PresentAble is a training initiative, announced in January 2012, preparing ten would-be presenters for television or radio, all of whom have a passion for broadcasting and some form of disability. The scheme is led by three divisions at the BBC: Vision, Audio & Music, BBC North (including BBC Children's).
Over 360 people applied for the PresentAble scheme, submitting a 1 minute video or audio file to demonstrate their potential to become a BBC presenter. From this pool, 60 applicants were selected for audition, and then whittled down to ten candidates from around the country who we felt would work across the range of our output.
We’ve tried to select a range of people who have strong ideas about the path they want to follow, and strong specialist knowledge or skills which would suit existing slots and genres. Several have previous broadcast or performance experience.
Difficult though the selection procedure undoubtedly was, we have a fantastic group of people and who we are certain will really benefit from the specially designed week-long training course, or ‘boot camp’, run by the BBC Academy.
During their week the trainees have undertaken studio and single camera training, radio voice work, journalism and training in the BBC’s editorial standards. There are also sessions featuring agents, on-screen talent and producers. The One Show have kindly arranged a visit for the PresentAbles and there is also a special networking event where they will meet their mentors and a range of commissioners. We hope to hear and see much more of our PresentAbles over the next six months as their training, mentoring and contacts all pay dividends. There has been extraordinary support for this scheme across the BBC; it feels like we are doing the right thing at the right time.
The scheme was endorsed by George Entwistle in his previous role as Head of Vision and now Roger Mosey, in his present capacity as acting Head of Vision, has picked up the baton alongside Pat Younge Creative Director of Vision. Some of the candidates are former trainees of another BBC training scheme – Extend - before being selected for PresentAble.
Of the candidates, Giles Long has recently been working at the Paralympics, Julian Peedle Calloo has just appeared in New Tricks, Liz Carr is shortly filming for Silent Witness. Steve Day was supported by PresentAble to perform at the BBC comedy tent in Edinburgh and Sophie Morgan has been supported by PresentAble in her filming over the summer for a BBC3 documentary.
It’s been a great opportunity to introduce this scheme at the BBC and I’m really looking forward to the chance of introducing new presenters to our audiences.
Caroline Roberts-Cherry is Indepedents and Diversity Executive
Read more about the PresentAble scheme on the BBC Commissioning website
Ariel - the BBC's news service for BBC staff - reported on this year's Extend candidates.
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