Liverpool Writers Invited to Join BBC Comedy Scheme 2026

Key Points

• The BBC Comedy Liverpool Script Development is now seeking fresh sitcom ideas from writers based in the Liverpool City Region.
• This initiative is being offered in partnership with Liverpool Film Office, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and the Metro Mayor of Liverpool City Region.
• Participants in the competition are required to partner with a UK-based independent production company upon submission of applications.
• Applicants could be from, or currently reside in, the Liverpool City Region.
• The eligible region includes Liverpool, Wirral, Knowsley, Sefton, St Helens and Halton.
• Applications are invited from writers of all experience levels.
• The BBC is interested in finding bold, hilarious and character-driven sitcoms with a significant connection to Liverpool.
• A total of five original 30-minute comedy scripts will be developed through this opportunity.
• At least one of the selected projects will also be offered additional development support.
• Submissions should contain a two-page pitch, writer’s biography, script sample or previous works, and information about the production company.
• Closing date for applications is 9 November 2026.
• A total of five projects are likely to be selected before the end of October 2026, per the BBC opportunity information.

Liverpool (Liverpool standard) September 16, 2026 – The BBC Comedy Liverpool Script Development opportunity has opened for writers and independent production companies developing original sitcoms rooted in the Liverpool City Region.

The initiative is designed to accelerate scripted comedy from targeted parts of the UK while identifying distinctive regional voices. According to the BBC’s published commissioning information, the programme aims to support a sitcom that reflects Liverpool’s humour, talent and character.

The opportunity is aimed at writers who can develop comedy with an authentic sense of place. The BBC is seeking projects that show how the city and its surrounding communities can shape the characters, stories and tone of a television sitcom.

The initiative is being delivered through a partnership involving BBC Comedy and the Liverpool Film Office. The Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and the Metro Mayor of Liverpool City Region are also listed as partners.

Who can apply for the Liverpool comedy scheme?

Writers can apply if they are originally from the Liverpool City Region or currently live there. The eligible area covers Liverpool, Wirral, Knowsley, Sefton, St Helens and Halton.

The opportunity is open to writers at all levels of experience. This means applicants do not need to have an established television career to be considered, provided they meet the application requirements and submit their work through an eligible production company.

The BBC is also open to submissions from writer-performers. This could benefit applicants whose comedy work combines scripted writing with performance, provided they can demonstrate a clear and distinctive creative voice.

Applicants must work with an independent production company. The company submitting the project must be based in the UK, although it does not have to be located in the Liverpool City Region.

The BBC says preference will be given to local companies or production companies with a significant presence in the North West. However, companies from outside the region can still be involved if they meet the relevant requirements and work with an eligible Liverpool City Region writer.

What type of sitcom ideas is the BBC seeking?

The BBC is seeking humorous, bold and character-driven sitcom concepts with the potential to continue beyond the initial development stage.

Projects should have a clear comedic identity and offer characters, relationships and situations that can sustain further stories. The published opportunity information also places importance on authenticity and a strong sense of place.

This means applicants should show how Liverpool or the wider city region informs the project rather than using the location only as a backdrop. The city’s communities, humour, voices and everyday experiences should be relevant to the story world.

The BBC is also looking for writers or writer-performers with an individual comedic style. A submission should therefore demonstrate what makes the writer’s voice different and why the idea is suited to the writer who is presenting it.

The published details do not specify a required sitcom format beyond the expectation that each selected project will be developed as a 30-minute comedy script. Applicants will need to explain the central idea, characters and long-term potential in their pitch.

What support will selected projects receive?

Five original comedy scripts, each lasting 30 minutes, will be taken into development through the initiative.

At least one project will move into a further development stage. The additional work will be tailored to the needs of the individual project rather than following one fixed format.

The BBC says further development could include a second script, a table read, a taster tape or a short film. The selected project may receive one or more of these forms of support, depending on what is considered appropriate.

A second script could help the creative team test whether the sitcom’s characters and premise can support another episode. A table read could allow the writer, producers and editorial team to hear the material performed and identify areas for development. A taster tape or short film could help communicate the tone and visual approach of the project.

The BBC’s information also states that additional funding will be available for at least one project that enters the second development stage.

What must applicants submit?

Applications must be submitted by a UK-based production company rather than by a writer acting alone.

The application package should include:

• A concise pitch of approximately two pages.
• A biography of the writer.
• A sample script or examples of previous work.
• An overview of the production company.
• Details of the editorial support that the company proposes to provide.

The pitch should communicate the sitcom’s central premise, main characters, tone and potential for continuation. It should also make clear how the project reflects the Liverpool City Region and why the idea is appropriate for the writer and production company involved.

