Writing for Continuing Drama Series

"To make the good popular and the popular good."

Continuing Drama Series is the department that produces EastEnders, Casualty, Holby City and Doctors. We produce a huge volume of drama – nearly 400 hours per year made up of four episodes of EastEnders per week, 52 episodes of Holby per year, 48 of Casualty, and 236 of Doctors.

We have now established a central system for writer recruitment across all four shows.

We will only accept scripts that have been submitted via agents.  We cannot accept unsolicited scripts not sent by an agent – they will be forwarded to the writersroom.  

BBC writersroom
We work closely with the BBC writersroom, who read all unsolicited scripts sent to the BBC and recommend promising writers on to us.

Agents
Agents can submit scripts by email or post to:

Jenny Robins, Development Producer, New Talent.

Rachelle Constant, Development Co-ordinator, New Talent.

1st Floor, The Lighthouse, BBC Media Village London W12 7QT

Jenny.Robins@bbc.co.uk

Rachelle.Constant@bbc.co.uk

Jenny and Rachelle read all scripts submitted with a view to recommending them on to one or more of the shows for further development.  They ensure that all the shows are talking to each other about writers, and that names of interest are passed around.

Agents can also submit scripts to individual shows:

EastEnders: Toby Bentley, Development Editor
EastEnders, Rm H216, Hart House, BBC Elstree, Clarendon Road, Borehamwood, Herts. WD6 1JF
Toby.Bentley@bbc.co.uk

Casualty: Sophie Fante, Script Producer
Casualty, Unit 56, Kingsland Trading Estate, St. Phillips Road, Bristol BS2 0JZ
Sophie.Fante@bbc.co.uk

Holby City: Simon Harper, Script Producer
Holby City, Rm N514, Neptune House, BBC Elstree, Clarendon Road, Borehamwood, Herts. WD6 1JF
Simon.Harper@bbc.co.uk

Doctors: via Jenny Robins or Rachelle Constant (see above)

 

Writers Academy
If you have a professional writing credit you can apply to the Writers Academy (with or without an agent).

Ceri Meyrick writes about the Academy process on the writersroom blog.

Watch our film about how our dramas create the stars of tomorrow: BBC Continuing Drama: The University of Drama.

Watch how continuing Drama is working to create more Diversity in the stories it tells: The Colour of Drama.

Latest News

BBC Continuing Drama appoints Tony Garnett as Writers Ombudsman

BBC Continuing Drama has appointed independent television producer Tony Garnett in a newly created role as an external ombudsman in conjunction with the Writers Guild.

The purpose of an ombudsman will be to offer writers the opportunity to benefit from Garnett’s wealth of expertise as a script editor, screen writer, director and producer when they feel they need third party guidance beyond the BBC or Writers Guild.

The new role is set to continue BBC Continuing Drama’s on-going drive to attract and develop the highest quality talent and place writers right at the heart of the drama production process. BBC Continuing Drama produces almost 400 hours of award winning drama every year including EastEnders, Casualty, Holby and Doctors.

John Yorke, BBC Controller, Drama Production and New Talent said of the appointment:

"I’m delighted that someone as respected and experienced as Tony has agreed to take on this pivotal role. We are absolutely committed to placing writers at the heart of our creative process and Tony’s appointment is another big step forward to achieving that goal. "

Bernie Corbett, General Secretary of the Writers’ Guild added:

"Terrific news. This is a brilliant appointment that will be welcomed by writers. Tony Garnett is ideally placed to appreciate the standpoint of both the broadcaster and the individual writer and to resolve the issues that are bound to crop up from time to time."

This year, BBC Drama has also issued its updated Code of Conduct by which all editorial staff are asked to abide in their treatment of writers.

The WGGB also has its own Television Good Practice Guide, Working With Writers, which is available to all its members and production personnel.