Tiger Aspect

Sir Lenny Henry pens drama Three Little Birds for ITV

(credit: ITV)

Inspired by his mother’s stories of leaving Jamaica in the 1950s for Great Britain, Henry has created six fictional episodes charting the adventures of two outgoing sisters, Leah and Chantrelle, and their virtuous acquaintance Hosanna.

When the trio, from St Anne’s district in Jamaica, board a cruise ship heading for Great Britain, they leave their family, friends and old lives behind to forge new horizons on the other side of the Atlantic.

Commissioners explain how to get an idea on TV

Anna Cronin (Chair), Damian Kavanagh, Catherine Lynch and Kate Stannard (Credit: Paul Hampartsoumian)

“If you are defensive and precious about your idea, and you won’t let it evolve, whether that’s in your brainstorm or when you’re pitching to the commissioner, it’s just never going to go anywhere,” explained Catherine Lynch, creative director at Initial TV, which makes ITV gameshow Tenable

Initial’s head of development Kate Stannard agreed: “What you end up seeing on telly is often quite different to the thing you first said in the room.”