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April 2017

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www.digitalproductionoffice.com www.sargent-disc.com @DigiProdOffice @SargentDisc /digitalproductionoffice /SargentDisc Journal of The Royal Society April 2017 l Volume 54/4

From the CEO It’s been an awards- Meanwhile, in , the always- at the University of on packed month at the brilliant Sandi Toksvig hosted a fantas- 29 March. It was a real pleasure to be Society. was thrilled tic evening at the RTS Programme there and what a great venue! to be at the RTS West Awards. A big thanks to Sandi for being Michael’s illustrated talk gave his of England Awards on such a tremendous host. I’d like to listeners the inside track on the BBC 19 March, just two days congratulate all the winners, in landmark documentary. He has over- before the RTS Pro- and in London. seen more than 140 wildlife films, so gramme Awards, which were attended It’s also been a busy month for RTS has few peers in this area of television by a record-breaking 900 guests. events. I am seriously grateful to Sally production. The RTS Awards Doganis for producing “The Crown: Finally, I’d like to draw your atten- were held at the hugely atmospheric Deconstructing the coronation”. A tion to one of our upcoming events, Bristol Old Vic and brilliantly hosted capacity crowd gained a valuable “Breaking barriers: How can the TV by Countryfile’s . Those insight into ’s unique way of industry encourage more women into attending included Mark Linsey, Nick working. I am sure I’m not alone in technology jobs?”, on 26 April at Lon- Knowles and Mark Millar, Hugh saying that I could have listened all don’s Hospital Club. I hope to see you Fearnley-Whittingstall and CBBC’s night to Peter Morgan talk about his there. Andy Day and Naomi Wilkinson. experience of scripting The Crown. A No prizes for guessing that Bristol’s full report is in this issue of Television. Natural History Unit, which is cele­ This year’s Baird Lecture, organised brating its 60th anniversary, did excep- by RTS Midlands, “Planet Earth II: The tionally well, taking three awards for making of a natural history ‘block- the wonderful Planet Earth II. buster’”, was given by Michael Gunton Theresa Wise Contents Waad al-Kateab’s TV Diary The era of global event television Waad al-Kateab discovers a different world when she At an RTS event on The Crown, Peter Morgan revealed 7 visits London after filming the horror of Aleppo 20 how he was liberated by writing for Netflix. Steve Clarke took notes Fingers on buzzers… Sanya Burgess asks why is still Our Friend in the North East 8 thriving after more than half a century on air Graeme Thompson urges TV’s decision makers to be 24 bold as they demand a stronger regional presence Great expectations Former ITV and BBC chief has returned A fresh flavour for footie 11 to his indie roots with Expectation. Andrew Billen checks BT’s John Petter explains how BT Sport has recast the the slate 25 national game as entertainment. Matthew Bell reports When TV is the tip of the iceberg RTS Programme Awards Alastair Fothergill tells Pippa Shawley why his latest Hosted by Sandi Toksvig, the awards were presented 14 project, Netflix’s , is his most ambitious 28 on 21 March at the Grosvenor House Hotel, London, documentary in partnership with Audio Network. The winners and nominees over eight pages The Afghan Rupert Murdoch Saad Mohseni – Afghanistan’s first media mogul – RTS 16 tells Raymond Snoddy how he built his empire 36 Event reports from around the nations and regions A man of influence Lisa Campbell profiles , an MP who’s 18 gaining fans in the TV sector Cover: Gordon Jamieson

Editor Production, design, advertising Subscription rates Printing Legal notice Steve Clarke Gordon Jamieson 3 Rise UK £115 ISSN 0308-454X © Royal Television Society 2017. [email protected] [email protected] London EC4Y 8EN Overseas (surface) £146.11 Printer: FE Burman The views expressed in Television 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 April 2017 3 RTS Cambridge Convention 2017

Save the date 13-15 September

Television | www.rts.org.uk | SEPTEMBER 2008 www.rts.org.uk15 Your guide to upcoming national and RTS NEWS regional events

NORTH WEST National events ■ Rachel Pinkney 07966 230639 ■ [email protected] RTS EARLY EVENING EVENT Monday 10 April NORTHERN IRELAND Where have all the disabled ■ John Mitchell people gone? ■ mitch.mvbroadcast@btinter - Panellists: Adam Hills, presenter net.com of The Last Leg; Rosie Jones, researcher and comedian; REPUBLIC OF IRELAND Shannon Murray, actor, writer ■ Charles Byrne (353) 87251 3092 and broadcaster; Deborah ■ [email protected] Williams, CEO, Creative Diversity Network. Chair: SCOTLAND MBE. 6:30pm for 6:45pm start Wednesday 26 April Venue: , 124 Horseferry The next generation of TV Road, London SW1P 2TX journalism ■ Book online at www.rts.org.uk RTS Futures: Thursday 27 April Venue: City of College, City Campus, 190 Cathedral RTS EARLY EVENING EVENT RTS AWARDS American International Univer- Street, Glasgow G40RF Wednesday 26 April Friday 16 June sity in London. Tickets are free Wednesday 17 May Breaking barriers: How can the RTS Student Television but numbers are limited, so the RTS Scotland 2017 Awards TV industry encourage more Awards 2017 selection process involves an 6:00pm for 6:30pm women into technology jobs? Venue: BFI Southbank, London application form. Booking: www. Venue: Oran Mor, Byres Rd, Panellists: Dr Maggie Aderin- SE1 8XT rts.org.uk/event/update-tv-skills Glasgow G12 8QX Pocock MBE, space scientist ■ Book online at www.rts.org.uk and follow the ‘Register your ■ Jane Muirhead 07718 087 108 and science communicator; interest’ link to Eventbrite. ■ [email protected] Sinead Greenaway, chief tech- RTS CONFERENCE Topics include: multi-platform nology and operations officer, 13-15 September commissioning; production for SOUTHERN UKTV; Anna Patching, sound RTS Cambridge Convention portable devices; using social ■ Gordon Cooper engineer, OB STV; Sara Putt, 2017 media; immersive TV; digital ■ [email protected] deputy chair, WFTV (UK). Venue: West Road Concert Hall, media workflow; CV workshop; Chaired by Maggie Philbin OBE, Cambridge CB3 9DP and King’s and directing in a digital age. THAMES VALLEY CEO and co-founder, TeenTech. College, Cambridge CB2 1ST Individual sessions may change Wednesday 17 May 6:30pm for 6:45pm start ■ Booking opens soon closer to the date. Registration NAB review 2017 Venue: , 24 Endell from 9:00am; event starts at 7:00pm-9:00pm Street, London WC2H 9HQ 9:45am. Venue: Pincents Manor Hotel, ■ Book online at www.rts.org.uk Local events Venue: Asa Briggs Hall, Calcot, Reading RG31 4UQ 7-17 Ansdell Street, London ■ Penny Westlake RTS FUTURES BRISTOL W8 5BN ■ [email protected] Thursday 27 April ■ Belinda Biggam ■ Daniel Cherowbrier You’re hired! Nail the perfect CV ■ [email protected] ■ [email protected] WALES Experienced media recruitment ■ Hywel Wiliam 07980 007841 consultants and TV professionals DEVON & CORNWALL MIDLANDS ■ [email protected] will talk you through the ideal ■ Kingsley Marshall ■ Jayne Greene 07792 776585 structure and content, and the ■ Kingsley.Marshall@falmouth. ■ [email protected] dos and don’ts, to really make ac.uk Friday 7 July your CV shine. NORTH EAST & THE BORDER Programme Awards 2017 Using interactive examples, EAST Wednesday 17 May 7:00pm for 7:30pm you will be guided through the ■ Nikki O’Donnell Young People’s Media Festival Venue: New Dock Hall, Royal process of identifying flaws in ■ nikki.odonnell@.co.uk 2017 Armouries, Leeds LS10 1LT CVs, to help you analyse your Further information at: ■ Lisa Holdsworth 07790 145280 own. Don’t get left in the pile! LONDON www.sunderland.ac.uk/rtsypmf. ■ lisa@allonewordproductions. 6:45pm for 7:00pm Saturday 22 April 6:00pm co.uk Venue: Cavendish Conference Update TV skills Venue: Media Campus, University Centre, 22 Duchess Mews, Free, all-day training event, in of Sunderland SR6 0DD London W1G 9DT partnership with BBC Academy, ■ Jill Graham ■ Book online at www.rts.org.uk WFTV and Richmond, The ■ [email protected]

Television www.rts.org.uk April 2017 5 RTS STUDENT TELEVISION AWARDS 2017 16 JUNE 1:00pm BFI Southbank, London SE1 8XT

www.rts.org.uk TV diary

Waad al-Kateab discovers a different world when she visits London after filming the horror of Aleppo

have just arrived in London people are asking you to remember story to tell. A photoshoot with the from Turkey, where my fam- your humanity.” follows. ily is living after the fall They all stand and clap again for a of our beloved city, Aleppo. very long time. I am humble. ■ Today, because I am a self-taught I am travelling with my hus- film-maker, I am shadowing a Chan- band, Hamza, and our first ■ After the excitement of last night, nel 4 News camera , who is stop from Heathrow airport I am relaxing with my hus- filming outside Parliament. He is is the Channel 4 News office. band in this beautiful city. We visit teaching me the technical under- II am feeling excited but also appre- Palace and go shopping standing of filming and explaining hensive. One of the first people I meet on Street. It is hard to believe depth of field. in the newsroom is the presenter Jon that one city can have so many I also spend time with an editor in Snow. When we are introduced, he shops and people. an edit suite and with the online team. bursts into tears. I feel emotional, too. I can’t wait to tell my friends and There is so much to learn, but it is a These are the people who have made family back home about this experi- calm and fun newsroom to work in. it possible to show the world my ence. But all my friends have already footage, the real stories and horrors of heard the news that I won four ■ I am there to learn from them, the people of Syria. awards and my Facebook page is full but it is the staff who are asking me of congratulations and good wishes. many questions. I tell them about ■ Tonight it is the RTS Television filming in the emergency room, with Journalism Awards, the main rea- ■ I am being interviewed on CNN by my doctor husband and my baby son I have come to London. The Christiane Amanpour and am intro- daughter sleeping at my side, on Hilton hotel on Park Lane is a far cry duced as “The woman who exposed the day three young brothers were from what I am used to. Last year, I the horrors of Aleppo”. I feel emo- brought in after being hit by a bomb. worked in a makeshift hospital, film- tionally torn, very sad that we lost The city was experiencing the heavi- ing images of trauma, death, grief and our city, proud of what we all did est bombardment in several days. courage. Now, I am dining with beau- to try and save it and its people, but One of the brothers died. No one tiful, well-dressed people in a room also determined to keep telling the expected to live much longer. And with very big chandeliers. It is a lot to world what is happening. my camera never looked away. take in. My films for Channel 4 News interviews me have been nominated for four awards. next in a hotel in London. It wrote at Waad al-Kateab is a Syrian film-maker. I am nervous but I hope we win. length about my plight while I was At the RTS Television Journalism trapped in Aleppo in December. Now Awards, she was named Camera Opera- ■ After my name is called, I walk up the paper wants to hear my story in tor of the Year and Young Talent of the to the and wait for what seems person. Year and won Award like for ever as everyone in the room I feel exhausted reliving the suffer- (for The Last Flower Seller of Aleppo stands and applauds me. In my ing of the people caught up in the on Channel 4 News and, with Channel speech, I tell them: “There is a per- siege and the human toll of the 4 News, News Coverage – International ished city called Aleppo. And all its Syrian war. But it is an important (for Inside Aleppo on Channel 4 News).

Television www.rts.org.uk April 2017 7 Content Sanya Burgess asks why University Challenge is still thriving after more than half a century on air Fingers on buzzers…

amous for its split-screen Starter for 10, the best-selling novel tone of the show as “more inquisitorial” display, eccentric student and film starring James McAvoy and and “more of a hard-core, serious quiz contestants, difficult Benedict Cumberbatch, is testament show than ”, whose own questions and intimidat- to the enduring affection for the show. questions are some of TV’s toughest. ing host, University Its author, , believes He says that good teams and stand- Challenge has been an that the show remains popular thanks out individuals within those teams almostF constant fixture on our screens to the difficulty of the questions: “It’s help drive audience numbers. for more than 50 years. the antidote to the ‘What’s the One of those stand-out individuals The programme has clocked up over of France?’ school of quiz, where every- is former contestant David Stainer. 1,600 episodes and regularly pulls in one has the satisfaction of getting the Now 38, a solicitor and living in Hert- audiences of 3 million. Its impressive answer right. Instead of that satisfac- fordshire, he captained his team in one reign continues into the online era, tion, you have this awe and amaze- of the most controversial University despite barely changing the format, its ment that there are people out there Challenge finals. staging or the rules of the show. who know this stuff.” Representing Oriel College, Oxford, in What are the secrets of its extraordi- James Fox is the MD of Remarkable 1999, Stainer and his teammates were nary success? Is it the questions, the Television, producer of , which pipped to the crown by an Open Uni- contestants, or the format? recently recorded its 1,000th episode. versity team with an average age of 46. First aired in 1962, University Challenge He hopes to emulate the longevity of “As long as I can remember, it’s was then capable of drawing audiences University Challenge: “As a fellow quiz always been the hardest show on tele- of 11 million a week. Twenty-five years show producer, to be able to do that vision,” says Stainer. He has competed later, it was axed by ITV in 1987, when number of episodes, year in, year out, in a number of televised quizzes, viewing figures fell to 1 million follow- is no mean feat. The knowledge that including Only Connect. He adds: “It’s an ing relegation to an off-peak slot. you’ve got to test people on doesn’t exciting show. There’s not much filler The show was relaunched by the BBC run out, but trying to create brilliantly on it. You get a quick introduction, in 1994. Its scholarly and slightly eccen- crafted questions is a difficult thing. If, then, within a minute or two, the ques- tric presenter, , was in 40 years, Pointless is still on, then tions start being asked and they are dropped in favour of a more conven- we’d all be very proud.” asked at a fast pace.” tional TV anchor man. Jack Waley-Cohen, questions editor The show’s format, inspired by the has hosted ever since. on Only Connect, believes that the key to US television student quiz show College Following a dip in ratings a few years the show’s long-running success lies Bowl, may be set in stone but, over the ago, University Challenge has bounced with the contestants. “People love see- years, University Challenge has never back and frequently tops the viewing ing people being really, really clever,” been far away from the headlines. figures for BBC Two. says Waley-Cohen. He characterises the In 1975, a protest held by

