November. ing contribution to local Northern Ireland film and tables, where quick-fire The Belfast indie won the television and film produc- television is thriving in the advice was dispensed to Comedy and Entertainment tion. The producer, who was current climate, largely down the students. award for its unlucky-in-love born in Antrim, has produced to a lot of self-motivated Plimsoll Productions, Wall BBC One show Beauty Queen many TV shows and films, individuals and entrepre- to Wall, Icon Films, Silver- and Single and the Factual including Saving Private Ryan neurs who have helped grow back, RDF West, Drummer Entertainment Award for and the first series of Game of the industry at a rapid rate.” TV, ITV News, the BBC, Channel 5’s In Solitary, which Thrones, much of which was He added, making refer- Films@59, Doghouse, Tigress, looked at how a group of filmed in Northern Ireland. ence to the current lack of Keo West, Evolutions and volunteers reacted to Filming commitments devolved government in the BDH (which demonstrated province: “This couldn’t have virtual reality) were joined at Northern Ireland winners Documentary•The Good Terrorist•Tern been done without the sup- the event by the Edinburgh Television and Borough Productions for port of Northern Ireland Channel 4 International Television Judges’ Award•Mark Huffam Screen and also [the] local Drama•Line of Duty•World Productions News Coverage •A Nolan Show Festival Network. for BBC One Investigation•BBC Northern Ireland government, who have been The RTS Bristol Commit- Comedy and Entertainment•Beauty Current Affairs•Spotlight: Burn to fantastic and very supportive Earn BBC Northern Ireland tee thanked the volunteers Queen and Single•Stellify Media for • – I’d quite like to see them BBC One Children’s/Animation•Secret Lives of “for giving up your evening Factual Entertainment/Features• Boys•Zodial Kids Studios for CBBC back at work soon.” to inspire the next genera- In Solitary•Stellify Media for Channel 5 Interactive Entertainment•Tara’s Lock- BBC Northern Ireland tion – we hope you spotted Specialist Factual•Wild Ireland: Edge et – A VR Story for Children•Big Motive picked up two awards, for of the World•Crossing the Line Films Original Music Score•The Salty some amazing talent”. for BBC Two Chicken•Sixteen South Current Affairs and News, Lynn Barlow both relating to its coverage

42 Social media The RTÉ of the future can build an TÉ Director-General Dee Forbes set out audience her vision for the future of Ireland’s Rnational public service joint RTS Northern broadcaster at the annual Dan Ireland/Film Hub Gilbert Memorial Lecture. NI event, “Virtual Speaking before a packed watercooler: audi- house at Belfast’s MAC, she Aences, content and creatives”, said: “Public service media investigated how TV and film has never been more neces- can harness the power of sary or more relevant than it social media. is today.” A panel of film marketing The RTÉ chief put a strong specialist Jo Taylor, Eximo focus on young audiences: Marketing founder Andi “We must now prepare and Jarvis and RTS NI Chair and re-imagine RTÉ for the next Stellify Media joint MD Dee Forbes

