Women in Film and TV Launches 2026 Mentoring Scheme

The U.K.’s Women in Film and TV (WFTV) has announced the 2026 Four Nations Mentoring Scheme cohort.

This mentor scheme is designed for mid-career women working in film, television and creative media. It brings together 52 mentees from across England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, for a six-month program where they benefit from one-to-one mentoring with senior industry professionals, alongside peer-to-peer training and bespoke career and personal development workshops.

This year’s mentors feature industry leaders, including Anna Hall, founder and chief creative officer at Candour; Fiona Lamptey, producer and co-founder of Juno Studios; production designer Gemma Jackson; and Bad Wolf’s Jane Tranter for South of England. This is just a few of the names involved.

“I get to see from the inside out how WFTV are at the forefront of uplifting women in our industry,” said 2026 mentor for the North of England, chief creative officer for Warp Films and WFTV board member, Emily Feller. “I am thrilled to be able to do a little more and be a mentor in this year’s Four Nations Mentoring Scheme. I hope I can pass on useful support based on my knowledge and experience to help foster women in their careers.”

Leading the scheme is WFTV’s Director of Mentoring, Sarah Wright, former Group Director of Acquisitions and Sky Cinema, UK & ROI, with Mentoring Producers Hannah Corneck in Wales, Hazel Marshall in Scotland, Helen Bullough in the North of England, and Sarah McCaffrey in Northern Ireland, heading up their respective nations.

“I am so excited to launch 2026’s WFTV Four Nations Mentoring Scheme,” said Sarah Wright, director of mentoring. “This year, we have an incredible group of 52 mentees from all around the UK, including an expanded North of England cohort, drawn from an even greater variety of roles across the industry. Added to that, we have a fabulous roster of mentors who are generously giving them their time and the benefit of their considerable experience. Our scheme is quite literally life-changing in the personal development and networking opportunities it offers. I can’t wait to get started!”

“The Four Nations Mentoring Scheme encapsulates everything WFTV aims to achieve by unlocking opportunities and inspiring change across our industry,” said Katie Bailiff, CEO of WFTV. “We’re proud to continue nurturing growth and representation in the creative sector. This year’s mentors are some of the most inspiring people in TV and Film. We are fortunate to have them involved in the scheme, sharing their experience and wisdom with women looking to excel in their careers.”

Netflix continues to support the Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales schemes through its Fund for Creative Equity. The England scheme is supported by the BBC, Channel 4, EON Productions, Panalux and Panavision, Pinewood, Sara Putt Associates, the Women’s Network at NBC Universal and UKTV, while SAN (Screen Alliance North) supports the North of England scheme.