Edinburgh TV Festival - Supported by Screen Scotland

🚀 How Do You Launch a Hit Show in 2025? In today’s saturated content landscape, creating a brilliant show is only half the battle — the other half is ensuring it gets seen. In this panel, insiders explore how Marketing and Comms teams for shows including Squid Game, Mr Bates vs the Post Office, Walking with Dinosaurs and Rivals cut through the noise and shaped the cultural conversation. Featuring: ➔ Alex Dyche, Director of Publicity, Organic ➔ Chris Hooper, Marketing Director, UK Series, Netflix ➔ Iain Walters, Head of Marketing, Channel 4 ➔ Monica Hayes, Vice President Title Marketing, BBC Studios ➔ Simon Ricks, Head of Campaigns & Partner Marketing, ITV ➔ Moderated by: Jane Callingham, Director, BBC Brand, BBC

📱 TikTok x TV = A Match Made in the Algorithm TV audiences aren’t passive anymore — they’re predicting endings, breaking down storylines and driving what goes viral next. Discover how TikTok is becoming a proving ground for studios and broadcasters, turning passive viewers into active participants and transforming the way audiences engage with TV. Featuring: ➔ Dennis Papirowski, Global Head of Publishers, TikTok ➔ Jasmine Dawson, Senior Vice President, Digital at BBC Studios. ➔ Sean Clarke, Managing Director, Aardman Animations ➔ Stephen Naughton, Head of Entertainment, Global Business Solutions, TikTok UK ➔ Moderated by: Hannah Townsend, Creator (@talkofthetownsends) Session Partner: TikTok

🔥 Want to know how to work with brands (and what NOT to do)? From social-first stunts to big-budget streamer collabs, this panel dives into the realities of branded entertainment. Hear directly from those who sit across the table with the cash and those who turn that cash into award winning content as they share real-world insights, behind-the-scenes war stories, and what they’re actually looking for when they fund content or seek funding. Featuring: ➔ Bronagh Monahan, Co-Founder, MonRae Productions ➔ Bryony Hopkins, Head of Production and Operations, Strong Watch Studios ➔ Chloe McCullough, YouTube & Creator Consultant, Ex JD Sports ➔ Lorna Menzies, Director of Culture & Experience, People’s Postcode Lottery ➔ Sam Cocker, Founder, Cold Glass Productions ➔ Moderated by: Laura Marks, Senior Commissioning Editor and Business Operations Lead; Digital, Channel 4

ConnectED, supported by Garden Studios, is back and bigger than ever at the Edinburgh TV Festival 2025! Join us at Platform 5 for: ☕ Casual Meet Ups 🗣️ NEW! Expert-led Round Tables ⚡ High-impact Speed Meetings Whether you're looking to pitch, network or level up your skills, ConnectED is your hub for meaningful industry connections. 📍 All sessions take place in the ConnectED Lounge, Platform 5. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/eZCQwsy2

💼 Agents: the ultimate power players behind the scenes 🎭 From Entourage to Call My Agent!, we’ve seen the drama — but now it’s time to meet the real deal. Go behind the curtain with the UK’s top talent agents as they reveal what it really takes to shape careers, navigate industry shakeups, and earn that all-important commission 💸 🎤 Featuring: Andy Varley, Founder & CEO, Insanity Cathy King, Managing Partner and Literary Manager, 42 Holly Bott, CEO & Founder, Little Arrow Nick Marston, Chairman, Theatre, Film and TV Department, Curtis Brown Group Moderated by: Kenton Allen, CEO, Big Talk Studios Session Partner: The Ankler

🔥 Celtic language media is breaking out of the niche — and into the mainstream. From Kneecap to An t-Eilean, Gaelic and Irish-language stories are captivating global audiences, flipping stereotypes and fuelling a cultural renaissance 🌍✨ Join this powerhouse panel as they explore: ✅ Rising viewing figures ✅ Development challenges ✅ How to stay ahead of the curve 🎤 Featuring: Bill Macleod, Commissioning Editor, MG ALBA Douglas Mackinnon, Director / Showrunner (Sherlock, Good Omens), Rugged Island Films Ltd Rich Peppiatt, Director / Writer, Kneecap Sorcha Groundsell, Actor, An t-Eilean Moderated by: Sophia Smith Galer, Journalist, author, speaker and content creator Session Partner: MG ALBA

🎾 RIVALS fans, this one's for you! Before Season 2 hits our screens, join us for an exclusive peek behind the scenes of the smash-hit Disney+ series. Based on Dame Jilly Cooper’s best-selling novel, Rivals took us on a bold, bawdy, and totally fabulous ride through 1980s Rutshire — and now the cast and creators are spilling the secrets of its success 👀 ✨ PLUS: A live script read of *that* iconic tennis scene… 🎤 With: Alex Hassell, Actor, Rivals Bella Maclean, Actor, Rivals Dominic Treadwell-Collins, Chief Creative Officer, Happy Prince (part of ITV Studios) Emily Atack, Actor, Rivals Lee Mason, Executive Director of Scripted, Disney+ Moderated by: Angellica Bell, Broadcaster Don’t miss your chance to relive the drama, the glamour, and the excess Session Partner: Disney+

We’re proud to share that James Harding, Editor-in-Chief of The Observer and founder of Tortoise Media, will deliver the landmark 50th edition of the James MacTaggart Lecture at the 2025 Edinburgh TV Festival, brought to you by Screen Scotland. With a distinguished career spanning The Times, the BBC, and now The Observer, Harding brings deep insight into the rapidly evolving media landscape. His lecture will offer a bold, thoughtful analysis of the challenges facing journalism, public service broadcasting and the wider creative industries — at a time when truth and trust are under intense pressure. Don’t miss what promises to be a defining moment for the media industry. thetvfestival.com/passes

NEW this year, we're offering a limited number of subsidised day passes for out-of-work freelancers in the TV industry to attend our Festival on Wednesday 20 August or Thursday 21 August. We’re anticipating a high demand for these passes, so hurry and get your application in! (We promise it only takes a minute.) 🔗 https://bit.ly/4lgSmii

NEW this year, we're offering a limited number of subsidised day passes for out-of-work freelancers in the TV industry to attend our Festival on Wednesday 20 August or Thursday 21 August. We’re anticipating a high demand for these passes, so hurry and get your application in! (We promise it only takes a minute.) 🔗 https://bit.ly/4lgSmii