Celebrating 60 years of wins for writers - Writers' Guild of Great Britain
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Celebrating 60 years of wins for writers
PROGRAMME
THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS
11 ST ANDREWS PLACE, REGENT’S PARK
LONDON NW1 4LE
MONDAY 14 JANUARY 2019
The Writers’ Guild of Great Britain is a trade union
registered at 134 Tooley Street, London SE1 2TU
@TheWritersGuild #wggbawards #wggb60
PRESIDENT’S
WELCOME
Photo: Julie Brook
Welcome to the Writers’
Guild Awards 2019.
Whilst our politicians never fail to I hope it hasn’t missed your notice that the
disappoint us, writers, like vultures, Writers’ Guild turns 60 this year. 60 years
LEAD SPONSOR look around with beady-eyed interest at of campaigning, negotiating, chasing, soothing
carnage and adversity. Only a few years and championing. Formed when ITV was
ago the complaint against the public was still a toddler and Bruce Forsyth presenting
political apathy and lack of engagement. Sunday Night at the London Palladium, with film
Be careful what you wish for… allegedly on its last legs due to the threat from
television and radio considered a basket case,
In such a climate of chaos and dissent we turn
it challenged those predictions by bringing
to our artists and writers to make sense of
together writers from all these areas in the
things for us and judging by the remarkable
common cause of dignity in labour. Many things
range and ambition of this year’s nominees, they
have changed in the interim but as we stumble
are thriving on the challenge.
forwards together I commend that cause to
you tonight.
THANK YOU TO ALL OUR SPONSORS
Olivia Hetreed
WGGB President
HISTORY OF THE AWARDS
Since they were established in 1961, the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain Awards have been
honouring the cream of British writers and writing. The Awards also recognise the importance
of our work in preserving freedom of speech, and championing writing as an essential part of
our national and international culture.
Previous winners include:
Danny Boyle Jimmy McGovern Caryl Churchill
Richard Curtis Lynda La Plante Tom Stoppard
Jo Brand Anthony Minghella Steve McQueen
Matthew Vaughn Roddy Doyle Kay Mellor
Dawn French Jennifer Saunders Russell T. Davies
THE WRITERS’ GUILD AWARDS @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards #wggb60 @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards #wggb60 THE WRITERS’ GUILD AWARDS
PROGRAMME
OF EVENTS
6.30pm Drinks reception
7.00pm Welcome by WGGB President Olivia Hetreed
THE WGGB 2019 AWARDS CEREMONY
HOSTED BY JOANNA SCANLAN
Best Online Comedy
Best Long Running TV Series
Best Writing in a Video Game
Best Children’s TV Episode
Best Radio Comedy
Best First Novel
Best Musical Theatre Bookwriting
Best First Screenplay
Remembering WGGB Members
Best Radio Drama
Best Play for Young Audiences
Best Play
Best Long Form TV Drama
Best TV Situation Comedy
Best Screenplay
Best Short Form TV Drama
Outstanding Contribution to Writing
9.00pm Celebration drinks and canapés
11.00pm Bar close & carriages
THE WRITERS’ GUILD AWARDS @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards #wggb60
ABOUT WGGB
As the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain
celebrates its 60th anniversary this year,
we look back on six decades of wins
for writers against a backdrop of WGGB’s Annual General Meeting is just one of the ways writers play a vital role in the direction of their union
Photo: Em Fitzgerald
breathtaking change and digital revolution
in the arts, media and entertainment
industries. We also look forward to writing
the next chapter of our history, with our
““What enables writers in Britain to face the future in a changing world
with some confidence?... The continued existence of their own trade
trade union heritage at our heart. union of professional writers… a group of highly committed writers of
books, plays, film scripts, radio and television programmes willing to
We are the TUC-affiliated trade union representing professional writers in TV,
film, theatre, radio, books, poetry, comedy, animation and videogames.
work for each other’s good” “
Bill Ash, former WGGB Chair, speaking on the eve of the
Our members also include emerging and aspiring writers new millennium
(our Candidate Members).
