SuperSizing Entertainment Formats
Applications for SSDT are now open.
To apply for SuperSizing Development Teams, please fill out this form by Wednesday 5th November 2025, 5pm.
New SuperSizing Entertainment Formats Programme Launches in Scotland
The BBC, Screen Scotland and leading broadcast and digital training provider TRC, have come together in partnership with the ambition of finding the next exciting entertainment format to capture imaginations and get audiences talking.
Supersizing Entertainment Formats will be open to independent production companies based in Scotland and will run from November 2025 to April 2026. The fully funded training programme has been developed to support BBC Entertainment and BBC Scotland’s aspiration to find ambitious and distinctive entertainment formats to develop as potential co-commissions. Central to this vision is a commitment to growing big ideas from Scotland, seeing Scotland based talent on network screens and building the entertainment industry in the country.
Through a combination of in-person training, masterclasses, cases studies and business advice, successful applicants will learn what it takes to develop impactful formats of scale and benefit from direct access to experienced entertainment executives who’ve built global hits and returning series.
This programme is funded by the BBC and Screen Scotland. Screen Scotland drives development of all aspects of Scotland’s film and TV industry, through funding and strategic support from the Scottish Government and The National Lottery.
SuperSizing Entertainment Formats will provide companies with a framework to create stronger ideas of scale, provide solutions to challenges, build confidence in their creativity, and empower the development output within entertainment and ultimately compete for network entertainment slots. The training will address the following key areas:
- Creative Risk and Brainstorming
- Creative Leadership
- Creative Facilitation
- Storyboarding and Ideation
- Developing International Entertainment Formats
Delegates will benefit from case studies and masterclasses led by former entertainment and factual entertainment format devisers, offering invaluable insights into both UK and international markets.
Each indie will also receive dedicated one-to-one support from the BBC, providing tailored guidance to refine their slate and help shape ideas into compelling scalable formats. This personalised support will ensure their projects align with the BBC’s creative ambitions in entertainment, factual entertainment and reality, helping them shape ideas into compelling, scalable formats that celebrate the Scottish voice.
SuperSizing Entertainment Teams will run from November 2025 till April 2026. The training sessions will be held both online and in-person. Each company will benefit from a mix of in person training in Glasgow and London, online sessions, tailored consultancy, access to masterclasses with leading professionals, and dedicated mentoring with BBC executives.
Before applying, please ensure both members of your development team will be available to attend training in person in Glasgow on the following launch dates: Tuesday November 25th, Wednesday November 26th and Wednesday December 10th.
SuperSizing Entertainment Formats is open to independent production companies based in Scotland.
To apply, you must meet the following eligibility criteria:
- Be an established indie in Scotland for at least two years with a minimum of one UK Network “Scottish qualifying” commission or one BBC Scotland commission in unscripted content in the last two years. Whilst only single suppliers are invited to apply for this initial stage, it should be indicated if you are intending to participate, if applicable, in the paid development stage in a co-production partnership.
- Have produced at least one entertainment series or pilot from your Scottish base in the past three years. These can be for broadcasters other than the BBC.
- Have a minimum of two full time equivalent staff based in Scotland working across development and/or senior company management who are instrumental in winning business and who will attend throughout the programme.
- Have a clear entertainment development strategy focused upon your Scottish base and slate of entertainment projects/formats in development within your Scotland-based team.
- Have a demonstrable commitment to diversity/inclusion and sustainability
- Must be able to demonstrate why the company is ready to participate in the programme and what long term benefits it will bring.
Participating companies will be selected based on their proven talent, a clearly stated commitment to the growth of their business and an ability to show how the opportunities of the programme match their strategic company ambitions. You will need to show an ambition to develop formats that celebrate talent from Scotland on screen and should consider how their shows will find an audience on iPlayer and what their social media presence will look like in terms of talkability.
Places are limited, so please make sure you make a strong case for why you want to do this programme.
Two delegates from each company will attend the programme and must be available to participate on the stated course dates.
This programme is fully funded and there is no participation fee.
The programme will consist of a mix of in person and online training. Most of the training will be with the other participating companies but individual company-specific sessions will take place at your company premises with your development team.
Applications for SuperSizing Entertainment Formats can be submitted via this form. The deadline for applications is Wednesday 5th November 2025, 5pm.
If you have any questions about the course, please contact projectmanager@trcmedia.org
