New programmes confirmed as part of BBC Wales’ biggest ever expansion of political and current affairs output for BBC One Wales

At a time of momentous change for Wales and the rest of the UK a new series of major national debates will take centre stage on BBC One Wales each month from the autumn.

Produced for BBC Wales by Avanti Media, the production team will be led by Avanti Media Creative Director, Neil Grant, whose credits include Panorama and Dispatches, Clare Hudson - the former Head of English Language Programmes at BBC Wales - as well as the former Head of Current Affairs at ITV Wales, Elis Owen.

Emyr Afan, Chief Executive of Avanti Media, says: “We are really excited by the prospect of making this new primetime debate programme, it will be the people’s hour because the people of Wales lie at its core. It’s their programme - speaking to the issues at the heart of the nation’s agenda.”

Avanti Media’s Creative Director, Neil Grant says: “Timely, interactive and accessible, these debates will focus on the biggest news stories of the day and the major issues shaping the Welsh and UK-wide political agenda.”

Head of BBC Wales Commissioning, Nick Andrews, says: “We want to provide a truly national stage for a truly national debate - and I’m delighted that this superb team has come together to shape this exciting project. We look forward to working with Avanti Media over the coming months to help realise their ambitions.”

As part of the biggest ever expansion of BBC Wales political output in BBC One Wales’ nightly schedule, a new weekly current affairs series will also launch later this year, produced by BBC Wales’ News and Current Affairs team.

Delyth Isaac, Editor, BBC Wales Politics, says: “Twenty years since Wales voted for devolution this new weekly half-hour flagship programme at the heart of BBC One Wales’ schedule will explore stories that people really care about - from what’s happening in our schools and hospitals to Brexit, jobs and the economy. These are big, important issues that matter to everyone whether they think they’re into politics or not. The show will go to the heart of the big stories and try to make sense of Wales in extraordinary times. We’ll be scrutinising the powerful and giving people a voice.”

These new series will join BBC Wales’s biggest ever slate of political and current affairs output, spanning Week in Week Out, Sunday Politics Wales, Sunday Supplement, Eye on Wales, Manylu, Hawl i Holi, Pawb a’i Farn, O’r Bae, O’r Senedd and Democracy Live/Democratiaeth Fyw.

The two announcements follow an open competitive process for both series led by BBC Wales Head of Commissioning, Nick Andrews. Further details about the series will be announced in due course.

NTW

Cadarnhau raghlenni newydd fel rhan o gynlluniau BBC Cymru i ehangu allbwn gwleidyddiaeth a materion cyfoes ar BBC One Wales

Mae BBC Cymru Wales wedi cyhoeddi manylion cynlluniau uchelgeisiol i ehangu rhaglenni gwleidyddol a materion cyfoes ar BBC One Wales.

Mewn cyfnod o newid digynsail i Gymru a gweddill y Deyrnas Unedig, bydd cyfres newydd o ddadleuon cenedlaethol yn rhan ganolog o arlwy BBC One Wales bob mis o’r hydref ymlaen.

Wedi ei chynhyrchu ar gyfer BBC Cymru gan Avanti Media; Cyfarwyddwr Creadigol Avanti Media, Neil Grant, sy’n wybyddus am ei waith ar Panorama a Dispatches fydd yn arwain y tîm cynhyrchu ynghyd â Clare Hudson - cyn Bennaeth Rhaglenni Saesneg BBC Cymru - a chyn-Bennaeth Materion Cyfoes ITV Cymru, Elis Owen.

Dywed Prif Weithredwr Avanti Media, Emyr Afan: “Rydym yn gyffrous iawn am y rhaglen newydd hon; awr o ddadlau a thrafod wedi ei gwreiddio yn y materion sydd o bwys i bobl Cymru – wrth galon agenda’r genedl.”

Dywed Cyfarwyddwr Creadigol Avanti Media, Neil Grant: “Amserol, rhyngweithiol a hygyrch; bydd y dadleuon yma yn canolbwyntio ar brif straeon newyddion y dydd a’r materion pwysig sy’n creu’r agenda gwleidyddol yng Nghymru a’r DU.”

Dywed Pennaeth Comisiynu BBC Cymru, Nick Andrews: “Rydym eisiau darparu llwyfan amlwg er mwyn i ni gael trafodaeth wirioneddol genedlaethol - ac rwy’n falch iawn fod gennym dîm anhygoel sydd wedi dod ynghyd i greu’r prosiect cyffrous yma. Rydym yn edrych ymlaen at gydweithio gydag Avanti Media dros y misoedd nesaf i wireddu’r uchelgais.”

Fel rhan o’r cynllun mwyaf i ehangu allbwn gwleidyddol BBC Cymru fel rhan o arlwy nosweithiol BBC One Wales, bydd cyfres wythnosol materion cyfoes yn cael ei lansio yn ddiweddarach eleni, wedi ei chynhyrchu gan dîm Newyddion a Materion Cyfoes BBC Cymru.

Dywed Delyth Isaac, Golygydd, Uned Wleidyddol BBC Cymru: “Ugain mlynedd ers i Gymru bleidleisio o blaid datganoli, bydd y rhaglen arbennig yma wrth galon BBC One Wales yn ymchwilio i straeon o wir bwys - o’r hyn sy’n digwydd yn ein ysgolion a’n ysbytai i Brexit, swyddi a’r economi. Mae’r rhain yn faterion mawr, o bwys i bawb - boed nhw’n meddwl fod ganddynt ddiddordeb mewn gwleidyddiaeth ai peidio. Gan edrych ar bynciau llosg y dydd, byddwn yn mynd at wraidd y materion pwysig gan geisio gwneud synnwyr ohonynt mewn cyfnod anghyffredin iawn. Yn craffu ar y pwerus byddwn yn rhoi llais i’r bobl.”

Bydd y cyfresi newydd yma’n ymuno â’r casgliad mwyaf erioed o raglenni gwleidyddol a materion cyfoes BBC Cymru sy’n cwmpasu Week in Week Out, Sunday Politics Wales, Sunday Supplement, Eye on Wales, Manylu, Hawl i Holi, Pawb a’i Farn, O’r Bae, O’r Senedd a Democracy Live/Democratiaeth Fyw.

Mae’r cyhoeddiadau yma’n dilyn proses gystadleuol agored ar gyfer y ddwy gyfres, dan arweiniad Nick Andrews, Pennaeth Comisiynu BBC Cymru. Caiff rhagor o fanylion am y cyfresi eu cyhoeddi yn fuan.

NTW