Four writers have now been selected for the 2024 WBD Access Northern Writers Programme.
The Royal Exchange Theatre, Wall to Wall North and Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) Access have announced the four writers who have been selected for the 2024 WBD Access Northern Writers Programme. Joe McNally, Kamal Kaan, Katie Mulgrew and Natalie Beech will each embark on a six-month bespoke scheme, developed to hone and elevate their skills for stage and screen.
Returning for a third year, building on the success of a newly designed partnership launched in 2023 between Wall to Wall North and the Royal Exchange Theatre, the programme was developed to create unique opportunities for talented writers from underrepresented backgrounds from the North of England. The scheme is specifically tailored to writers who are new to television drama but already writing for theatre, empowering them to carve out successful careers across both stage and screen.
Over the duration of the scheme, each writer will have access to specially curated workshops and sessions, all delivered under the guidance of expert mentors and industry professionals. The scheme will culminate in all four participants writing their own one-hour TV pilot spec script; under the guidance and support from a professional Script Editor and Wall to Wall North Executive Producer, Sian Palfrey. In addition, participants will also be offered two one-to-one meetings with award-winning Dramaturg, Suzanne Bell from the Royal Exchange Theatre, providing them the opportunity to discuss their stage work and receive feedback to further nurture their skills as a playwright.
Sian Palfrey, Executive Producer at Wall to Wall North said: “I am thrilled to be building on the success of last year’s Programme and welcoming Natalie, Kamal, Joe and Katie as our 2024 cohort. These talented writers are proof of the abundance of exciting voices we have in the North and of stories and perspectives that demand to be heard. In these turbulent times, it has never been more important to support writers with funded opportunities that will help to hone their skills and arm them with the tools, knowledge, and crucial connections they need to forge sustainable careers. I am delighted to get the chance to be a part of their journey.”
Further Information: Warner Bros. Discovery Access | WBD Access Northern Writers' Programme