8 BBC students competing against Downing College, Cambridge, had the former answering all the questions in a round Six of the best questions by shouting “”, “Marx”, “Trotsky” or “Lenin”. n What seven-letter word links: an To this day, the show attracts exten- impure metal formed in the smelting of sive coverage in the mainstream press. ores; a bright double in the con- This tends to be around certain con- stellation Leo; and a Roman consul of testants, such as the current series’ Eric the Punic wars, held as an example of a Monkman, who has a habit of pulling patriot who chose virtue over personal

unusual facial expressions. ITV expediency? In 2009, – captain of the Corpus Christi, Oxford, team – was n ‘Of unexcelled usefulness to histori- n Add together the number of letters dubbed the “human ”. And last ans, [its] intricate realism recorded with in the surnames of the prime minister year, the well-arched left eyebrow of the restraint of a Jane Austen and the who came to office after the 1945 gen- Hannah Woods, captain of the 2016 depth of reflection of a Proust.’ These eral election and his two successors. winning team of Peterhouse, Cambridge, words describe which 11th-Century What prime number results? had two parody accounts set up novel, the work of the Japanese lady-­ in honour of her eyebrow. in-waiting Murasaki Shikibu? n What is the lowest positive integer to Recently, the show attracted negative contain the letter ‘C’ when it is spelled headlines after an episode that featured n The lion, hens and roosters, wild out as a word in English? an all-white and all-male pair of teams. asses, tortoises and the elephant are, in Casting for the show is a long and sequence, the first entities introduced Answers exacting process. The emphasis is on in which orchestral suite of 14 move-

the ability of contestants to answer the ments, composed in 1886? context and country on

questions. Each university has its own depending 48, the to 10 or usage, British modern  6

process of selecting candidates to be n Pierre Janssen and Norman Lockyer and American in 27 the to 10 is which Octillion, 5 5

shortlisted for auditions, which are are jointly credited with the detection, 19 4 4

held at ITV Studios, which inherited in 1868, of which gas as an unexpected Regulus 3 3

the show from Granada Television. line in ’s spectrum? It was dis- Helium 2 2 The Carnival of the Animals the of Carnival The

Giles Hutchings, 21, from in covered on Earth in 1895 in the uranium Saint-Saëns’ 1 1 Monogatari

Surrey, was captain of the University of mineral cleveite. Genji/Genji of Tale The Warwick’s team in the most recent �

Television www.rts.org.uk April 2017 9 � series of the show. He sat a one- series, of which around 3,250 will knowledge changes,” he says. “The hour test at his university, along with make it to the screen. Following a questions now are very, very different around 100 other applicants. Those decision to include more clues in to during Bamber Gascoigne’s time, who achieved the best scores were questions, Peter Gwyn, the executive but I suspect that they are also differ- then interviewed and sorted into a producer, has denied that the ques- ent to the early years of Paxman.” team by the incumbent captain. tions are getting easier. He credits those who produce the ITV Studios whittles down around show with monitoring and adapting 130 teams to 28 via further academic the questions to keep up with the testing and interviews that establish I THINK THAT rising competitiveness in the off- whether the students would work screen quizzing circuit. This, he says, well on television. THERE HAS has resulted in a better calibre of Hutchings believes that the pro- PROBABLY teams over the past 15 years. ducers make a genuine effort to cre- “I remember that there was a ate a diverse show. As a result, teams BEEN A SLOW period when, watching at home, I often try to attract women in the hope TENDENCY FOR thought the questions had got rather that this will improve the chances of obscure. But the producers always ITV Studios placing them on the show. THE QUESTIONS seem to realise that they need to sort An additional challenge for today’s TO GET MORE it out and it goes back to the right teams is the scrutiny they receive on level of difficulty,” says Stainer. “I social media – more than 80,000 DIFFICULT think that there has probably been a people discuss University Challenge on OVER TIME slow tendency for the questions to get Facebook alone. more difficult over time.” Hutchings’ teammate, Sophie Rudd, Nonetheless, with a trophy and attracted attention following a par- Stainer agrees. He argues that one bragging rights in place of a cash prize, ticularly enthusiastic answer and reason for the show’s longevity is ultimately, the show is just for fun. overall strong performance. But she because the quality and level of diffi- As contestant Giles Hutchings says, found herself at the centre of a Twit- culty of the questions remains “I guess I just wanted to have the ter storm when trolls began to tor- consistent. chance to go on and show off my ment her for being transgender. “The question setters are quite useless knowledge. You can only put Reportedly, more than 4,000 ques- skilled at adapting the questions over that to use on quiz shows, as it doesn’t tions are commissioned for every time to suit the way underlying really help you with life in general.”

RTS London Centre training day Update TV skills

22 April Registration: 09:00am n Sessions start at 9:45am Booking: www.rts.org.uk/event/update-tv-skills And follow the link to Eventbrite n Venue: Asa Briggs Hall, 7-17 Ansdell Street, London W8 5BN

n Multiplatform commissioning RTS London is holding a free all-day training n Production for portable devices event in partnership with the BBC Academy, n Using social media WFTV, and Richmond, The American International University in London. Registration n Immersive TV is free and, because numbers are limited, n Digital media workflows tickets will be allocated following a selection n CV workshop process which starts with an application email. n Directing in a digital age BBC Academy will oversee the fair allocation Individual sessions are subject to change of places.

10 The Billen profile Former ITV and BBC chief Peter Fincham has returned to his indie roots with Expectation. Andrew Billen checks the slate Lisa Peacock Great expectations

h, they remember it They then each took six months’ expensive-looking blue jacket and a well. It was the autumn gardening leave. white shirt with its top two buttons of 2015 and Peter Over that summer, people would undone. I interviewed him five years Fincham, ITV’s director joke that they must be setting some- ago, when he was at ITV. He looks of television, and Tim thing up together and, as it wore on, younger now. Hincks, President of Fincham and Hincks did indeed He thinks that the DNAs of Talkback , were having begin to talk seriously about the kind (, Ricky Gervais, Grand breakfastA together. At least, that’s how of production company, the kind of Designs) and Endemol Shine (Changing Fincham recalls it. Hincks insists it “creative company”, they might start. Rooms, , Charlie Brooker), will was a drink after work. That detail And here Fincham is, in a mews graft well to each other. If one was to doesn’t matter. The news they shared, building in Notting Hill with Expecta- make a guess, mine would be that, as Fincham explains, did. tion over its front door, talking to me although they will stretch over most “Tim said: ‘Can I tell you a secret?’ about his new life. And his eight years entertainment genres,­ comedy, under And I said: ‘Yes.’ He said: ‘I resigned at ITV and, before that, his shorter Nerys Evans from Channel 4, may yesterday.’ And I said: ‘Can I tell you a spell at BBC One; and also of his early provide their first hit. secret? So did I.’ By the purest of days at Talkback, where its founder, Although Hincks and Fincham coincidences, we’d been to see our , insisted that, in show have never worked for the same respective bosses and said, ‘I want to business, the “show” must be more employer, they are old friends. The leave.’” important than the “business”. This is name, Expectation, is a play on No In both cases, the resignations were a formula that Fincham, 30 years on, Expectations, the amateur band (Fin- kept from the industry until the fol- intends to stick to. cham on keyboards, Hincks on gui- lowing January, and neither actually He is 60, but looks younger: slim, tar), that they have played in for years. left their jobs until March last year. full head of hair, today in jeans, Their first investor is BBC �

Television www.rts.org.uk April 2017 11 � Worldwide, which has taken just co-founder, , initially treated I DON’T THINK THAT under 25% of the company. Its head, Fincham “like an office boy”. Yet Fin- , joined the BBC virtually the cham loved those two decades – the THE RIGHT WAY TO same week Fincham did in 2005. He informality, the days of make-do, and can probably be counted a friend, too. his own creative contributions. APPEAL TO THE ITV The key to their joint vision, Fincham Even after the company was sold to AUDIENCE WOULD insists, is that the company is led by its FremantleMedia in 2000, in a deal that creative decisions. made him a millionaire some times BE TO TALK DOWN He tells a story from his early days at over, he stayed for five more years. TO THEM Talkback about a meeting with a BBC “When I left Talkback, yes, of course, executive, at which Fincham agreed to it had changed and it had grown. It replace someone for a show’s second wasn’t me and a couple of other peo- season. He confessed to the executive ple sitting around a table trying to keep that this would be awkward, since the warm, as 20 years earlier,” he says. “It person being dropped was a friend. was more that I felt that I needed to do The response was anything but sym- something else. pathetic: “He told me: ‘Well, there’s a “I had very young children at the lesson you’ve learnt – don’t get too time. I was exhausted. I thought I would friendly with the animals.’ And I take a break and then start another thought, ‘That’s such a giveaway independent company. Then, I got Peter’s phrase.’ That says: ‘We’re the zookeep- offered the job of controlling BBC One progress ers and they are the animals, the dumb – impossible to turn down.” animals.’ Absolute nonsense. The ani- At Television Centre, he made it his mals are the people who the viewers task to make the channel “less misera- Peter Fincham, Co-CEO (with Tim watch, and like.” ble”. The mission, with hits such as Hincks) of Expectation Now, it seems that Fincham was How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria? (what he would not call) an animal all and Robin Hood, went well, and then Married to Clare Lewthwaite, former along. Even for the decade he was a very badly wrong. Badly briefed at a TV executive and charity chief; two zookeeper at the BBC and ITV, he was press conference in 2007, he claimed a sons, two daughters always partly an “indie in exile”. forthcoming documentary would show Lives Notting Hill, London “I was nearly eight years as a direc- the Queen walking off in a huff from a Born 26 July 1956 tor at ITV. I think that was long portrait session with . Parents Arthur and Joan Fincham enough. Some would say too long. I This was a great story and utterly Education Tonbridge School; don’t know. It’s certainly long enough. untrue, as the press soon discovered. Churchill College, Cambridge (BA Coming to of that, I was able The BBC press office phoned Fin- English) to think, ‘What do I want to do next?’ cham to warn him that a camera crew I had a very clear sense that I did not was intending to stake out his house 1986 Producer, Talkback want to move up the corporate ladder.” – and that it was from BBC News. Productions Nor did he want, as the current jargon Being in the centre of a media storm 1986 Managing Director, Talkback has it, to “go plural”, with board mem- was, understandably, “not much fun”. Productions berships here, consultancies there. He In due course, he resigned. 2003 Chief Executive, took inspiration from his father, a char- Looking back, what he is proudest of TalkbackThames tered accountant who, aged 61, threw in at the BBC was sticking to his guns and 2005 Controller, BBC One his lot with a client, Richard Forshaw, inventing against some 2008 Director of television, ITV and helped turn the Dutton Forshaw powerful vested interests with their 2016 Left ITV car dealerships into an empire. Arthur own shows at 7:00pm. “I think you Fincham died a few years ago, aged 101, wouldn’t easily imagine the BBC One Hits The One Show, Broadchurch, but he always said that those 10 years schedule without it.” Downton Abbey were the best of his life. When he left, he thought (you guessed Flops Red or Black?, Daybreak Not that Arthur, who educated Peter it) that he might start an indie, only this Hobbies Piano – rock (with No at one of the most expensive schools in time Michael Grade, Executive Chair- Expectations) and classical the country, Tonbridge, ever regarded man of ITV, made him another offer he Watching The Bureau (); TV as a proper career in the sense that could hardly refuse: to be his director OJ: Made in America, Catastrophe, his two lawyer sons had real jobs. of television. The Jump Peter had showed a worrying incli- No controllership is an unalloyed On working with Smith and Jones nation towards La La Land since Cam- success, and there is some evidence at Talkback ‘I became more than bridge, where he was the ’ from the ratings, at least, that Fin- the office boy but, initially, it was musical director and pianist. After a cham’s creative renewal at ITV eventu- quite a small office’ few years in the wilderness, he joined ally ran out of puff. It was real enough, On returning to independent Talkback, then a radio commercials however, particularly in drama, where production ‘It’s wanting to be on house, set up by Footlights leading he commissioned two of the most the field of play rather than in the light Griff Rhys Jones. notable dramas of recent times, Down- stands watching the action’ One senior executive once claimed ton Abbey and Broadchurch. to me that Jones and Talkback’s He remembers reading Julian

