Women in Film & TV (WFTV), which oversees the Pat Llewellyn Bursary, sponsored by the BBC, Channel 4, ITV, ALL3Media and the Welsh Government, has revealed the winners for this year’s unscripted TV development bursaries.
In the Welsh category of the award, the two successful candidates who are both bilingual Welsh speakers, Eirlys Bellin and Caitlin Kelly, will each get £10,000. In the English, Northern Irish and Scottish category, the winners are Matilda Hay, Natasha Jarvis and Lauren York. Matilda receives £4,000, Natasha £10,000 and Lauren £6,000.
Winners pictured above, from top left to right: Matilda Hay, Lauren York, Catlin Kelly, Natasha Jarvis and Eirlys Bellin.
For 2021, candidates were asked to submit proposals for on-screen talent-led programming suitable for commission by a UK broadcaster. When the bursary was started, the aim was to encourage as many diverse and inclusive applications as possible. So, it’s open to all women, regardless of whether they’ve worked in the industry before or not. Not only does the fund provide development funding, it also provides successful applicants with mentors who can guide and help get them in front of the key decision makers who can make their ideas happen.
Last year’s winners included Laura Martin-Robinson mentored by Liesel Evans, Head of UK Factual at Raw, who is currently in production with her film for BBC Wales. The other 2020 projects are still at the development stage due to Covid-19 delays.
Chair of the Pat Llewellyn Committee and WFTV, Liz Tucker said:
"When we opened this year’s entries we asked candidates to look for the next Louis Theroux, Stacey Dooley or Nadia Hussain, which may seem a tough ask, but we have been really impressed by the hugely impressive on-screen talent that our winners have managed to discover.
Equally importantly, they have found some really exciting new diverse and inclusive talent including the Scottish-Nigerian climate advocate Eunice Olumide and Chelsey Jay, proud Essex girl who says being disabled is “not a pity party.” With the current lack of female diversity on-screen, these are voices that really need to be heard”.
The other members of the Bursary Committee are Fiona Campbell, Controller BBC Three; Sue Murphy, Head of Factual Entertainment, ITV; Jane Root, CEO Nutopia; Kate Townsend, Director of Original Documentaries, Netflix; Kelly Webb-Lamb, Deputy Director of Programmes, Channel 4; Tim Whitwell, Creative Director, Shine TV and Pat Younge, MD Cardiff Productions.
The annual bursary is in tribute to the award-winning producer Pat Llewellyn, who died in 2017. She was responsible for launching the TV careers of Gordon Ramsay, Jamie Oliver and Mary Portas.
About Women in Film and TV (UK)
Women in Film & TV (UK) is the leading membership organisation for women working in creative media in the UK and part of an international network of over 13,000 women. Members of the organisation come from a broad range of professions spanning the entire creative media industry.
WFTV hosts a variety of events throughout the year, presents a prestigious awards ceremony every December (The WFTV Awards supported by headline sponsor Sky), collaborates with industry bodies on research projects, and lobbies for women’s interests.