North west

Our Friend in the North West: Cat Lewis

Cat Lewis (Credit: Nine Lives Media)

The £6bn post-pandemic boom in TV and film production is welcome news amid the uncertainty caused by the freeze to the BBC licence fee and the planned privatisation of Channel 4. 

The global expansion of content platforms and the UK’s fantastic reputation as a country that delivers excellent programmes means that there is more TV and film being made here than ever before. But there is a problem: we are predicted to have a shortfall of 40,000 creative-sector workers by 2025. 

Winners announced at the RTS North West Student Television Awards 2020

Credit: Claire Harrison

Manchester Metropolitan University students took home the Animation prize with Luz and the University of Central Lancashire’s Jamie Walsh won the Short Form award with Tia.

BBC Breakfast presenter Sally Nugent presented the awards, which were held at the Lowry Theatre in Salford. The special guest was former Coronation Street actor and co-star of new BBC One sitcom, Scarborough, Catherine Tyldesley.

Earlier in the day, RTS North West held its annual Student Media Conference at the Lowry Theatre.

RTS North West Awards 2019

 

Come and help us celebrate the best of TV talent in the North West region at the RTS North West Awards 2019.

The categories include News, Factual, Comedy and Entertainment, Drama and Short Feature and News.

The nominees were announced at the RTS North West Awards 2019 launch party, sponsored by Audio Network.

Jason Manford delivers the Anthony H Wilson Memorial Lecture

Jason Manford and Catherine Tyldesley (Credit: JesRPB Photography)

This year, it featured fellow Mancunian Jason Manford – comedian, actor, TV presenter and quiz show panellist – in conversation with former Coronation Street regular Catherine Tyldesley.

Manford’s start in show business could not have been more different to Wilson, who joined ITN as a trainee reporter after graduating from Cambridge University. Manford was 16 and working in a Manchester pub with a weekly comedy night, where he was lucky enough to watch the likes of Caroline Aherne and Peter Kay.

Julie Hesmondhalgh discusses social campaigning: "This artist's life can be for you"

Julie Hesmondhalgh with Noreen Kershaw (Credit: Jess Boulton)

The actor, who has won two RTS North West awards for her performances in ITV soap Coronation Street and BBC Two factual drama Black Roses: The Killing of Sophie Lancaster, was giving this year’s Anthony H Wilson Memorial Lecture.

During the course of a conversation with actor and director Noreen Kershaw, Hesmondhalgh proved to be the embodiment of the words of the late Granada Reports anchor and music impresario, Wilson, who memorably summed up his city: “This is Manchester: we do things differently here.”

Winners of 2017 RTS North West awards announced

Kim Marsh at the RTS North West awards 2017 (Credit: RTS/Andrew Farrington)

The drama about the murder of 11 year-old Rhys Jones in Liverpool in 2007 was named the region’s Best Drama, Jeff Pope was awarded the Best Script Writer award and Sinead Keenan won the prize for Best Performance in a drama.

More than 450 industry professionals and guests attended the awards ceremony, which was held at the Hilton Deansgate in Manchester and hosted by Robert Rinder from ITV court show, Judge Rinder.