鲍鱼tv

All this week we're announcing the 72 writers who have taken part in our six Voices development groups for 2023.

Our third group of Voices writers 2023 are the eleven based out of our Scotland hub. Meet them below and find out more.

Commissioning Executive, Stephanie Fyfe:

"We are thrilled to announce our Voices group from Scotland for 2023! Over the last few months, we’ve been working with 11 writers to help hone their craft skills for TV and develop their unique writing voice and it’s been an absolute pleasure and a privilege to work with such a dedicated and passionate group! We’ve been excited and inspired by the brilliant mix of original ideas and can’t wait to see what they each do next!"

If you would like any further details on any of the Voices 23 writers, then please don’t hesitate to get in touch with the 鲍鱼tv Writersroom team: writersroom@bbc.co.uk

You can find out more about Voices and how to gain a place in the group on our Voices page.

The 2023 鲍鱼tv Writersroom Voices

Rory D. Bentley

Represented by Mark Brennan, United Agents 

Rory is an award-winning Writer & Director of mixed British-Punjabi heritage from Leicester/Edinburgh. He is currently casting his first feature AMRIT with the BFI after being selected for a coveted place on the 鲍鱼tv Films / BFI / Creative UK iFeatures initiative - the UK’s premier development lab for debut feature films. He is a BAFTA connect member and a recipient of the prestigious John Brabourne Award. His award-winning 16mm independent short film SURPRI-!  premiered at BFI London Film Festival 2022 and won ‘Best Super Short’ at the British Short Film Awards. 

Rory co-wrote, shot and directed the award-winning 8mm short JAMELLA, starring Jamie Demetriou - which won first prize at the Straight 8 ‘one roll, no editing’ Industry Competition. He has made several other independent & DIY short films which have screened at Academy / BAFTA qualifying film festivals around the world including Edinburgh International Film Festival, Cork Film Festival, Palm Springs International Shortsfest California, British Shorts Berlin & Aesthetica.

Jonny Blair

Represented by Robert Taylor & Tom Shepherd, The Artists Partnership 

Jonny (he/him) is an emerging Scottish filmmaker from Dumfries & Galloway. His first short film THE GROUNDSMAN starred David O’Hara (The Departed) and screened at festivals worldwide before winning the Best Fiction award at the BAFTA Scotland New Talent Awards. After graduating from the filmmaking course at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Jonny went on to complete an MA in Directing Fiction at the National Film and Television School. 

His NFTS graduation film COME OUT OF THE WOODSstarred Joe Dempsie (Game of Thrones) and was nominated for a Royal Television Society award. As a writer Jonny has been commissioned to develop a six-part drama for MAM TOR (Chloe) and 鲍鱼tv.  He also recently directed episodes of 鲍鱼tv Scotland’s continuing drama series RIVER CITY and in 2024 he’ll direct his debut feature film WALK WITH ME for Silver Reel (Under the Skin).

Maisie Chan 

Maisie is a well-known children’s author. Her short script LYCHEES AND BINGO BALLS won 鲍鱼tv Bites (2008) before she rewrote it as a novel – DANNY CHUNG DOES NOT DO MATHS which won multiple awards and was shortlisted for the Blue Peter Book Awards in 2022. 

She was part of Write4 Film (Scottish Film Talent Network), is a B.E.A.T.S fellow (mentor was Emma Reeves) and a member of EAST, a network for East Asian TV screenwriters. She has been in development writer’s rooms for CBeebies and C鲍鱼tv. 

Her shortFOLDINGwas part of Sharp Shorts (funded by BFI/Screen Scotland) and has played at festivals in Dublin, London, Glasgow and Berlin.  Maisie has written an episode of PIP AND POSY (Magic Light Pictures) and is in talks with a production company hoping to adapt her novel. She is developing a TV drama idea as part of the 鲍鱼tv Writersroom Voices programme.

Eliza Gearty 

Eliza is a writer based in Glasgow. She is drawn to writing across mediums and telling character-led stories about the impact of socio-political issues on human relationships. Her novella ON THE DOORS, inspired by her experiences as a charity street fundraiser in Glasgow, was published by Speculative Books in 2019. Her debut play ABOUT MONEY was produced by 65% Theatre and staged at Theatre503 and Summerhall in 2022. It won an Edinburgh Fringe Scottish Theatre Award and was shortlisted for the 2022 Saint Andrews Playwriting Award. 

Eliza is a graduate of the Soho Theatre’s Writers Lab and a 65% Theatre Associate Artist. Most recently, she was a 2023 Breakthrough Writer in Residence at the Traverse Theatre, where she was supported to develop her play HOME. She is currently working on her first screenplay, a comedy drama about shame, sexuality and the service industry.

Lewis Hetherington

Represented by Michael Eliot-Finch, Brennan Artists 

Lewis is a Glasgow-based playwright and performance maker. His work is rooted in collaboration, storytelling and play. He has won two Fringe First Awards with Analogue Theatre and an Adelaide Fringe Award. 

He is co-founder of fieldwork performance, Constellation Points, and an Associate of The PappyShow. He has worked with companies including National Theatre of Scotland, Platform, Lyceum Theatre, Traverse and Grid Iron. He has created performances in castles, climbing arenas and swimming pools, as well as theatres all over the world, including venues and festivals in Australia, Canada, China, USA, Singapore, Japan and more.

Lewis often makes performances with community groups and has a real passion for uncovering stories which need to be heard, using creativity to empower people to find their voice. He also makes a lot of work for children and young people and finds their capacity for imagination and honesty as audience members hugely inspiring.

