A round-up of BBC announcements, press releases and blogs, plus some highlights from our TV, radio and online output last week.
Eurovision
At the beginning of the week we unveiled the six songs and performers who would battle it out at The Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith to become the United Kingdom's entry in the 62nd Eurovision Song Contest. The songs were debuted on the Ken Bruce show on Radio 2 and BBC Music and BBC Studios produced the 90 minute live show Eurovision: You Decide broadcast on BBC One on Friday 27 January.
The winner, decided by a combination of viewer and expert jury votes, was Lucie Jones with Never Give Up On You, written by The Treatment, Emmelie de Forest and Lawrie Martin.
International Women's Day 2017
BBC Radio 3 Controller Alan Davey announced a host of special programming for International Women’s Day (8 March). Highlights include Malala Yousafzai’s 2013 UN speech set to music by composer Kate Whitley and the Truro Cathedral’s recently formed girl choristers, with world premieres by Sasha Johnson Manning and Dobrinka Tabakova.
Appointments
The aforementioned Dobrinka Tabakova was announced as the BBC Concert Orchestra's new Composer In Residence.
Awards
On Monday 23 January the Writers' Guild Awards were presented, with a number of winners being works that were broadcast on the BBC:
- Best Radio ComedyJohn Finnemore’s Double Acts Radio 4
- Best Radio DramaFat LittleThing by Lucy Gannon Radio 4
- Best Long Running TV SeriesDoctors: “There is No Place” by Claire Bennett BBC One
- Best Children’s TV EpisodeThe Dumping Ground: “Refuge” by Emma Reeves CBBC
- Best Long Form TV DramaTrapped by Clive Bradley BBC Four
- Best TV Situation ComedyFleabag by Phoebe Waller-Bridge BBC Three
The BBC also picked up 8 out of the 16 National Television Awards, which are voted for by the public, that were presented at a ceremony in London's O2 Arena:
- Best Drama Casualty
- Best Period Drama Call The Midwife
- Serial Drama Performance Lacey Turner, Eastenders
- Best Comedy Mrs Brown's Boys
- Best TV JudgeMary Berry, Great British Bake Off
- Special Recognition AwardGraham Norton
- Best Drama PerformanceSarah Lancashire - Happy Valley
- Best Talent ShowStrictly Come Dancing
Announcements and Blogs
Comedy
The press release for the third series of W1A caused some consternation with Chris Sussman, Head of Comedy, BBC Studios, who said “Good communication is one of the cornerstones of the BBC, and I'm extremely pleased to be finding out about this series via this press release.”
It was also announced that Emma Thompson would join the cast of Ben Elton's Upstart Crow.
Drama
BBC Four acquired Spanish crime drama I Know Who You Are, and filming started in Scotland on Dan Sefton's psychological thriller, Trust Me. The cast includes Emun Elliot, Sharon Small, Blake Harrison and Jodie Whittaker in the lead role.
Entertainment
Ricki Lake was confirmed as guest judge for the first live show of Let It Shine on BBC One. Ricki will appear in the first of three live shows (Saturday 11 Feb), this will follow Lulu's appearance as guest judge for stage two of the contest on Saturday 4 February.
Childrens
Kathy Burke, Sarah Lancashire and Andrew Scott will voice characters in a new 2D animated pre-school series, School Of Roars, which begins on 6 February on CBeebies.
Radio
Radio 4 will go behind the scenes at the National Theatre in March, tracking the creative development and rehearsals for the National’s new play, My Country; A Work In Progress. The station also issued a statement about Libby Purves' decision not to host a new a monthly theatre show, one of two shows which will replace Midweek.
BBC Radio 1 Breakfast Show host Nick Grimshaw announced that Kings of Leon, Little Mix and Stormzy will perform at Radio 1’s Big Weekend 2017 in Hull and on his Radio 2 Breakfast Show, presenter Chris Evans was joined by singer-songwriter Ricky Ross to announce the return of the pop-up digital radio service, BBC Radio 2 Country.
Sport
The BBC secured the rights to the Rugby League World Cup 2021.
BBC Music
Following in the footsteps of Tom Jones, Keith Richards, Boy George and Soul II Soul frontman Jazzie B, Geri Horner is set to take BBC Two viewers back to the 90s for the next instalment in the BBC Music: My Generation season.
Regions
Comedian Lucy Beaumont will explore her home city of Hull in a BBC Two documentary celebrating the UK City of Culture 2017.
Blogs
Former BBC producers and BBC Alumni members David Allen and George Auckland developed Memory Bank -a website especially for ex-BBC people to bank their memories of the BBC.
Broadcast Highights
Midwives Barbara (Charlotte Ritchie), Trixie (Helen George) and Patsy (Emerald Fenell) return for series 6 of Call The Midwife
- Call The Midwife, Sunday 22 January, BBC One
- Apple Tree Yard, Sunday 22 January, BBC One
- Steve Lamacq: Independent Venue Week, Monday-Friday 23-27, BBC Radio 6 Music
- Reggie Yates: Hidden Australia, from Monday 23 January
- Further Back In Time For Dinner - The 1900s, Tuesday 24 January, BBC Two
- British History’s Biggest Fibs With Lucy Worsley, Thursday 26 January, BBC Four
- Eurovision: You Decide, Friday 27 January, BBC Two
