ITV and MultiStory Media, part of ITV Studios, has announced the return of the Fresh Cuts diversity strand. This year, for the first time, selected talent will produce/direct short-form series which will air on streaming platform ITVX and ITV’s digital channels as part of programming for Black History Month and UK Disability History Month.
Making their directorial debut for ITV, the selected producer/directors for Black History Month 2024 are Moses Ssebandeke with his profile series Alter Egos, Sammy Ofori-Attah’s Black Magic with Trixy, and Destiny Williams’ light-hearted Dogs of Grime. For Disability History Month 2024, programming includes Stephanie Symington’s makeover series Date My Nan, Richard Walker’s Disabled talent-led chat show Unfiltered Women and Molly Dennis’ cooking show Takeaway or Fakeaway.
Executive Producer for MultiStory Media, Natalie Rose said: “Fresh Cuts is all about championing underrepresented voices. Our content will be produced and directed by first-time talent from diverse backgrounds. Their perspective is central to producing this content and how it is executed. The move to short-form series and genre shift to more pop-y Fact Ent ideas is an exciting development for this year’s series.”
Fresh Cuts is funded through ITV’s £80 million Diversity Commissioning Fund, which launched in 2022. Over the past two years, Fresh Cuts has provided opportunities to eight directors, earning a BAFTA nomination along the way.
Richard Botchway, commissioning editor at ITV, added: “The new short-form approach is intended to create engaging, more easily shareable content, with the potential to attract younger audiences and bring greater visibility to the series, wherever audiences choose to view their content.”