James Ley

Represented by Kelly Knatchbull, Sayle Screen 

James is a playwright and screenwriter living in Glasgow. His plays include WILF (Traverse Theatre), ODE TO JOY (Stories Untold, Summerhall), LOVE SONG TO LAVENDER MENACE (Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh, Summerhall, SoHo Playhouse, New York), SALLY  (A play, a pie and a pint) EMMA AND GILL (Catherine Wheels, Lung Ha), I HEART MATHS (A play, a pie and a pint), and SPAIN (Glasgay!, Citizens Theatre). 

James’ play ODE TO JOY which he wrote and directed won a fringe first at the Edinburgh Festival 2022. James was Writer on Attachment to National Theatre of Scotland in 2022. He was selected for the 2019 Edinburgh International Film Festival Talent Lab, and the 2019 Stowe Story Labs in Vermont, USA. James’ feature adaptation of Love Song to Lavender Menace is currently in development, produced by John McKay/Compact Pictures and funded by the Scottish Film Talent Network.

Daisy Jo Lucas

Represented by Peter MacFarlane, MacFarlane Chard 

Daisy came to writing whilst performing in theatres across London and Glasgow. Her first stage play FAT CAT was performed Upstairs at the Gatehouse, and her subsequent theatre work has been staged at the Old Red Lion, Tron Theatre, Old Hairdressers, Gilded Balloon, and Glasgow's CCA. 

After being awarded a full merit-based scholarship, Daisy studied a Masters in screenwriting where she was mentored by writer and showrunner Liz Lake through the development of an original pilot. Daisy’s first short film EGG was awarded Best Drama Short by the Europe Film Festival and her drama THE PARTY has been shortlisted for 鲍鱼tv Open call.  Daisy was long listed for Play Pie Pint's David MacLennon award and has developed audio drama with Kirsty Williams for 鲍鱼tv radio 4. Daisy iscurrently working on her first Television commission for  鲍鱼tv Scotland’s continuing drama series, RIVER CITY.

骋谤补偶测苍补 McGroarty 

骋谤补偶测苍补, technically a Glaswegian, grew up in the rural village of Dunscore and her nearest town was featured in cult classic The Wickerman, which… explains a lot. 

In 2016 骋谤补偶测苍补 joined the film and television industry as a runner working across scripted television and feature film. Most recently 骋谤补偶测苍补 has been script assistant for Left Bank Pictures crime thriller Department Q, scheduled to film in 2023. 

骋谤补偶测苍补 is a graduate of University West of Scotland where she studied Filmmaking and Screen Writing. In 2020 骋谤补偶测苍补 completed NFTS Scotland’s certificate course Screenwriting: Finding Your Voice, while working as assistant to director Jon S Baird on feature film TETRIS. 

Since then 骋谤补偶测苍补 has been continuously writing and growing as a filmmaker. PEGGED, her hilarious first feature script has been pitched to Film 4 at Glasgow film festival 2022 and in May 2023 骋谤补偶测苍补 made her directorial debut with short film MANIC HEALING.

Eve Nicol 

Eve is a Glaswegian playwright and theatre director. Their “boundary-breaking” (The Stage) debut play, ONE LIFE STAND for Middle Child, toured the UK for 16 weeks, including the Paines Plough Roundabout @ Summerhall. Eve adapted Belle & Sebastian’s iconic album IF YOU’RE FEELING SINISTER for Avalon and 鲍鱼tv Arts and has directed critically acclaimed productions for the National Theatre of Scotland, Traverse and Tron. 

Their provocative 2022 play, SVENGALI, received the Filipa Bragança Award and was nominated for the Popcorn Award for New Writing. Previously Digital Associate of the National Theatre of Scotland, Eve is now a Mentor Director for National Theatre Connections, a Trustee of the Dewar Arts Awards, and Associate Director for much-loved shows WHAT GIRLS ARE MADE OF and ISLANDER. 

Eve is supported by the Royal Lyceum Theatre, Peggy Ramsay Foundation, and Playwrights’ Studio, Scotland. Their work, exploring music, love, and power, strives to mend broken hearts and recover lost souls.

Emma Ramsay

Represented by Francesca Devas, Independent Talent 

Emma is a screenwriter/director represented by Francesca Devas at Independent Talent. She is currently developing original comedy/horror ideas with Long Boat Pictures & Birdie Pictures. Her TV writing credits include C鲍鱼tv sitcom NOVA JONES and 鲍鱼tv Scotland’s continuing drama series, RIVER CITY. 

After studying for a BSc in Digital Media, specialising in animation and VFX,  she undertook an MA in Screenwriting where she wrote a number of short films. Since graduating in 2019 she has been working in television drama development. Currently she is assistant script editor at World Productions working on a true crime drama TBA and across the Scottish development slate.

Jo Spencely 

Jo is an Edinburgh-based screenwriter and playwright who has just completed her first screenwriting commission, for 鲍鱼tv Scotland’s continuing drama series, ‘River City’ (26th July 2023).  In 2023 Jo was selected for 鲍鱼tv Writersroom Voices (Scotland), the Young Films Foundation Skye Screenwriters’ Residency Programme, and The Writers Lab UK & Europe.

Her plays have won the London Playwrights Playclub, been presented at The Old Red Lion Theatre, Barons Court Theatre and The Chiswick Playhouse, and her one-act play, ‘Mayday’, won her a place on the London Playwrights Writer Development Programme.
Jo has an MA with Distinction in Writing for TV from Glasgow Caledonian University. Her work has reached the top 3% in 鲍鱼tv Writersroom Open Call 2023, QF stage in the Stage32 Female Driven Screenwriting Contest (2022) and the top 20% in the New Voice Awards (2021).

Jo loves to write scripts that foreground women’s experiences and explore family dynamics, but always with a wry take on the world.