Write Across Bradford | BBC Writers and partners

Write Across Bradford – Terms and Conditions of Entry 

1. To be eligible to enter the BBC programme Write Across Bradford you must meet the following criteria:         

a) You must be aged 18 years or over on the date of your submission.

b) You must be a resident of, but do not need to have been born in, the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man or Republic of Ireland.

c) You must not be employed as part of BBC Writers or as BBC staff in a Scripted team in BBC Public Service (including Drama and Comedy Commissioning and BBC Film) or a person connected to this scheme. 

d) You must be currently living full-time in the Bradford District (specifically the City of Bradford, and the district wards listed on this map). 

Proof of age, identity, residency and eligibility may be requested.  The BBC’s decision as to the eligibility of individual entrants will be final and no correspondence will be entered into. 

Please note: Once your Script has been submitted you cannot upload a newer version. You will need to withdraw your submission completely and then resubmit it in its entirety if you wish to make any amendments ahead of the deadline. 

2. Entrants must submit the following no later than 12 noon on Tuesday 10th March 2026:

• Your dramatic writing piece. This should be an original TV, Film, Radio or Stage script written for adults or young adults that is a minimum of 20 pages long (excluding title/character pages). You must submit a complete script, not an extract of a longer project. Scripts will be read anonymously in the first two judging stages so please remove any personal details (name, address, contacts etc) from the front page of the script or within the document itself. 
• A response to the Creative Task set within the programme brief; and
• A paragraph about your writing history (maximum 250 words).

. We just want to understand your passion for writing and a little bit of the journey you have been on up to this point.  

• The above writing sample and response to the creative brief should be submitted as two separate PDF files (each no more than 10MB in size). 

**If you have specific access requirements then please contact bbcwriters@bbc.co.uk ahead of the deadline to discuss your application.**

a)    The submission should be submitted via the BBC Writers E-Submissions System using the link which will be made available when submissions open.

b) Your application must be legibly typed and formatted. Entries must be written in English. If you submit any part of a script in another language you must also include your own translation of this into English. 

c) The submission should be entered either individually or as part of a writing team of up to a maximum of 2 people. If entering as a pair, both entrants must meet the entry requirements. Please note that if you are accepted onto the programme as a writing team you will be required to work collaboratively on a single shared project.

d) Only one entry per writer or writing partnership is permitted.

3. The BBC, as data controller, is responsible for handling personal data provided to the BBC, including in any contributions, in accordance with data protection law.  The BBC has a legitimate interest in using the personal data for journalistic, artistic and literary purposes and in the public interest and in using the personal data for the performance of the contract with the BBC. For more information visit:  https://www.bbc.co.uk/writers/opportunities/privacy-notice/ 

4. All entries must be the original work of the entrant and must not infringe the rights of any other party. The BBC accepts no liability if entrants ignore these rules and entrants agree to fully indemnify the BBC against any claims by any third party arising from any breach of these rules.

5. BBC Writers receives a high number of submissions, and similarities of subject matter often occur. We cannot undertake to compensate you if material similar to yours, received coincidentally from another source, is subsequently commissioned or produced.

6. The following are ineligible and will not be considered:

a) Comedy sketch shows and pure narrative comedy series or sitcoms.  

b) Any script which has been developed, created or generated using AI tools.

c) Given the specific remit of this programme it will not be suitable for writers who already have a TV credit.

d) Multiple submissions from an entrant.

e) Multiple episodes or short scripts which together add up to 20 pages or more of script. (For example, you cannot send 2 episodes of 10 pages per episode or 3 episodes of 8 pages per episode.)

f) Extracts. Each script submitted must be complete.

g) Any video/audio material in physical or digital form (whether it accompanies a script or otherwise). Any video/audio content will not be considered in the reading process.

h) New scripts written for existing or previously produced shows and/or characters (for example scripts of Doctor Who, EastEnders, Sherlock or using characters from these shows). 

i) Short stories, novels, unpublished prose manuscripts, poetry or work you wish to have adapted into a script.

j) Adaptations for broadcast of another writer’s idea (including adaptations of other writers’ novels).

7. Entries will be judged on the following criteria:

• The quality of the writing sample (evidence of a compelling story; ability to write interesting characters and believable dialogue; ability to authentically bring the story world to life; ability to portray the writer’s ‘voice’ in their storytelling).
• The originality of the response to the creative writing task.  

8.  Entries will be judged and selected using the following process:  

In the first stage all eligible entries will be reviewed by a panel of professional experienced script readers, who will read at least the first twenty pages of a script (the “Twenty Page Review”) and assess and discuss the applications against the criteria outlined above.

Submissions which hook our reader’s attention will progress to a full read by a second script reader (the “First Full Read”).

For the Twenty Page Review and the First Full Read all submissions will be read anonymously.

Following the First Full Read stage, the BBC Writers team will review the remaining scripts and undertake a second full read (the “Second Full Read”) together with reviewing the Creative Task to create a final shortlist. At least two readers from the BBC Writers team and/or one of the BBC Writers programme partner organisations will read each of the scripts at this stage. A shortlist will be drawn up in accordance with the criteria set out above and successful candidates will be selected from this shortlist and invited to join the Write Across Bradford development scheme.

BBC Writers reserves the right to set up informal conversations with applicants to help determine the selection of the final group.

9.  We receive a considerable number of submissions for our Write Across programme so it will take a number of months before you are informed of the outcome of your submission. The BBC’s decision is final, and no correspondence will be entered into. Whilst we appreciate that some writers may be disappointed by the outcome of the process, please note that the BBC has a zero-tolerance policy towards aggressive or abusive communications.

10.  Entrants must agree to take part in any post-scheme publicity if required.

11. The BBC reserves the right to disqualify any entry which breaches any of these terms and conditions, is inconsistent with the BBC Editorial Policy Guidelines or which may bring the BBC into disrepute, including any entries which profit from criminal activity.

12. To the extent permitted by law, the BBC excludes liability for any loss and or damage (whether such damage or any losses were foreseen, foreseeable, known or otherwise) including financial, reputational loss or disappointment.

13. The BBC, its sub-contractors, subsidiaries, agencies and or any other organisations associated with the Scheme, do not accept any liability whatsoever for any technical failure, malfunction, nor for any other problems with any server, internet access, electronic or mechanical system issues or otherwise, which may result in any contribution being lost, not properly registered or recorded. Proof of sending is not proof of receipt.

14. The BBC reserves the right to cancel or alter the scheme at any stage, including members of the judging panel if deemed necessary in its opinion, if circumstances arise outside its control, or if submissions do not meet the required standard. In this event, a notice will be posted on the following website:  https://www.bbc.co.uk/writers/ 

15.  The BBC reserves the right to amend these terms and conditions at any stage, including changing or substituting the selection process and the development opportunities. In this event, a notice will be posted on the following website: https://www.bbc.co.uk/writers/ 

16. By applying for the scheme, entrants warrant that they have legal capacity to enter the scheme and agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions.

17. These Terms and Conditions are governed by the laws of England and Wales.