Firecrest Talent Development Award

We're really delighted that our work to grow new documentary talent has been celebrated by the Royal Television Society with an award - the first of its kind.

The RTS Impact award is a new prize, recognising initiatives which have made a lasting and significant impact in Scotland. We are incredibly proud that the Firecrest Talent Development scheme has been recognised in this way.

Designed, managed and funded through the company, this training programme has boosted the careers of more than 30 people in Scotland, through our returning observational documentary series, Paramedics on Scene.

From entry level all the way through to Exec the scheme provides significant and meaningful steps up for the best emerging documentary talent, across editorial, production management and post-production.

Paramedics is a hugely successful series in its own right. It’s has a big and loyal audience on BBC Scotland and iPlayer, and is a huge creative success, winning the RTS Scotland Daytime award in 2021. But as a talent factory, it has been utterly game-changing, not only for the people who have taken a significant step up in their career as a direct result but far beyond.

Every single award-winning Firecrest show of the last five years has had someone on the production team who boosted their skills through the scheme. From premium tariff streamer projects like Three Mothers, Two Babies and a Scandal, to ambitious brands like Murder Trial, big budget series like Rescue Extreme Medics, high rating 9pm shows like Highland Cops to our high profile investigations for Dispatches and Panorama, the scheme has given provided essential skills, experience, and confidence.

The work involved in creating and building opportunities like this is usually unsung, so it is wonderful that this initiative has won this prestigious RTS award for its impact.