WFTV’s accelerator and mentorship programme is supported by ScreenSkills High-end TV Skills Fund

Women in Film and TV (UK) (WFTV) has announced the 2025 cohort of the Julie Burnell Scholarship: WFTV Production Management Programme.

WFTV’s scheme is supported by the ScreenSkills High-end TV Skills Fund with contributions from UK TV productions; it offers four women from the north of England who are working in production management and line production the scope to accelerate their careers.

Kick-starting the inaugural programme, the cohort comprises:

• Fahima Chowdhury, who is Newcastle-based and has an established track record as a line producer on projects including The Power of Parker. 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, with previous credits including Death In Paradise S13, Waterloo Road S11 and Happy Valley S3.

• 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 North’s office while overseeing Nicola Payne: The Never Ending Murder.

• Lynsey Palmer, a Newcastle-based production manager for Family Secrets. Previous credits include I Fought The Law (and The Red King.

The programme is in tribute to the late Julie Burnell, former head of production for drama at ITV Studios and a passionate advocate for developing female talent in the industry, who died in 2023.

Led by Helen Bullough, WFTV’s North of England mentoring producer, the 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
  
• 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

Katie Bailiff, WFTV CEO, said, “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.”

Jacqui Taunton Fenton, senior high-end TV training liaison manager, ScreenSkills, said: “We’re delighted to welcome the new cohort and their mentors onto the programme. This initiative speaks directly to the aims that Julie championed throughout her time on the HETV council, and we’re hugely proud to be able to continue that support with these scholarships.

“Ensuring pathways to progression are open and accessible to everyone, especially those outside of London, is a core principle of the HETV Skills Fund, and we’re looking forward to seeing these four talented professionals further develop their skills through their time on the programme.”