Four of the UK’s most influential screen industry figures have been recognised at the inaugural ‘CCC Champions Awards’, unveiled at this year’s Creative Cities Convention in Liverpool.
The new honours, sponsored by Liverpool FC Foundation, were handed to John McVay, Donna Taberer, Ruth Pitt and Lynn Saunders on the opening day of the convention, which celebrates film, TV and digital production outside London.
The awards aim to spotlight individuals who have shaped the sector’s growth, diversity and regional strength.
Lisa Campbell, director of Creative Cities Convention, said: “We’ve been showcasing a number of legends on stage throughout this convention, so what a fitting finale it is to recognise four renowned and respected figures who have dedicated their careers to making the industry a better, fairer and more inclusive place. These inaugural CCC Champions Awards will inspire others to follow in their footsteps.”
McVay, who stepped down as chief executive of Pact earlier this year after more than two decades, was recognised for his long-standing influence on the UK’s independent production sector and policy landscape.
Paying tribute, Kate Phillips, chief content officer at the BBC, said: “Many congratulations to John on this well-deserved award. Not only has he done so much for the indie sector over the years, but he has also done so much for the growth of those indies across the UK. They really have thrived as a result of a large part of the work that you’ve done. And we can’t thank you enough. You are brilliant, you are forthright, you’re opinionated, you’re slightly terrifying, and you’re going to be hugely missed by us all. You do have very big shoes to fill.”
Liverpool Film Office head Saunders was also honoured for her role in transforming the city into one of the UK’s leading production hubs.
Actor and Hat Trick Productions founder Jimmy Mulville said: “She’s led the UK’s most successful film office since 2019, turning Liverpool into the country’s top film city outside London. She built two studios from scratch and is now reviving the Woods building into a state-of-the-art studio complex—with a sixth-form school inside to train young people for careers in the creative industries. Warm, tough, resourceful, and famously no-nonsense, she’s a perfect example of what makes Liverpool special. Oh, and she’s also a great mum—her son supports Everton. Need I say more? Congratulations.”
Taberer, a former Channel 5 head of entertainment turned leadership and training specialist, was recognised for her work in developing talent and improving inclusion across the industry.
Dame Esther Rantzen said: “I first met Donna when she joined the That’s Life team in 1990. We all wanted to make the world fairer but it was very clear that she was supreme at it. She has gone far beyond what’s expected of her in supporting hundreds of other people like her without connections who just had their talent to recommend them. She has shaped countless careers and created a more inclusive television industry. Donna doesn’t just make programmes. She actually changes lives.”
Pitt, co-founder of the Creative Cities Convention and a long-time advocate for regional production, was also among the first recipients.
Presenter Kirsty Wark added: “‘what you’ve achieved from supporting and championing television right across the UK to mentoring so many people into the industry and to connecting and developing those already in it, what you’ve done and then the creative cities convention you started that with John big V, how fantastic. Many congratulations for a brilliant human being.”
Launched in 2018, Creative Cities Convention brings together producers, broadcasters and distributors working across film, TV and digital outside London, with backing from organisations including the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5/Paramount and Pact.