12 Broadchurch ITV

Fellowes’ script for the first Downton people say that, that’s fine and I’ve wouldn’t contradict this – was to and thinking how, after the first epi- moved on from that life.” blame myself.” sode of a drama, you are lucky to be These were happy years at ITV and He does, I say, seem happier than invested in two characters – and here the BBC, he insists. His four children when I last interviewed him, even he was interested in 10, just from the by his wife, Clare, whom he met while though the pretext of that piece was script. she was at a commercials production the renaissance of ITV. “I feel that the His decision to reinvent ITV News at company that shared a building with burdens of office didn’t sit that com- Ten as a vehicle for a star anchorman Talkback, were the right age to enjoy fortably on my shoulders. I always felt and his expensively poached corre- them. He took them to The X Factor. His that I empathised too much with the spondents is, perhaps, a less happy oldest daughter danced with Bruce people who made things.” memory. As we talk, we are into the Forsyth. Along the way, he found time He talks about renewing a series that third week of a grand experiment by to learn the classical piano to Grade 8, was not quite right, against his better Fincham’s successor, Kevin Lygo, to pedalling off to his teacher on Saturday judgement, and seeing it fail all over supplant the news with a chat show. mornings, and ended up playing a duet again, because viewers no longer give He says he knows where I am going in public with Myleene Klass. second seasons second chances. with this, and believes Tom Bradby I ask whether being independently He also talks about cancelling pro- offers “something different”. He will wealthy cushioned him from some of grammes. One, , was made by not comment further, out of respect for the pressures that other TV chiefs suc- his own former company, Talkback- his friend and rival Lygo – and out of cumb to. I could not be more wrong Thames: “It was something I was self-respect, too. “I quite sincerely wish – but, by asking the question, I dis- responsible for. I was very, very con- ITV the best of luck.” cover, I think, the real reason that he scious of the consequences of that, and There is one view of his ITV reign, I left ITV. it wasn’t what I went into television to say, that holds that he was just too snob- “The answer is no, to be honest. If do, to execute that power. I’m perfectly bish to really understand his audience. I had a show that I was nervous about, happy to have laid that power down He looks genuinely hurt when he I would be just as nervous,” he insists. and let somebody else take it.” says: “Well, I’m sorry to hear people The disappointments would still hit There are some events, it seems, of say that because I don’t think it’s the him in the stomach? “Of course, they which a conscientious and decent case at all. I don’t think that the right would. Oh God! Anything that you television executive will retain perfect way to appeal to the ITV audience have high hopes for that doesn’t quite recall. My expectation is that Expecta- would be to talk down to them, let’s work, I think it was always my inclina- tion will create rather more happy put it that way. But, you know, if tion – and I hope that other people memories.

Television www.rts.org.uk April 2017 13 When TV is the tip of the iceberg

ike an entire generation Facebook very excited about this. That of wildlife film-makers, Natural history would’ve been hard to manage with Alastair Fothergill was the BBC. There’s no doubt that this was drawn to television by one of the advantages of working with David Attenborough. His Alastair Fothergill tells Netflix.” Netflix, he suggests, is the 1979 series, Life on Earth, Pippa Shawley why his perfect fit for the kind of high-budget, showedL the young Fothergill that natural natural history series Silverback was history programming was “a good way latest project, Netflix’s set up to make. to be paid to be near animals”. Our Planet, is his most Our Planet will explore the habitats Fothergill, who was recently made a of the earth, highlighting the value of Fellow of the RTS, spent almost three ambitious documentary those places to the world’s ecology. At decades at the BBC Natural History Unit the same time, the producers recognise (NHU). This included a five-year stint as “halo” of extra digital content, expand- that viewers don’t want to sit through head of department, when he landed ing on the environmental concerns an hour-long lecture on climate change. several global hits, including The Blue raised in the TV series. “There’s an amazing conservation Planet, Planet Earth and Frozen Planet. This extra dimension is appealing to story out there about the value of habi- He went on to found his own pro- Fothergill: “A lot of people talk about tats and why they’re important,” argues duction company, Silverback Films, web activity and not a lot of people put Fothergill. He says that the digital con- with his former NHU colleague Keith any real money into it,” he says. “What’s tent around the series will go into more Scholey. His team is now working on exciting about this is that we have detail about the challenges in conserving Netflix’s first natural history series, Our really significant investment in it.” these places. Planet. “It’s by far the biggest thing I’ve Originally, Fothergill hoped that the While Fothergill won’t be drawn on ever done,” says Fothergill. “And the TV BBC would be interested in the series, how much the streaming service has series, literally, is the tip of a massive which he sees as a continuation of the put behind the series, he says that the iceberg.” topics covered in Planet Earth. The BBC, budget compares “very well” with what In addition to the eight-part series however, was worried that the WWF’s the BBC would offer. Our Planet is Net­ for the streaming service, Netflix and involvement might breach its editorial flix’s second major British order, after Silverback have partnered with the policy guidelines. Left Bank’s The Crown. World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to create a He adds: “We’ve got Google and Fothergill has just returned from a

14 Since joining the BBC 30 years ago, Fothergill has seen the gender balance within his genre change completely. Women now hold jobs that were tradi- tionally dominated by men. There is still some way to go, however. Men still significantly outnumber camerawomen. Fothergill is quick to champion the work of Sophie Darlington. She was a key part of the team on BBC One’s The Hunt, recently nominated for an RTS Programme Award, and is now work- ing on Our Planet. Then, there is the fact that natural history is still dominated by the white middle class. Fothergill’s plummy tones are indicative of his own back- ground – he was educated at Harrow before going on to study at the univer- sities of Durham and St Andrew’s. “There’s no doubt that one of the things we need from people is what we call ‘muddy-boots experience’,” he says. “You can have a first in zoology, but you’ve got to know how to behave around an elephant.” Natural history film-makers have often been criticised for presenting the world through rose-tinted spectacles, but Fothergill emphasises the impor- tance of showing audiences what goes on outside their living rooms. “How can you possibly care about The Hunt

BBC the natural world if you’ve never seen it?” he asks. month-long trip to Antarctica, where in to hear the soothing tones of David While stunning photography is cru- his team was filming Adélie penguins Attenborough. “The very fact that there cial to a hit series, it is important that for a Disney theatrical release, the were no people there, not even David a programme has more than beautiful latest in a flow of projects for its wild- Attenborough, was actually quite a good shots of wildlife. Fothergill pushed for life strand, . tonic,” says Fothergill. “It was a way to episodes about global warming and Silverback currently has three films escape.” conservation in Frozen Planet and The in production for Disney, as well as Attenborough has been synonymous Hunt, respectively. landmark series for both Netflix and with British natural history program- “In the end, I’m not a ,” he the BBC, so it’s a busy time for the ming for many decades, having pre- says. “My skill, if I have any skill, is 50-strong team. sented wildlife programmes since the delivering top, blue-chip, landmark The disquiet surrounding Brexit and 1950s. Now aged 90, the veteran broad- natural history.” the election of Trump is partly respon- caster is still in high demand. The issue He believes that there are some sible for the popularity of BBC One’s of what will happen to natural history essential elements to a good series: “In recent Planet Earth II, he believes. programming after he dies is one that the UK, I think you have to recognise It would not be the first time the has been discussed for many years. that the audience is very sophisticated. genre has provided a welcome refuge “He is going to leave a massive, mas- They’ve seen a lot of natural history.” from the news. On 11 September 2001, sive hole,” says Fothergill, who has Each new programme, therefore, has to Fothergill was live on The Gloria Hunni- been fortunate enough to work with be bold, comprehensive and risk-taking. ford Show, promoting Blue Planet, when him on many occasions. But one of the And the show’s premise needs to be the second plane flew into the World benefits of owning a production com- simple: “If you can’t explain the series Trade Center in New York. The series pany, he says, is being able to back in one line, you’re dead in the water.” was due to air the following day. He new talent. There is clearly still an appetite for recalls: “I was almost embarrassed to “Keith [Scholey] and I wanted to Fothergill’s brand of high-budget doc- think it, but I did think, ‘Oh, bloody employ very good people, but also just umentary. In his view, “What could be hell, we’ve worked for five years and pleasant people. Life’s too short. You nicer after Strictly on a Sunday evening it’s all gone up – literally – in smoke.’” get to a stage in your life when you’re than to go into the beauties of the The BBC aired nothing but news just bored of dealing with idiots. You natural world, before a nice bloke takes coverage until 8:00pm the following can manage that better when you’ve his shirt off in Poldark? I mean, it’s the evening, when 12 million people tuned got your own company,” he laughs. dream evening, isn’t it?”

Television www.rts.org.uk April 2017 15 aad Mohseni, Chair and modern media, which is playing a Chief Executive of the modest part in modernising his coun- Moby television group, try. This year is the 12th season of has been called the Afghan Star, the local equivalent of Pop Afghan Rupert Murdoch, Idol or The Voice. Mohseni is delighted and, despite obvious that, for the first time in such a con- differencesS in scale, the comparison servative country, millions of Afghans is far from crazy. have voted a woman into the final. There are many obvious echoes. “You do have some battlefield losses With his siblings, Mohseni has built but, in the bigger picture – what is from nothing an international media happening to the country, the people group operating not just in Afghanistan – we have made a lot of progress since but in Iran, Ethiopia, India and the 2001,” says Mohseni. Middle East, and which is increasingly He notes that showings of Sesame targeting sub-Saharan Africa. Street have attracted an “extraordinary” His flagship Afghan channel, Tolo number of adults, watching with their – Dawn – is the biggest television children. From the show, adults learn station in Afghanistan and, overall, the about the importance of children going company produces nearly 7,500 hours to school. “The of the sort of

of content a year and dubs a further Moby things we are doing will be incremen- 4,000 hours into six languages. tal, but they will be real and, when The London-born Mohseni, who is combined with a whole series of other 50, was brought up in Australia after Profile things, will help to change society his diplomat father was exiled follow- – whether providing female role mod- ing the Soviet invasion. els in soap operas or as singers, doctors He has obvious drive and curiosity, Saad Mohseni – or ,” he argues. and is willing to take risks and challenge Afghanistan’s first He sees no conflict between making taboos – particularly in Afghanistan – money and being an agent of modern- on the role of women on television media mogul – tells isation. In India, for example, Moby has and in society. Mohseni even set up his Raymond Snoddy actively defended and promoted the own football competition, the Afghan rights of the LGBT community. Premier League, and then televised it. how he built his empire The Moby executive accepts that he The Afghan Rupert Murdoch

The most obvious link with Murdoch stage with men. She, meanwhile, had probably “pushed the envelope” too is that has a 48% stake to flee to Canada with her children. hard in the early days on women’s in Moby, which has revenues of around Is that how it inevitably is in Afghan- rights and attacks on corruption. The $80m, and is backing the group’s istan? “I am not saying that we have to approach led to raids on the compa- expansion in some of the world’s most make sacrifices but, unfortunately, it is ny’s offices and people being beaten challenging television territories. never going to be smooth, and Afghani­ up. His brother Zaid, a lawyer, who A small story from a decade ago stan has many issues to deal with,” runs the operation in Afghanistan, was illustrates both the optimism and the Mohseni concedes. among those arrested. darker side of Afghanistan. Moby and its staff are considered Mohseni is based in Dubai but is in An Irish-American journalist, Ste- military targets by the Taliban and, in Afghanistan most weeks. “Once you phen Landrigan, decided in 2005 to January 2016, seven production work- get into the rhythm of things, it gets a put on the first production of Shake- ers on the company’s news channel lot easier,” he says, noting that the speare – Love’s Labour’s Lost – in Dari, were killed and many seriously injured Western-educated President Ashraf the Afghan dialect of Persian. in a suicide bombing in Kabul. Ghani is more liberal than his prede- The open-air production in Kabul Did it shake his resolve? “Not really,” cessor President Hamid Karzai. was a sensation. Mohseni couldn’t go says the Moby Chairman. “You become Barbara Gibian, an American lawyer due to work but his wife, Sarah, did. more determined to do what you need who worked in Afghanistan on a US “We gave it a lot of publicity. It was to do. Afterwards, you reflect on what programme that invests in small on our news. It was a great thing you have done and ask whether we Afghan businesses, knows Mohseni because it had these women perform- will ever emerge from any of this. well and describes him as charming, ers,” says Mohseni. Later, the husband When will we see the light at the end smart and full of himself. of one of the actresses was murdered of the tunnel?” “What they have done is really because his wife had appeared on Some light, at least, is being shed by remarkable. They have persevered in

16 Puppeteers Sima Sultani (left) and Mansura Schirsad with the puppet ‘Zari’ in the Moby Group’s Kabul studio Alamy/Moby

Even in Afghanistan, people are increasingly using mobile devices. In Iran, Moby gets hundreds of thou- sands of viewers via VPNs (virtual pri- vate networks – which allow users The Afghan Rupert Murdoch secure access to services over the inter- net) and a weekly show that has more than 1 million followers on . spite of a lot of difficulties. They have were looking for opportunities in Although linear television will pushed the limits and, I think, have Afghanistan. They were able to launch remain important, Mohseni says that been very good for Afghan society and the country’s first commercial radio Moby is becoming increasingly plat- for women,” says Gibian. station, playing Afghan and Western form agnostic. “What we have learned Programmes that work well in pop, in a country where music had, across the region is that we have to cut Afghanistan include local versions of until recently, been banned. different versions for different plat- Yes Minister, The Office and . A key figure in the growth of the forms,” he explains. For an individual Young men – and the average age of company has been Tom Freston, the programme, this can mean 30 seconds Afghans is 18 – like programmes such former Viacom CEO, who lived in for Instagram, two minutes for Face- as 24 and Homeland, but soaps, particu- Afghanistan in the 1970s. Mohseni calls book, a six-minute version for YouTube larly from Turkey and Korea, go down Freston “” of the company. and then 30 minutes for satellite. well throughout the region. “For men, It was Freston, who remains on the Mohseni believes that Moby has big it’s action. For women and families, its Moby board, who introduced Mohseni opportunities in these developing drama – divorces and break-ups every to Murdoch. And, extending the web of markets and is convinced that a port- three minutes. It’s got to be a lot spicier relationships, it was Mohseni who rec- folio of media assets across a dozen in terms of the story­line,” says Mohseni ommended Vice Media founder Shane countries, where advertising is growing – although, overall, a certain amount Smith to Murdoch, who then bought a rapidly from a low base, will bring a of covering up of flesh is required. 5% stake in the news company. Now, good return on investment. Moby is a media company created Moby is in a joint venture with Vice and “If you get it right, it could be amaz- partly by accident. After the fall of the plans to launch a Vice service in Arabic ing – but you have to be prepared to Taliban in 2001, Mohseni, who rose this summer aimed at the Middle East. sweat,” says the Afghan Rupert Mur- through the ranks at Australian stock- Moby has linear channels but uses doch. And face some risks that few broker Bell Potter, and his siblings online and mobile to reach audiences. others would be happy to take.

