Bad Wolf and Screen Alliance Wales have announced the four screenwriters selected for the inaugural Blaidd Writers Programme.
The four Wales-based writers will be mentored by award-winning showrunners Russell T Davies, Marnie Dickens, Jack Thorne and Sam Vincent & Jonathan Brackley and receive a pilot script commission from ‘Industry’, ‘His Dark Materials’ and ‘Doctor Who’ producer Bad Wolf.
Over three hundred and fifty scripts were submitted for the annual paid development and training initiative founded to find and nurture the next generation of Welsh drama writers, in collaboration with Screen Alliance Wales (the Bad Wolf-founded not-for-profit training initiative) with support also from the Welsh Government via Creative Wales.
The scheme, launched to coincide with Bad Wolf’s 10th anniversary, will see the four writers develop an original, contemporary Wales-set returning drama with Bad Wolf. The writers will also be mentored by screenwriters Jack Thorne (His Dark Materials, National Treasure), Russell T Davies (Doctor Who, It’s A Sin), Marnie Dickens (Gold Digger, Wilderness) and Sam Vincent & Jonathan Brackley (Humans, Better) and will take part in masterclasses with industry professionals, including the co-creators of HBO and BBC’s hit drama Industry, Mickey Down and Konrad Kay and BAFTA award-winning screenwriter and In My Skin creator Kayleigh Llewellyn.
The 2025 Blaidd Writers Programme cohort are:
Faebian Averies is a two-time award-winning writer who won the Wales Writer in Residence Award in 2020 and then the Imison Award in 2022. Faebian topped the Brit List in autumn of 2024 with a record-breaking number of votes for her crime drama The Rubber Faced Men which is currently under option with NBC Universal. She is also under option with Kudos and Two Brothers for original ideas and has several writers rooms lined up for 2025 including one for an adaptation of a highly popular YA franchise. Faebian is originally from Penarth and has recently moved back from London to live in Wales.
Emily Burnett is a BAFTA-winning actor and filmmaker. Her short film, Mother’s Day, premiered at London Film Festival and her radio play H Is For Hair was commissioned by BBC Radio Wales. Emily was 2nd Unit Director on Quay Street Productions’ new BBC Drama, The Guest. Her original play Nuclear, commissioned by Theatr Clwyd, is set to stage in 2026. Emily is currently developing her original drama pilot A Pretty View with Duck Soup. Emily was part of the BBC Writer’s Room Welsh Voices and she was mentored by Abi Morgan as part of the Literature Wales Development Programme.
Alyn Farrow is a Cardiff based writer with a passion for contemporary Welsh storytelling. Having previously featured on the Brit List with subversive crime drama Westphalia, he is also a former winner of the BAFTA Rocliffe Drama Award and has been shortlisted for a BAFTA Cymru (Best Short Film) and BBC Wales Drama Award. Alyn is currently developing multiple projects with Firebird, Temple Hill, Gaumont, Two Brothers and Merman, and his broadcast credits to date include Silent Witness.
Mared Jarman is the recipient of both the BAFTA Cymru Breakthrough Award and the RTS Cymru Rising Star Award for her BBC 3-parter How This Blind Girl… which she wrote and starred in. She won a BAFTA Cymru Best Factual Award for presenting The History of Disability in Wales for S4C and BBC Wales. She’s also developing a short form series for BBC Wales. Mared’s other work includes Byth Bythoedd Amen, which she wrote and is starring in for Theatr Cymru, Hero of the People at the Sherman Theatre and Yr Amgueddfa / Museum for S4C and the BBC.
The writers were announced last night at an event at Wolf Studios Wales in Cardiff to celebrate Welsh screenwriting talent. The cohort will begin work with Bad Wolf on the development of an idea from pitch to broadcast-ready script, supported throughout by Bad Wolf script editors and producers, as well as regular guidance and feedback from Bad Wolf CEO Jane Tranter, and Director of Content Dan McCulloch.
The writers will have the opportunity to shadow any ongoing productions at the studios and will be able to gain an insight into the wider development and production process intended to equip them with the skills and experience required to help them advance to the next stage of their writing career. The course will end with a networking graduation drinks reception in Cardiff and advice as to how to take forwards the scripts they have worked on during the scheme.
Jane Tranter, CEO of Bad Wolf and Dan McCulloch, Director of Content, said: “The calibre of talent that applied for Blaidd was inspiring and has reinforced Bad Wolf’s desire to continue championing Wales, its creative community, writers and its stories. Bad Wolf is very fortunate to have the opportunity to work with Faebian, Alyn, Emily and Mared and we’re grateful they have trusted us to embark on this journey with them. In our industry we’re often expected to learn by doing. With Wolf Studios on their doorstep our aim is for Bad Wolf to be the writers’ second home – an environment where they can experience both development and production and gain a 360 view of the business. The launch of Blaidd is a brilliant way to kick-off Bad Wolf’s tenth anniversary year, and we’re hugely grateful for the time, support and commitment of the mentors to give the writers such an exceptional experience. By our twentieth year we hope to have supported many more Welsh voices through this scheme!”
Allison Dowzell, Managing Director of Screen Alliance Wales, said: “We are absolutely delighted to be involved in the Blaidd Writers Programme and to see such exceptional Welsh talent being nurtured and celebrated. Supporting local creatives and helping them take the next steps in their careers is at the heart of what we do at Screen Alliance Wales. This collaboration with Bad Wolf and the Welsh Government exemplifies the commitment to fostering a thriving creative industry in Wales, and we are thrilled to play a part in shaping the future of Welsh storytelling.”
Pictured in Group Shot (left to right): Dan McCulloch (Bad Wolf), Emma Obank (Bad Wolf), Emily Burnett (Blaidd Writer), Faebian Averies (Blaidd Writer), Mared Jarman (Blaidd Writer), Alyn Farrow (Blaidd Writer), Jane Tranter (Bad Wolf), Allison Dowzell (SAW), Marnie Dickens (Screenwriter), Russell T Davies (Screenwriter).
Jon Creamer
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