Women in Film and Television UK (WFTV) has announced the 2026 cohort for the WFTV Kay Mellor Screenwriters’ Lab.
Currently taking place at The Hurst in Shropshire, the former home of playwright John Osborne and now the home of the Arvon Foundation, the week-long residential programme has brought together 13 talented emerging writers from across the UK for an immersive experience designed to help take their projects to the next stage.
This year’s lab is led by screenwriter Lisa Holdsworth (Fat Friends, Call the Midwife, Waterloo Road) and producer Carol Harding (Black Ops, The Confessions of Frannie Langton, My Name Is Leon), who are providing expert guidance and mentorship throughout the week. Talent agent Cynthia Okoye is also joining the programme as a guest speaker, sharing insight into agent representation and navigating the industry.
Chosen from a highly competitive pool of applicants, this year’s cohort was selected for the originality of their ideas, the strength of their voices and the exciting potential of their work.
The 2026 WFTV Kay Mellor Screenwriters’ Lab cohort are:
Aimee Shenton
Caia Lee
Jahnavi Bhatt
Lynsey Tomlinson Booth
Maya Pillay
Michelle Jones
Olivia Gagan
Precious Mustapha
Rachelle Gallagher
Sophie Park
Sylvia-Anne Parker
Tara Ryan
Zanna Cardash
Established in memory of the late Kay Mellor OBE, alumni from previous years have gone on to secure representation, develop new projects and build careers across the industry.
Katie Bailiff, CEO at WFTV UK, said: “It is fantastic that WFTV is once again able to offer the Screenwriter’s Lab programme where we will be able to uplift and equip women writers across our industry, honouring Kay Mellor’s legacy. It’s been an exciting week, with WFTV bringing new writers together for a week of workshops, talks and mentoring sessions. WFTV strives to give new writers an invaluable experience echoing Kay Mellor’s determination to champion women in the industry through this lab. It has been wonderful to see the successes from previous labs and we are excited to see what this year’s cohort will contribute to the industry”
Picture: from Left to Right: Sylvia-Anne Parker, Lynsey Tomlinson Booth, Tara Ryan, Rachelle Gallagher, Jahnavi Bhatt, Sophie Park, Maya Pillay, Precious Mustapha, Olivia Gagan, Caia Lee, Aimee Shenton, Michelle Jones, Zanna Cardash
(Photo Credit: Mary Wycherley)
Jon Creamer
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