Women in Film and Television UK (WFTV) announced today that applications for the Kay Mellor Screenwriters’ Lab 2026 are now open.

The lab, an annual event dedicated to nurturing and empowering female screenwriters, offers writers an opportunity to develop their scripts in a focused, supportive environment, with access to leading industry professionals.

The announcement comes as the cohort from the 2025 lab, led by screenwriter Lisa Holdsworth (Fat Friends, Call the Midwife, Waterloo Road) and script consultant Marilyn Milgrom (Black Mirror, The Shadow Scholars, Kensuke’s Kingdom) showcase their writing, read by professional actors from the WFTV network at the annual Kay Mellor Screenwriters’ Lab Script Showcase in London this week.

This year’s programme will return to Arvon Foundation’s house The Hurst in Shropshire, bringing together a brand-new cohort of 13 emerging writers for an immersive week of intensive workshops, mentorship, and industry insight from the 21st – 26th September 2026.

The 2026 lab will once again be led by an team of tutors who will guide participants through the 5-day screenwriters’ lab, exploring the craft of screenwriting, fostering collaboration and building connections, helping develop the cohort’s scripts to bring them closer to reality. Past tutors include screenwriters Lisa Holdsworth and Olivia Hetreed, producer Carol Harding and script consultant Marilyn Milgrom

The Kay Mellor Screenwriters’ Lab was established to honour the legacy of the late Kay Mellor OBE, a trailblazing writer, producer, and director who was a fierce advocate for women in the industry.

Katie Bailiff, CEO at WFTV UK, says: “WFTV is proud to foster emerging writers through the Kay Mellor Screenwriters’ Lab.  Seeing the cohorts work progress each year from the intensive week-long workshops is an honour and we look forward to seeing the 2025 cohort present this week. Championing women in film and television and nurturing new talent was of the utmost importance for Kay and we are privileged to continue her legacy through the annual screenwriters lab.”

Applications for the Kay Mellor Screenwriters’ Lab 2026 are open now, apply viahttps://www.wftv.org.uk/screenwriterslab. Applications are open for a limited time only; the closing date is Monday, 11th May 2026 at 5pm.

 (Photo Credit: Mary Wycherley)