generation – a generation that Group Navada discussed has never been without the the influence of social-media internet, the smartphone, The Director-General Brexit, RTÉ licence-fee reform platforms on audiences at the on-demand video services, announced that cuts in drama and advertising. She advised Belfast arts venue, the MAC. social media and access to the would be reversed: “We plan TV newcomers to talk to as The panel was chaired by best programming and con- to fix this over the next five many people as possible in Hugh Odling-Smee, project tent from all over the world.” years and help build a strong the industry. She recalled the manager of Film Hub NI, one RTÉ plans to invest in a Irish drama sector.” importance of the RTS to her, of nine hubs around the UK short-form production unit, Following her lecture, BBC in terms of building contacts, that aim to increase audiences the Digital Lab, to create con- NI broadcaster William Craw- when she worked in London for independent cinema. tent for online and, in par- ley hosted a Q&A session, earlier in her career. Jo Taylor talked about her ticular, younger audiences. during which she discussed Sara Gunn-Smith work managing the grassroots campaign to promote the release of the film, of the political scandal that I, Daniel Blake, while Kieran followed the failure of a Doherty discussed Stellify’s renewable energy incentive approach to promoting the scheme, Spotlight: Burn to Earn Students benefit revamped show Blind Date. and A Nolan Show Investigation. Twitter was highlighted as Jed Mercurio’s police cor- from industry advice the best way to communicate ruption series, Line of Duty, with audiences – and to get which is made in Belfast by instant feedback on shows. World Productions, took the n RTS Futures Northern Ire- a ‘creative clinic’, which The panel also discussed award for Best Drama. land held a highly successful focused on how TV new- “watercooler” moments, with “Congratulations to all our careers day at Queen’s comers can stand out in the Stellify MD arguing that winners, who represent the University Belfast as part CVs and interviews. The casting was key in TV. He said best of the exceptional talent of BBC Digital Cities Belfast clinic was followed by a that executives were moving coming out of Northern Week. The day featured a speed-dating event, with away from casting people to Ireland in recent years,” said series of workshops and TV executives offering generate conflict in reality Sarah McCaffrey, Chair of the masterclasses run by indus- careers-related advice. shows; the new approach was NI Programme Awards 2017. try professionals. The day’s events were to pick people with some- The awards, which were David Monaghan and the rounded off with a panel thing interesting to say, who hosted by RTÉ and BBC pre- BBC Make It team offered a discussion aimed at giving would organically create great senter Angela Scanlon and ‘social media surgery’, while industry entrants the infor- TV moments. comic Michael Smiley, were Kitty Crawford, Chair of the mation to kick-start their Sara Gunn-Smith held with support from BBC trade association Games NI, careers, and which featured n The RTS Northern Ireland NI, Northern Ireland Screen, ran a gaming workshop. a speech by Zodiak Kids events formed part of BBC Channel 4 and UTV. The main BBC NI talent manager development executive Digital Cities Belfast, which took sponsor was Belfast post- Helen Thompson and Nicola Raymond Lau. place from 11 to 17 November, production facility Ka-Boom. McConville organised Georgia Parkinson and the Belfast Media Festival Matthew Bell (16 and 17 November).

Television www.rts.org.uk January 2018 43 RTS NEWS The secrets of Horrible How was Histories shot in just one take

CBBC’s Horrible Histories programme – a celebration was the subject of RTS of the 30th anniversary of London’s production BBC One series Casualty

London Centre focus in November – – was shot in a single take to with a team of creatives from heighten the sense of drama Lion Television explaining in a busy A&E department. how they put the show For cast and crew, it was a together. huge creative and technical Series producer Tom Miller challenge. Concerned that hosted the panel, which operating the camera would included historical consul- be too onerous for one person, tant Greg Jenner, writer Ben two handover points were Ward, make-up designer built in to the plan. All the Vicky Voller, production floor crew dressed in scrubs, designer Antony Cartlidge in case they appeared in shot. and actress Jessica Ransom. Cast and crew worked “The key thing about Hor- together to choreograph the rible Histories is that every- whole show. It was recorded thing starts with the history eight times over the course – the facts,” said the pro- of four days, with the final ducer, who illustrated this take being used for transmis- point throughout the evening sion. “It became almost like a Casualty director Jon Sen with clips of sketches and BBC piece of theatre,” said the songs from the show. director, “with two perfor- The series first aired in How do you go about In front of an audience of mances a day for a week.” 2009 and is based on the directing the longest students from Solent and He based himself in the books written by Terry single take in British TV Bournemouth University, the gallery, relying on the skills

Deary. It has been festooned Southern Centre history? This was the director gave an insight into of the cast and crew to get with awards – at one point question set for Casualty direc- the job of masterminding the the job done. He paid par- the show received four suc- tor Jon Sen by RTS Southern 52-minute, single-shot epi- ticular tribute to the work of cessive Baftas and a Prix at Southampton Solent sode, which aired last July. the camera team. Jeunesse for best children’s ­University in November. He explained that the Stuart Ray show of the past 50 years. Greg Jenner and his team of researchers find potential subjects. Months of research enable them to compile fold- Plymouth’s Delicious treat ers of facts you may or, more likely, don’t know about the