Television www.rts.org.uk April 2017 17 Politics Lisa Campbell profiles Damian Collins, an MP who is gaining fans in A man the TV sector of influence ive months into the role of Chair of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee of the House of Commons, and Damian Collins MP has consolidated a reputa- tion as a well-informed politician with aF decent grasp of key issues, ranging from fake news to the complexities of press regulation, post-Leveson. His recent appearance at the Oxford Media Convention enhanced that rep- utation, with a speech stressing the seriousness of the fake news phenom- enon. Collins launched his fake news inquiry in January. With submissions having closed in early March, it’s the most pressing issue in his in-tray. “He did very well to spot the contro- versies around fake news early on,” says John Whittingdale, who was Sec- retary of State at the DCMS until The- resa May sacked him. He was himself Chair of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee for a decade from 2005. “It’s exactly the kind of issue that the select committee is best placed to explore, as it allows you to draw from lots of different contributors that oth- ers can’t, and to hold a public hearing.” So it was unsurprising that it domi- nated Collins’s Oxford keynote – as well as much of the convention itself. “We may be at a tipping point where fake news is crowding out legitimate news and you have to regard that as a challenge for democracy,” he warned, highlighting how Donald Trump links the term to “anything he doesn’t agree with”. The MP expressed his deep concern at the banning of CNN and the BBC from White House press conferences, stressing that this dangerous turn of events would “undermine confidence area where he differs from me is that One part of Collins’s Oxford speech in the whole media industry”. I believe the market will provide the proved highly prescient. This was the Described as being a more liberal best solution. People will know where idea of “controlling the money supply Tory than some, Collins’s recommenda- to go to read reliable reports and, if online”, with advertisers needing to be tions may prove more interventionist, they go elsewhere, it’s at their own able to control where exactly their and not rely purely on market forces. risk. I think he sees a greater role for messages appeared. As Whittingdale points out: “One some kind of intervention.” This would ensure that brands didn’t

18 become tarnished by appearing on broadcasting executive. “He is popular now,” the MP asserted, comparing fake news sites and funding their and this is absolutely essential for the Entwistle to Murdoch, who appeared activities, albeit unwittingly. select committee to work. Everyone ignorant of phone hacking at the Collins stated: “Brands need to say has to get on with each other.” group he went on to run. that we won’t spend until we can clear Indeed, in a recent Guardian inter- The expectation of many in the up where it’s going… that’s the most view, Collins was dubbed “Mr Nice industry is that Collins will be similarly potent weapon we have against fake Guy”. Some have questioned whether robust when it comes to the many news – if brands realise there is repu- this sport-loving family man, who likes other pressing items in his in-tray. tational damage if they appear next to nothing more than a walk in his local However, little is known about his illicit material.” Kent countryside, has the ambitious views on some of the big broadcasting Fast forward nine days and Havas streak needed to claw his way further issues – whether it’s US ownership of announced that it was pulling all its up the political pole. ITV or Channel 4 privatisation. advertising spend from YouTube and However, one senior news figure David Abraham, CEO of Channel 4, its parent, Google – the first big global argues: “There are people who are says it is hard to get a sense of Collins’s marketing company to do so. good at climbing the greasy pole but leanings. “He’s extremely measured And in a growing crisis for the tech and balanced. His views are evidence-­ company, members of the Commons’ based,” he says. Home Affairs Committee wrote to This suggests that he is the ideal Google to express disappointment that man to chair a committee whose role the Government and major brands is to dispassionately weigh up options were still being placed alongside on both sides. “inappropriate” content. Likewise, those who have dealt with Given Collins’s background in adver- him, even on a fairly regular basis, say tising, it is little wonder that he is au fait that he retains an air of professionalism with the intricacies of media buying at all times and gives little of himself and its influence. He joined M&C away. One politician notes that he Saatchi in 1999, moving into issues- seems to keep his head down in TV based marketing. In 2005, he headed up circles – outside of his enthusiasm for campaigns around political, social and sport, it is impossible to tell whether economic issues, when he set up Influ- he’s a Strictly fan or prefers Corrie to ence Communications within the group. EastEnders. His political career – which began in “He did come on a set visit to The 2010, when he was elected as MP for Crown, which he seemed to thoroughly Folkestone and Hythe – shows that he enjoy,” says Pact CEO John McVay. is equally passionate and knowledge­ Among the looming big issues is able about phone hacking, online bul- WE MAY BE AT A Sky: both and the Secretary of lying and football finance. State, Karen Bradley, are assessing its He was a member of the Culture, TIPPING POINT proposed takeover by 21st Century Fox. Media and Sport Committee from July “The other big issue – a huge issue 2010 to late 2012. In July 2014, Collins WHERE FAKE NEWS that remains – is Section 40 of Leve- was appointed as Parliamentary Private IS CROWDING OUT son 2,” says Whittingdale. “The select Secretary (PPS) to the Foreign Secre- committee has an important role in tary. He was previously PPS to the LEGITIMATE NEWS assessing the effectiveness of Ipso [the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. press regulator].” His personal interest in the creative For McVay, however, there is an even industries is also evident in the Con- they are not necessarily people who bigger issue: “Damian has to make sure servative Arts and Creative Industries are going to be the most robust when the Government understands just how Network, which he launched the year it comes to outside organisations. important it is to get the right solution before he was elected and which he “My impression is that Damian is a around the European Commission’s now chairs. man of principle and therefore should Digital Single Market. The group brings together individuals be able to stand up to those powers “If it’s allowed to progress, it could who work in the arts and creative outside of government regulation.” severely affect the UK’s earnings in industries with the DCMS ministerial Collins was one of the “hostile MPs” Europe. Rights owners have been press- team and MPs and senior figures in the who formed part of the select commit- ing government for some time. This is a Conservative Party involved in devel- tee in 2012, when then-BBC Director- business-critical issue and we need to

CreativeBrief.com oping policy in this area. General George Entwistle was grilled act now.” Those who have had close dealings about whether the corporation had The indications are that Collins will with Collins describe him as measured tried to cover up Jimmy Savile’s serial act quickly, whatever the situation. and thoughtful. They note how his sexual abuse. Says Abraham: “There are questions affability and cross-party support have It was Collins who seized upon still hanging over the conclusion of the helped him survive turbulent times in Entwistle’s haziness over what he knew Government’s review of options for Westminster. of ’s Savile investigation, sub- Channel 4 – and I get the impression “He’s not one of those politicians on sequently pulled by the BBC. that he doesn’t like unanswered the make,” says one senior “You sound like James Murdoch questions.”

Television www.rts.org.uk April 2017 19 Content At an RTS event on The Crown, Peter Morgan revealed how he was liberated by writing for Netflix.Steve Clarke took notes The era of global event television

hen the history or a joke, it didn’t sound like that when, opportunity to make it like television, I of TV in the speaking at an RTS early-evening event, keep saying: ‘Please can we resist this.’” early 21st Morgan went on to suggest that The Morgan is a specialist in writing Century is Crown was “only the first tiny step” on compelling political dramas drawn written, The the road to some future streaming cor- from recent history and performed for Crown, Netflix’s nucopia. He explained that, if a show stage and screen. His work includes: ravishingW period drama recounting the opened simultaneously in 190 countries the Oscar-winning The Queen, which reign of Elizabeth II, is likely to be on the same day (as The Crown did last looked at how the monarchy failed to regarded as a watershed moment. November), “you don’t have a regional respond to the public mood following The reasoning might go something or national audience to address any Diana’s death; The Audience (a series of like this: The Crown was the first genu- more. You’re talking about global event dramatised encounters between Eliza- inely cinematic, long-form TV show television.” beth II and her prime ministers at their that audiences could watch how and Many of these countries still lack weekly private audiences); The Deal when they wanted to, and it gave cru- high-speed broadband. Once they (detailing the fraught relationship cial impetus to Netflix’s international have it, the implications for content between Tony Blair and Gordon Brown); ambitions. Critics loved it and awards creators, producers and distributors and Frost/Nixon, a behind-the-scenes juries kept voting for the drama. will be huge. Tent-pole movies, such take on David Frost’s famous interviews But Peter Morgan, who as Bond and Star Wars, would break out with disgraced President Nixon. conceived and wrote the series, has a of the straitjacket of cinema screenings One can only wonder what Morgan strikingly different take on The Crown’s and become 10-hour epics. might one day be inspired to write importance to TV’s evolution. “Storytelling will change, the size of concerning the Trump presidency. He predicts that, within 20 years, the television productions will change,” the In the past, he’s written for ITV, the scope and ambition of TV will have writer forecast, adding: “It really isn’t BBC and Channel 4, but he told the become so great that, by comparison, like television any more. It’s absolutely packed RTS event that he was unpre- his baby will be “considered complete overwhelming. It’s partly [because] the pared for the effect of being hired to peanuts – low-budget nonsense”. way in which we make it is not like fashion a screenplay for Netflix: “I feel If this sounds like false modesty, television. And every time we get an liberated by them. That translates into

20 Filming the coronation

Martin Childs, production designer: ‘We were refused permission to film at Westminster Abbey, so we used the next best thing, Ely Cathedral, and it proved to be a better thing. ‘Ely is clean and you can empty it out… Westminster Abbey is full of obstacles. I’d have spent a lot of time covering things up there.’

Philip Martin, director: ‘The cor- onation was one of the world’s first big televised events and was something that was in the public consciousness. ‘There were lots of images that people were familiar with. We had to deliver our version of it in a way that felt satisfying and also real to the story we were telling. ‘We used existing archive and Claire Foy as Elizabeth II

Netflix created fake archive and mixed the two. The coronation scenes how I am writing. I feel completely have to park it into, whereas, with this, required lots of technique, lots of supported and liberated. there’s a freedom,” he said. direction and design. We wanted to “Every time I ring them up with an Morgan added: “On a project that create a seamless sense of being issue, their response is progressive and could easily be too traditional, there’s there. open-minded. There are so many something about Netflix’s modernity ‘Peter’s brilliant idea was that we times, when you deal with broadcast- that I found incredibly helpful.” tell the story through the Duke of ers, commissioners and script editors, As the RTS audience learnt, when Windsor watching the televising of that they crush you with their notes. Left Bank, The Crown’s producer, initi- the coronation from his home in This is almost like that brief era in ated the project it was anticipated that Paris, and so tell it dramatically and Hollywood when they let film-makers one of Britain’s main broadcasters emotionally. run a studio.” would be on board. “We thought that ‘The Duke of Windsor hadn’t got He added: “I’m really committed to the BBC or ITV would probably be part the crown, so you were exploring reaching final cut on every episode in of it,” said Left Bank’s Suzanne Mackie, emotionally what it means to be complete partnership with the director on the show. crowned by the absence of it. It felt on our own in an executive-free zone. Left Bank was inspired by The Audi- like such an interesting and original “Where else does that happen in any ence, directed by Stephen Daldry and way to do it. There’s one person, the medium? It’s heavenly. They don’t starring Helen Mirren, to commission Queen, who’s coming at the job and micro-manage or interfere. They trust Morgan to write what became The wondering what it involves. And me. As soon as we mess up, they’ll Crown; Daldry would go on to direct another person who’s looking at it jump in, I promise.” the opening episode of The Crown. and thinking about what they lost. Fellow panellist, director Philip Mar- A two-hour script was written, ‘It was the combination of these tin, agreed that streaming services ­covering the events contained in The two positions that created this such as Netflix were rewriting the Crown’s first two episodes: George VI’s bittersweet feeling, so it is not only parameters of what film-makers can struggle with lung cancer and his a celebration but, in some way, a achieve. eventual death, and the lead-up to the loss. That stopped it being syrupy “If you’re doing a show for 9:00pm coronation of Elizabeth II, most notice- and made it truthful.’ on Sunday, there’s a format that you ably the Princess’s romance and �

Television www.rts.org.uk April 2017 21 Jennings on the Duke of Windsor

Alex Jennings as the Duke of Windsor

Alex Jennings, actor: ‘I became quite obsessed with him. I have to be careful about championing him, because people can have very strong views… ‘It’s really complicated. He had a fairly active First World War. His driver was killed in the car he hap- pened not to be in at the time. He wanted to be more involved. ‘He was quite radical, politically, and a worry to the Establishment. John Lithgow as Winston Churchill In a way, he acted with huge integ- rity when he said, “Unless you can accommodate this woman, I’m off.” � marriage to the man who became change the way he wrote? “They ‘As far as he was concerned, it Prince Philip. allowed me to completely loosen up,” was a huge passion… He then just When Netflix signed up, things really Morgan replied. “Sometimes, I run floated for the rest of his life… started moving. “We loved their bold- three episodes, each one after the ‘When Queen Mary was dying, he ness,” recalled Mackie. “They bought it other, because statistics show that the spent more time with her than his in the room. We didn’t then know how average streamer is watching two and surviving brother and his sister did.’ it would be constructed. In the end, a half to three hours at a time.” Jennings added: ‘My approach is what you want as a producer is to walk It therefore made sense to construct that I read everything that is avail- in and feel that whoever is commis- narratives across several episodes able and watch footage and try sioning you shares your passion and – although, he said, sometimes he and absorb that. With the help of vision. Netflix got it immediately.” couldn’t help himself and constructed Philip [director Philip Martin], I was As luck would have it, the timing of self-contained, individual episodes. forced to let go of all that. Left Bank’s pitch was spot on, accord- “One thing I loathe is story arcs ‘When we were doing the flash- ing to Morgan: “We happened to walk across a season,” he explained. “I love backs of the abdication speech into Netflix just at the moment they things that make no sense.” – which I suppose is the most were flush with confidence from hav- As for doing another drama focused famous audio ever recorded – I ing made House of Cards. They had a on the House of Windsor, Morgan kind of got that down pat. Philip mandate to push internationally.… revealed: “I have to declare that I am not encouraged me to let go of all that Normally, people are very cautious but a Queen lover. In The Queen, I particu- and not feel encumbered by trying Netflix just went: ‘Let’s do it.’” larly enjoyed writing the scenes to do an impersonation. So what impact did the streaming between her and Tony Blair. “I just loved ‘Things like the clothes help you giant’s decision to green-light The the private audience. As soon as you go [smiling] – I’m quite shallow, but Crown have on how Morgan told the beyond that closed door in the audience then, so was he.’ story, asked the evening’s host, Andrew room… it’s just a dramatist’s dream. I felt Billen. Did having Netflix as the client very fortunate that I got there first.”