We have been negotiating better pay and working conditions for writers since
1959. We also lobby and campaign on behalf of writers, to ensure their voices
are heard in a rapidly changing digital landscape.
BECOME A MEMBER
To find out how we are celebrating 60 years of wins for writers, and how you
can help write the next chapter of our history, please visit: We welcome all professional writers working in the fields we represent,
www.writersguild.org.uk/wggb-at-60/
and have a variety of membership options, including one for aspiring/
emerging writers (Candidate Members) and Affiliate Members.
You can join online at www.writersguild.org.uk or by
phoning our membership team on 0207 833 0777
THE WRITERS’ GUILD AWARDS @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards #wggb60 @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards #wggb60 THE WRITERS’ GUILD AWARDS
60 YEARS OF WINS FOR WRITERS
1979 1997
The Public Lending Right Act is passed, giving The Theatre Writers Union merges with
British authors a legal right to receive payment WGGB, resulting in greater combined
for the free lending of their books. WGGB negotiating power and strength in fighting cuts
members, including Maureen Duffy and Brigid and threats to theatre funding.
Brophy, play a major role in the long-running
campaign for PLR.
2007
1985 The launch of a videogame category at the
annual Writers’ Guild Awards in 2007 reflects
WGGB successfully campaigns against the
WGGB’s work in this rapidly expanding
Peacock Report, which recommends the
medium as it moves into the 21st century.
In the last decade, WGGB has joined demonstrations against cuts and campaigned to protect vital funding for the arts scrapping of the television Licence Fee. The
Photo: Shutterstock.com/BasPhoto
union will go on to support public funding
of the BBC as it faces charter renewal in 2010
the future.
Savage cuts to the arts come thick and fast
1959 1967 under the new Coalition Government and,
1988 at that year’s AGM, WGGB President David
The Television and Screen Writers’ Guild (later The Marine Offences Act outlaws offshore pirate
to be named the Screen Writers’ Guild and WGGB becomes one of the first organisations Edgar warns that the next 12 months are likely
radio stations such as Caroline, which are swiftly to “prove as, if not more, challenging than the
the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain) is born. It replaced by legitimate new local radio stations to lend its support to the Organisation for
operates from a basement in Harley Street and Lesbian and Gay Action, critics of the Section last”. The following year WGGB is one of eight
and a whole new round of battles for WGGB. unions to launch the Lost Arts campaign and
originates from two predecessor organisations For example, Radio Brighton announces that it 28 amendment to the 1986 Local Government
– the British Screen and Television Writers’ Act, which states that a local authority “shall will later go on to support the In Battalions
will not be paying for any written radio material campaign to tackle the effect of Arts Council
Association and the Screen Writers’ Association. and instead will simply offer a prize for the best not intentionally promote homosexuality
or publish material with the intention of cuts on new writing in theatre.
20-minute radio play.
promoting homosexuality” or “promote
1961 the teaching in any maintained school of the
acceptability of homosexuality as a pretended
2012
Chair of the then Screenwriters’ Guild Ted Willis
signs the first national minimum terms agreement
1973 family relationship”. The campaign is to last for WGGB negotiates the game-changing Digital
for writers in the UK, laying down basic fees for Union official Eric Paice describes it as the over 15 years. Rights Agreement with the BBC. Speaking
television drama. Another agreement follows in lousiest year in the history of the union. Rampant about the union’s work in this area, then
1962, guaranteeing a minimum fee of £2,000 for inflation is leading to wage freezes, and lacking 1991 General Secretary Bernie Corbett says it has
a feature film. Over the years many agreements the industrial clout of miners, postal or car safeguarded writers’ rights “in the digital age”
follow, not just in TV and film, but in theatre and workers, writers’ earnings have fallen behind At the 1991 Writers’ Guild Awards ceremony and future-proofed our “industry-leading
radio, too. That same year the union launches most sections of the community. in London Satanic Verses author Salman Rushdie collective agreements for at least another
its first annual Awards honouring the cream of makes a rare and surprise appearance during generation”.