Saxons or Shakespeare. Devon and Cornwall audience of more than The drama about food, He then presents the held its annual “Break- 150 students from schools, love and infidelity stars Brit- research to the writers – ing into media” event colleges and universities in ish comedy legend Dawn

Horrible Histories has around 10 and Devon Cornwall at the Theatre Royal in the region. French, Game of Thrones star – who work on ideas that will the centre of Plymouth A networking lunch for the Iain Glen and Emilia Fox entertain the show’s audi- in early November. students with the panellists from Silent Witness. Its first ence, while giving them both The “getting in and getting was followed by a session series drew Sky’s biggest accurate history and jokes. on” panel featured a veritable with producer Phillippa Giles audience for a drama in 2016. “It’s a writers’ room like no army of TV talent, with Den- and screenwriter Dan Sefton, Producer and writer talked other,” said Ben Ward. “It’s not hams, , Silverstream who discussed their show about the development of about finding the funniest TV, Beagle Media, Elixel, Delicious. The Sky 1 pro- the show, and highlighted things, but finding the most iMarvel, the BBC and Sky all gramme recently finished the advantages of setting and interesting things in history represented. It offered tips principal photography on its shooting a drama series in – and making them funny.” and hard-earned advice on second series, which is due to the region. Nick Radlo getting started in TV to an be broadcast after Christmas. Kingsley Marshall

44 Gogglebox ONLINE at the RTS

n It was recently announced that RTS award-winning show Fleabag would return for a second series. We caught up with the show’s producer, Lydia Hampson, who told us how she worked with creator and star Shows worth Phoebe Waller-Bridge to shoot the series like a drama, but cut it like a comedy. ‘We were trying to go for the ambition of drama, celebrating but not at the expense of the laughs,’ she explained (www.rts. org.uk/LydiaHampson).

Channel 4 n The RTS turned 90 this year. To celebrate the occasion, we Matthew Bell hears format king Stephen Lambert relive spoke to a number of familiar faces to find out what they that have fuelled a long TV career at an RTS London event thought made TV special. From Jon Snow’s memories of the t doesn’t feel like it’s a bad “At least half the shows we show, the audience has coronation to Sanjeev Bhaskar’s time to be a producer – are making are for American to pick out the novice in a recollections of watching telly there are more buyers customers – that’s a huge professional variety act. with his mum, it’s a nice oppor- than ever,” Stephen Lam- change.” Until recently, UK Catch Me Out is already in tunity to look back over what ‘Ibert told the audience at RTS drama producers were mak- production for a channel in the RTS and the industry have London’s Christmas event. ing shows “95% of the time” Thailand. “Hopefully, it will achieved over nine decades The TV exec – the creative for the BBC and ITV. be made here, too – we need (www.rts.org.uk/RTSat90video). brain behind TV hits Goggle- However, although the new the BBC to get on with mak- box, Wife Swap and Faking It money from the US stream- ing a decision,” he said. – was in conversation with ing giants was welcome, “it’s The TV boss began his Lisa Campbell, director of the less attractive in so much as career at the BBC, making Edinburgh International Tele- they take global rights – our films for its documentary vision Festival, in December. model has been to create strands, 40 Minutes and Inside Almost a decade ago, he shows that, if they’re success- Story, many of which were launched his own indie, Stu- ful, we can sell all over the shot in war zones. dio Lambert – named after world”. “I was interested in telling his father’s commercials The decision to remove the the human story behind peo- production company. As a BBC’s 50% in-house produc- ple in situations, very often, of young boy, Stephen appeared tion guarantee was “well conflict,” he said. “We had an The White Princess

