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Home , Bruce Forsyth, David Schneider (actor), Dawn French, Denis Norden, Eric Sykes, Frankie Howerd

Celebrating 60 years of wins for writers

PROGRAMME

THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS 11 ST ANDREWS PLACE, REGENT’S PARK NW1 4LE

MONDAY 14 JANUARY 2019

The Writers’ Guild of Great Britain is a trade union registered at 134 Tooley Street, London SE1 2TU @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards #wggb60 PRESIDENT’S WELCOME

Welcome to the Writers’

Guild Awards 2019. Photo: Julie Brook

Whilst our politicians never fail to I hope it hasn’t missed your notice that the disappoint us, writers, like vultures, Writers’ Guild turns 60 this year. 60 years LEAD SPONSOR look around with beady-eyed interest at of campaigning, negotiating, chasing, soothing carnage and adversity. Only a few years and championing. Formed when ITV was ago the complaint against the public was still a toddler and presenting political apathy and lack of engagement. Sunday Night at the , with film Be careful what you wish for… allegedly on its last legs due to the threat from television and radio considered a basket case, In such a climate of chaos and dissent we turn it challenged those predictions by bringing to our artists and writers to make sense of together writers from all these areas in the things for us and judging by the remarkable common cause of dignity in labour. Many things range and ambition of this year’s nominees, they have changed in the interim but as we stumble are thriving on the challenge. forwards together I commend that cause to

you tonight.

THANK YOU TO ALL OUR SPONSORS Olivia Hetreed WGGB President

HISTORY OF THE AWARDS

Since they were established in 1961, the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain Awards have been honouring the cream of British writers and writing. The Awards also recognise the importance of our work in preserving freedom of speech, and championing writing as an essential part of our national and international culture. Previous winners include: Jimmy McGovern Caryl Churchill Lynda La Plante Steve McQueen Matthew Vaughn Roddy Doyle Kay Mellor Russell T. Davies

THE WRITERS’ GUILD AWARDS @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards #wggb60 @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards #wggb60 THE WRITERS’ GUILD AWARDS PROGRAMME OF EVENTS

6.30pm Drinks reception 7.00pm Welcome by WGGB President Olivia Hetreed

THE WGGB 2019 AWARDS CEREMONY HOSTED BY JOANNA SCANLAN

Best Online Best Long Running TV Series Best Writing in a Video Game Best Children’s TV Episode Best Radio Comedy Best First Novel Best Musical Theatre Bookwriting Best First Screenplay Remembering WGGB Members Best Radio Drama Best Play for Young Audiences Best Play Best Long Form TV Drama Best TV Situation Comedy Best Screenplay Best Short Form TV Drama Outstanding Contribution to Writing

9.00pm Celebration drinks and canapés 11.00pm Bar close & carriages

THE WRITERS’ GUILD AWARDS @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards #wggb60 ABOUT WGGB

As the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain celebrates its 60th anniversary this year, we look back on six decades of wins WGGB’s Annual General Meeting is just of the ways writers play a vital role in the direction of their union for writers against a backdrop of Photo: Em Fitzgerald breathtaking change and digital revolution in the arts, media and entertainment industries. We also look forward to writing ““What enables writers in Britain to face the future in a changing world

the next chapter of our history, with our with some confidence?... The continued existence of their own trade

trade union heritage at our heart. union of professional writers… a group of highly committed writers of books, plays, film scripts, radio and television programmes willing to “

We are the TUC-affiliated trade union representing professional writers in TV, work for each other’s good” film, theatre, radio, books, poetry, comedy, animation and videogames. Bill Ash, former WGGB Chair, speaking on the eve of the Our members also include emerging and aspiring writers new millennium (our Candidate Members).

We have been negotiating better pay and working conditions for writers since 1959. We also lobby and campaign on behalf of writers, to ensure their voices are heard in a rapidly changing digital landscape. BECOME A MEMBER To find out how we are celebrating 60 years of wins for writers, and how you can help write the next chapter of our history, please visit: We welcome all professional writers working in the fields we represent, www.writersguild.org.uk/wggb-at-60/ and have a variety of membership options, including one for aspiring/ emerging writers (Candidate Members) and Affiliate Members. You can join online at www.writersguild.org.uk or by phoning our membership team on 0207 833 0777

THE WRITERS’ GUILD AWARDS @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards #wggb60 @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards #wggb60 THE WRITERS’ GUILD AWARDS 60 YEARS OF WINS FOR WRITERS