British writing. the fatwa against him to collect the Children’s
Book Award.
THE WRITERS’ GUILD AWARDS @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards #wggb60 @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards #wggb60 THE WRITERS’ GUILD AWARDS
60 YEARS OF WINS FOR WRITERS
WGGB runs many events around the craft of writing
Photo: Em Fitzgerald
2015 2018
The landmark Writers Digital Payments The Equality Writes campaign is launched,
scheme launches, guaranteeing TV writers tackling inequality in the screen industries,
royalties whenever their work is shown on after WGGB commissions a major
BBC iPlayer or ITV Player. independent report showing only 16% of film
screenwriters in the UK are female, and only
Free is NOT an Option – a campaign against 14% of prime-time TV drama is written
unpaid development work in film and TV – is by women. That same year, the union
launched the same year, with support from continues to call on broadcasters to release
actor Julie Waters, film-maker Ken Loach and programme-level data from their Project
cross-party MPs and peers. Diamond diversity initiative. And, in the wake
of the Harvey Weinstein scandal, it joins
other organisations to develop 8 Principles for
combating bullying and harassment.
Thank you to Nick Yapp, author of WGGB’s history The Write Stuff –
you can read the full history online at: www.writersguild.org.uk/wggb-at-60/
THE WRITERS’ GUILD AWARDS @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards #wggb60
BEST ONLINE COMEDY BEST LONG RUNNING TV SERIES
SPOKKE CASUALTY, SERIES
Tim Grewcock
32, EPISODE 44
and Shaun Lowthian Barbara Machin
THREE COOL DAYS CORONATION
Arnab Chanda STREET,
and Chris Hayward EPISODE 9451/2
Jonathan Harvey
HOLLYOAKS,
WHERE ARE YOU
FROM? THE GAME EPISODE 4889
Hannah George Roanne Bardsley
and Tasha Dhanraj
THE WRITERS’ GUILD AWARDS @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards #wggb60 @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards #wggb60 THE WRITERS’ GUILD AWARDS
BEST WRITING IN A VIDEO GAME BEST CHILDREN’S TV EPISODE
FIFA 19 THE JOURNEY: CREEPED OUT,
CHAMPIONS ‘CAT FOOD’
Matt Turner, Bede Blake
Tom Watt and and Robert Butler
Martin Korda
REIGNS: HER MAJESTY DENNIS AND
Leigh Alexander GNASHER: UNLEASHED,
‘NIGHT OF THE
LIVING VEG’
Ciaran Murtagh
and Andrew Barnett Jones
THE SPECTRUM FREE REIN, EPISODE
RETREAT 207, ‘BOB’
Giles Armstrong Vicki Lutas
and Dan Smith and Anna McCleery
THE WRITERS’ GUILD AWARDS @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards #wggb60 @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards #wggb60 THE WRITERS’ GUILD AWARDS
BEST RADIO COMEDY BEST FIRST NOVEL
ABILITY IN OUR MAD AND
FURIOUS CITY
Lee Ridley
and Katherine Jakeways Guy Gunaratne
DEADLINE THE GODS OF LOVE
Jessica Hynes Nicola Mostyn
SARAH KENDALL: WHITE
AUSTRALIAN TRILOGY, CHRYSANTHEMUM
VOLUME 2, PART 1,
Mary Lynn Bracht
‘SEVENTY-THREE
SECONDS’
Sarah Kendall
THE WRITERS’ GUILD AWARDS @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards #wggb60 @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards #wggb60 THE WRITERS’ GUILD AWARDS
BEST MUSICAL THEATRE BOOKWRITING BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY
EVERYBODY’S APOSTASY
TALKING ABOUT
Daniel Kokotajlo
JAMIE
Tom MacRae
MISS LITTLEWOOD I AM NOT A WITCH
Sam Kenyon Rungano Nyoni
THE HAPPY PRINCE
PIECES OF STRING Rupert Everett
Gus Gowland
THE WRITERS’ GUILD AWARDS @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards #wggb60 @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards #wggb60 THE WRITERS’ GUILD AWARDSREMEMBERING
WGGB MEMBERS
Photo: Rory Clarke
WGGB Chair Gail Renard remembers
Photo: Gail Renard
former Writers’ Guild members
Denis Norden and Ray Galton. During the
ceremony we will also pay tribute to other
members we have lost during the past year
Ray Galton 1930-2018 anything they wanted. From one of those episodes Denis Norden 1922-2018 director of programmes Michael Grade. In 30 minutes
they had a commission. It’ll Be All Right On The Night ran
grew Steptoe And Son, a series about rag-and-bone men,
Ray Galton, comedy writer supreme, passed Harold and Albert; a father and son bound together by Born in Hackney in 1922, Denis had a great for 29 years, Denis choosing all of the clips, writing the
away at the age of 88. Along with his late writing fear, need and hatred. Ray and Alan’s writing surpassed love of Hollywood films. At the age of 17 he scripts and presenting every show.