22 Casting for The Crown

reliance on researchers: “I have a Peter Morgan, writer: ‘Nina Gold roomful of them.… I map stuff out. I was our casting director. She is like to come up with the ideas for the wonderful… you tend not to argue episodes and then the researchers go with her.’ away and come back with material. So I am never starting completely from Suzanne Mackie, executive scratch. I am starting with really producer:­ ‘It had to start with fleshed-out ideas.” the Queen.’ One point on which Netflix and Morgan clashed was the release date. Peter Morgan: ‘Finding Claire Foy The streaming company was deter- took a while because we saw quite mined to release all 10 episodes to a number of people. We met a subscribers four days before the US number of Philips… then I saw Matt presidential election. [Smith] and Claire together.’ “I said this would be a catastrophic mistake,” recalled Morgan. “You are Suzanne Mackie: ‘The most diffi- hoping to create water-cooler TV and cult one for us was John Lithgow. you want us to come out before the [who played Winston Churchill]. biggest water-cooler moment on the We received brilliant guidance planet? They just smiled and said: from Nina Gold. I thought that we ‘Don’t worry, it’ll be fine.’ I said: ‘How couldn’t cast an American as one can it be fine?’ They said: ‘Because of the most iconic characters from you’re thinking analogue.’ They were British history. But she was abso- absolutely right.” lutely right to lead us towards that Commentators used to call the kind decision.’ of drama that Morgan specialises in “faction”. Today, audiences appear far more forgiving to film-makers who use recent history as a starting point to Morgan on

All pictures: Netflix pictures: All weave together a drama. the monarchy As a result, the term has fallen out of While writing The Audience he was fashion. Inevitably, however, much has particularly taken by constructing the been written about how Morgan took Peter Morgan: ‘Sometimes, when scenes between an inexperienced liberties with aspects of the truth in the I watch The Crown, I start to get Elizabeth II and Winston Churchill. “I first 10 parts of The Crown (the second emotional. It’s not that I particularly suddenly thought: ‘This is a wonderful 10 are in production). care about this woman’s life or, relationship – a young girl in her “In terms of the verisimilitude and indeed, her marriage. mid-twenties and a man in his early the accuracy, every time that I think ‘It is the fact that, through her, I seventies.’ I’ve made something up, it turns out… am connected to my grandparents, “They had so many delicious differ- so much more accurate than I my parents. She is the sinew that ences, yet they were thrown together. thought,” he says. “I’ve always tried to connects us all on the deepest, She’s very much at the beginning of get it to be truthful. You do your best subconscious level.’ her career, while he’s this extraordinary and, occasionally, there are moments Morgan added: ‘Like most sen- international statesman and yet he was in between two fixed moments when sible people, certainly in the early in awe of her.” you have to join the dots. 1990s, I thought this lot should be Morgan told the RTS that, as a rule, “I think the audience wants a dram- kicked out… but, if there were a ref- it is unusual for the public to see Eliza- atist to do that. They don’t just want a erendum today on the future of the beth as a young woman and Churchill slavish recreation. They want an inter- monarchy, I would vote to keep it. as an old man, instead of the imperious pretation… and you will regret it if you ‘In the past couple of decades wartime leader. He said: “There were so don’t believe it.” there’s been such a collective, many interesting things – about his catastrophic failure in the political stroke, his frailty, the way in which he ‘The Crown: Deconstructing the corona- class.… The Queen brings stability. behaved towards her. He used her to tion’ was an RTS early-evening event held It depends on the monarch and we prolong his time in office. I thought: at the Ham Yard Hotel in central London happen to have someone who’s ‘Oh, this is good.” on 14 March. The producer was Sally pretty damn good.’ The screenwriter revealed his Doganis, with support from Allie Elwell.

Television www.rts.org.uk April 2017 23 OUR FRIEND IN THE NORTH EAST

Graeme Thompson ou wait years for urges TV’s decision to Manchester from Sunderland as it big news about TV is to get to King’s Cross. in the regions. And makers to be bold North East students and production then, in quick suc- as they demand a crew paying for travel and accommo- cession at the dation to take up placement opportu- Nations and stronger regional nities or contracts face the same Regions Media challenges at MediaCity as they do Festival in , along come not presence in London. one,Y but two major announcements So, instead of assuming that Chan- about production outside London. nel 4 will end up in MediaCity, why First, Sharon White from Ofcom not use the enforced move to trans- talked about the challenging quotas form the media economy of Birming- she was imposing on the BBC in her ham or Leeds or Sunderland? new role as the corporation’s regula- Production success stories outside tor. These included more original pro- of London have one thing in common: grammes on TV and radio that better they’re all the result of broadcaster reflect the whole of the UK. More arts, intervention. BBC strategic develop- music and children’s production ment decisions have produced thriv- would be particularly welcome in the ing media clusters in Cardiff, Bristol, North East, home to successful CBBC Glasgow and, of course, Salford. brands such as The Dumping Ground. So why not a grand gesture in the White wants viewers outside London direction of the North East, a once- to feel better represented by the BBC booming television economy laid low – and that means more spend in the by broadcaster decisions to pull nations and regions. What’s not to like? everything to London? Back in the Then came the bombshell from day, Tyne Tees and Border produced culture secretary Karen Bradley that commissioners are based? Might it be everything, from Catherine Cookson she expects Channel 4 to relocate all preferable to have production bud- dramas to The Tube. (or at least a sizeable chunk) of its gets spread more generously across It was a bonkers decision by Chan- 800-plus staff from London. the nations and regions, than to force nel 4’s founding fathers in the early She said that the move would bring executives to uproot from the capital 1980s to transmit a live ground- the broadcaster back to its core mis- or, more likely, spend eye-watering breaking music show from Newcas- sion as a “daring platform for unheard amounts of cash on rail fares? tle. The city is, after all, a long way voices and untold stories from across If you are among the 7,000 people from London – home to so much of the UK”. now working for broadcasters, sup- the major music talent. Would bands She was unsympathetic to those pliers and production companies in and labels trek north to appear with who “recoil in horror at the very idea MediaCityUK, welcoming Channel 4 Paula Yates and Jools Holland? of media jobs being based outside the to Salford and responding to Ofcom’s You know they did. The Tube was capital”. Bradley added: “A publicly demands for additional out-of-London innovative in so many ways precisely owned broadcaster should have far production at the BBC will be music because of its location, its tone and its more than 3% of its permanent staff to your ears. audience. Innovation is high on the outside London.” If, on the other hand, you’re in an Secretary of State’s wish list. Time, Cue question from Kirsty Wark to area that struggles to maintain critical perhaps, for another foray from Lon- Channel 4 executives in the audience mass in TV production – an area such don into the welcoming arms of the about whether they are looking at as the North East, for example – the North East? house prices in the North. Chuckles relocation of all or part of a major and a noticeable whiff of Schaden- channel to the North West will have Graeme Thompson is Pro Vice Chancel- freude sweep the auditorium. little impact. lor at the University of Sunderland and But does it matter where the It is as difficult for producers to get Chair of the RTS Education Committee.

24 A fresh flavour for footie

Pedro Rodríguez of Chelsea, celebrating during match against Leicester in January, covered live by BT Sport BT

T Sport has brought Petter, who has been CEO of BT the fun back into Pay-T V Consumer since September 2013, football – as any runs the company’s broadband, tele- viewer could confirm vision, telephony and BT mobile after seeing Gary BT’s John Petter services, a huge division that boasts Lineker and his team explains how BT an annual turnover of £5bn. ofB cavorting around the He defended BT’s £1.2bn splurge studio when Sergi Roberto’s astonish- Sport has recast on European football rights in a wide-­ ing last-gasp goal for Barcelona ranging and candid conversation with cemented victory over Paris the national game Sally Bundock, who presents World Saint-Germain in the Uefa Champi- as entertainment. Business Report on the BBC News ons League last month. Channel. And he denied that the cost “Sky has done a fabulous job on Matthew Bell reports of the football deal would lead to a football,” said BT Consumer boss John rise in broadband prices. Petter at an RTS early-evening event matches; the FA Cup (with the BBC); “The broadband marketplace is in March. “What we have been trying the Champions League and Europa incredibly competitive,” Petter said. to do on BT Sport is to move away League; various national European “A lot of people have asked me, ‘Are from the suited and booted, slightly football leagues; and, for rugby, the you going to rack up the broadband American uber-professionalism that English Premiership and European prices?’. Ultimately, I can’t, because you have with Sky and to make BT Rugby Champions Cup (the latter I have to compete in broadband.” Sport very entertaining and inclusive.” with Sky). Instead, he said, there were other Since its launch in August 2013, BT But are BT’s sports acquisitions income streams that he could draw on Sport has been widely praised, prin- running out of control? One day to defray the cost of the rights. These cipally for its coverage of football and before the RTS event, BT extended its included rising advertising revenue rugby union. The channel holds the TV rights for the Champions League and the “pubs and clubs market, rights to: a tranche of live Premier and Europa League until 2021 – but which is actually very lucrative”. League and Scottish Premiership had to shoulder a 32% price hike. He was also adamant that BT had �

Television www.rts.org.uk April 2017 25 BT Sport covers the FA Women’s Super League

BT under fire on service and infrastructure

On broadband roll-out, BT Con- sumer CEO John Petter said: ‘The Redacted image UK is, by most standards, a very connected country.… Today, [only] about 5% of the UK doesn’t have access to superfast broadband. ‘People are quite angry, and I totally understand that.… We are investing [and] the network has already been built out to about 27 million premises, but only about 6 million people have adopted superfast broadband.’ On BT’s customer service, Petter said: ‘We have had some ground to make up. I came into a business [three years ago] where a lot of the customer service had been offshored, mostly to India.… ‘We are doing three things. First,… � not overpaid for rights that no other we’re spending proper money company – Sky included – seemed DRAMA IS A building a… website that makes it interested in acquiring at that price: easy to [offer good] service instead “I think it’s reasonable to assume that HIGH-RISK GAME of complex. Second,… we’ve been Sky was interested. I would have .… WE WOULD hiring thousands of people in the last expected [Sky to bid] – it would have PROBABLY NEED 18 months.… And, third, I’ve made been a rational thing for it to do.” a public commitment that [we’ll Petter added: “We’ve paid more, but TO GO INTO answer] 90% of calls in the UK, I think we’ve got a lot more for it,” not- PARTNERSHIPS rather than overseas, by the end of ing that BT now had exclusive rights to spring.… The service is getting bet- the Champions League highlights, ter; it has not improved enough, yet.’ which will no longer be shown on ITV. He argued that “a lot of people clearly model of pay-TV for live matches and chose not to pay for BT Sport because free-to-air TV for highlights. the highlights were free”. Sponsors have apparently expressed The timing of Champions League disquiet about the loss of exposure for fixtures is also changing, with games their products on free-to-air TV now kicking off at 6:00pm and 8:00pm on that BT holds the exclusive rights. match nights. Currently, all games start Petter, however, maintained that at 7:45pm. Petter explained that this companies “can now reach a mass would allow the company to boost audience through social media”. He revenues it receives from licensing cited the 12 million viewers who saw pubs to air matches. the 2016 Champions League and Europa A further attraction for BT Sport was League finals on BT Sport and YouTube. that four (instead of the current three) BT is currently “talking to various English teams were being given guar- parties to find the right partner” to show anteed entry into the group’s competi- this season’s Champions League and tion stages. Europa League finals live and free on BT Sport’s coverage of the Champi- social media. Highlights of matches will ons League and Europa League – a also be broadcast free on social media. John Petter

Paul Hampartsoumian Paul mix of pay-TV and social media – is a “If you look at sports that have only departure from the usual football rights been on pay-TV, over time, they have