in some of its ads. overdue”, he said. “The idea enormous amount of free- UKTV His company subsequently of spending half the pro- dom. It was up to us to enjoyed success with Under- gramme budget on one sup- choose what programmes n Travelling further back in cover Boss, a big hit in the US. plier, regardless of the quality we wanted to make – that time, showrunner Emma Frost Recently, the indie has begun of their ideas, was a crazy seems a long way away now. spoke to the RTS about her to make scripted shows, idea. I think [BBC Studios] Everything is now controlled new historical series, The White poaching Sue Hogg from the will struggle to maintain the by the people at the centre.” Princess, which recently aired on BBC to run its drama depart- share of the spend that it was He left the BBC for the UKTV Drama. Frost discussed ment. Its first show – the BBC guaranteed in the past.” independent sector, joining why the Wars of the Roses is the drama about the Rochdale Entertainment is another RDF Media in 1998 and cre- perfect period for a show where child sex abuse ring, Three new genre. The indie has ating two award-winning women drive the narrative and Girls –­ aired to critical acclaim made a pilot, Catch Me Out, for formats, Wife Swap and Faking where the storyline spans life, earlier this year. “We’ve got the BBC, which he described It. He described the latter as death and politics (www.rts.org. lots of other dramas coming as a “studio entertainment “probably the most-loved uk/TheWhitePrincess). down the pipeline,” he said. version of Faking It”. In the programme I’ve ever made”. Pippa Shawley

Television www.rts.org.uk January 2018 45 OFF M E SSAGE

hew, that was the worked for ITV, and film-maker Tom Little Women was written by Heidi year that was! If you Hooper, whose dad, Richard, can fill Thomas who, as the creator of Call haven’t already read in any gaps Tom might have in his the Midwife, needs no introduction. Kenton Allen’s bril- knowledge of broadcasting – Hooper Speaking at a recent Broadcasting liant retrospective Snr is a former Ofcom Deputy Chair, Press Guild lunch, the wordsmith on 2017, then please who also chaired the Radio Authority. gave an interesting insight into what do so immediately. makes a successful screenwriter. Who knows what the coming ■ Off Message is a big fan of arts “Graft” was the secret to getting all monthsP have in store, but two recent programmes. Sky Arts often excels, those words down in the right order, high-level appointments sound but two recent shows in the Passions opined Heidi. promising. First, Lord (Terry) Burns, series were serious standouts. “It is, literally, about rolling up your ex-Chair of Channel 4, replaces the If you missed them and like litera- sleeves and getting the job done,” she legendary Patricia Hodgson at the ture, then do check out Andrew explained. regulator this month. A wiser, more Motion on the enigma that was Philip And as for the seasonal special of astute operator at broadcasting’s high Larkin and doing his Call the Midwife, Heidi revealed that table would be hard to find. inimitable routine on the woman sometimes people tweet her to say: Terry’s appointment looks encour- whose face we see every time we “I’m looking forward to the Call the aging from the perspective of Horse- spend a tenner – Jane Austen. Midwife Christmas Special more than I ferry Road should any future His I Hate Jane Austen was, in fact, am to Christmas!” government consider altering Chan- less binary than the title implies. By Off Message couldn’t possibly nel 4’s status as a public service the end of the show, Giles had begun comment. broadcaster. to enjoy the novels of the woman whose legacy helped to invent ■ Staying at the top of what we must ■ The other appointment is to the period drama. still call Fleet Street is never easy. Channel 4 board. Off Message was Also, it was good to see ITV back It was, therefore, gratifying last delighted to see a Whitehall U-turn, to backing the arts, with this month’s month to see honouring the with a place on the board being Great Art, presented by the engaging brilliant Andrew Billen – whose inter- given to the erstwhile Deputy CEO Tim Marlow. views are regular highlights of Televi- of Arts Council England, Althea sion – with a long-service award. Efunshile. ■ By the time you read this, audi- Andrew has been writing for the Readers will need no reminding ences and critics will have given Times these past 15 years. His TV that Althea’s elevation to the Chan- their verdicts on BBC One’s three- reviews were essential reading for nel 4 board was mysteriously vetoed part Christmas adaptation of Little anyone serious about the medium. by culture secretary Karen Bradley Women starring Angela Lansbury Alas, Andrew stopped writing regular back in November 2016. and . reviews in August, but, thankfully, Instead, four white men were Playground, the show’s matchless remains a staff feature writer on added to the body at that time. Two production company, also made the the paper. other new members of the board are superb recent version of Howards End. Off Message sends its congratula- Fru Hazlitt, who, not so long ago, This latest screen reimagining of tions to him.

