The Age of Angst
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March 2019 The age of angst Journal of The Royal Television Society March 2019 l Volume 56/3 From the CEO The awards season is Nightingale, who made effortless RTS Futures event, which showcased very much upon us. work of presenting all 20 awards. the new drama Flack, on UKTV’s W The RTS Television I had another wonderful evening channel. The first episode was pre- Journalism Awards are thanks to the hospitality of the RTS’s viewed to much applause. This was always keenly con- North East and Border Centre. Its followed by a Q&A session featuring tested and this year awards ceremony was held in Gates- Flack creator Oliver Lansley. was no exception. head and MC’d by Jason Cook, the Full reports of both these evenings I am thrilled that a record 580 guests South Shields comedian and Hebburn are in this edition of Television. attended the ceremony at the London writer, who was brilliantly funny. Female writing talent is to the fore Hilton in Park Lane. No wonder the Norwich University of the Arts in this issue. Caroline Frost’s heartfelt stage was so crowded when Sky News, hosted RTS East’s annual awards, piece takes the brilliant Fleabag as a not for the first time, was announced which I also had the pleasure of starting point for an exploration of News Channel of the Year. attending. Congratulations to all the how angst is inspiring some truly Another mob of overjoyed journos winners. great television. and their producers descended to Our events programme continues And we have an interview with Lisa collect the prize for Daily News Pro- with vigour. I am a huge fan of Sky McGee, creator of the hilarious RTS gramme of the Year. The category was Atlantic’s Save Me. So it was fascinat- award-nominated comedy Derry Girls. won by Channel 4 News, a prolific win- ing to hear Stephen Graham talk ner on the night. about this show and some of the other I’d like to say a huge thank you to highlights of his career at a joint RTS- all the juries who made this evening Premier Communications event held possible. And special thanks to jury last month. Chair Sue Inglish and to Mary We also organised an outstanding Theresa Wise Contents Ian Katz’s TV Diary The Derry girl who created a comic gem Ian Katz has a night to remember at the RTS Television Breakout comedy hits are rare, but Lisa McGee wrote 5 Journalism Awards – and celebrates a Channel 4 16 one. She explains to Shilpa Ganatra how she did it art-house hit A new era for BBC Three The comedy of catharsis Tara Conlan profiles the channel’s new controller, Fiona As Fleabag returns, Caroline Frost unwraps the female 18 Campbell, as the service raises its profile on BBC One 6 angst that inspires so many funny shows today In a class of their own Is Alexa too smart for our own good? Kudos and the Royal Court Theatre are nurturing young Alice Enders and Joseph Evans ask if voice-activated 20 dramatists from under-represented backgrounds, 10 speakers threaten the privacy of our homes discovers Steve Clarke Sex ’n’ drugs ’n’ PR True grit Flack’s creator was determined to write a series about Matthew Bell enjoys an RTS event showcasing the 12 a complicated woman, hears Steve Clarke 22 career of the prolific British actor Stephen Graham Our Friend in the North West RTS Television Journalism Awards 2019 Cat Lewis proposes a strategy for building a vibrant Hosted by Mary Nightingale and sponsored 15 production sector across the UK 25 by GuestBooker, the awards were presented on 27 February at the London Hilton, Park Lane – the winners and nominees over six pages Editor Production, design, advertising Royal Television Society Subscription rates Printing Legal notice Steve Clarke Gordon Jamieson 3 Dorset Rise UK £115 ISSN 0308-454X © Royal Television Society 2019. [email protected] [email protected] London EC4Y 8EN Overseas (surface) £146.11 Printer: FE Burman The views expressed in Television News editor and writer Sub-editor T: 020 7822 2810 Overseas (airmail) £172.22 20 Crimscott Street are not necessarily those of the RTS. Matthew Bell Sarah Bancroft E: [email protected] Enquiries: [email protected] London SE1 5TP Registered Charity 313 728 [email protected] [email protected] W: www.rts.org.uk Television www.rts.org.uk March 2019 3 Your guide to upcoming events. Book online at RTS NEWS www.rts.org.uk RTS MASTERCLASSES programmer. 