The writer’s biography should set out relevant creative experience, although the scheme is open to writers at all experience levels. A script sample or previous work will give the BBC evidence of the applicant’s writing ability and comedic voice.

The production company overview should explain its experience in delivering television, feature films or short-form content for linear broadcast or digital platforms. Applicants should also describe how the company would support the writer during development.

What experience must the production company have?

The production company must have a proven record of successfully delivering content for television, feature films or short-form platforms.

The opportunity is open to companies with experience across linear broadcast and digital platforms. The requirement is intended to ensure that the submitting company can provide the production, editorial and development support needed to take a sitcom idea forward.

New comedy production companies are also encouraged to apply. However, they are advised to work with an executive producer or an experienced comedy production company.

This arrangement could allow newer companies to participate while ensuring that the project has access to established production knowledge. The application should explain the proposed partnership and identify the people responsible for editorial and production support.

Although local companies may receive preference, the production company does not have to be based in the Liverpool City Region. Companies elsewhere in the UK can submit projects if they are working with eligible writers and meet the published requirements.

When is the deadline for applications?

The deadline for submissions is 9 November 2026.

Applicants will need to submit their materials through an eligible UK-based production company before the closing date. The application should include all requested information, including the pitch, writer biography, sample script or previous work and production company details.

The published BBC information states that five projects are expected to be chosen by the end of October 2026. This date appears earlier than the 9 November submission deadline listed for the opportunity. Applicants should therefore check the official BBC commissioning page and any submission instructions supplied by the relevant partners to confirm the selection timetable and application process.

The BBC’s published information also states that selected companies must complete the final drafts of their scripts by the end of March 2027.

Which organisations are supporting the opportunity?

The BBC Comedy Liverpool Script Development opportunity is supported by several organisations connected with broadcasting, film production and regional development.

The listed partners are:

• BBC Comedy.
• Liverpool Film Office.
• Liverpool City Region Combined Authority.
• Metro Mayor of Liverpool City Region.

The partnership reflects the stated aim of developing comedy from the Liverpool City Region and supporting creative talent connected with the area.

The Liverpool Film Office is involved in supporting the regional production environment. The participation of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and the Metro Mayor also links the development opportunity to wider efforts to strengthen the local screen and creative industries.

How could writers improve their submissions?

Applicants should ensure that the idea is easy to understand within the two-page pitch. The submission should identify the sitcom’s central comic engine, the main characters and the source of ongoing stories.

A strong application should also explain the connection to Liverpool and the wider city region without relying on stereotypes. The BBC is looking for authenticity, so the writer’s personal connection to the region and understanding of its communities may be important to the way the project is presented.

Writers should choose a sample that demonstrates their strongest work and is relevant to the tone or format of the proposed sitcom where possible. The production company should clearly identify its experience and explain how it will support the writer during development.

Applicants who are new to comedy production may need to present a clear partnership structure. If an emerging company is working with an experienced executive producer or production company, the application should state what each party will contribute.

Background: why is regional comedy development important?

The BBC Comedy Liverpool Script Development opportunity forms part of a broader effort to identify scripted comedy voices outside the largest established production centres.

Regional development schemes can give writers opportunities to create stories based on places and communities they know directly. They can also help production companies build relationships with writers, performers and creative workers in their own region.

For Liverpool, the scheme focuses on developing a sitcom that captures the city region’s humour and sense of place. The opportunity covers Liverpool and the surrounding local authority areas of Wirral, Knowsley, Sefton, St Helens and Halton.

The initiative does not guarantee that a project will become a broadcast series. Instead, it provides structured development for five scripts, with at least one project receiving a further stage of support. The final outcome will depend on the quality of the submissions, the development process and the BBC’s editorial decisions.

Prediction: how could the opportunity affect Liverpool writers and audiences?

The opportunity is likely to increase the number of Liverpool City Region writers able to present original sitcom ideas to BBC Comedy through professional production companies.

For writers, the main benefit could be access to development support, editorial guidance and the opportunity to produce a polished 30-minute script. At least one project may receive additional work such as a second script, table read, taster tape or short film, giving its creative team more evidence of how the idea could work on screen.

For local production companies, the scheme could create opportunities to work with new writers and strengthen their development portfolios. Companies outside the region may also seek partnerships with eligible Liverpool writers, particularly if they have experience in television or digital production.

For audiences, the most significant potential effect would be the development of comedy that reflects Liverpool and the wider city region through locally connected writers. However, it is too early to predict whether any project will become a commissioned television series or when audiences might see it.