46 January 2018 www.rts.org.uk Television RTS PATRONS RTS Principal BBC Channel 4 ITV Sky Patrons

RTS A+E Networks International The Walt Disney Company International Akamai Turner Broadcasting System Inc Patrons Discovery Networks Viacom International Media Networks Liberty Global YouTube NBCUniversal International

RTS Accenture Deloitte ITN STV Group Major Amazon Video EndemolShine KPMG TalkTalk Patrons Atos Enders Analysis McKinsey and Co UKTV Audio Network Finecast OC&C Boston Consulting FremantleMedia Pinewood Studios Group FTI Consulting YouView BT IBM Sargent-Disc Channel 5 IMG Studios

RTS Alvarez & Marsal LLP Kantar Media Raidió Teilifís Éireann Vinten Broadcast Patrons Autocue Lumina Search Snell Advanced Media Digital Television Group PricewaterhouseCoopers UTV Television

Who’s who Patron Chair of RTS Trustees CENTRES COUNCIL RTS Futures at the RTS HRH The Prince of Wales Tom Mockridge Lynn Barlow Alex Wootten Charles Byrne Vice-Presidents Honorary Secretary Dan Cherowbrier History David Abraham David Lowen Caren Davies Don McLean Dawn Airey Kieran Doherty Sir OM Honorary Treasurer Stephanie Farmer IBC Conference Liaison CH CVO CBE FRS Mike Green Cat Lewis Terry Marsh Baroness Floella Kingsley Marshall Benjamin OBE BOARD OF TRUSTEES Jane Muirhead RTS Technology Bursaries Dame Colette Bowe OBE Lynn Barlow Will Nicholson Simon Pitts Lord Bragg of Wigton Tim Davie Nikki O’Donnell John Cresswell Mike Green Tony Orme AWARDS COMMITTEE Adam Crozier David Lowen Fiona Thompson CHAIRS Mike Darcey Graham McWilliam Judith Winnan Awards & Fellowship Tom Mockridge Policy Lord Hall of Birkenhead Simon Pitts SPECIALIST GROUP David Lowen Lorraine Heggessey Jane Turton CHAIRS Ashley Highfield Rob Woodward Archives Craft & Design Awards OBE Dale Grayson Lee Connolly Ian Jones EXECUTIVE Baroness Lawrence of Chief Executive Diversity Programme Awards Clarendon OBE Theresa Wise Angela Ferreira Wayne Garvie Rt Hon Baroness Jowell of Brixton DBE PC Early Evening Events Student Television David Lynn Dan Brooke Awards Sir Trevor McDonald OBE Phil Edgar-Jones Ken MacQuarrie Education Gavin Patterson Graeme Thompson Television Journalism Trevor Phillips OBE Awards Stewart Purvis CBE Sue Inglish Sir Howard Stringer

Television www.rts.org.uk January 2018 47 Join the

and play your part.

As a member of the Royal Television Society you become part of an exciting and creative community of more than 4,500 members, who share a common passion for the art and science of television. Membership opens up a world of networking, educational, and professional opportunities, as well as contributing towards bursaries and educational events for young people that want to study TV related subjects. Membership from just Our members can also enjoy: Networking events Lectures, masterclasses and workshops £per65 year Annual awards ceremonies Free subscription to the RTS magazine Television Access to private members’ clubs in London, Manchester and Bristol Impressive discounts for shopping, restaurants, hotels & business services

To join and for full details of all member benefits visit our website www.rts.org.uk

RTS_A4.indd 1 25/07/2017 11:16