26 BT limits its exposure to drama

The Son BT not been nourished as a sport needs to The BT Consumer CEO discussed the A member of the audience asked be,” said Petter. “We need to have a company’s first steps into drama at the whether, instead of ‘renting other mixture of free and pay, ultimately, for RTS early-evening event, but refused to people’s content’, BT would consider sport to continue to attract new view- be drawn on any plans for expansion. building its own production base on the ers. He suggested that golf and, to an Petter argued that ‘the business case of ITV Studios. extent, cricket had found it harder to for other content is more challenging ‘For that to work, you would need, “prosper” on an exclusive diet of than the business case for sport’. as you have at ITV, global scale,’ pay-TV. By contrast, “social media Almost two years ago, BT struck a responded Petter. ‘It would be naive gives access to younger viewers”. deal with AMC – the US cable network to say that we could do that entirely Outside of the two finals, however, that brought iconic dramas Mad Men on our own – ITV has bought in lots of Champions League and Europa League and Breaking Bad to TV – and has other companies to make it possible.’ games will not be shown live on social broadcast new series such as Fear the Event chair Sally Bundock ques- media. “Having paid £1.2bn for them, Walking Dead in the UK. tioned how much money BT would you’d be out of your mind to do that,” More new AMC drama is on the have to invest in drama, given that, said Petter. way, including The Son, starring Pierce earlier this year, the group announced Despite BT’s social-media focus, Brosnan as a Texan oil tycoon, and The losses of more than £500m, thanks to terrestrial TV may still get a look-in on Terror, a historical drama executive-­ a huge accounting scandal at its Italian the two European club competitions. produced by Ridley Scott. business. BT issued a profit warning Petter said that BT would look at sub-­ But Petter would not commit to an and saw its share price tumble. licensing deals – if the price was right: expansion of BT Vision’s drama slate: ‘The problems in Italy were pretty “There’s no obligation from Uefa to ‘I’m neither ruling in nor ruling out doing serious, but they were confined to one [sell] rights to public service broad- more – I’m going to be watching very part of the business,’ said Petter. ‘It casters – we don’t have to and we closely the progress we make in the was a very difficult problem to manage don’t need to, because we can get to a next year.’ reputationally, but the other bits of the mass audience through social media. If BT did invest more heavily in business have performed pretty well. “[But] if there’s a great deal out there, drama, however, it would not go it ‘Is this a company that is prepared to I would [take it].” alone: ‘Drama is a high-risk game. It make bold moves? We bought [mobile would be rash of me to say that we phone network] EE and got into sport The RTS early-evening event ‘In conver- would go and do this entirely on our – people didn’t expect us to do those sation with John Petter’ was held at the own. We would probably need to go things. So, we can [do] bold things, but BT Tower in central London on 7 March. into partnerships.’ there has to be a business case.’ It was produced by Helen Scott.

Television www.rts.org.uk April 2017 27 RTS Programme Awards 2017 in partnership with Channel 4

28 Hosted by Sandi Toksvig, the awards Lifetime were presented on 21 March at the Achievement Grosvenor House Hotel, London Julie Walters

Actor – Female Children’s Programme Sophie Okonedo – Undercover CBeebies A Midsummer Night’s Dream BBC Studios in co-production with CBeebies Production for CBeebies BBC America for BBC One ‘Setting new standards in television ‘A riveting performance, she brought for young viewers. Hugely ambitious strength, a raw vulnerability and but with plenty of fun.’ humanity in every scene.’ Nominees: Nominees: Lily’s Driftwood Bay, Sixteen South Jodie Comer – Thirteen, BBC Studios for Nick Jr in co-production with BBC America for My Life: The Boy on the Bicycle, BBC Three Drummer TV for CBBC

Julie Walters – National Treasure, The Richard Kendal Forge for Channel 4 Comedy Performance – People Just Do ‘The recipient is one of the truly Actor – Male Nothing great stars of the stage and big Robbie Coltrane – National Treasure Roughcut Television for BBC Three screen, but it’s for her outstanding The Forge for Channel 4 ‘Contemporary and relevant, with work in a glittering career on TV ‘Outstanding, the very definition of beautiful layers of detail.’ that we honour her tonight. creative risk-taking.’ Nominees: ‘Her work alongside Victoria Nominees: Sharon Horgan and Rob Delaney – Wood in Victoria Wood – As Seen Adeel Akhtar – Murdered by My Father, Catastrophe, An Avalon Television on TV is rightly regarded as some BBC Studios for BBC Three production with co-producers Birdbath of the best comedy ever on British James Nesbitt – The Secret, Hat Trick Productions and Merman for Channel 4 television. Productions for ITV Steve Coogan – ’s ‘But this performer’s celebrated Scissored Isle, Baby Cow Productions comedy skills mask her extraor- Arts for dinary dramatic range. Her work Grayson Perry: All Man on TV has included BBC Shake- Swan Films for Channel 4 Daytime Programme speare; appearing in two series ‘Intelligent and moving… the greatest Find it, Fix it, Flog It of Alan Bennett’s monologues example of an unpatronising, empa- HCA Entertainment and Yeti Media for Talking Heads; playing the anti- thetic and compassionate Channel 4 permissive-society campaigner programme.’ ‘Based in reality but with plenty of Mary Whitehouse; an Emmy Nominees: take-out for the viewer… a stand-out Award-winning depiction of the Bricks!, BBC Studios for BBC Four success in the category.’ former Secretary of State for One Night in 2012: An Imagine Special, Nominees: Northern Ireland Mo Mowlam; and BBC Studios/Rogan Productions for Matron, Medicine and Me: 70 Years of a truly unforgettable performance BBC One the NHS, BBC Studios Northern Ireland as the reforming headteacher for BBC One Marie Stubbs in the drama Ahead Breakthrough The Question Jury, Monkey Kingdom of the Class in 2005. Phoebe Waller-Bridge – Fleabag for Channel 4 ‘In 1982, she played Angie Two Brothers Pictures for BBC Three Todd in Alan Bleasdale’s ground- ‘A creative risk-taker who succeeds at Documentary Series breaking series Boys from the being both compelling and truly dis- Exodus: Our Journey to Europe Blackstuff. It was a performance tinctive; genuinely moving their KEO Films for BBC Two that’s seared into the memory of genre forward and clearly destined to ‘An ambitious undertaking from con- everyone who saw it. be one of the great stars of the future.’ cept to execution, which delivered a ‘This actor brings two elements Nominees: unique and evocative insight that we to all her dramatic work – it is Nadiya Hussain – The Chronicles of had never seen before.’ profoundly touching, and it feels Nadiya, Love Productions for BBC One Nominees: true. Look at any of her work over Phillip Wood – Chasing Dad: A Inside Obama’s White House, Brook three decades, and those charac- Lifelong Addiction, Rare Day for Lapping Productions in association teristics are there in every piece: BBC Three with Les Films d’Ici 2 for BBC Two in Pat and Margaret, Murder, GBH, co-production with Al Jazeera America A Short Stay in Switzerland, The and France Wife of Bath, Indian Summers and Presenter: Grayson Perry The Murder Detectives, Films of National Treasure.’ – Grayson Perry: All Man Record for Channel 4 �

Television www.rts.org.uk April 2017 29 Drama Series Host Sandi Toksvig Happy Valley with award winner for BBC One Osi Umenviora ‘A series that manages to be real and deeply human, with subtle, compas- sionate writing and exceptional per- formances across the board.’ Nominees: Line of Duty 3, for BBC Two The Durrells, Sid Gentle Films/ Masterpiece/BBC Worldwide for ITV Entertainment Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway ITV Studios and Mitre Television for ITV ‘Beautifully executed series – a thrill- ing and extravagant weekly treat.’ Nominees: , BBC Studios for BBC One Taskmaster, Avalon Television for UKTV and Dave Entertainment Performance Adam Hills, Alex Brooker and Josh Widdicombe – The Last Leg Open Mike Productions for Channel 4 ‘Witty, highly engaging and never less than extraordinary.’ Nominees: Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly – I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!, ITV Studios for ITV Romesh Ranganathan – Asian Provocateur: Mum’s American Dream, Rumpus Media in association with

Green Bee Productions for BBC Three Hampartsoumian Paul History Mini-Series Presenter The Aberfan Young Wives’ Club National Treasure Grayson Perry – Grayson Perry All Shiver Cymru for ITV The Forge for Channel 4 Man ‘Popular history at its best – sensitive, ‘Brilliant writing and stunningly Swan Films for Channel 4 rigorous and authentic. It also man- crafted direction.’ ‘He has his own unique style; strong aged to be profoundly moving, taking Nominees: and moving, with an astonishing depth viewers right to the emotional of London Spy, Working Title for BBC Two and a real sense of ownership of his the story.’ Thirteen, BBC Studios in co-production subject.’ Nominees: with BBC America for BBC Three Nominees: Challenger Disaster: Lost Tapes, 1895 Sir David Attenborough – Attenborough Films for National Geographic Popular Factual and Features and the Giant Dinosaur, BBC Natural Saddam goes to Hollywood, Mentorn Employable Me History Unit and PBS for BBC One for Channel 4 Optomen for BBC Two – Travel Man: 48 Hours ‘Told contributors’ stories in an intel- in Vienna, North One Television for Live Event ligent and highly respectful manner.’ Channel 4 Stand up to Cancer Nominees: for Channel 4 First Dates, Twenty Twenty Television RTS Channel of the Year ‘Genuinely innovative… an event that for Channel 4 BBC Three reinvented its genre.’ SAS: Who Dares Wins, Minnow Films for ‘Individual and daring. Its new slate Nominees: Channel 4 challenges the perceptions of standard The Centenary of the Battle of the programmes, and the quality bar is set Somme, BBC Studios for BBC One and extremely high.’ Watch the ceremony online BBC Two Nominees: The Sound of Music Live!, ITV Studios www.rts.org.uk/ProgAwards17 BBC One Entertainment for ITV Channel 4

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7 8 9 All pictures: Richard Kendal

1 Actor – Female: 2 Documentary Series: 3 Children’s Programme: Sophie Okonedo – Undercover Exodus: Our Journey to Europe CBeebies A Midsummer Night’s Dream

4 Science and Natural History: 5 Sports Programme: 6 Single Drama: First Contact: Lost Tribe of the Amazon Rio Paralympics Murdered by My Father

7 Arts: 8 Daytime Programme: 9 Entertainment: Grayson Perry: All Man Find it, Fix it, Flog It Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway �

Television www.rts.org.uk April 2017 31 Breakthrough: Phoebe Waller-Bridge – Fleabag BBC

Science and Natural History Single Drama Sports Programme First Contact: Lost Tribe of the Amazon Murdered by My Father Rio Paralympics Ronachan Films and Pacha Films for BBC Studios for BBC Three Sunset+Vine for Channel 4 Channel 4 ‘This was a beautiful piece of work ‘They hooked us with brilliant story- ‘A real first for this genre, with unfor- with some fantastic performances at telling and the most fantastic sporting gettable, revelatory footage. The narra- its centre.’ content. The coverage continues to tive never shied away from big ethical Nominees: break new ground all the time.’ questions.’ A Midsummer Night’s Dream, BBC Nominees: Nominees: Wales and BBC Studios for BBC One England vs Pakistan T20 International, The Hunt: The Hardest Challenge, Reg, LA Productions for BBC One Silverback Films co-produced with the The Open, ETP for Sky Sports BBC, BBC Worldwide, BBC America, Soap and Continuing Drama The , CCTV9 and NDR Emmerdale Writer – Comedy Naturfilm for BBC One ITV Studios for ITV Phoebe Waller-Bridge – Fleabag The Secret Life of 4, 5 & 6 Year Olds, ‘The cast, crew and production team Two Brothers Pictures for BBC Three RDF Television for Channel 4 pulled off an ambitious and extraordi- ‘Writing that became a standard-setter nary conceit this year, with wonderful for new comedy – brutally honest, Scripted Comedy production values and highly watch- painful and revealing… but, ultimately, able, unpredictable, rewarding exquisitely funny.’ Roughcut Television for BBC Three storytelling.’ Nominees: ‘Extremely funny – honest, contempo- Nominees: Stefan Golaszewski – Mum, Big Talk rary and unlike anything else.’ EastEnders, BBC Studios for BBC One Productions in association with The Nominees: Hollyoaks, for Channel 4 Money Men for BBC Two Catastrophe, An Avalon Television , Sharon Horgan, Helen production with co-producers Birdbath Sports Presenter, Commentator Linehan, – Motherland, Productions and Merman for Channel 4 or Delightful Industries and Merman for The Windsors, Noho Film and TV for Osi Umenyiora – Race to Super Bowl BBC Two Channel 4 50, NFL This Week, The NFL Show Whisper Films for BBC Two Writer – Drama Single Documentary ‘Charismatic, knowledgeable, versatile – Happy Valley The Murder of Sadie Hartley and passionate about sport, with an Red Production Company for BBC One Raw Cut TV for ITV understanding of how to appeal to ‘Quite simply a masterclass in writing. ‘Brave programming. A work of real both seasoned devotees and new fans Just perfect and entirely authentic.’ scale and ambition and a piece of out- alike.’ Nominees: standing film-making.’ Nominees: Jed Mercurio – Line of Duty 3, World Nominees: – Rio Paralympics, Sunset Productions for BBC Two Hillsborough, VeryMuchSo Productions +Vine for Channel 4 Jack Thorne – National Treasure, The for BBC Two Nasser Hussain, Sky Sports Forge for Channel 4 The Forgotten Children, Wild Pictures for ITV

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1 Entertainment Performance: 2 Mini-Series: 3 RTS Channel of the Year: Adam Hills, Alex Brooker and Josh National Treasure BBC Three Widdicombe – The Last Leg 5 Drama Series: 6 Live Event: 4 History: The Aberfan Young Wives’ Club Happy Valley Stand up to Cancer

7 Science and Natural History: 8 Scripted Comedy: 9 Popular Factual and Features: First Contact: Lost Tribe of the Amazon People Just Do Nothing Employable Me �

Television www.rts.org.uk April 2017 33 Drama Series: Happy Valley BBC

‘Sally Wainwright is a – all drew big ratings writer of out­standing and critical acclaim. distinction, having Judges’ Award ‘So what is it created some of about Sally’s writing the finest dramatic Sally Wainwright that seems to television on British engage so directly screens of the past with audiences? One few years. actor who works ‘She cut her with her regularly teeth as a writer said that it’s her working at Granada ability to balance in the early 1990s character and plot alongside others so brilliantly, where such as , other might and sacrifice one for RTS Kay Mellor, honing the other. her craft during five years writing for Braithwaites, in 2000. It became a big ‘Another actor identified her Coronation Street. She describes that hit for ITV. unquestionable skill for allowing strong time as a formative period in her career, ‘Since then, viewers have sought out female characters to define themselves teaching her the lesson that creating her work on television in their millions. so fully in her work. truly great stories is always hard work. Over the past decade and a half, her ‘As well as writing, Sally has assumed ‘Sally’s Yorkshire roots, and her output has been prolific: Jane Hall, greater creative control of her work by unerring ability to write the rhythms Bonkers, , Scott and Bailey, executive producing and now directing and cadences of a Northern accent, are The Amazing Mrs Pritchard, Unforgiven, some of her pieces, too. She has clearly frequently evident in her work. Suburban The Last Witch, , earned her status as one of the most Leeds was the setting for the first major Happy Valley and her television film significant creatives working in British series she created, At Home with the about the Brontë sisters, television drama today.’

