ITV is inviting indies led by People of Colour (POC) led and/or Deaf, Disabled or Neurodivergent (DDN) people to pitch for this year’s Fresh Cuts strand.
Six indies will each receive £50,000 to make an unscripted show that ITV can air during Black History Month in October and Disability History Month, which runs from 14 November to 20 December.
This year, it is asking for 22-minute one-off programmes from emerging film-makers, in contrast to last year’s batch of short-form series.
The 2024 Fresh Cuts included six series from new directors [pictures] made by ITV Studio label MultiStory Media, one from Postcard Productions and one from Gold Wala.
The 2025 programmes will also stream on ITVX and ITVs YouTube channel and the broadcaster encourages entrants to be “as bold as possible” and demonstrating “a unique vision”
“We are open to any ideas, but it should fit into ITV’s brand of bold and distinct programmes that are ultimately entertaining,” ITV said in its call for entries.
Fresh Cuts is funded by ITV’s £80m-per-year diversity commissioning spend, which was recently renewed up to 2027.
The deadline for entries is 26 April, with ITV set to decide on the six companies on 16 May. Shows will be delivered to the broadcaster by around August/September.
ITV commissioner Richard Botchway and DEI & talent lead Nahrein Kemp are hosting a webinar for interested parties on 9 April at 10pm. Sign up here
