Gay Britannia will feature bold stories that celebrate the LGBTQ community and highlight what it means to be gay in Britain today, whilst challenging existing preconceptions and prejudices.
The season of programming will mark 50 years since The Sexual Offences Act 1967, which partially decriminalised homosexual acts that took place in private between two men over the age of 21.
Some of the leading creatives from across the BBC identified over 200 one and off screen talent of the future at the event.
The New Talent Hotlist features fresh new voices taking risks in front of and behind the camera and reflecting the diversity of modern Britain in the creative industry.
"Finding and supporting the next generation of new talent - both on and off screen - is a vital part of the BBC’s remit," said Tony Hall.
Dickens is the writer behind BBC Three drama Thirteen, the channel’s flagship programme following its move online
The show follows 26-year old Ivy Moxam (Jodie Comer) who finds her way home 13 years after she was abducted on her way from school.
“There [were] several other projects in development around the same time of someone being captured and escaping,” recalls Dickens. “But most of them were told that way: captured and escaping.”
“We basically started where a show might end and tried [to] be as forward-looking as possible.”
“I’d always seen it as a one-off,” she says. “It feels so fragile. I’d hate to ruin it, to extend it longer than it is, [but] I think I’ve found a way.”
Waller-Bridge was nominated in the Breakthrough category of the RTS Programme Awards 2017, alongside Bake Off’s Nadiya Hussain and documentary-maker Philip Wood, for her work on Fleabag.
The week of content will be a mixture of comedy, drama, music and documentary, featuring some of the best new and emerging talent in the industry.
The season will tackle issues and topics that affect young audiences, telling modern and diverse stories of young British people.
“There's a part of me in every aspect of this season; comedy, drama, documentary, sport all made by a truly diverse team both on and off screen," said Idris Elba.
Teaming up with King Bert Productions, this will be Omielan's first stand-up television debut and it will be filmed in front of a live audience at the Clapham Grand on January 19.
She originally debuted this show at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and has since built up a big following, with critically acclaimed and sell-out shows, such as Am I Right Ladies?!.
This year has been BBC iPlayer's best year so far according to stats from the BBC, recording the amounts of requests shows have had on the online platform.
October and November saw the highest average number of daily requests BBC iPlayer has ever had, at 11.7 million in each month.
BBC Three had a good year on BBC iPlayer, with drama Thirteen’s first episode requested more than 3.2 million times, the second most popular episode of any series across the year so far. These are promising figures, considering BBC Three made the transition to online in February.
Defining success in a connected content world is not straightforward. Is the buzz on social media more important than overnight ratings? And how does one commission shows that will play equally effectively on all devices across all platforms?
Those were the main questions addressed in “Meet the new commissioners.” Session chair Jane Martinson, The Guardian’s head of media, asked some familiar faces with years of experience how the digital world is affecting their decisions.
Reid is part of the main Top Gear line up, and is the only presenter to have been found through the show's open auditions.
Filmed at the Top Gear hangar, Extra Gear will deliver behind-the-scenes access, exclusive footage, interviews and specially recorded films to fans of the show.
The show will be available on BBC Three’s live page and on iPlayer immediately after Top Gear finishes on BBC Two.
Fleabag, played by Waller-Bridge, is a dry-witted, angry, grief-ridden, porn-watching young woman who is struggling to come to terms with a recent tragedy.
The bitingly hilarious show pulls no punches as Fleabag throws herself headlong into modern living. Sleeping with anyone who comes too close, rejecting all assistance and keeping up a cold front worthy of the Gulf Stream, Fleabag is thrown into the dog-eat-dog world of modern London.
