Bafta is to honour EastEnders’ commitment to nurturing new production talent over the past 40 years at this year’s TV Craft awards.
The BBC Studios soap’s Special Award recognises 10 years of its involvement with the BBC’s Continuining Drama New Directors scheme and four years of the Diversity Director training scheme, run in partnership with Directors UK.
Three new talent schemes were launched last year: the Writer’s Studio, Ascend Acting Workshops and the Multi-Camera Directing Course, in which trainee directors geot first-hand experience in directing five short special online EastEnders episodes [pictured].
Meanwhile, the name of Bafta’s carbon footprint calculator Albert was inspired by the soap’s setting, Albert Square, reflecting the soap’s position as the first production to test a calculator to measure its carbon footprint.
BBCS head of drama productions Kate Oates said the show has “a proud tradition of training new talent and broadening existing skillsets”.
She added: “You only have to look at the industry to discover just how many individuals, who are now at the top of their game within their specific fields, started or spent some of their careers at EastEnders, as well as those who still work on the show today.”
Outgoing BBC chief content officer Charlotte Moore added that the award is “a testament to all those working behind the scenes who produce a continuing drama that has entertained the nation for over 40 years.
Last year, MAMA Youth Project founder and chief executive Bob Clarke accepted the Special Award on behalf of the organisation, which helps people from underrepresented groups access in TV and creative industries.
This year’s Bafta TV Craft Awards take place on 27 April.
