5 and Brinkworth partner to launch new unscripted production training programme based in Bristol

Partnership based in Brinkworth West will provide vital production training and mentoring programme in unscripted TV for 12 trainees over next three years

Public service broadcaster, 5 and independent production company Brinkworth are partnering on a new unscripted television production training scheme which will be launched from a newly established base for Brinkworth in Bristol, Brinkworth West – which opens in early October.   

Initially launching over a three-year period, the new scheme will see 12 production trainees go through the programme – two people over each six months.  

The trainees will work on unscripted content produced by Brinkworth for 5 including across a range of genres and subject matter and will gain a broad spectrum of training and mentoring in production, development and commissioning.   

The production training programme will launch for applications in October with outreach across the industry – and particularly around educational and relevant institutions in the South West and West of England.  

The intention is to draw a wide and diverse pool of applications into the scheme and to help address the shortfall in entry-level training schemes that exist in the UK’s television industry, particularly in unscripted television.   

Launching the new scheme, CEO of Brinkworth, Malcolm Brinkworth said: “I am really excited to be launching this new training scheme in partnership with 5. Together with the opening of Brinkworth West, this reflects our commitment to build a sustainable production base in the region offering new opportunities for young talented people to enter the industry. Working on primetime 5 shows will provide a fantastic start to their careers.”   

Chief Content Officer for 5, Ben Frow said: “Access into this industry is getting harder, and nowhere is that felt more than in unscripted, especially if you’re not based in London. We wanted to do something about that. Partnering with Brinkworth to open this scheme in Bristol is exactly the kind of investment we should be making as a public service broadcaster: backing new talent outside the capital to help us keep making distinctly British shows our audiences love.”        

The programme, which is focused on unscripted production, builds on 5’s ongoing commitment to the independent production sector around the UK and to nurturing new creative voices.  5’s existing initiatives supporting entry into the sector include Play for Today – which supports opportunities for people from low-income backgrounds to break into scripted TV writing, directing and production.   

-ENDS-   

For media enquiries, please contact:    Richard Bell: (e) Richard.Bell@paramount.com   

About 5    

5 is the home of award-winning content from the UK’s third largest commercial PSB, a culmination of the creative transformation of Channel 5 over more than a decade. 5 is part of the Paramount Skydance Corporation.    

Through a mix of live TV channels and bingeable boxsets, the free-to-air service allows UK audiences to watch or stream the breadth of programming from the 5-branded portfolio, the dedicated preschool brand Milkshake!, and a wide selection from the wider Paramount family of brands, including BET, CBS, Comedy Central, MTV Entertainment Studios, Paramount+ and more. In keeping with its PSB remit, 5 tells the story of modern Britain by reflecting the lives of people across the UK, featuring well-known faces and fresh new talent.   

Its programme roster spans original UK drama, premium factual, true crime, science, news & current affairs and kids’ content, which continue to attract critical acclaim. Recent wins include ‘Channel of the Year’ at the 2025 Edinburgh TV Awards, BAFTA Television and RTS Awards for the documentary White Nanny, Black Child in 2024, along with a BAFTA nomination for Endurance Race to the Pole. Factual hit The Yorkshire Vet and the broadcaster’s series on air fryers also won RTS Yorkshire awards, while Michael Palin received the Radio Times Special Judges Award for his Channel 5 documentaries.