November 2019 The art of screenwriting Jack Thorne Jez Butterworth Russell T Davies ScreenSkills develops and sustains a world-class workforce for UK film, TV (high-end, children’s, unscripted), animation, VFX and games Do you want to share your industry experience and boost your career? Give back. Become a mentor Visit ScreenSkills.com/mentoring for information on how you can help shape the future of the industry Peaky Blinders © BBC/Caryn Mandabach Production Ltd 2019/Robert Viglasky Killing Eve 2 © Sid Gentle Productions Doctor Who © BBC Journal of The Royal Television Society November 2019 l Volume 56/10 From the CEO Elsewhere, all eyes This was followed by a Q&A with the broadcaster and political journalist might be on the elec- series’ creators. It was great to see so and former Chair of the RTS Televi- tion but, here at the many of the show’s dedicated fans at sion Journalism Awards; Seetha RTS, we’ve continued this highly entertaining evening. Kumar, CEO of ScreenSkills; Andy to roll out our autumn It is always a thrill to get out of Lon- Lucas, vice-president, global distribu- events calendar. don and visit the nations and regions. tion technology, Universal Pictures The early-evening Attending this year’s RTS Northern International; Kevin Lygo, ITV’s direc- session on branded content was a Ireland Programme Awards, held in tor of television; Niall Sloane, ITV’s sell-out. Huge thanks to everybody Belfast and hosted by Vogue Williams, director of sport; Jane Turton, CEO of who made this such an informative was a real pleasure. All3Media; and Sally Woodward Gen- and stimulating session. I am espe- Back in London, a stellar line-up of tle, CEO of Sid Gentle Films. cially grateful to all of the panellists. television practitioners gave two days The first two episodes of season 2 of RTS Student Masterclasses at the IET. of Sky Atlantic’s high-concept drama Finally, congratulations to our eight Britannia were shown at an exclusive new RTS Fellows: Kenton Allen, CEO RTS screening at the Curzon Soho. of Big Talk Productions; Sue Inglish, Theresa Wise Contents Ranvir Singh’s TV Diary An audience with a TV revolutionary Ranvir Singh puts practicalities before politics as she Russell T Davies explains to Gethin Jones why TV still 4 braces for another Downing Street doorstep 18 needs to get out of its straight, white rut. Matthew Bell has a front-row seat Ear Candy: RuPaul’s Drag Race UK Can’t wait for your weekly fix? Kate Holman plugs Soccer’s moment of truth 5 into the show’s podcast It’s not only the fans who will be watching Amazon 20 Prime’s live Premier League kick-off next month, as Working lives: Sustainability manager Ross Biddiscombe discovers Richard Smith, BBC sustainability manager, is 6 interviewed by Roz Laws Television’s biggest fan Jane Turton, CEO of All3Media and the new Chair of the Jack on the box 22 RTS, tells Steve Clarke why she lives and breathes TV Jack Thorne, writer of The Accident and adaptor of His 8 Dark Materials, is one of the UK’s most sought-after Our Friend in Scotland screenwriters. He talks to Ben Dowell In an era of Netflix and Disney+, play to your strengths, 25 recommends Simon Pitts Sky’s big spender Jane Millichip, Sky Studios’ deal-maker extraordinaire and TV’s tech pioneers 11 supporter of Extinction Rebellion, tells Andrew Billen how Anne Dawson looks at how the RTS Technology Bursary she came clean to her bosses about her left-wing views 27 Scheme encourages young women to consider careers once seen as off limits to them Message in the magic Caroline Frost meets some of the producers of the Brands boost budgets 14 BBC’s latest natural history blockbuster, Seven Worlds, Advertisers are increasingly stepping in to close One Planet 30 the funding gap, discovers Matthew Bell at an RTS early-evening event Britannia – ‘There’s no Jane Austen here’ Jez Butterworth and colleagues tell the RTS how his RTS news and events listings 16 ‘gloriously bonkers’ historical saga repurposed the Reports of Society activities across the nations and English costume drama. Steve Clarke reports 32 regions, and calendar of forthcoming public events 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 November 2019 3 TV diary Ranvir Singh puts practicalities before politics as she braces for another Downing Street doorstep y alarm has it easy to enjoy red-carpet events. him a lot, and the pressure and guilt been almost Some people live for them. Not me. of being a single mum with an only constantly set As I sit in make-up, 12 hours after I child who deserves my full, undivided for 3:30am for woke up, I’m repeating to myself, attention. I’m pretty sure I’m doing seven years “Enjoy this, enjoy this”. I get a photo both badly sometimes. now. My with Harry Kane while I’m inside, feel body is so humbled and inadequate hearing the ■ Saturday, and we watch the Rugby attuned to it that I almost always stories, and flop into bed at midnight. World Cup final while out having Mawake before it goes off. It’s now breakfast. I shed a tear over the 3:03am on Monday morning and I’m ■ It looks likely a snap election will South African captain and secretly staring at my phone, having just been be passed by the Commons tonight. want them to win because it means happily dreaming about glaciers. I’m at ITN to do the national evening so much more to them than just I flew back late last night from four news. It still excites me every time I being a game. That’s not patriotic, I magical days in Iceland marvelling at hear Big Ben’s “bongs” at the top of know, but it’s how I feel. the power of Mother Earth. After a the show, and tonight’s is a big show. few hours’ sleep, it’s time to get my There’s an electric, hyper-focused ■ I’ve been invited to watch Strictly head back into the man-made fire- atmosphere in the newsroom. at Elstree Studios tonight. So, after works of Westminster politics. It’s decided that we should take the handing my son over in Warwick I’ll be out in the dark, freezing-cold programme out of the studio and on to services car park to my sister, I get conditions of live TV outside Parlia- the platform erected in front of Parlia- ready and drive there with a friend. ment and No 10, talking about Brexit ment. It’s my first OB for evening In the VIP tent we have to hand in in the week we’re supposed to be news, and, for the first time in years, our phones – just like you do inside leaving the EU. You’d assume that my I’m actually nervous.… By 7:00pm we Downing Street. first thoughts of the morning/middle are done and I’m genuinely thrilled. We’re shown to our seats, and told of the night would be about the latest they’ll give us water and a biscuit in news lines, but it’s more important to ■ The next day, I’m in Sunderland about two hours to keep us going. consider the correct thickness of for a family funeral. The following Even though I’ve worked in live TV thermals, boots and coat for the day. day, after Good Morning Britain, which for years, it’s still exciting being here. Get it wrong and brain freeze sets I do Monday to Thursday, I go to My hands hurt from all the clap- in very quickly. Practicalities before the gym with my personal trainer. ping we have to do, sometimes to politics, people. The evening is dedicated to spend- order for the edit. It’s bloody ing time with my son – and making exhausting watching close-up how ■ Later on, it’s time to get ready for Halloween fun for him. fast the dancers’ bodies move. Wow. the Pride of Britain Awards red carpet. The internal battle rages daily, Mike Bushell is saved again. It’s the one big TV event that’s about sometimes minute to minute: pursu- brilliant people, and I love meeting ing a career that needs a lot of atten- Ranvir Singh is Good Morning Brit- them but, to be honest, I don’t find tion but which takes me away from ain’s political editor. 4 Ear candy TV diary RuPaul’s Drag Race UK BBC Can’t wait for your weekly fix?Kate Holman plugs into the show’s podcast tart your engines! have included Downton Draggy and The duo discuss everything from who RuPaul’s Drag Race has winning queens are awarded RuPeter slayed on the runway to the perfor- finally made its way badges. And, each Thursday, drag mance of the week’s worst lip-sync.