Applications open for WFTV Kay Mellor Screenwriters’ Lab 2025

The 2024 cohort.

Today we are delighted to announce that applications for the prestigious WFTV Kay Mellor Screenwriters' Lab 2025 are now open.

The lab, an annual event dedicated to nurturing and empowering female screenwriters, offers writers an opportunity to develop their scripts in a focused, supportive environment, with access to leading industry professionals.

The announcement comes as the talented cohort from the 2024 lab led by celebrated screenwriter Lisa Holdsworth (Fat Friends, Call the Midwife, Waterloo Road) and seasoned producer Carol Harding (Black Ops, The Confessions of Frannie Langton, My Name is Leon) showcased their writing, read by professional actors from the WFTV membership at the annual Kay Mellor Screenwriters’ Lab Script Showcase in London last week.

Speaking on her experience during last year's screenwriters' lab, Ruth D’Silva, part of the 2024 Kay Mellor Screenwriters’ Lab cohort, says,

"Women in Film and TV’s dedication to empowering women in the industry is outstanding. During the Kay Mellor Screenwriters’ Lab 2024, the team gave brilliant advice which gave me the courage to further define my voice as a British Anglo-Indian writer. I am unbelievably grateful to have been chosen to take part this year, and to see my writing being performed by professional actors is a real highlight."

Alongside Ruth, the talented writers who took part in the 2024 lab are:

• Alison Rayner

• Anna Cummins

• Emily Isaacs

• Nikki Williams

• Noemie Nakai

• Olivia Ababio

• Phoebe Yemi Ara

• Rosalind De Aragues

• Rosemary Evans

• Ru Briant

This year’s program will return to The Hurst in Shropshire, bringing together a brand-new cohort of emerging writers for a week of intensive workshops, mentorship, and industry insight in September 2025.

The Kay Mellor Screenwriters’ Lab was established to honour the legacy of the late Kay Mellor OBE, a trailblazing writer, producer, and director who was a fierce advocate for women in the industry. Kay’s commitment to mentoring and nurturing new talent is at the heart of this initiative, ensuring her contribution to the industry continues to inspire future generations of female screenwriters.

Kay Mellor’s legacy as a champion for women in film and television and commitment to nurturing new talent endures in the annual screenwriters’ labs. WFTV takes pride in being able to foster emerging writers and playing a small role in their sparkling futures. Seeing the 2024 cohorts' writing performed at the Script Showcase was a brilliant experience and we are looking forward to seeing what the 2025 cohort brings.

Applications for the Kay Mellor Screenwriters’ Lab 2025 are open until Monday 12 May 2025 at 5pm, and you can apply via the WFTV website here.