‘Women are dominating the TV schedules’
Screenwriter Sarah Phelps, who has penned episodes of Eastenders and the BBC’S Agatha Christie adaptations, celebrates the new generation of female writers.
When Michaela Coel walked away from a $1m deal with Netflix for her taboo-breaking show I May Destroy You five years ago, in many ways it was symbolic of how far female screenwriters have come. The streaming giant wanted her to sign over the copyright; she said no and instead agreed a deal with the BBC, which offered her a seat at the table on production, full creative control and the rights to her work. Here was this woman, with a brilliant female-led show, saying, ‘No, you don’t get to own me’ – she was the change she wanted to see.
When I started my career as a screenwriter more than 30 years ago, things looked quite different. I was lucky that I landed my first job on Eastenders, where women were championed in the writer’s room, but I soon discovered that the landscape outside of soaps was somewhat different. During a stint on one particular series, I walked into a meeting one day to discover that the ‘higher-ups’ had brought in a new male writer without my knowledge. It seemed a decision had been made that a man would know what to do better than I – or that he’d somehow be able to provide the answers that I couldn’t. I was furious.
It’s not the only time something like that has happened in my career, but like many other women in the industry, I now know my own worth – and how and when to say no. Female voices are finally being used and heard, and the result is that women are dominating the TV schedules. Just look at BBC One’s Call The Midwife, written by Heidi Thomas, which is regularly one of the highest-rated shows on Christmas Day. Some call it nostalgic, but it’s so much more than that. For the past decade, Heidi has shone a light on issues that were once brushed under the carpet, such as backstreet abortions. Such stories might never have been told if women weren’t at the helm.
For a long time, TV shows were full of passive female characters – women were either victims or about to be victims. But we now have a plethora of bold and brilliant female screenwriters who have turned that narrative on its head. Phoebe Waller-bridge’s Emmy-winning Fleabag shows off the glory of being a woman, while Nida Manzoor’s We Are Lady Parts, which follows a Muslim female punk band as they seek success, explored the complexity of Muslim women in such an original way.
The huge strides that women have made over the past century are clear to see, but we must never think, ‘That’s okay then, we’ve done enough.’ I don’t believe in resting on your laurels. Pay-gap issues still exist within the industry, as do childcare issues, because domestic responsibilities still often fall to women. The reality is the job is never complete. My advice to female writers is this: always push forwards, never underestimate the power of no and trust your gut. But most importantly? Know your worth.