ITV-backed diversity programme Fresh Cuts is back for 2025. For this year’s cohort, ITV is seeking to commission six People of Colour (POC) led and/or Deaf, Disabled or Neurodivergent (DDN) led production companies to each produce one individual x 22 mins, unscripted programme for ITV’s YouTube channel and ITVX.
ITV added that its goal is to commission six companies to produce fresh and exciting one-off programmes that can be shown in Black History Month and UK Disability History Month. ITV commissioning editor Richard Botchway will oversee the series alongside Nahrein Kemp, DEI & Talent Lead – and both will select the companies.
Botchway and Kemp are looking for bold, entertaining unscripted ideas that show a unique vision. Botchway said: “Fresh Cuts is a brilliant opportunity to get an ITV commission, and the wide brief gives lots of creative scope to interested People of Colour led and/or Deaf, Disabled or Neurodivergent (DDN) led companies. This is a fantastic opportunity, and I can’t wait to see the ideas that come in.”
Kemp said, “We are very excited to bring back Fresh Cuts for a fourth year. We have a brilliant body of work from the filmmakers over the past couple of years, as the strand has evolved, and again we have a new brief for 2025, in the form of six, 22 min single programme commissions from diverse led companies.”
Fresh Cuts is funded through ITV’s Diversity Commissioning Spend, a ring-fenced £80 million for diverse projects over the next three years. More details about the commissioning process can be found here, and a webinar will be hosted on April 9th 10-11am, where interested companies can ask questions and hear more. The closing date for submissions is April 26th with decisions set to be made in May.
Pictured – Unfiltered Women, commissioned as part of Fresh Cuts 2024.