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7 8 9 Pictures: Richard Kendal/BBC/Channel 4 Pictures: Richard Kendal/BBC/Channel

1 Single Documentary: 2 Soap and Continuing Drama: 3 Writer – Comedy: The Murder of Sadie Hartley Emmerdale Phoebe Waller-Bridge – Fleabag

4 Single Drama: 5 Sports Presenter, Commentator or 6 Sports Programme: Murdered by My Father Pundit: Osi Umenyiora Rio Paralympics

7 Actor – Female: 8 Comedy Performance: Asim Chaudhry – 9 Actor – Male: Sophie Okonedo – Undercover People Just Do Nothing Robbie Coltrane – National Treasure

Television www.rts.org.uk April 2017 35 RTS NEWS The secrets of Two Doors Down

day and slept though their lunch breaks. Despite this, when Smith saw the finished episodes, she said that she knew it has all been worth it, admitting: “We’re a bunch of moany bastards.” She attributed the show’s success to its writers, Simon Carlyle and Gregor Sharp: “Simon and Greg capture not only the madness in people, but the tragedy as well.” Members of the audience asked Smith about her work as an actor and writer. She advised young people want- ing to make it in the industry to get their experience wher- Elaine C Smith

BBC ever they could: “I basically took every job that came n a wonderfully funny work on shows such as Rab C couple and their insufferable along. I wasn’t snobby.” “Anatomy of a hit” session, Nesbitt and Burdz Eye View, and . Smith added: “I’ve said this Two Doors Down star Elaine was named the 2016 RTS At the RTS Scotland event to my daughter – write the C Smith shared the secrets Scotland On-Screen Person- in mid-March, Smith said parts you want to play; imag- Iof the BBC Two sitcom’s ality for the latter. that, while she loved appear- ine them. Don’t sit around success at City of Glasgow She plays Christine O’Neal ing in Two Doors Down, it was waiting for men to write College. in Two Doors Down, which tiring work. Cast members them for you.” Smith is best known for her features a suburban Scottish were on set for 10 hours a Rebecca Robertson

n Two hundred people as the Factual (Harvest of a joined presenters Sally Taylor Lambent scores at New Life) and Short Feature and Fred Dinenage for the (Nymphs) categories. Southern Centre Annual The Arts University Bourne­ Professional and Student Southern Awards mouth picked up the Comedy Awards at Winchester Guild- award for The Village Fate and hall in early March. Bournemouth University won They were gathered to Ricochet won the Best Journalist. At the BBC, David the Animation prize with celebrate the professional Factual Entertainment Fenton won Best Special Naughty Princess. work of ITV Meridian, BBC award, Woodcut Media took Feature Journalist with a half- The Southern Centre con- South, eight indies and stu- Best Post-Production and hour report on the crisis at tinues to play a pivotal role dent productions from five Best Graphics, and Bour- Southern Health; other awards in bringing together profes- southern universities. nemouth University’s Red won by the BBC included one sional and student talent The variety and standard Balloon Productions secured for regional current affairs within the region. of both professional and the Best Online prize. programme Inside Out South, It is able to do so thanks to student entries was high. Honours were spread Best Newcomer, Best VJ and support from Indies performed well, with evenly between the region’s Best Camera. Solent University, Bourne­ Lambent Productions pick- broadcasters. ITV Meridian East All the student nominees mouth University and the ing up the Best Factual Series won Best Regional Pro- demonstrated high standards. Arts University Bournemouth, award for The Special Needs gramme and Meridian’s politi- The University for the Cre- as well as BBC South and ITV Employment Agency, as well as cal reporter, Phil Hornby, was ative Arts Farnham triumphed Meridian. Best Single Documentary. named Best Regional in Drama (with Bleach), as well Gordon Cooper

36 n Yorkshire celebrated its home-grown soap, Emmerdale, with a day of masterclasses and talks at Leeds College of Music in early March. Emmerdale has been a mainstay of TV production in the Yorkshire region for more than 40 years. It has just had one of its most successful years, winning a raft of awards, including the recent RTS award for Soap and Con- tinuing Drama, and critical Emmerdale

acclaim for several episodes. ITV A panel of Emmerdale’s finest talked about ITV’s ratings-grabbing “super soap week”, which also involved Super soap celebration Coronation Street, last October. The week of extraordinary episodes saw Emmerdale film Director Duncan Foster audiences of more than took the attendees from its biggest stunt and use discussed the technical chal- 7 million every night, paid story conference to produc- non-linear storytelling to lenges, including filming in a tribute to the Emmerdale tion scheduling with the help dramatise a huge car crash submerged car on the Pine- team and how they pulled of Alderton, Mabadi and from multiple points of view. wood underwater stage. together to make the shows. Eva Lake. Series producer Iain Head of design Gillian Earlier in the day, RTS Scott McPherson demon- MacLeod said that the stunt Slight explained how the Yorkshire held a series of craft strated the use of sugar glass needed to have both an design team met the script workshops for 270 students in the props and design emotional and visual impact demands, including refur- and recent graduates. workshop. on the audience. Writer Max- bishing a stretch of race track Jess Taylor, Sue Preston Students were also able to ine Alderton talked about the at Longcross Studios to look and Mary Gallagher, from try out cameras and sound genesis of the story and the like a busy road. Emmerdale’s make-up and equipment in the workshop need to ensure it provided Nader Mabadi, who sched- costume department, shared run by Matt Rook and Tim character stories for the uled and budgeted the super their tricks of the trade. The Wybrow. months that followed. soap week, which attracted story and writing workshop Lisa Holdsworth Plaudits for Scottish students

n Eric Romero (pictured) won Comedy and Entertainment Coatbridge boxing trainer Rab two of the four categories on award for Native Immigration, Bannan. The judges said that it offer at the RTS Scotland Stu- a that boasted demonstrated ‘good access to dent Television Awards in March. ‘high production values’. interesting interviewees’. The Edinburgh Napier Univer- Ben Cresswell, Tuomas Craft Excellence Awards were sity student was awarded the Kytöniemi and Athos Tsiopani, also given at the ceremony Drama prize for Lethe. from Edinburgh College of Art, at Pacific Quay, Glasgow. The ‘This was the category that took the Animation award winners, all from the Royal [enthused] the judges. One said for Gnome, which had an Conservatoire of Scotland, the reason he enjoyed judging ‘accomplished mix’ of stop- were: James McAlpine the student awards so much motion animation and CGI. (Camera) and Marsaili Stewart- was because, every year, he’d University of Stirling students Skinner (Sound), both for come across gems like these,’ Jamie Sutherland, Kate Galbraith, Greylag; and Aurora Gibson said Henry Eagles, the chair of Calum McIntosh and Sean (Production Design), for Reaper. the judges. Hayman took the Factual prize Matthew Bell and Romero also won the for The Cornerman, about Rhiannon Ramsay Paul Reich Paul

Television www.rts.org.uk April 2017 37 RTS NEWS

Channel 4 promo We Are the Superhumans Channel 4 A night at the trailers

hree leading TV cre- ambition and time,” said Matt Charles Mathieson, creative harrowing, but uplifting, atives discussed the Berry, group business director director of ITV2, ITV4 and stories: the first featured a art of the promo, and of Channel 4’s in-house ITVBe, brought promos for woman kidnapped by serial revealed what it takes agency, 4Creative. He went dating reality show Love Island killers Fred and Rosemary Tto entice viewers to the on: “That film did a great job and US cartoon Family Guy to West; the second, a trans- screen, at a packed RTS Lon- of lionising the Paralympics the RTS London event. gender beauty contestant. don event in early March. and people with disability, The objective of the former “Emotion is your most pow- To demonstrate how far but we also had a hard sell- was to “build on the games- erful tool,” argued Russell. the TV promo has come, the ing job to do, which was: manship and rivalries” that He also showed a promo continuity announcer and ‘Watch the Paralympics.’” are a big part of the show. for Dave show Unspun presenter Gavin Inskip, who Channel 4’s promo for the Shot in South Africa, it shows with Matt Forde, which fea- chaired “Building a buzz: latest series of its winter would-be contestants resort- tured a series of “politician what makes a good promo” at sports show, The Jump, sent ing to cheating as they race lookalikes”, including Donald ITV Studios, showed a BBC up the celebrity competitors. across a beach to claim their Trump, Theresa May and One trailer from 1980. This “The Jump is as close to ITV as place on the show. Jeremy Corbyn. featured nothing more than we get on Channel 4,” said The promo for Family Guy, Promo-makers do not, of clips from the night’s sched- Berry, “in terms of super- formerly a BBC Three show, course, have total creative ule of shows starring Larry mainstream entertainment.” had a simple aim. “Everyone freedom – the channel, the Grayson, Paul Daniels and The promo shows the knows what Family Guy is, so production company and the Michael Parkinson. programme’s contestants it was about hammering talent in the show all have a In contrast, Channel 4’s flying above snow-capped home that it’s on ITV2 now,” say, too. “It’s their baby, so three-minute promo for the mountains, without wings. explained Mathieson. “We you’ve got to be respectful,” Rio Paralympics last year – When an owl tells them wanted that show all over said Russell. one of a number of clips that human flight is “aero- our brand.” And, not all jobs are as shown during the evening dynamically impossible”, Scott Russell, UKTV cre- attractive as the ones show- – featured a big band, dancers they crash to earth. “The ative director, showed a cased at the RTS event. “The and hundreds of athletes, all truth is, people watch the couple of “brand spots”, worst brief,” reckoned of whom had a disability. show because they like to designed to promote its fac- Mathieson, is a promo for “That’s an extraordinary see celebrities taking a hit,” tual channel, Really, as the “the seventh or eight series film, which sets a benchmark said Berry, “so the proposi- home of serious storytelling. – [when] there’s no budget”. for what promos can be tion in this [promo] was that Both were women talking Matthew Bell when there’s money, pride comes before a fall.” straight to camera and telling Phil Barnes produced the event.

38 event Wokoma’s Crazyhead offers help to performance lauded young talent

4’s comedy-horror n Northern Ireland Centre Crazyhead won three welcomed a top-notch panel prizes at the RTS West of local talent for its sold-out of England Awards in RTS Futures event, “Get your Emid-March. The series, which foot in the door”, in late was based at Bristol’s Bottle February. Yard Studios and made by The panellists at UTV Stu- Urban Myth Films, won: Best dios, Belfast, were: Stellify On-screen Performance for Media MD Kieran Doherty; Susan Wokoma; Sound for Terry Brennan, head of news the Aquarium Sound Team; and programmes at UTV; and Design, Titles and Trails Leon McGeown Fee, produc- for Liquid TV. tion manager on Disney teen Sherlock: The Abominable series The Lodge; novelist Bride went one better and Colin Bateman; and Michael scooped four prizes at the Lennox, who directed the sold-out ceremony, held at Oscar-nominated short Boo- the Bristol Old Vic. The galoo and Graham. Hartswood Films production The panelists each recalled took: Best Drama; Director, for how they broke into the Douglas Mackinnon; Cine­ media industry and offered a matography, for Suzie Lavelle; wealth of advice to an audi- and Composer, for David ence of young people hoping Arnold and Michael Price. to follow them. Jago: A Life Underwater, a McGeown Fee encouraged film about an 80-year-old the audience to immerse sea nomad called Rohani, set themselves in their passions against the spectacular back- and to collaborate with their drop of the Togian Islands in peers to make the creative Indonesia, won four awards: process happen. Best Documentary, Cinema- Susan Wokoma in Crazyhead “The resources, drive and

tography, Grading and Sound. Channel 4 creativity are in this room. BBC Studios’ Natural His- Talk to each other, use each tory Unit (NHU) also had a Bell won the News Reporter on a tour around a refugee other,” she said. successful evening, securing award. camp in Jordan. Bateman, who wrote the three awards for Planet Earth II. Inside Out (BBC West) took BBC Bristol received a crime novel Divorcing Jack The BBC One series won Best the News Coverage prize special award in recognition and adapted it for the big Natural History Programme; for its Inside Amazon report, of its impact and influence in screen, suggested: “Find that Editing for the stunning Cities which, judges said, featured the region. one person who likes what episode; and Best Director in “gutsy journalism against a Centre Chair Lynn Barlow you do. Don’t give up!” the non-scripted category for household name”. said that the city’s media Brennan encouraged those Fredi Devas. Channel 4’s Heroes of Hel- industries employed nearly starting work experience Wildlife cameraman mand: The British Army’s Great 4,000 people, and that there placements to not be shy of Vianet Djenguet won the Escape (Testimony Films) was were more than 130 inde- speaking up during meetings On-screen Talent award for named Best Factual pro- pendent production and and to take the opportunity BBC Two’s Natural World: My gramme, while BBC Studios’ post-production companies, to share ideas whenever Congo, which was produced DIY SOS: Million Pound Build for which brought in almost appropriate. by the NHU and Thirteen triumphed in £140m to the local economy. And, after landing a job, Productions. the Factual Entertainment The awards were supported ­McGeown Fee had this In news, ITV News West category. by post-production house advice: “A runner who can Country picked up two Drummer TV won the Evolutions Bristol and hosted read a room will be remem- awards: Ashna Hurynag Children’s award for CBBC’s by the presenter of BBC One’s bered – make yourself casu- received the Flying Futures My Life: The Boy on the Bicycle, Countryfile, Anita Rani. ally memorable.” Talent award, while Caron which took young viewers Matthew Bell Sarah McKnight