6:30pm for 7:00pm Wednesday 12 June National events Tuesday 5 November and Venue: Atos, Midcity Place, RTS Scotland Television Wednesday 6 November 71 High Holborn, London Awards 2019 RTS AWARDS RTS Student Masterclasses WC1V EA Venue: The Old Fruitmarket, Tuesday 19 March Venue: IET, 2 Savoy Place, ■ Daniel Cherowbrier Candleriggs, Glasgow G1 1NQ RTS Programme Awards 2019 London WC2R 0BL ■ [email protected] ■ April Chamberlain In partnership with Audio Network ■ [email protected] Venue: Grosvenor House Hotel, RTS AWARDS MIDLANDS 86-90 Park Lane, London W1K 7TN Monday 25 November Thursday 4 April SOUTHERN RTS Craft & Design Awards 2019 Big Telly Quiz 2019 April 2019, date TBC RTS FUTURES London Hilton on Park Lane Venue: TBC Meet the Professionals Wednesday 3 April 22 Park Lane, London W1K 1BE Monday 7 October Venue: Bournemouth University, Pitching script to screen RTS Midlands Careers Fair precise venue TBC With Shiny Button MDs Andy Venue: TBC ■ Stephanie Farmer Brereton, James De Frond and Local events Friday 29 November ■ [email protected] Tom Davies, and Big Talk devel RTS Midlands Awards 2019 opment producer Lara Singer. DEVON AND CORNWALL Venue: TBC THAMES VALLEY 6:45pm for 7:00pm Wednesday 27 March ■ Jayne Greene 07792 776585 Wednesday 20 March Venue: London Transport Museum, Student Television Awards 2019 ■ [email protected] AGM and 21st-century TV sport Covent Garden Piazza, London 6:00pm – a whole new ball game! WC2E 7BB Venue: Jill Craigie Cinema, NORTH EAST AND THE BORDER Speakers: Richard Bagnall, head University of Plymouth, Drake ■ Jill Graham of engineering, live operations RTS SCREENING Circus, Plymouth PL4 8AA ■ [email protected] and channels, IMG; and Charles Thursday 25 April ■ Jane Hudson Balchin, head of programmes Our Planet screening and Q&A ■ RTSDevonandCornwall@rts. NORTH WEST and head of development, IMG. See Netflix’s new natural history org.uk ■ Rachel Pinkney 07966 230639 6:30pm for 7:00pm start Our Planet, followed by a Q&A ■ [email protected] Venue: Henley Rugby Club, Dry with Keith Scholey and other EAST Leas, Marlow Road, Henley- members of the creative team. ■ Nikki O’Donnell NORTHERN IRELAND on-Thames RG9 2JA Venue: TBC ■ [email protected] Tuesday 26 March ■ Tony Orme Student Television Awards 2019 ■ [email protected] RTS AGM ISLE OF MAN Hosted by BBC NI Newsline pre Tuesday 25 June Monday 25 March senter Jo Scott. Keynote speech WALES All RTS members welcome. 6pm Brothers of Italy premiere by UTV’s Eden Wilson. Held in ■ Hywel Wiliam 07980 007841 Venue: RTS, 7th floor, Dorset Rise, Factbased drama Brothers of partnership with Northern Ireland ■ [email protected] London EC4Y 8EN Italy was shot on the island in 2018 Screen. Sponsored by Stellify by Hoofprint Productions. 7:00pm Media, Westway Films and Perfor WEST OF ENGLAND RTS AWARDS Venue: Studio Theatre, Ballaker- mance Film and Media Insurance. Sunday 24 March Friday 28 June meen High School, St Catherine’s Venue: Black Box, 18-22 Hill RTS West of England RTS Student Television Drive, Douglas IM1 4BE Street, Belfast BT1 2LA Awards 2019 Awards 2019 ■ Michael Wilson ■ John Mitchell Hosted by Susan Wokoma. Sponsored by Motion ■ [email protected] ■ mitch.mvbroadcast@ Drinks reception 7:00pm, cere Content Group btinternet.com mony 8:00pm. In association Venue: BFI Southbank, Belvedere LONDON with Evolutions Bristol Road, London SE1 8XT Wednesday 20 March REPUBLIC OF IRELAND Venue: Bristol Old Vic, King Podcasting masterclass ■ Charles Byrne (353) 87251 3092 Street, Bristol BS1 4ED RTS CONFERENCE With Josh Adley, from Wisebud ■ [email protected] ■ Belinda Biggam 18-20 September dah, in conversation with Olly ■ [email protected] RTS Cambridge Mann, host of The Media Pod- SCOTLAND Convention 2019 cast. 6:30pm for 7:00pm Tuesday 16 April YORKSHIRE Venue: King’s College CB2 1ST Venue: Atos, Midcity Place, 71 Student Television Awards 2019 Friday 14 June High Holborn, London WC1V 6EA The awards are supported by RTS Yorkshire Centre Awards STEVE HEWLETT MEMORIAL Wednesday 3 April STV, which will film the awards Ceremony: 7:00pm LECTURE 2019 Production focus: Timewasters ceremony and show the event Venue: The Queens Hotel, City Tuesday 24 September With: Daniel Lawrence Taylor, and the winning films on its Square, Leeds LS1 1PJ Speaker Mark Thompson actor and writer; and George digital platform. 6:00pm ■ Lisa Holdsworth 07790 145280 Venue: University of Westminster, Kane, director, writer and editor. Venue: Argyle Street Arches, ■ lisa@allonewordproductions. London W1W 7BY Chair: Justin Johnson, BFI lead 253 Argyle Street, Glasgow G2 8DL co.uk 4 TV diary Ian Katz has a night to remember at the RTS Television Journalism Awards – and celebrates a Channel 4 art-house hit urprise hit of the week OK to listen to Jackson’s music again. with seven wins for Channel 4 News is 100 Vaginas, in which At an event to launch the channel’s and another for Dispatches’ Myanmar’s the artist Laura Dods 2019 slate, a few weeks back, this was Killing Fields. worth photographs suddenly rendered a more than aca- Channel 4 News’s Cambridge Ana- the genitalia of demic question.