The outline of the inaugural programme has been confirmed…
Women in Film and TV (UK) (WFTV) has announced the 2025 cohort of the Julie Burnell Scholarship: WFTV Production Management Programme, supported by the ScreenSkills High-end TV Skills Fund with contributions from UK TV productions. This initiative underscores WFTV‘s ongoing commitment to empowering women in Production Management and advancing their careers within high-end TV (HETV) film and television.
The programme offers four women from the North of England who are working in production management and line producing an unparalleled opportunity to accelerate their careers and develop as future industry leaders.
Katie Bailiff, WFTV CEO:
“Our Production Management Programme is a cornerstone of WFTV’s mission to champion and support women in the screen industries, and we are proud to honour Julie Burnell’s remarkable legacy through this initiative. Julie was a deeply respected figure in our industry, and this programme reflects her passion for nurturing talent and creating pathways for others to thrive. I’m thrilled to see our four selected candidates embark on this transformative journey, supported by structured development, mentorship, and a community that shares Julie’s commitment to excellence in production management and line producing.”
Kick-starting the inaugural programme, the cohort includes: Fahima Chowdhury, who is Newcastle based and has an established track record as a line producer on projects including The Power of Parker (BBC/Boffola Pictures). Fahima also line produced ITV/Silverpoint’s Vera from 2014, stepping up to co-produce for the final two series.
Nicole Forrest, a North-West based Production Manager with experience in HETV, continuing drama, comedy and children’s television. She most recently worked as Production Manager on The Power of Parker S2 (BBC/Boffola). Her previous credits include Death In Paradise S13 (BBC/Red Planet), Waterloo Road S11 (BBC/Rope Ladder Fiction) and Happy Valley S3 (BBC/Lookout Point).
Mel Rainbow, based in the North East, is an experienced Production Manager specialising in premium unscripted and now pivoting into drama production. Recent projects include heading Fulwell 73’s North Office while overseeing Nicola Payne: The Never Ending Murder (Amazon/Fulwell 73).
Lynsey Palmer, a Newcastle-based Production Manager for Family Secrets (C5/ Lonesome Pine Productions) Lynsey’s previous credits include I Fought The Law (ITV/Hera Pictures) and The Red King (ITV/Quay Street Productions).
Led by Helen Bullough, WFTV‘s North of England Mentoring Producer, this intensive four-month programme offers tailored career and personal development workshops, including Insights Discovery (a psychometric tool based on the work of Carl Jung), led by Executive Coach & WFTV Director of Mentoring, Sarah Wright and Best Practice in Production Management workshops from production partnerships company Nest Productions.
Exclusive masterclasses with leading industry experts, including ITV Studios Head of Production, Drama, Faiza Tovey and Director of Production, Drama, Julie Clark; plus, senior media executives Tamara Howe and Claire Poyser and one-to-one mentoring with senior professionals in the industry, including: Head of Production, Scripted Labels, BBC Studios, Alison Loose; Sony Pictures TV Head of Production Angela Taylor; Head of Production at Quay Street Productions Chris Leach and Wall to Wall Head of Production Ros Taylor.
This initiative is made possible with the generous support of ScreenSkills, in tribute to the late Julie Burnell, former Head of Production for Drama at ITV Studios, who passed away in 2023. Julie was a highly respected production executive, instrumental in bringing acclaimed dramas such as Vera, Lewis, Mr Selfridge, and Poirot to the screen. She was also a passionate advocate for developing female talent in the industry.