1979 1997 The Public Lending Right Act is passed, giving The Theatre Writers Union merges with British authors a legal right to receive payment WGGB, resulting in greater combined for the free lending of their books. WGGB negotiating power and strength in fighting cuts members, including Maureen and Brigid and threats to theatre funding. Brophy, play a major role in the long-running campaign for PLR. 2007 1985 The launch of a videogame category at the annual Writers’ Guild Awards in 2007 reflects WGGB successfully campaigns against the WGGB’s work in this rapidly expanding Peacock Report, which recommends the medium as it moves into the 21st century. In the last decade, WGGB has joined demonstrations against cuts and campaigned to protect vital funding for the arts scrapping of the television Licence Fee. The Photo: Shutterstock.com/BasPhoto union will go on to support public funding of the BBC as it faces charter renewal in 2010 the future. 1959 1967 Savage cuts to the arts come thick and fast 1988 under the new Coalition Government and, The Television and Screen Writers’ Guild (later at that year’s AGM, WGGB President David The Marine Offences Act outlaws offshore pirate Edgar warns that the next 12 months are likely to be named the Screen Writers’ Guild and radio stations such as Caroline, which are swiftly WGGB becomes one of the first organisations the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain) is born. It to lend its support to the Organisation for to “prove as, if not more, challenging than the replaced by legitimate new local radio stations last”. The following year WGGB is one of eight operates from a basement in Harley Street and and a whole new round of battles for WGGB. Lesbian and Gay Action, critics of the Section originates from two predecessor organisations 28 amendment to the 1986 Local Government unions to launch the Lost Arts campaign and For example, Radio announces that it will later go on to support the In Battalions – the British Screen and Television Writers’ will not be paying for any written radio material Act, which states that a local authority “shall Association and the Screen Writers’ Association. not intentionally promote homosexuality campaign to tackle the effect of Arts Council and instead will simply offer a prize for the best cuts on new writing in theatre. 20-minute radio play. or publish material with the intention of 1961 promoting homosexuality” or “promote the teaching in any maintained school of the 2012 Chair of the then Screenwriters’ Guild Ted Willis 1973 acceptability of homosexuality as a pretended signs the first national minimum terms agreement family relationship”. The campaign is to last for WGGB negotiates the game-changing Digital for writers in the UK, laying down basic fees for Union official Eric Paice describes it as the over 15 years. Rights Agreement with the BBC. Speaking television drama. Another agreement follows in lousiest year in the history of the union. Rampant about the union’s work in this area, then 1962, guaranteeing a minimum fee of £2,000 for inflation is leading to wage freezes, and lacking 1991 General Secretary Bernie Corbett says it has a feature film. Over the years many agreements the industrial clout of miners, postal or car safeguarded writers’ rights “in the digital age” follow, not just in TV and film, but in theatre and workers, writers’ earnings have fallen behind At the 1991 Writers’ Guild Awards ceremony and future-proofed our “industry-leading radio, too. That same year the union launches most sections of the community. in London Satanic Verses author Salman Rushdie collective agreements for at least another its first annual Awards honouring the cream of makes a rare and surprise appearance during generation”. British writing. the fatwa against him to collect the Children’s

Book Award.

THE WRITERS’ GUILD AWARDS @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards #wggb60 @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards #wggb60 THE WRITERS’ GUILD AWARDS 60 YEARS OF WINS FOR WRITERS

WGGB runs many events around the craft of writing Photo: Em Fitzgerald

2015 2018 The landmark Writers Digital Payments The Equality Writes campaign is launched, scheme launches, guaranteeing TV writers tackling inequality in the screen industries, royalties whenever their work is shown on after WGGB commissions a major BBC iPlayer or ITV Player. independent report showing only 16% of film screenwriters in the UK are female, and only Free is NOT an Option – a campaign against 14% of prime- TV drama is written unpaid development work in film and TV – is by women. That same year, the union launched the same year, with support from continues to call on broadcasters to release actor Julie Waters, film-maker and programme-level data from their Project cross-party MPs and peers. Diamond diversity initiative. And, in the wake of the scandal, it joins other organisations to develop 8 Principles for combating bullying and harassment.

