factual

World’s Most Extraordinary Christmas Dinners will look at the lengths people go to make Christmas Day special.

The one-off programme follows people from very different backgrounds, including astronauts in space and a submarine crew, as they prepare Christmas dinner. 

The channel has also promised seasonal episodes of familiar shows.

First Dates Christmas will not only see new blind dates, but will also feature the return of some of the show's previous happy couples.

One of the panel, Lizzie Kempton, was the assistant producer on the Grierson Award-winning BBC Two film, How to Die: Simon’s Choice, which tells the story of a man with an aggressive form of motor neurone disease who chooses to end his life.

The Eastenders actor will reenact the lives of his ancestors in history series Danny Dyer's Right Royal Family.

The ITV factual controller was in discussion with Stephen McQuillan, head of factual at Bristol indie Icon Films, at an RTS West of England event in September.

Her message to producers in the room was clear – it’s the 9pm slot that is important given there are few pre-watershed slots available. Clinton-Davis said: “I’m looking for very direct, simple propositions, which will appeal to a broad audience.”

Other commissions include the deeply personal David Harewood: Psychosis and Me, and innovative new formats such as Murder, in which a crime is seen through the eyes of the professionals who investigate it. It was also announced that successful existing series including Hospital, A House Through Time and Surgeons: At The Edge Of Life have been recommissioned. 

British Asians are the biggest ethnic group in the UK, numbering over 3 million. Of this group the majority are young people, with around 60% of Pakistani and Bangladeshi Brits and just over 40% of Indians being under 30. The BBC is looking to represent the diverse culture of young British Asians in particular, dispelling the notion that they are a homogenous group and celebrating both the multiple countries of origin and distinct religions of the populations.

Dunnett was able to draw on her vast experience of developing and making programmes for all terrestrial channels. She joined Channel 4 from Scottish indie Raise the Roof in 2016 where her credits included BBC One’s Holiday of My Lifetime with Len Goodman.

The masterclass helped students understand how different types of programmes fit into the schedules by unpicking popular programmes to show the simple rules of formatted factual.

The RTS Midlands event was held at the National Motorcycle Museum on Solihull on the same day as the Centre’s Programme Awards.

Andrew Billen wonders if BBC head of factual Alison Kirkham can fly higher still and compete against the US giants

Why a career in TV is for everyone

“It’s important to demystify television and make you realise that TV is a great place to work…

“As a second generation British-born Indian no one in my family had ever worked in the media before. Of my siblings two are lawyers and one is an environmental scientist.

“Ideally my folks would have liked me to be a good Asian doctor but I’m afraid I wasn’t bright enough. I was quite musical but my parents didn’t want me to do anything that was to do with the creative businesses.  

Shamed (w/t), which stars Game of Thrones actress Faye Marsay, centres around the cool and calm Sarah Ivy, whose world collapsed around her 10 years previously.

With the help of her brother she kidnaps two men, Nathan (Nick Blood - Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D) and Mani. The duo claim not to know Sarah or what she would want with them, however a connection is soon revealed...