The scheme is a boost for creative talent in the Midlands following the forthcoming demise of BBC One ratings success Doctors. Write Across Birmingham and the Black Country will provide up to twelve writers with a crucial insight into writing for television the BBC has today announced. Jessica Loveland, Head of New Writing for BBC
Michael Blakemore, the Australian-born director, who has died aged 95, made his name in London with his premieres of plays by Peter Nichols; he cemented his reputation by staging the majority of plays by Michael Frayn and – in a long-lived career that spanned half a century – became identified as a director with a meticulous eye, a potent feel for the theatrical and a sure touch in the commercial sector.