Thank you to Nick Yapp, author of WGGB’s history The Write Stuff –

you can read the full history online at: www.writersguild.org.uk/wggb-at-60/

THE WRITERS’ GUILD AWARDS @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards #wggb60 BEST ONLINE COMEDY BEST LONG RUNNING TV SERIES

SPOKKE CASUALTY, SERIES 32, EPISODE 44 Tim Grewcock and Shaun Lowthian Barbara Machin

THREE COOL DAYS CORONATION Arnab Chanda STREET, and Chris Hayward EPISODE 9451/2 Jonathan Harvey

HOLLYOAKS, WHERE ARE YOU FROM? THE GAME EPISODE 4889 Hannah Roanne Bardsley and Tasha Dhanraj

THE WRITERS’ GUILD AWARDS @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards #wggb60 @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards #wggb60 THE WRITERS’ GUILD AWARDS BEST WRITING IN A VIDEO GAME BEST CHILDREN’S TV EPISODE

FIFA 19 THE JOURNEY: CREEPED OUT, CHAMPIONS ‘CAT FOOD’ Matt Turner, Bede Blake Tom Watt and and Robert Butler Martin Korda

REIGNS: HER MAJESTY DENNIS AND Leigh Alexander GNASHER: UNLEASHED, ‘NIGHT OF THE LIVING VEG’ Ciaran Murtagh and Andrew Barnett Jones

THE SPECTRUM FREE REIN, EPISODE RETREAT 207, ‘BOB’ Giles Armstrong Vicki Lutas and Dan Smith and Anna McCleery

THE WRITERS’ GUILD AWARDS @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards #wggb60 @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards #wggb60 THE WRITERS’ GUILD AWARDS BEST RADIO COMEDY BEST FIRST NOVEL

ABILITY IN OUR MAD AND FURIOUS CITY Lee Ridley and Katherine Jakeways Guy Gunaratne

DEADLINE THE GODS OF LOVE Nicola Mostyn

SARAH KENDALL: WHITE AUSTRALIAN TRILOGY, CHRYSANTHEMUM VOLUME 2, PART 1, ‘SEVENTY-THREE Mary Lynn Bracht SECONDS’ Sarah Kendall

THE WRITERS’ GUILD AWARDS @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards #wggb60 @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards #wggb60 THE WRITERS’ GUILD AWARDS BEST MUSICAL THEATRE BOOKWRITING BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY

EVERYBODY’S APOSTASY TALKING ABOUT JAMIE Daniel Kokotajlo Tom MacRae

MISS LITTLEWOOD I AM NOT A WITCH Sam Kenyon Rungano Nyoni

THE HAPPY PRINCE PIECES OF STRING Rupert Everett Gus Gowland

THE WRITERS’ GUILD AWARDS @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards #wggb60 @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards #wggb60 THE WRITERS’ GUILD AWARDS REMEMBERING WGGB MEMBERS

WGGB Chair Gail Renard remembers former Writers’ Guild members and . During the ceremony we will also pay tribute to other members we have lost during the past year Photo: Rory Clarke Photo: Gail Renard