partner, Alan Simpson, Ray was responsible the depths of many dramas. The comedy was the bonus. became the manager of a cinema in Watford Denis was a Writers’ Guild stalwart who was a
for over 600 of the finest scripts to ever grace and organised variety shows. Like so many of member of the Television Committee along with Ray
Ray and Alan wrote countless other shows including
British radio, television, film and stage. his generation, the war changed his life. Denis Galton, Alan Simpson and Jimmy Perry; a reminder of
Dawson’s Weekly for comedian Les Dawson and
served in the RAF with Eric Sykes. They began the comedy giants who gave up their valuable writing
Ray was born in Paddington and met Alan when they Clochemerle, a series about a rural French town’s to write and put on shows to entertain the
attempt to erect a public urinal. time to improve all writers’ pay, rights and working
were teenagers at the Milford Sanatorium. Both had troops to get off night duty. Looking for some conditions.
tuberculosis and were bored. To pass the time they They were also founder members, along with Spike lights for their show, they were sent to Bergen-
started writing sketches and a new comedy age Belsen just after it had been liberated. They Denis was also a Guild negotiator, Co-Chair from
Milligan, Eric Sykes, Frankie Howerd, Johnny Speight
was born. went back to their own camp to gather all the 1965-6 and instrumental in establishing the IAWG
and others, of Associated London Scripts, a writers’
food they could. (International Affiliation of Writers Guilds).
In the 1950s, British comedy writers were emulating the co-operative.
material of fast-talking, wisecracking American comics Denis was introduced to Frank Muir in 1947 and their Denis won many awards and was honoured with a CBE
Alan Simpson retired from script writing in 1978 in 1980. The one he said he cherished the most was the
like Bob Hope and Jack Benny. Alan and Ray wrote but Ray decided, with Alan’s blessing, to write on. In great writing partnership began. Between them they
wrote 300 episodes of Take It From Here starring Jimmy Lifetime Achievement Award presented by the WGGB
about what they knew; a slightly tattered post-war partnership with Johnny Speight, Ray wrote the comedy
Edwards and June Whitfield. The series lasted 11 years in 1999 for his services to comedy and entertainment.
Britain where everything closed down on Sundays and series, Spooner’s Patch, about a corrupt police station.
gravy was served by the lump. While writing for the and had its own spin-off series, The Glums. Frank and A man of great warmth, wit with a constant love of
A 2005 play, Steptoe And Son: Murder At Oil Drum Lane
BBC radio show, Calling All Forces, Ray and Alan met Denis also wrote for That Was The Week That Was, comedy, Denis always kept up-to-date with all the latest
(which Ray wrote with John Antrobus) relates how The Frost Report and countless other radio and comedy
comedian Tony Hancock. The young writers went on to comedy shows. Once when I didn’t appreciate a series,
Harold finally murdered his father. Of course, luckless shows. Their spoof documentary Balham, Gateway To
develop Hancock’s Half Hour, a BBC radio comedy series Denis told me, “Don’t be a fuddy-duddy about comedy,
Harold was haunted by Albert in death as in life. The South was recorded by Peter Sellers and is still as Gail.” He urged me to watch it again and embrace the
about a down-at-heel actor who lived in East Cheam
Though Ray and Alan didn’t write together any more, funny today as it was 50 years ago. new. Of course, he was right.
and whose talent wasn’t as grand as his pretentions.
their friendship remained strong; a true brotherhood. Muir and Norden were given a three-year contract Denis Norden was a unique writer and WGGB giant.
