Submit the first 10 pages of your comedy script for a chance to have it read by top flight comedy talent for a live audience

Working class women are almost five times less likely to secure a creative job than men from privileged backgrounds. Are you a UK woman from a working class background, originating from or currently based outside London? Have you started writing TV or radio comedy and would love a chance to get help from an industry professional?

Female Pilot Club is partnering with BBC Comedy to run a script mentorship initiative that could help you get to the next stage. We welcome eligible women to apply by November 15. It's free to apply, and five writers selected will receive a small stipend for participating. You only need ten pages of your script and a short description of your comedy series idea. If you're chosen, we'll pair you with an industry mentor to help you polish your ten pages in preparation for a live read-through by top flight comedy talent at a London showcase event in 2025.

Since 2019, Female Pilot Club has staged live readings of brilliant female-written comedy scripts by top flight comedy talent for public and industry audiences. Our finalists have gone on to attain representation and have their scripts optioned by production companies. We believe nothing proves good comedy like the sound of laughter!

Submission windows:

October 1 - November 15, 2024

Meet the Mentors

Five brilliant mentors will participate in selecting our five Finalists and supporting them with mentorship in preparation for the showcase event.

Be sure to read their advice!

Georgia Pritchett is a multi-award-winning comedy and drama writer who has five Emmys, five Writers Guild awards, a Golden Globe, a Producer’s Guild award and a BAFTA. She was a writer and co-executive producer on HBO's critically acclaimed shows Succession and Veep and show-runner for The Shrink Next Door. Georgia has written extensively for Miranda Hart and Tracy Ullman and the shows Have I Got News for You, Smack the Pony, Not Going Out and The Thick of It. She created, wrote and show-ran 2DTV for ITV as well as Quick Cuts, Feel The Force and BBC's Life of Riley. Her memoir My Mess is a Bit of a Life was released in the summer of 2021 to rave reviews.

I am looking for character driven comedy that is not scared to be serious and dark but also makes me laugh out loud.

Athena Kugblenu is a stand up comedian and writer, the recipient of the Felix Dexter Bursary and member of the BBC Comedy Room. She writes all kinds of comedy for all kinds of shows (The News Quiz, The Now Show, Russell Howard Hour, New World Order, Mock The Week, The Lenny Henry Show, Sketchtopia, Dead Ringers, The Weakest Link, Blankety Blank, Odd Squad, Jo Jo and Gran Gran...). She has her own Radio 4 special, Magnifying Class and her own Radio 4 series, Cancel Culture.

In a script, I look for characters. If I love the characters and they have been given so much thought they jump off the page like they are real people, that wins me over.

Lucy Lumsden is an award-winning director and the Managing Director of Yellow Door Productions. She is the former Controller of Comedy Commissioning for the BBC and former Head of Comedy for Sky.

What I look for in a script: something, anything, anyone that surprises me, tickles me and gets me off the giggle step in the first couple of pages so that reading on is a total pleasure. That all-important great first impression comes from confidence in establishing characters and relationships that we are going to care about. Crack that and the rest will follow.

Sioned Wiliam is a BAFTA-nominated and multi-award-winning producer with over 30 years of experience in comedy, drama and light entertainment. She is the former Controller of Comedy for the ITV network and the former Commissioning Editor for Comedy for BBC Radio 4.

Try and think of a flexible backdrop to your show that allows a lot of scenarios for your characters. People often choose workplaces or family backgrounds because they allow for a range of character based stories. But see if you can find an interesting version of these that we haven’t seen before. Look for a range of characters with varying dynamics who can offer up a lot of different experiences and interactions. This can be a small but interesting group like say Frasier, Niles, Daphne, Ros and Martin or a larger ‘gang show like Dad’s Army.

Submission Guidelines

Chosen Scripts

Five Finalists will have the first 10 pages of their scripts read to a live audience by top flight comedy talent in 2025
Finalists will receive support from Mentors to further develop their scripts in preparation for the show
Finalists, Semifinalists and Quarterfinalists will be all recognised across all FPC platforms

Script Brief

We are seeking the first ten pages plus a short synopsis for original comedy pilot scripts intended to be either 30 minute TV or radio series. We are looking for straight laugh-out-loud comedy pilots -- not comedy/dramas. Stories with a unique personal lens or local appeal are preferred, as well as stories that bring to light new perspectives, particularly reflecting the backgrounds or experiences of the writers themselves. We have a strong preference for scripts that feature six or less main characters.

Our tips:

Look at what's already been done... and do something new.
Ensure your unique story also has broad appeal -- great comedy connects people!
Read the advice of the Mentors.

Requirements

You have originated from or are currently living in the UK outside of London
You identify as having come from a working class background
Submit the first ten pages of your TV or radio pilot episode
Script must be based on original ideas that belong to nobody but you
Script must be written in industry standard screenplay or radio format to be considered
Title page must include your full name, contact details, series title and episode title
Write a synopsis for your series, no more than one page in length

How to Submit

Include the following things in your email to femalepilotclub@gmail.com

Subject line: FPC 2025 SCRIPT CALL
Attach a synopsis for your series, no more than one page in length
Attach your 10-page script as a PDF and name the file as follows: LAST NAME_FIRST NAME_SERIES TITLE
In the PDF: title page must include your full name, contact email, series title and episode title

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Script not quite ready?

We want to help! The FPC Script Consultancy offers feedback and development support to take your script to the next level.

LEARN MORE

Working with FPC on your script does not guarantee its placement in our script calls. We depend on qualified external judges for their unbiased opinions.