WRITERS' GUILD (GB) AWARDS 2017
-for work done in 2016
WINNERS...
Playwright and screenwriter Sir Tom Stoppard was presented with the Outstanding Contribution to Writing Award at the Writers’ Guild Awards on 23 January 2017, at the Royal College of Physicians in central London.
The award was presented by WGGB Theatre Co-Chair and former President David Edgar.
Talking about the award, Stoppard said: “For a writer, no award can compare to an award from other writers. The Writers’ Guild is a bright spot in a dark world, and I feel very grateful to it.”
Comedian, actor and writer Meera Syal hosted the event. She said: “Someone once said, probably a writer, that the writer is the only true originator of a script; everyone else that follows is merely an interpreter. Whilst the directors and producers slug it out, let’s at least agree that whilst everyone can have a great idea, it takes a great writer to bring it to life. And I’m very honoured to be hosting the WGGB Awards where we can come together to celebrate our extraordinary community of writing talent.”
Other winners included Phoebe Waller-Bridge who was awarded Best TV Situation Comedy for Fleabag; Guy Hibbert, who took home Best Screenplay for Eye in the Sky starring Helen Mirren and Alan Rickman; Best Writing in a Video Game was claimed by Jonathan Burroughs, Lyndon Holland and Terry Kenny for the first person mystery adventure, Virginia; Best Play went to Caryl Churchill for Escaped Alone.
WGGB President Olivia Hetreed said: “It is very exciting, after a year when truth has often seemed stranger than fiction, to celebrate the insight, humour and humanity in the very best of dramatic storytelling across the whole range from film to TV and radio, theatre to videogames.”
Special tributes were given to WGGB members who died last year. Actress Celia Imrie led a tribute to Victoria Wood while producer/director Charles Garland paid tribute to Jimmy Perry.
Presenters of individual awards included Helen Lederer, Josie Lawrence, Timberlake Wertenbaker, Patrick Ness and Louiza Patikas and Timothy Watson, who play Helen and Rob Titchener in BBC Radio 4’s The Archers.
THE WINNERS:
Outstanding Contribution to Writing
Sir Tom Stoppard
Best Radio Comedy
Winner: John Finnemore’s Double Acts – Series 1, Episode 5, “English for Pony Lovers” by John Finnemore
Shortlisted:
Guilt Trip by Katherine Jakeways, Felicity Montagu, Olivia Nixon;
The Pin by Ben Ashenden and Alex Owen
Best Radio Drama
Winner: Fat Little Thing by Lucy Gannon
Shortlisted:
Cuttin ‘It by Charlene James;
Lament by Debbie Tucker Green
Best Long Running TV Series
Winner: Doctors, Series 18, Episode 29, “There is No Place” by Claire Bennett
Shortlisted:
Coronation Street, Episode 8946 by Chris Fewtrell;
Emmerdale, Season 1, Episode 7628, “Holly’s Death” by Karin Young
Best Writing in a Video Game
Winner: Virginia by Jonathan Burroughs, Lyndon Holland and Terry Kenny
Shortlisted:
FIFA 17 “The Journey” by Martin Korda, Matthew Turner, Tom Watt;
Fragments of Him by Mata Haggis
Best Children’s TV Episode
Winner: The Dumping Ground, Season 3, Episode 20, “Refuge” by Emma Reeves
Shortlisted:
Danger Mouse, Season 1, Episode 3, “Greenfinger” by James Griffiths, Mark Oswin;
Hetty Feather, Series 2, Episode 10, “The Reunion” by Helen Blakeman
Best Long Form TV Drama
Winner: Trapped by Clive Bradley
Shortlisted:
Victoria, Season 1, Episode 4, “The Clockwork Prince” by Daisy Goodwin;
Spotless, by Ed McCardie
Best First Screenplay
Winner: Adult Life Skills by Rachel Tunnard
Shortlisted:
Radiator by Tom Browne and Daniel Cerqueira;
Florence Foster Jenkins by Nicholas Martin
Best Play for Young Audiences
Winner: (Joint winners) "What The Thunder Said" by Ed Harris,
and "Rise Up" by Lisa Evans
Shortlisted:
This Changes Everything by Joel Horwood
Best Play
Winner: Escaped Alone by Caryl Churchill
Shortlisted:
Cyprus Avenue by David Ireland;
All The Little Lights by Jane Upton
Best Screenplay
Winner: Eye in the Sky by Guy Hibbert
Shortlisted:
The Survivalist by Stephen Fingleton;
Suffragette by Abi Morgan
Best TV Situation Comed
Winner: Fleabag, Episode 1 by Phoebe Waller-Bridge
Shortlisted:
People Just Do Nothing, Series 3 by Allan Mustafa, Steve Stamp;
Plebs, Series 3, Episode 1, “The Beasts” by Tom Basden, Sam Leifer
Best Short Form TV Drama
Winner: Ellen by Sarah Quintrell
Shortlisted:
And Then There Were None, Episode 3 by Sarah Phelps; Murder,
“The Big Bang” by Robert Jones
Presenters of the Writers’ Guild Awards 2017:
Host – Meera Syal
Best Radio Comedy
– presented by Joel Morris and Jason Hazeley
Best Radio Drama
– presented by Louiza Patikas and Timothy Watson
Best Long Running TV Series
– presented by Helen Lederer
Best Writing in a Video Game
– presented by Jameela Khan and Manos Agianniotakis
Best Children’s TV Episode
– presented by Patrick Ness
Best Long Form TV Drama
– presented by Denise Black
Best First Screenplay
– presented by Caroline Goodall
Best Play for Young Audiences
– presented by Vicky Ireland
Best Play
– presented by Timberlake Wertenbaker
Best Screenplay
– presented by Dave Johns
Best TV Situation Comedy
– presented by Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran
Best Short Form TV Drama
– presented by Josie Lawrence
Outstanding Contribution to Writing
– presented by David Edgar
Thank you to the sponsors of the Writers’ Guild Awards 2017:
Lead sponsor: ALCS
Champagne reception sponsor: eOne
Thank you to all our other sponsors: BBC Drama, BBC Worldwide, Company Pictures, Tiger Aspect Productions and Nick Hern Books.