No writers reflected British society in the 1950s and They lunched together most days. Although they at the BBC as comedy writers and consultants. Denis
1960s better than Alan Simpson and Ray Galton. In agreed about comedy, their personal lifestyles were left when his contract ended to go freelance, finding
their script, The East Cheam Drama Festival, the fictional very different. Alan loved football, fine French wines the BBC stifling. Though Frank and Denis didn’t write
Hancock performed Look Back In Hunger, a perfect and foods. In his day Ray was the perfect 1960s dandy, together anymore, they continued appearing on the TV
parody of John Osborne’s supposedly ground-breaking a dedicated follower of fashion, and more likely to be and radio panel shows, My Word! and My Music. They
Look Back In Anger. Their observational writing was found partying at Annabel’s nightclub. remained best friends all their lives and rang each other
second to none. every evening. Both these obituaries are edited
Ray was a dear friend; a kind, gentle, thoughtful man
After six radio and seven television series, as well as In 1977, Denis and Paul Smith, the future producer extracts and appeared on the
who sadly suffered from dementia in his final years.
a film, The Rebel, Tony Hancock (in a move not unlike of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?, were laughing over WGGB website in 2018:
Ray was cherished by his children, and his manager and
his character) split with his writers because he felt the famous Blue Peter clip where an elephant disgraced www.writersguild.org.uk/category/
friend Tessa Le Bars, and all of us who knew him. My
destined for better things. In an unprecedented step, himself on set. They wondered if they could do a obituaries
condolences to all and thanks, Ray, for all the laughter.
the BBC offered Ray and Alan their own series, Comedy whole show based on funny outtakes. They called LWT
Playhouse; 10 episodes in which they could write about
THE WRITERS’ GUILD AWARDS @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards #wggb60 @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards #wggb60 THE WRITERS’ GUILD AWARDSBEST RADIO DRAMA BEST PLAY FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES
ALL OF THE BEAUTY BEGINNERS
IN THE WORLD: Tim Crouch
THE B TOWNS
Eve Steele
IDLE HANDS THE CHANGING
Christine Entwisle ROOM
Chris Bush
STONE
THE VULTURES’ SONG
Alex Ganley, Martin Jameson,
Vivienne Harvey, Mike Kenny
Cath Staincliffe and
Richard Monks
THE WRITERS’ GUILD AWARDS @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards #wggb60 @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards #wggb60 THE WRITERS’ GUILD AWARDSBEST PLAY BEST LONG FORM TV DRAMA
KILLING EVE,
BLACK MEN WALKING EPISODE 5, ‘I HAVE A
Testament THING ABOUT
BATHROOMS’
Phoebe Waller-Bridge
THE END OF
GUT THE F***ING WORLD,
Frances Poet EPISODE 3
Charlie Covell
TRUST, EPISODE 9,
JELLYFISH ‘WHITE CAR IN A
Ben Weatherill SNOWSTORM’
Alice Nutter
THE WRITERS’ GUILD AWARDS @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards #wggb60 @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards #wggb60 THE WRITERS’ GUILD AWARDSBEST TV SITUATION COMEDY BEST SCREENPLAY
DERRY GIRLS AMERICAN ANIMALS
Lisa McGee Bart Layton
DETECTORISTS
THE DEATH OF STALIN
Mackenzie Crook
Armando Iannucci,
David Schneider, Ian Martin,