Ray Galton 1930-2018 anything they wanted. From one of those episodes Denis Norden 1922-2018 director of programmes . In 30 minutes grew , a series about rag-and-bone men, they had a commission. It’ll Be All Right On The Night ran Ray Galton, comedy writer supreme, passed Harold and Albert; a father and son bound together by Born in Hackney in 1922, Denis had a great for 29 years, Denis choosing all of the clips, writing the away at the age of 88. Along with his late writing fear, need and hatred. Ray and Alan’s writing surpassed love of Hollywood films. At the age of 17 he scripts and presenting every show. partner, Alan Simpson, Ray was responsible the depths of many dramas. The comedy was the bonus. became the manager of a cinema in Denis was a Writers’ Guild stalwart who was a for over 600 of the finest scripts to ever grace Ray and Alan wrote countless other shows including and organised variety shows. Like so many of member of the Television Committee along with Ray his generation, the war changed his life. Denis British radio, television, film and stage. Dawson’s Weekly for and Galton, Alan Simpson and Jimmy Perry; a reminder of served in the RAF with . They began Clochemerle, a series about a rural French town’s the comedy giants who gave up their valuable writing Ray was born in Paddington and met Alan when they to write and put on shows to entertain the attempt to erect a public urinal. time to improve all writers’ pay, rights and working were teenagers at the Milford Sanatorium. Both had troops to get off night duty. Looking for some conditions. tuberculosis and were bored. To pass the time they They were also founder members, along with Spike lights for their show, they were sent to Bergen- Denis was also a Guild negotiator, Co-Chair from started writing sketches and a new comedy age Milligan, Eric Sykes, , Belsen just after it had been liberated. They 1965-6 and instrumental in establishing the IAWG was born. and others, of Associated London Scripts, a writers’ went back to their own camp to gather all the (International Affiliation of Writers Guilds). In the 1950s, writers were emulating the co-operative. food they could. Denis won many awards and was honoured with a CBE material of fast-talking, wisecracking American comics Alan Simpson retired from script writing in 1978 Denis was introduced to in 1947 and their like Bob Hope and Jack Benny. Alan and Ray wrote great writing partnership began. Between them they in 1980. The one he said he cherished the most was the but Ray decided, with Alan’s blessing, to write on. In Lifetime Achievement Award presented by the WGGB about what they knew; a slightly tattered post-war partnership with Johnny Speight, Ray wrote the comedy wrote 300 episodes of starring and . The series lasted 11 years in 1999 for his services to comedy and entertainment. Britain where everything closed down on Sundays and series, Spooner’s Patch, about a corrupt police station. and had its own spin-off series, The Glums. Frank and gravy was served by the lump. While writing for the A 2005 play, Steptoe And Son: Murder At Oil Drum Lane A man of great warmth, wit with a constant love of Denis also wrote for That Was The Week That Was, comedy, Denis always kept up-to-date with all the latest BBC radio show, Calling All Forces, Ray and Alan met (which Ray wrote with ) relates how The Frost Report and countless other radio and comedy comedy shows. Once when I didn’t appreciate a series, comedian . The young writers went on to Harold finally murdered his father. Of course, luckless develop Hancock’s Half Hour, a BBC radio comedy series shows. Their spoof documentary , Gateway To Denis told me, “Don’t be a fuddy-duddy about comedy, Harold was haunted by Albert in death as in life. The South was recorded by and is still as about a down-at-heel actor who lived in East Cheam Gail.” He urged me to watch it again and embrace the funny today as it was 50 years ago. and whose talent wasn’t as grand as his pretentions. Though Ray and Alan didn’t write together any more, new. Of course, he was right. their friendship remained strong; a true brotherhood. Muir and Norden were given a three-year contract Denis Norden was a unique writer and WGGB giant. No writers reflected British society in the 1950s and They lunched together most days. Although they at the BBC as comedy writers and consultants. Denis 1960s better than Alan Simpson and Ray Galton. In agreed about comedy, their personal lifestyles were left when his contract ended to go freelance, finding their script, The East Cheam Drama Festival, the fictional very different. Alan loved football, fine French wines the BBC stifling. Though Frank and Denis didn’t write Hancock performed Look Back In Hunger, a perfect and foods. In his day Ray was the perfect 1960s dandy, together anymore, they continued appearing on the TV parody of John Osborne’s supposedly ground-breaking a dedicated follower of fashion, and more likely to be and radio panel shows, My Word! and My Music. They . Their observational writing was found partying at Annabel’s nightclub. remained best all their lives and rang each other second to none. every evening. Ray was a dear friend; a kind, gentle, thoughtful man Both these obituaries are edited After six radio and seven television series, as well as who sadly suffered from dementia in his final years. In 1977, Denis and Paul Smith, the future producer extracts and appeared on the a film, The Rebel, Tony Hancock (in a move not unlike Ray was cherished by his children, and his manager and of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?, were laughing over WGGB website in 2018: his character) split with his writers because he felt friend Tessa Le Bars, and all of us who knew him. My the famous Blue Peter clip where an elephant disgraced www.writersguild.org.uk/category/ destined for better things. In an unprecedented step, condolences to all and thanks, Ray, for all the laughter. himself on set. They wondered if they could do a obituaries the BBC offered Ray and Alan their own series, Comedy whole show based on funny outtakes. They called LWT Playhouse; 10 episodes in which they could write about

THE WRITERS’ GUILD AWARDS @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards #wggb60 @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards #wggb60 THE WRITERS’ GUILD AWARDS BEST RADIO DRAMA BEST PLAY FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES

ALL OF THE BEAUTY BEGINNERS IN THE WORLD: Tim Crouch THE B TOWNS Eve Steele

IDLE HANDS THE CHANGING Christine Entwisle ROOM Chris Bush

STONE THE VULTURES’ SONG Alex Ganley, Martin Jameson, Vivienne Harvey, Mike Kenny Cath Staincliffe and Richard Monks

THE WRITERS’ GUILD AWARDS @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards #wggb60 @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards #wggb60 THE WRITERS’ GUILD AWARDS BEST PLAY BEST LONG FORM TV DRAMA

KILLING EVE, BLACK MEN WALKING EPISODE 5, ‘I HAVE A Testament THING ABOUT BATHROOMS’ Phoebe Waller-Bridge

