ITV is to bring back its Original Voices initiative, giving aspiring writers from Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic [BAME] backgrounds the chance to work on Coronation Street.
First launched in 2013, ITV has run the Original Voices scheme four times so far with writers joining the Story and Writing teams of both Coronation Street and Emmerdale.
This time it will focus on Coronation Street, and is seeking submissions with a view to offering a month in Corrie’s story office to four writers.
They would then spend four weeks in the Script Department with the Script Producer and Script Editors, following an episode through the script process. The successful candidates, who would be paid a fee on a fixed-term contract, would then be given the opportunity to write a shadow script.
John Whiston, Managing Director, MD Continuing Drama & Head of ITV in the North, ITV Studios, said: “The twin engines of any long running series are the Story Office and the Script Department. They are also a great stepping stone onto a show’s writing team.
“This scheme, aimed at writers from BAME backgrounds, gives the four successful applicants a unique opportunity to spend time in both those areas, understanding what makes a continuing drama tick and contributing to its creative and editorial process. All in all, it’s a perfect grounding in soap.”
