First Sessions for the 2025 Edinburgh TV Festival Announced

We’re delighted to announce our first sessions for the 2025 Festival. Expect further sneak peeks over the coming weeks, with the full line up revealed in July. We can’t wait to see you in Edinburgh in August.

Michael Sheen in Conversation with Jane Tranter

TUESDAY 19 AUGUST 2025

From Good Omens to Staged and The Deal to Quiz, Michael Sheen has been at the heart of some of the most memorable TV, film and theatre performances of the last few decades. The famously ‘not-for-profit’ actor is also well known for his philanthropy and charity work. In the Festival’s opening session, Sheen sits down with fellow Wales legend, 2025 Advisory Chair Jane Tranter, to discuss his career, art as activism and the vital role the nations and regions play in the UK’s cultural landscape and international reputation.

Jane Tranter, 2025 Edinburgh TV Festival Advisory Chair, said: “Michael Sheen is a passionate, principled advocate for Wales who just happens to be one of the best actors the UK has ever produced. In a Festival where we celebrate what is great about the TV industry in all four Nations, I cannot think of a better person to show us all how to walk the walk and not just talk the talk.

We’re also delighted to be spotlighting the UK’s two biggest breakout hits of the year so far, with masterclasses on Adolescence and Last One Laughing. Stay tuned for more!”

Adolescence Masterclass

WEDNESDAY 20 AUGUST 2025
Netflix’s Adolescence has already staked its claim as the runaway hit of 2025. Filmed in a creatively audacious one-shot style, the series has already become the most-streamed UK show of all time, sparking a national conversation about toxic masculinity. In this creative deep-dive, the team behind the show will reveal its journey from idea to screen, the challenges and triumphs along the way and how they turned a local story into global hit.

Featuring:

• Christine Tremarco, Actor, Adolescence
• Emily Feller, Chief Creative Officer, Warp Films
• Jack Thorne, Co-Creator, Co-Writer and Executive Producer, Adolescence
• Mona Qureshi, Director of Scripted Series, Netflix UK
• Phil Barantini, Director and Executive Producer, Adolescence

Gag Order: Last One Laughing Masterclass

THURSDAY 21 AUGUST 2025

How do you create a comedy where laughter is off-limits? When it launched on Prime Video in March, Last One Laughing immediately became a viral sensation and the break-out unscripted hit of 2025. Join the creative team and a member of the cast to unpack adapting the format for the UK, the secrets behind the production and casting, and what we can expect from season 2.

Featuring:

• Cat Lynch, Senior Creative Executive, Amazon MGM Studios

• Katy Manley, Managing Director, Initial

• Lou Sanders, Contestant

• Richard Cohen, Executive Producer, Zeppotron

• Ruth Phillips, Freelance, Executive Producer

Passes for the festival can be booked here.