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WRITERS’ GUILD AWARDS - SHORTLISTS
The Writers' Guild of Great Britain is pleased to announce the shortlist for its annual awards, to be presented by writer, comedian and actress Meera Syal on Monday 23 January 2017 at the Royal College of Physicians in central London.
The Writers' Guild Awards, which launched in 1961, give professional writers from across Great Britain the opportunity to honour their peers, and celebrate the importance of writing to the creative industries, both nationally and abroad.
The shortlist, covering categories in TV, film, theatre, radio, comedy and videogames, is as follows.
Best Radio Drama
Fat Little Thing (Lucy Gannon), Cuttin' It (Charlene James), Lament (Debbie Tucker Green)
Best Radio Comedy
Guilt Trip (Katherine Jakeways, Felicity Montagu, Olivia Nixon), The Pin (Ben Ashenden, Alex Owen), John Finnemore’s Double Acts, Series 1, Episode 5, “English For Pony-Lovers” (John Finnemore)
Best Long Form TV Drama
Victoria, Series 1, Episode 4, “The Clockwork Prince” (Daisy Goodwin), Trapped (Clive Bradley), Spotless, Pilot Episode (Ed McCardie)
Best Short Form TV Drama
Murder, “The Big Bang” (Robert Jones), And Then There Were None, Season 1, Episode 3 (Sarah Phelps), Ellen (Sarah Quintrell)
Best Long Running TV Series
Doctors, Season 18, Episode 29 “There Is No Place” (Claire Bennett), Coronation Street, Episode 8946 (Chris Fewtrell), Emmerdale, Season 1, Episode 7628 “Holly's Death” (Karin Young)
Best TV Situation Comedy
Plebs, Series 3, Episode 1, “The Beasts” (Tom Basden, Sam Leifer), People Just Do Nothing, Series 3 (Asim Chaudhry, Allan Mustafa, Steve Stamp), Fleabag, Episode 1 (Phoebe Waller-Bridge)
Best Children’s TV Episode
Danger Mouse, Season 1, Episode 3 "Greenfinger" (James Griffiths, Mark Oswin), Hetty Feather, Series 2, Episode 10 "The Reunion" (Helen Blakeman), The Dumping Ground, Season 3, Episode 20 "Refuge” (Emma Reeves)
Best Writing in a Video Game
FIFA 17 “The Journey” (Martin Korda, Matthew Turner, Tom Watt), Virginia (Jonathan Burroughs, Lyndon Holland, Terry Kenny), Fragments of Him (Mata Haggis)
Best Screenplay
The Survivalist (Stephen Fingleton), Suffragette (Abi Morgan), Eye in the Sky (Guy Hibbert)
Best First Screenplay
Adult Life Skills (Rachel Tunnard), Radiator (Tom Browne, Daniel Cerqueira), Florence Foster Jenkins (Nicholas Martin)
Best Play
Escaped Alone (Caryl Churchill), Cyprus Avenue (David Ireland), All The Little Lights (Jane Upton)
Best Play for Young Audiences
What the Thunder Said (Ed Harris), This Changes Everything (Joel Horwood), Rise Up (Lisa Evans)
information supplied by Sarah Woodley, Writers' Guild - many thanks.
ND
PREVIOUS WINNERS OF THE RADIO DRAMA/COMEDY AWARDS:
BEST RADIO DRAMA
2015 Quill by Tony Jones
2014 A Night Visitor, by Stephanie Jacob
2013 Tennyson and Edison, by David Pownall
2012 Pandemic, by John Dryden (Indie, Goldhawk)
2011 Troll, by Ed Harris
BEST RADIO COMEDY
2015 White Rolls The Dice, by Deborah Frances.
2014 The Brig Society, by Marcus Brigstocke
2013 Susan Calman Is Convicted, by Susan Calman
2012 I, Regress, by Matt Berry
2011 Cabin Pressure, by John Finnemore
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