The Hidden Work of Women: Commissioning and Development in British Television Drama

The British horror television series Bedlam (2011–2012) was made by RED Productions and created and written by a trio of male screenwriters, David Allison, Neil Jones, and Chris Parker, with RED’s Richard Fee as Script Editor. However, this team was supported through the development process, from initial idea to final broadcast, almost exclusively, by women. Drawing on original interviews with practitioners, this article explores the creative contributions of the women working in commissioning and development roles on Bedlam, including Anne Mensah (Vice President of Content UK, Netflix), Caroline Hollick (Head of Drama, Channel 4), Nicola Shindler (Chief Executive, Quay Street Productions) and Claudia Rosencrantz (former Controller of Entertainment, ITV). This research illuminates the work of women who carry out a hidden labour of commissioning and development almost never recognised beyond the television industry itself.