Eurovision 2017: Alex Worrall and Tim Telling to write the script!
It’s one of the elements of Eurovision we often don’t think about, and that’s the script for the show. With just over a month until Eurovision kicks off, the Ukrainian broadcaster UA:PBC have announced that Alex Worrall and Tim Telling will be the script writers for this year’s contest. The two experienced script writers will work with the show’s producer Stuart Barlow to set the tone for the three shows, which will be broadcast to over 200 million across Europe and the world.
Alex Worrall is the former head of development for Grenada New York, where he created and directed Room Raiders, a popular US MTV dating show. From there, he became the head of development for MTV UK and international. Alex worked a bit in stand up comedy, and has performed at the Edinburgh Festival, and after that, turned to writing full time. He has written across a number of genres and for well known media brands, including the BBC, The Daily Mash and Channel 4, amongst others. His film script ‘Here Boy’ went on to gain funding from Creative England and went on to win the 2016 PromaxBDA UK Short Film Festival. He has just finished up as the executive producer of The Only Way is Essex, and is now a writer and executive producer on a new drama pilot with Avalon Productions.
He has commented on his new role, saying, ‘It’s a great creative challenge. My job is to help the hosts look slick, smart and be funny to millions of people. Global LOLs are the hardest LOLs to get! Globally we need Eurovision. I think it’s important that there’s a platform for the worlds citizens to come together, compete and have fun. I’m really proud to be a part of that’
Tim Telling is also an editor at The Daily Mash, which is the UK’s most popular original satire website. Other than this, Tim is working on sitcom projects with Baby Cow, Avalon and Objective. He has appeared as a speaker at Hay Festival, Edinburgh Festival of Politics and on Radio 4. Formerly, Tim was an award winning stand up comedian, and has been given funding from Film London for his script The Yowie and the Magpie, which was nominated for the McLaren Animation Award.
Tim has also commented on his upcoming project, saying ‘It’s super cool to be involved with such a massive and well-loved show while also getting to experience a new country and culture. Entertainment doesn’t get any bigger than Eurovision… unless maybe in the distant future we will have Spacevision with different planets competing. I’d want to be part of that’
What this all means, is that these two acclaimed script writers will write what we will hear from the three chosen hosts, Oleksandr Skichko, Volodymyr Ostapchuk and Timur Miroshnychenko. The responsibility is down to these script writers to create a fun and entertaining show that will be enjoyed by a wide range of people from across the world – no pressure!
