Drama producer Dancing Ledge Productions, Fremantle label Naked and Raise the Roof are among 10 indies vying to be crowned the best production company for new talent.
The TV Foundation, supported by the Edinburgh TV Festival, has shortlisted the companies in its annual New Voice Awards, which will be presented next month.
Last year’s special commendation winner, His Dark Materials producer Bad Wolf, is in the running again, with Nutopia and BBC Studios also shortlisted for a consecutive year. BlackLight Television, Air TV, Firecrest Films and Fully Focused Productions complete the list.
The category was won last year by Wall of Productions.
Only two broadcasters are in contention for best broadcaster for new talent: last year's winner ITV and Channel 4, which was on the 2022 shortlist alongside the BBC.
The annual new talent awards also recognises first-time directors, writers and performers.
The unscripted directors list includes the makers of two BBC3 docs: Ellie Merz for Zara McDermott: Disordered Eating and Olivia Isaacs for Eddie Hall: The Beast vs The Mountain; plus Jason Osborne for ITV’s Our Jubilee; Bunmi Oyateru for Hikikomori, which was made for short-form platform BBC Reel; and the makers of two Discovery+ docs: Richard Ampeh for The Nod: Tell Me You Got Me, and Talisha Johnson for Too Autistic For Black.
The scripted directors list comprises Ayril Evans for C4’s Hollyoaks; Lisa Clarkson for BBC4’s Skint; Jesse Quinones for BBC1’s revived Waterloo Road; Sophie King for All4 commission Disability Benefits, and Oonagh Kearney for C4’s Vardy v Rooney: A Courtroom Drama.
The awards also recognise mentors who have supported new talent, with women dominating a 10-strong shortlist.
David Macpherson, writer of Amazon Prime’s The Rig, is the sole male nominee, and is up against Jules Hussey, producer of BBC1’s Ralph and Katie and a driver of inclusion and access on that production; Sky commissioner Hayley Reynolds; writers Zoe Tomalin and Delia-Rene Donaldson; freelance producer Kirsty Malcom; Anne Boleyn director Lynsey Miller, War of the Worlds executive producer Sara Johnson; and Tiger Aspect executive producer Sarah Fraser.
The winners will be announced on 6 April.
