BBC Radio Comedy Writers Bursary


The BBC Radio Comedy Writers' Bursary is a scheme through which emerging comedy writers work in-house at the BBC Radio Comedy department for a year.

History

The scheme began in 1978 and was devised by the then-head of Head of BBC Light Entertainment, David Hatch, and BBC Television's Head of Light Entertainment, James Gilbert. Each department put £5000 a year into a kitty to employ three young writers on a one-year contract. The only proviso was that there was to be no contract for a second year, and that the writers must then fend for themselves. The first beneficiaries were Rory McGrath, Jimmy Mulville and Guy Jenkin, who were followed by Rob Grant, Doug Naylor. Since then, the scheme has helped several aspiring or part-time writers to go full-time and has produced a great number of professional writers and comedians, including John O'Farrell, Peter Baynham, Stewart Lee and Simon Blackwell.

Duties of recipients

Under the current regime, those selected for the bursary work on BBC Radio 4's three high-profile topical shows; The News Quiz, The Now Show and Dead Ringers, contribute writing across the range of the BBC Radio Comedy Department's output as well as script-editing sketch-shows and sitcoms. Bursary recipients are also encouraged to develop new formats and create their own shows.

List of recipients

The names of the writers who have received the bursary were first displayed on a commemorative wooden plaque, set up at the retirement of the Head of Light Entertainment Radio, Jonathan James-Moore. Following the Department's change of location, the current whereabouts of the plaque are unknown. The list of writers' names was later displayed in the bottom of a locked filing cabinet stuck in a disused lavatory with a sign on the door saying "Beware of The Leopard".