Women in Film and TV (UK) (WFTV) today announced the 2026 Four Nations Mentoring Scheme cohort.
Designed for mid-career women working in film, television, and creative media, the scheme offers opportunities to accelerate careers in an industry where women remain underrepresented in leadership roles.
The scheme brings together 52 mentees from across England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, chosen from hundreds of applicants. Over a six-month programme, mentees will benefit from one-to-one mentoring with senior industry professionals, alongside peer-to-peer training and bespoke career and personal development workshops.
This year’s mentors include Anna Hall, Founder & Chief Creative Officer, Candour, Fiona Lamptey, Producer & Co-founder Juno Studios, Production Designer Gemma Jackson, and Bad Wolf’s Jane Tranter for South of England. For North of England, Commissioning Editor, BBC Comedy Emma Lawson, Monumental Television’s Debra Hayward, Senior Manager, Production Training and Industry Engagement, EMEA, Netflix Alison Small, plus previous WFTV award winners, Head of Production, ITV Studios Faiza Tovey and writer & director Chloe English. Lightbox co-founder Simon Chinn, Director Georgi Bank-Davies and Fawkes Digital’s Lucy Smith for Wales, Director of Drama for BBC Lindsay Salt, Storyboard Studios’ Natalie Humphreys and Wendy Griffin of Selkie Productions for Scotland, plus Georgia Moseley, Head of Documentary Unit at BBC Studios and Executive Producer, Emma Loach, Interim Head of Commissioning, Documentaries and Executive Producer, Gallagher Films & Co-creator of Blue Lights, Louise Gallagher for Northern Ireland and many more*.
2026 Mentor for the North of England, Chief Creative Officer for Warp Films and WFTV Board Member, Emily Feller says, “I get to see from the inside out how WFTV are at the forefront of uplifting women in our industry. I am thrilled to be able to do a little more and be a mentor in this year’s Four Nations Mentoring Scheme. I hope I can pass on useful support based on my knowledge and experience to help foster women in their careers.”
Leading the scheme is WFTV’s Director of Mentoring, Sarah Wright, former Group Director of Acquisitions and Sky Cinema, UK & ROI, with Mentoring Producers Hannah Corneck in Wales, Hazel Marshall in Scotland, Helen Bullough in the North of England, and Sarah McCaffrey in Northern Ireland, heading up their respective nations.
Sarah Wright, Director of Mentoring, said, “I am so excited to launch 2026’s WFTV Four Nations Mentoring Scheme. This year, we have an incredible group of 52 mentees from all around the UK, including an expanded North of England cohort, drawn from an even greater variety of roles across the industry. Added to that, we have a fabulous roster of mentors who are generously giving them their time and the benefit of their considerable experience. Our scheme is quite literally life-changing in the personal development and networking opportunities it offers. I can’t wait to get started!”
Katie Bailiff, CEO of WFTV, added, “The Four Nations Mentoring Scheme encapsulates everything WFTV aims to achieve by unlocking opportunities and inspiring change across our industry. We’re proud to continue nurturing growth and representation in the creative sector. This year’s mentors are some of the most inspiring people in TV and Film. We are fortunate to have them involved in the scheme, sharing their experience and wisdom with women looking to excel in their careers.”
Full list of 2026 WFTV Four Nations Mentors listed below by region:
South of England
- Fran Du Pille, Producer
- Helen Black, Screenwriter
- Fiona Lamptey, Producer & Co-founder Juno Studios
- Claire Pringle, Editor
- Samantha Blanco, Head of Acquisitions UK and Israel Content, Netflix
- Sophie Turner Laing, Chair of National Film and Television School
- Emma Hardie, Executive Commercial and Brand Director, Aardman
- John Jackson, Executive Producer, Showrunner, TV Screenwriter
- Kelly McGolpin, Executive Producer, Golden Productions McG Ltd
- Laura Rossi, Composer for Film & TV
- Hilary Rosen, Director of Commissioning, UKTV
- Anna Hall, Founder & Chief Creative Officer, Candour
- Jon Mountague, Content Creative, Netflix
- Jane Tranter, CEO and Co-Founder of Bad Wolf
- Kate Harwood, Executive Producer, Element Pictures
- Sarah Hammond, Chief Creative Officer, Two Brothers Pictures
- Louise Hooper, Drama Director
- Charlotte Moore, CEO, Left Bank Pictures and EVP, Creative Director across Sony Pictures Television International Production Group
- Lucy Bristow, Cinematographer
- Joy Ghroro-Akpojotor, Founder and Producer, Joi Productions
- Gemma Jackson, Production Designer
North of England
- Debra Hayward, Co-Founder Monumental Television
- Chloe English, Writer / Director
- Sue Lyster, Executive in Charge, Industrial Light & Magic London
- Clare Richards, Documentary Director
- Alison Small, Senior Manager, Production Training and Industry Engagement, EMEA, Netflix
- Emma Lawson, Commissioning Editor, BBC Comedy
- Jeremy Banks, Board Advisor, Coolabi Group
- Emily Feller, Chief Creative Officer, Warp Films
- Faiza Tovey, Head of Production, ITV Studios
- Caroline Richards, Head of Production, Big Talk
Scotland
- Lindsay Salt, Director of Drama, BBC
- Ros Taylor, Production Executive, Drama, Wall to Wall
- Emily Almond Barr, Director of Photography & Cinematography
- Wendy Griffin, Producer and founder, Selkie Productions
- Natalie Humphreys, Founder & Executive Producer, Storyboard Studios
- Bruce Goodison, Creative Director, Indefinite Films
- Claire Russell, Producer & Script Editor
- Fahima Chowdhury, Line Producer
Wales
- Sophie Darlington, Wildlife Cinematographer
- Will Ridgeon, Senior Producer & Director, BBC Studios
- Georgi Banks-Davies, Director
- Louise Mutter, Managing Director, Lookout Point LTD
- Gabriella Ricci, Senior Production Executive, Bad Wolf
- Lucy Smith, Creative Director & Founder, Fawkes Studios LTD
- Simon Chinn, Co-Founder, Lightbox
- Poppy Dixon, Producer, former Director of Documentaries & Factual, Sky
- Bart Yates, Founder & Executive Producer, Blinkink
Northern Ireland
- Alison Warner, Head of Original Content, Blue Zoo Animation Studio
- Lesley Bailey, Head of Franchise Management and Brand Strategy, BBC
- Cat Spooner, Head of Casting (Unscripted TV), CPL Productions Ltd
- Emma Loach, Interim Head of Commissioning, Documentaries
- Courtney Sexton, Executive Vice President, Film and Television & Head of West Coast Operations, Jigsaw Productions
- Georgia Moseley, Head of The Documentary Unit, BBC Studios
- Pippa Woods, Make-up & Hair Designer
- Lucy Ainsworth-Taylor, Co-Founder & Director, BlueBot Ltd
- Louise Gallagher, Executive Producer, Gallagher Films & Co-creator of Blue Lights
Picture Credit: Helen Murray // WFTV Four Nations Mentoring Scheme Cohort 2026
Jon Creamer
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