Television www.rts.org.uk April 2017 39 RTS NEWS

Baird’s projection systems, culminating in the demon- stration of live, closed-circuit colour television in 1938 at Paul Reveley London’s Dominion Theatre. This was hailed at the time as the peak of excellence in TV. The central components of 1911-2017 that system now reside in the Science Museum. Paul held five patents in television systems. In late 1938, Paul left the Baird Company to become assistant wireless engineer to the postmaster general of Hong Kong within the Colo- nial Service, eventually being incarcerated as a civilian pris- oner of war by the Japanese. After the war, Paul spent the rest of his long career

Donald McLean managing and delivering electrical services for remote he last surviving had spent the longest time both a vision/sound simul- communities in the Far East, direct link with the working directly for Baird. cast using BBC transmitters, mostly in British North Bor- pioneering work of His near-perfect recall meant as well as being linked by neo. He returned to the UK John Logie Baird died that discussion with him was cable to a paying audience in in the 1990s, retiring at 80. Ton 12 March. an uncanny experience. the Metropole Cinema, where He recently featured on Up until his death in his Paul had been not only the Paul had built, installed and the BBC Four documentary 106th year, Paul Vernon Rev- oldest, but the longest-stand- operated the special video Television’s Opening Night: How eley possessed an exceptional ing member of the RTS, with projection system. the Box was Born, which was ability to recall his direct his Fellow status approved in When the Baird Company broadcast in November 2016, contribution to historic tele- December 1937. He started was acquired by Gaumont- and was subsequently inter- vision events throughout the work for Baird in February British, Baird employed Paul viewed on Newsnight. 1930s with an accuracy that 1932 in his 21st year, after and a few other Baird Com- Paul was born on 21 July exceeded anything in print. graduating in “light-current pany engineers to support 1911 in north London, the In conversation, Paul could electrical engineering”. him in developing new tele- only son of Vernon James transport you to that pio- His first role was in sup- vision systems. Reveley. He died on 12 March neering television era, pro- porting Baird’s second major As the senior engineer, 2017 in King’s Lynn and is viding first-hand accounts of live TV outside broadcast. Paul was central to the survived by one daughter. his work as the engineer who This, the 1932 Derby, was design and demonstration of Donald McLean ONLINE at the RTS

n If you were at last month’s n Phoebe Waller-Bridge was One’s The Chronicles of Nadiya. moment, from scripting the Programme Awards, you might one of the biggest stars of the Hussain baked her way into the stage play Harry Potter and the have spotted members of night, taking home the prizes nation’s heart when she won Cursed Child to adapting Philip the digital team tweeting the for Breakthrough artist and The Great British Bake Off in Pullman’s His Dark Materials results, sharing snaps from Writer –­ Comedy. She explains 2015. She told Ed Gove how the trilogy for the BBC. We spoke the blue carpet on Instagram how she turned Fleabag from programme helped her over­ to the writer ahead of the Pro­ or interviewing the winners. a one-woman theatre show come her anxiety – once, she gramme Awards, at which he If you weren’t there, you can into an award-winning sitcom couldn’t go on the Tube, now was nominated for his work watch video clips on Twitter for BBC Three (www.rts.org.uk/ she travels around the coun­ on Channel 4 drama National (@RTS_Media) and Facebook PhoebeWB). try to make her own cookery Treasure, to find out how he (www.facebook.com/royaltele­ shows (www.rts.org.uk/Nadiya). finds the time to get all the visionsociety), or watch the n Nadiya Hussain was also work done (www.rts.org.uk/ extended highlights (www.rts. nominated for the Breakthrough n Writer Jack Thorne seems JackThorne). org.uk/ProgAwards17). award for her work on BBC to be working non-stop at the Pippa Shawley

40 elfast Metropolitan College won three of the top prizes at the RTS Northern Ireland BStudent Television Awards in late March. Conor Dempsey, Marc Downey, Adam Irwin, Joel McReynolds, James Mal- laghan and Mark Rainey, from Belfast Metropolitan College scooped the Comedy and Entertainment award with Mo Chara. Dempsey, McReynolds, Mallaghan and Rainey also took the Short Feature prize with Kings Park Primary School. Fellow students Ryan Fitzsimmons, Ciaran Mooney, Ryan Sewell and Michael Turner won in Factual with Stephen Farry MLA (left) and David McConnell (right) with some of the winning students

The Shipyard Poet. Simon Graham Students from Ulster Uni- versity secured the other two awards. Matt Boyd and Rachel Hynds took the Drama award Belfast College scoops with Recode, and Sam Hudson, Michael McCrea, Aodhán McNicholl, Rebekah Quinn and Bobby Strain won in three top film awards Animation with Adrift. “We are now in the fourth media students from across Nolan, at the Black Box in Department for Communities year of the RTS NI Student Northern Ireland to show- Belfast for the ceremony. as part of its Creativity Month Awards and each year we are case their work to some of Seán Murray, who won the 2017, which celebrates the delighted to see the standard the creative industry’s big- Postgraduate Craft Skills creative industries in North- of entries get better and gest names.” Camerawork prize at the ern Ireland. Northern Ireland better,” said Steve Carson, More than 100 guests national RTS Student Televi- Assembly member Stephen Chair of the Northern Ireland joined the host, BBC pro- sion Awards last year, was Farry and David McConnell Centre. ducer Jacqui Berkeley, and also in attendance. from the department were at “These awards offer the guest speaker, BBC TV and The RTS NI Student Awards the ceremony. opportunity for talented radio presenter Stephen were supported by the Matthew Bell Southern students call in the experts

n The eighth annual South- working in traditional UK said that she valued the developed programme ern Centre “Meet the profes- broadcast TV, independent support and responsibility management skills, others sionals” event took place at production, visual content she had been given, and that had formed their own Bournemouth University in production for BBC Radio 1, she enjoyed working with a companies and one had late March. television archive sales, predominantly young created an entirely new One hundred and sixty post-production, local-TV, workforce. corporate role for himself by southern-based students and freelance writing and In featuring professionals developing an original idea from several universities met directing. from different stages of their with vlogging. 17 industry professionals to Three of the professionals career, the event was able to At the end of the event, discuss current TV issues, were themselves students demonstrate the diverse students came away with opportunities and career last year and all provided range of opportunities open a useful route map to help development. positive insights into creative to those starting out with them negotiate a changing The professionals at the industry working practices. production expertise. industry. event included those Tashi Hanlon from Vice Some people had Gordon Cooper

Television www.rts.org.uk April 2017 41 OFF M E SSAGE

ime flies when you’re model and removing the threat of As one of the founding members having fun. So it was privatisation. of Ofcom and a former head of BBC at last month’s RTS In any case, the flat whites are as news and current affairs, with a brief Programme Awards, good in Salford as they are in Soho stint as editor of the Independent under when a record crowd – and almost as expensive. his belt, Hargreaves is a genuine jour- of some 900 guests nalistic heavyweight. celebrated British ■ Netflix’s flagship series, The Crown, Veteran Steve Morrison is another television at its very best. is famous for having a budget on fascinating appointment. As Greg TNot for the first time, the diminutive a scale that drama commissioners Dyke once knew to his cost, Morri- and sharply hilarious Sandi Toksvig such as Piers Wenger and Polly Hill son is not someone who can’t get a proved why she is the perfect host for can only dream of. word in edgeways. awards ceremonies. But it seems that, in certain key With more than 25 prizes to hand areas of production, economies were ■ No one should ever under-estimate out, it could have been, well, a bit of a made. As the show’s executive pro- TV drama doyennes and marathon, but the Radio 4 panel-show ducer Suzanne Mackie told the RTS Julie Gardner. stalwart made time whizz by. last month, the “holy oil” used for Now that Access Entertainment, led Her best gag of the evening? We anointing the new queen at the by Danny Cohen, is taking a stake in were spoilt for choice but, recalling ­coronation service was bought at the pair’s Welsh-based Bad Wolf indie, how she’d landed the RTS gig, Toksvig high-street favourite Tesco Express. rivals need to take note. remarked: “The world has moved on Before Richard Dimbleby starts Access clearly knows where to when the least controversial choice is spinning in his grave, it should be spend its money wisely. Remember, the foreign lesbian.” stressed that the brand used for this the company has already invested If Toksvig is this good on Chan- most solemn of royal rituals was in Tessa Ross’s House Productions. nel 4’s Bake Off reboot, then Love Tesco’s Finest. Meanwhile, could Cohen be a Productions and Jay Hunt will have ­dark-horse candidate to succeed plenty to celebrate. ■ News of the make-up of the new David Abraham? BBC board makes for intriguing read- The former BBC man was once ■ Talking of Channel 4, seasoned ing. Conspicuous by their absence head of E4 and is highly regarded observers of UK broadcasting from the body are those two battling for his creative credentials. were hardly surprised when David boys who have their eyes firmly fixed Abraham recently announced his on Tony Hall’s job, James Harding and ■ And, finally, let’s return to the impending departure from Horse- James Purnell. Charlotte Moore was RTS’s Programme Awards. It’s fair to ferry Road. another missing BBC high achiever. say that Sandi Toksvig did not have But could Abraham be the last In their places were: Anne Bulford, a total monopoly on all the night’s Channel 4 boss to be based in Lon- Hall’s low-profile deputy; new best jokes. The winner of best Com- don? Culture secretary Karen Bradley nations and regions boss Ken Mac- edy Performance, Asim Chaudhry, seems determined to relocate the Quarrie; and the popular Tim Davie, star and creator of BBC Three mock­ broadcaster outside the metropolis leader of BBC Worldwide. umentary People Just Do Nothing, had – to Birmingham or to a city in the Good to see the impressive former his own inimitable take on the RTS. North of England. Some might argue Paralympian Tanni Grey-Thompson Clutching his award, he thanked that basing Channel 4 beyond the round the table – and the return of the “Royal Tandoori Society”. capital is a small price to pay for the cerebral journalist Ian Hargreaves Now that’s what Off Message calls preserving the station’s business to the centre of decision-making. a take-away.

42 April 2017 www.rts.org.uk Television RTS PATRONS RTS Principal BBC Channel 4 ITV Sky Patrons

RTS A+E Networks International The Company International Discovery Networks Turner Broadcasting System Inc Patrons Viacom International Media Networks NBCUniversal International YouTube

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

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

Who’s who Patron Chair of RTS Trustees CENTRES COUNCIL History at the RTS HRH The Prince of Wales Tom Mockridge Lynn Barlow Don McLean Charles Byrne Vice-Presidents Honorary Secretary Steve Carson IBC Conference Liaison David Abraham David Lowen Dan Cherowbrier Terry Marsh Dawn Airey Isabel Clarke Sir David Attenborough OM Honorary Treasurer Alex Connock RTS Technology Bursaries CH CVO CBE FRS Mike Green Gordon Cooper Simon Pitts Baroness Floella Tim Hartley Benjamin OBE BOARD OF TRUSTEES Kingsley Marshall AWARDS COMMITTEE Dame Colette Bowe OBE Lynn Barlow Jane Muirhead CHAIRS Lord Bragg of Wigton Tim Davie Nikki O’Donnell Awards & Fellowship John Cresswell Mike Green Fiona Thompson Policy Adam Crozier David Lowen Graeme Thompson David Lowen Mike Darcey Graham McWilliam Penny Westlake Tom Mockridge Television Journalism Lord Hall of Birkenhead Simon Pitts SPECIALIST GROUP Awards Jane Turton CHAIRS Stewart Purvis CBE Ashley Highfield Rob Woodward Archives OBE Dale Grayson Programme Awards Ian Jones EXECUTIVE Alex Mahon Baroness Lawrence of Chief Executive Diversity Clarendon OBE Theresa Wise Marcus Ryder Student Television Rt Hon Baroness Jowell Awards of Brixton DBE PC Early Evening Events Phil Edgar-Jones David Lynn Dan Brooke Sir Trevor McDonald OBE Ken MacQuarrie Education Gavin Patterson Graeme Thompson Trevor Phillips OBE Stewart Purvis CBE RTS Futures Sir Howard Stringer Donna Taberer

Television www.rts.org.uk April 2017 43 Breaking barriers How can the TV industry encourage more women into technology jobs?

Speakers: Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock MBE Sinead Greenaway, Chief Technology and Operations Officer, UKTV 26 April Kate Kinninmont MBE, 6:30pm for 6:45pm Chief Executive, Women in Film and TV (UK) Anna Patching, Sound Engineer, OBstv The Hospital Club Chair: Maggie Philbin OBE, 24 Endell St CEO and Co-Founder, TeenTech London WC2H 9HQ