THE END OF GUT THE F***ING WORLD, Frances Poet EPISODE 3 Charlie Covell

TRUST, EPISODE 9, JELLYFISH ‘WHITE CAR IN A Ben Weatherill SNOWSTORM’ Alice Nutter

THE WRITERS’ GUILD AWARDS @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards #wggb60 @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards #wggb60 THE WRITERS’ GUILD AWARDS BEST TV SITUATION COMEDY BEST SCREENPLAY

DERRY GIRLS AMERICAN ANIMALS Lisa McGee Bart Layton

DETECTORISTS Mackenzie Crook , , , Peter Fellows, Fabien Nury

INSIDE NO 9, ‘ZANZIBAR’ THE LITTLE STRANGER Steve Pemberton Lucinda Coxon and Reece Shearsmith

THE WRITERS’ GUILD AWARDS @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards #wggb60 @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards #wggb60 THE WRITERS’ GUILD AWARDS BEST SHORT FORM TV DRAMA

A VERY ENGLISH SCANDAL

MOTHER’S DAY Nick Leather

ORDEAL BY INNOCENCE Sarah Phelps

THE WRITERS’ GUILD AWARDS @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards #wggb60 THANKS

As ever these Awards rely on the Anna Clements, Michael Conley, kindness of friends and the generosity Fleur Costello, Mark Davies Markham, of strangers. Alongside our wonderful Clive Dawson, April De Angelis, sponsors and the amazing Guild staff, our Richard Deacon, Kate Delin, fabulous presenters (including our host Samantha Doland-de-Vaux, Lisa Evans, Joanna Scanlan) and the production team Robert Farquhar, Neil Forsyth, who make everything work behind and in William Gallagher, Andrea Gibb, front of the scenes, we have a small but Brenden Gibbons, Matthew Gibbs, immensely dedicated army of readers, Brenda Gilhooly, Juliet Gilkes-Romero, watchers, listeners and players, who have Mata Haggis-Burridge, Kirsty Halton, admired, criticised and nominated across Henrietta Hardy, James Hendrie, all the different categories. Our stalwart Sam Horley, Teresa Howard, Paul Hurt, Jury Chairs have organised, cajoled and Maggie Innes, Vicky Ireland, David James, finally insisted on shortlists and winners – Tim John, Antony Johnston, Roy Kendall, often a painful decision when the quality Steve Keyworth, Sanjeev Kohli, is so high. Premier PR make it their Jane Lamacraft, Line Langebek, Phil Lowe, business that everyone knows how Paul Mayhew Archer, Debbie McAndrew, brilliant you all are and Ali Welsh will Brian McAvera, David McDermott, ensure you have a wonderful time too. Jay Mullings, Terry Newman, Susan Nickson, Lesley Clare O’Neil, Phil O’Shea, Thanks also to our live Tweeter for Tosin Oteduko, Jane Pearson, the night Tom Green and to Lexy Howe Olly Perkin, Dan Pinchbeck, George Poles, for the clips. Carrie Quinlan, Emma Reeves, Alistair Rutherford, Thomas Ryalls, Guild staff: Rose Cooney, Lesley Gannon, Pete Sinclair, Athena Stevens, Morris Stuttard, Kate Glasspool, Ellie Peers, John Sailing and Corinne Sweet, Nat Tapley, Benjamin Till, Sarah Woodley Jenifer Toksvig, Miranda Walker, Andrew Walsh, Katharine Way, Our grateful thanks go to: Tom Williams, Lindzi Williams, Maxine Alderton, Bennett Arron, Faye Windsor-Smith, Nick Wood, Gemma Arrowsmith, Ben Ashenden, Jan Woolf, Nick Yapp, Karin Young David Baddiel, Perrie Balthazar, Nancy Boulicault, Arnoud Breitbarth, Production: Marc Stapleton and Madeleine Brettingham, Ellie Brewer, all at Production Plus Vanessa Brooks, Edel Brosnan, Michael Bryher, Poppy Burton-Morgan, Olivia Hetreed Andrew Cartmel, James Cary, WGGB President Henrietta Cassidy, Pippa Cleary,

@TheWritersGuild #wggbawards #wggb60 THE WRITERS’ GUILD AWARDS

The Writers’ Guild of Great Britain 1st Floor, 134 Tooley Street, London SE1 2TU Tel: 020 7833 0777 Email: [email protected] Web: www.writersguild.org.uk

Twitter: @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards #wggb60 Facebook: www.facebook.com/thewritersguild

Programme design: savageandgray.co.uk 7159-18