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Press Releases
91Èȱ¬ Comedy North announces bursary award winner 2006
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91Èȱ¬ Comedy North and 91Èȱ¬ Writersroom have announced that Norwich writer, Kate Wincup, has won this year's writers bursary award to develop her own scripts and ideas for television and radio.
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Kate, who is a final year student at the University of Salford, studying for a BA in Media and Performance, won the £5,000 award with her comedy drama script A Fistful Of Burgers.
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She becomes the third writer in residence at 91Èȱ¬ Comedy North in Manchester.
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Kate had to present her script and discuss her ideas in front of a selection panel which included Kenton Allen (Editor, 91Èȱ¬ Comedy), Kate Rowlands (Creative Director, New Writing) and Michael Jacob (Creative Head, Mainstream Comedy).
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The bursary award will give Kate a unique opportunity to develop her next script; build crucial relationships with 91Èȱ¬ script editors, producers and directors and gain first hand knowledge of how a script evolves into a TV programme.
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"I'm delighted and amazed to have won this award," said Kate.
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"It's my first full script and I only entered after being persuaded by my tutor at University. Thankfully my degree has a large element of performance to it – which came in handy when I had to present my ideas to the panel!
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"I'm really looking forward to being based at 91Èȱ¬ Manchester – I deliberately came to study in the North West because of the amazing heritage of comedy and stand-up here – my hero is Steve Coogan so to be working at the 91Èȱ¬ is a dream come true."
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Kenton Allen, 91Èȱ¬ Editor of Comedy, said: "I'm delighted that Kate has won this award. Her comedy script really stood out – it's an anarchic Northern take on the classic Clint Eastwood genre. Think Sergio Leone on acid.
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"While we were very impressed with the strength and depth of all of this year's applicants, Kate is a genuinely original voice."
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Kate Rowland, Creative Director, New Writing, said: "The partnership between 91Èȱ¬ Writersroom and 91Èȱ¬ Comedy North just goes from strength to strength and we are delighted to be funding this bursary for the third year running. Kate Wincup is a real find.
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"This is a fantastic opportunity for her to develop her ideas and writing and to share her experiences with other aspiring comedy writers. Kate joins a team of writers in residence across the country in other 91Èȱ¬ departments."
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In 2005, this award was won by Liverpool writer Joanne Sherryden who since winning the bursary has continued to develop projects with 91Èȱ¬ Comedy North.
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Previous winners include Tony Burgess who has scored significant success, most recently with his narrative comedy Smalltime, currently in pre-production in Manchester.
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Notes to Editors
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91Èȱ¬ Comedy North was set up in October 2003 to develop and nurture the next generation of comedy talent in the North of England.
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In 2005, 91Èȱ¬ Three commissioned 91Èȱ¬ Comedy North to make a second series of the popular comedy Ideal starring Johnny Vegas and a series of I'm With Stupid which was commissioned following a successful pilot.
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Both series were transmitted to critical acclaim in 2006.
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And Funland, a disturbingly funny thriller written by Simon Ashdown (EastEnders) and Jeremy Dyson (League Of Gentlemen), set in Blackpool, was screened on 91Èȱ¬ Three last Autumn then 91Èȱ¬ Two in Spring 2006.
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91Èȱ¬ Northern Exposure is a 91Èȱ¬ Writersroom focus on northern England talent through a unique partnership programme, working with five theatres and 14 other cultural partners across the north, from Merseyside to Tyneside.
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Its key aims are to find and develop new writers for the 91Èȱ¬ and to increase 91Èȱ¬ production activity in the North of England.
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On a scale unprecedented by the 91Èȱ¬ or any other broadcaster, Northern Exposure has invested £600,000 over three years in a defined geographical region, working closely with organisations outside the 91Èȱ¬ to develop talent, ideas and projects that benefit both the 91Èȱ¬ and the cultural infrastructure of the North.
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For further information about new writing initiatives available at the 91Èȱ¬, check out bbc.co.uk/writersroom.
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