BBC and Screen Scotland name six indies for entertainment formats scheme

Six production companies have been chosen for SuperSizing Entertainment Formats, a new programme from the BBC, Screen Scotland and Glasgow training provider TRC.

The fully funded scheme runs from November 2025 to April 2026 and aims to find the next entertainment format that captures audiences’ attention.

It supports BBC Entertainment and BBC Scotland in their search for ambitious, distinctive formats to develop as potential co-commissions, and is intended to grow Scotland’s entertainment industry by promoting Scottish ideas and talent.

The programme builds on FormatLab, TRC’s scheme for developing new entertainment development talent in Scotland, and extends TRC’s support for companies producing original, market-ready formats.

Alongside regular training, participants will get case studies and masterclasses from former entertainment and factual entertainment format creators covering UK and international markets, plus one-to-one support from the BBC to refine their slates and shape ideas into scalable formats.

The participants

The selected participants are:

David Marshall and Ronan Osborne, Tern TV

Edwina Madden-Egan and Tom McNerney, Tuesday’s Child

Rob Butterfield and Lucy Bacon, Ricochet

Danny Rawling and Martha Lochhead, Beezr Studios

Ryan Meloy and Zara Duncan, Bandicoot TV

Ian Greenhill and Sadie Heather, Studio Something

Funding comes from the BBC and Screen Scotland, the body that supports Scotland’s film and TV industry with funding from the Scottish Government and The National Lottery.

Louise Thornton, head of commissioning for BBC Scotland, said: “This is an important step in our search for the next big entertainment television formats of the future. It’s great to see our first cohort getting started and we’re excited to see what ambitious original ideas emerge from them.”

Kalpna Patel-Knight, head of entertainment commissioning at the BBC, said: “One of the most exciting elements of this programme is witnessing the incredible passion and creativity of the cohort we’ve selected. Each of these delegates bring a distinctive voice and a real hunger to develop bold ideas that can capture audiences’ imaginations as well as boost the creator economy in Scotland. Really looking forward to getting started.”

Dani Carlaw, head of unscripted at Screen Scotland, said: “This programme is a game-changer for Scotland’s entertainment indies. It brings together the BBC’s commissioning insight, TRC’s proven development expertise and Screen Scotland’s commitment to growth — creating a pipeline for bold, original formats with real market potential. It will strengthen our creative economy, expand Scotland’s footprint in the global formats market, and unlock new opportunities.”