Women in Film and Television has announced the new cohort for its Kay Mellor Screenwriters’ Lab.
Celebrating the next generation of women screenwriters, the lab was established in the memory of the late Kay Mellor OBE.
Mellor, who was born and bred in Leeds was one of the UK’s most influential writers, producers and directors – perhaps best known for creating ground-breaking dramas, Band of Gold, Fat Friends and The Syndicate.
READ MORE – Leeds writer of The Syndicate and Girlfriends Kay Mellor dies suddenly aged 71
The week-long residential programme has brought together 13 emerging writers from across the UK for an immersive experience designed to help take their projects to the next stage.
This includes a programme of workshops, one-to-one mentoring, industry masterclasses and peer collaboration.
This year’s lab is led by screenwriter Lisa Holdsworth (Fat Friends, Call the Midwife, Waterloo Road) and award-winning producer Carol Harding (Black Ops, The Confessions of Frannie Langton, My Name Is Leon), who are providing expert guidance and mentorship throughout the week.
Talent agent Cynthia Okoye is also joining the programme as a guest speaker.
The cohort for 2026 includes Aimee Shenton, Caia Lee, Jahnavi Bhatt, Lynsey Tomlinson Booth, Maya Pillay, Michelle Jones, Olivia Gagan, Precious Mustapha, Rachelle Gallagher, Sophie Park, Sylvia-Anne Parker, Tara Ryan and Zanna Cardash.
“It is fantastic that WFTV is once again able to offer the Screenwriter’s Lab programme where we will be able to uplift and equip women writers across our industry, honouring Kay Mellor’s legacy,” said Katie Bailiff, CEO at WFTV UK.
“It’s been an exciting week, with WFTV bringing new writers together for a week of workshops, talks and mentoring sessions. WFTV strives to give new writers an invaluable experience echoing Kay Mellor’s determination to champion women in the industry through this lab. It has been wonderful to see the successes from previous labs and we are excited to see what this year’s cohort will contribute to the industry”
