Comedy breaks new ground in S4C and BBC Cymru Wales’ creative relationship
20 September 2012
A new creative joint initiative between S4C and BBC Cymru Wales bears fruit for the first time with the broadcast of the comedy Portars on BBC Radio Cymu on Friday, 21 September.
Portars by Eilir Jones will follow the trials and tribulations of a team of porters in a fictional hospital.
But the colourful characters in the drama are not the only unique aspect of this series. Portars is the first production as part of a new initiative between S4C and BBC Wales to develop ideas by new Welsh comedy writers and dramatists and produce original content that may be suitable for television or radio - or both media.
The two Welsh-language broadcasters are working together to develop and nurture new writing talent by creating different programmes for both media, and produce quality entertainment in the Welsh language.
S4C Content Commissioner, Gwawr Martha Lloyd, says that she’s confident that the initiative would benefit both S4C viewers and BBC Radio Cymru.
"It’s exciting to see this joint initiative bearing fruit with the broadcast of Portars. We are always looking for strong creative ideas and well-crafted scripts to develop programmes for S4C and, in that respect, we and BBC Radio Cymru face the same challenge. Developing writers who can produce high quality work is a great advantage to us all in the long run.
“I'm confident that this initiative will lead to more opportunities for writers and will be a means of provide a wide range of drama and comedies for viewers and listeners in the future.”
BBC Radio Cymru Editor, Lowri Rhys Davies. “I am delighted that BBC Radio Cymru and S4C are working together in this way to develop writing talent – in both media. This is the first example of the two broadcasters working together in this way and I'm sure that it will lead to plenty of material to entertain and engage the audiences of both broadcasters.”
More details about the project, including how to present ideas or scripts, will follow in the coming months.
The drama Portars will be broadcast at 6.00pm, Friday, 21 September on BBC Radio Cymru, with another broadcast at 12.00pm on Saturday, September 22.