Peter Fellows, Fabien Nury
INSIDE NO 9,
‘ZANZIBAR’ THE LITTLE STRANGER
Steve Pemberton Lucinda Coxon
and Reece Shearsmith
THE WRITERS’ GUILD AWARDS @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards #wggb60 @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards #wggb60 THE WRITERS’ GUILD AWARDSBEST SHORT FORM TV DRAMA A VERY ENGLISH SCANDAL Russell T Davies MOTHER’S DAY Nick Leather ORDEAL BY INNOCENCE Sarah Phelps THE WRITERS’ GUILD AWARDS @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards #wggb60
THANKS
As ever these Awards rely on the Anna Clements, Michael Conley,
kindness of friends and the generosity Fleur Costello, Mark Davies Markham,
of strangers. Alongside our wonderful Clive Dawson, April De Angelis,
sponsors and the amazing Guild staff, our Richard Deacon, Kate Delin,
fabulous presenters (including our host Samantha Doland-de-Vaux, Lisa Evans,
Joanna Scanlan) and the production team Robert Farquhar, Neil Forsyth,
who make everything work behind and in William Gallagher, Andrea Gibb,
front of the scenes, we have a small but Brenden Gibbons, Matthew Gibbs,
immensely dedicated army of readers, Brenda Gilhooly, Juliet Gilkes-Romero,
watchers, listeners and players, who have Mata Haggis-Burridge, Kirsty Halton,
admired, criticised and nominated across Henrietta Hardy, James Hendrie,
all the different categories. Our stalwart Sam Horley, Teresa Howard, Paul Hurt,
Jury Chairs have organised, cajoled and Maggie Innes, Vicky Ireland, David James,
finally insisted on shortlists and winners – Tim John, Antony Johnston, Roy Kendall,
often a painful decision when the quality Steve Keyworth, Sanjeev Kohli,
is so high. Premier PR make it their Jane Lamacraft, Line Langebek, Phil Lowe,
business that everyone knows how Paul Mayhew Archer, Debbie McAndrew,
brilliant you all are and Ali Welsh will Brian McAvera, David McDermott,
ensure you have a wonderful time too. Jay Mullings, Terry Newman, Susan Nickson,
Lesley Clare O’Neil, Phil O’Shea,
Thanks also to our live Tweeter for Tosin Oteduko, Jane Pearson,
the night Tom Green and to Lexy Howe Olly Perkin, Dan Pinchbeck, George Poles,
for the clips. Carrie Quinlan, Emma Reeves,
Alistair Rutherford, Thomas Ryalls,
Guild staff: Rose Cooney, Lesley Gannon, Pete Sinclair, Athena Stevens, Morris Stuttard,
Kate Glasspool, Ellie Peers, John Sailing and Corinne Sweet, Nat Tapley, Benjamin Till,
Sarah Woodley Jenifer Toksvig, Miranda Walker,
Andrew Walsh, Katharine Way,
Our grateful thanks go to: Tom Williams, Lindzi Williams,
Maxine Alderton, Bennett Arron, Faye Windsor-Smith, Nick Wood,
Gemma Arrowsmith, Ben Ashenden, Jan Woolf, Nick Yapp, Karin Young
David Baddiel, Perrie Balthazar,
Nancy Boulicault, Arnoud Breitbarth, Production: Marc Stapleton and
Madeleine Brettingham, Ellie Brewer, all at Production Plus
Vanessa Brooks, Edel Brosnan,
Michael Bryher, Poppy Burton-Morgan, Olivia Hetreed
Andrew Cartmel, James Cary, WGGB President
Henrietta Cassidy, Pippa Cleary,
@TheWritersGuild #wggbawards #wggb60 THE WRITERS’ GUILD AWARDSThe Writers’ Guild of Great Britain
1st Floor, 134 Tooley Street, London SE1 2TU
Tel: 020 7833 0777
Email: admin@writersguild.org.uk
Web: www.writersguild.org.uk
Twitter: @TheWritersGuild #wggbawards #wggb60
Facebook: www.facebook.com/thewritersguild
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