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Press Releases
91Èȱ¬ Drama Production reorganises the top team
to build on success
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Fresh from its week-long 91Èȱ¬ One hit series Criminal Justice, 91Èȱ¬ Drama Production today announces changes to build on the success of an increasing number of new commissions, re-commissions, the opening of a new hub in Manchester led by Phil Collinson and a major expansion for the Writers Academy programme.
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91Èȱ¬ Drama Production has seen a boom in work over the past 12 months, with acclaimed series such as Five Days and The Curse Of Comedy, Cranford and The Passion, Oliver Twist and Lark Rise To Candleford, alongside its regular returning slate including EastEnders, Doctors, Waking The Dead, Silent Witness, Holby and Casualty.
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Its next major series House Of Saddam is due for transmission on Wednesday 30 July on 91Èȱ¬ Two.
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Drama Production currently operates from major bases in London and Elstree, Birmingham and Bristol and has recently added Manchester to its remit.
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Peter Salmon, Head of Vision Productions, said:
"The brilliant recent performance of 91Èȱ¬ Drama Production is one of the big success stories of in-house programme-making.
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"To cope with the pressures of their growing business, I have asked Nicolas Brown to lead the senior team as Director, Drama Production, and set out their strategy for the next few years, including growing the slate of titles, driving production modernisation and building commercial revenue.
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"He will sit on the board of Vision Productions to make sure drama gets the credit and profile it needs to continue to deliver strongly. He leads an outstanding top team."
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As part of the changes, John Yorke becomes Controller, Drama Production and New Talent. While remaining editorially responsible for the Continuing Drama Series, all currently enjoying ratings and award success, he will also spearhead a four-fold expansion in activity for writer, producer, director and script editor training.
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John will oversee an expansion of Writers Academy to the Nations and Regions and, by drawing in the 91Èȱ¬ Writersroom, lead a much more co-ordinated approach to training.
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Kate Rowlands (Creative Director, New Writing) will work alongside John to ensure that writers' training is linked up across the whole of the UK.
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Kate Harwood, who has been behind successes such as Cranford, Lark Rise To Candleford, Oliver Twist and The Passion, will take on responsibility for the department's single films, and becomes Controller, Series and Serials, 91Èȱ¬ Drama Production.
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Kate is editorially responsible for series, serials and singles across the whole of Drama Production.
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Kate's team are currently working on some of the highlights of the 91Èȱ¬ One Autumn schedule, including new productions of Survivors, Little Dorrit and Tess of the D'Urbevilles, as well as the return of Silent Witness and Lark Rise To Candleford which returns in Winter 2009.
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Kate, John and Phil Collinson, who has just started work leading the Manchester hub of Drama Production, will now report managerially to Nicolas Brown in his role as Director, Drama Production – who has responsibility for the delivery of the creative, production and financial strategy across the whole department – and sit on the Drama Production Board.
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Peter Salmon said:
"These changes have become urgent at a time when the ambitions of in-house drama have resulted in its most successful period for years.
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"Editorially, the department is at the top of its game, enjoying a growing slate of ambitious productions, 91Èȱ¬ One's Criminal Justice being just the latest. All this increases our need to plan long term and develop and manage more strategically.
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"The expansion of the hugely influential Writers Academy spearheaded by John, and the creation of a new production centre in Manchester led by Phil, will help ensure that we build on our recent creative successes and get the best value for money from all in-house drama production."
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Notes to Editors
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There are two 91Èȱ¬ writing initiatives:
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The Writers Academy is a unique course created to find the next generation of TV writers. The course equips established writers with the skills to work on 91Èȱ¬ flagship continuing drama programmes and is the only course in the world that guarantees writers the opportunity to work on primetime television.
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91Èȱ¬ Writersroom champions burgeoning, raw writing talent in film, television, radio and theatre. Writersroom helps new writers develop their craft through the website and in open sessions around the country with the UK's best writing talent.
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Both initiatives have created a rich pool of writing talent who currently work on some of 91Èȱ¬ One's best-loved and most popular shows – EastEnders, Casualty, Holby, Doctor Who and Doctors.
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2008 has been a fantastic year so far for 91Èȱ¬ Drama Production, with highlights including the Curse of Comedy season flourishing on 91Èȱ¬ Four, giving the channel its highest viewing figure for The Curse Of Steptoe.
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Last week, the critically acclaimed Criminal Justice starring Ben Whishaw (Perfume, I'm Not There), gained an average audience of 4.8 million (21% share), proving to be a huge hit with viewers.
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