The TV Foundation has revealed the 75 delegates taking part in their suite of career development programmes that offer opportunities for bold and creative talent at all levels and from all corners of the industry to take the next leap in their careers. Alongside dedicated support, connections and collaborations, they will all take part in this year’s Edinburgh TV Festival in August. 

The Foundation’s well-established programmes continue with TV’s rising stars joining Visionaries supported by Prime Video Pathway; those looking to start their career in TV joining The Network; and industry leaders joining Changemakers to find ways to bring more and better climate stories to our screen. This year also sees the return of TV PhD, for students funded by the UKRI Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) to kick-start a TV career. 

Twenty-five TV professionals from across the industry will join the 2026 Visionaries. The year-long programme of masterclasses and coaching will give TV’s best and brightest the ability to turn their vision into real change for the industry, both on and off screen. Of the final 25 selected 72% are women, 52% are from the global majority, 24% have a disability, 48% outside of London and 36% from working class backgrounds. 

Now in its third year, Changemakers brings together ten established TV professionals to put climate stories at the heart of the industry. This year’s delegation includes Sarah Asante, Founder & Chief Creative, Asante Space Ltd; Lucy Bacon, Development Executive, Ricochet; Justin Binding, Commissioning Executive Producer, BBC; Paula Cuddy, Co-CEO & Creative Director, Eleventh Hour Films; Rachael Kinley, Junior Commissioning Editor, Channel 4; Caroline Menzies, Executive Producer & Founder, Galore Productions; Leila Monks, Consultant Executive Producer, The Royal Foundation of the Prince and Princess of Wales, Freelance; Cal Turner, Commissioning Editor, BBC; Jon Willers, Director, The Development Network; Paul Wood, Head of Global Insight, Fremantle 

Returning for 2026 is TV PhD, connecting 15 AHRC-funded PhD students to the TV industry. They all have a passion for television and will have the opportunity to explore all the ways that their academic skills and ideas can add real value to the TV industry.   

The Network is a free entry-level access programme for anyone who is ready to start a career in television. The 25 delegates who will attend the Edinburgh TV Festival, will take part in workshops with TV industry teams from After Party Studios and BBC Studios Drama Productions with the results seen at sessions at the Festival.   

Across this year’s Festival delegates from Visionaries, The Network and TV PhD will be seen on stage. Sessions include a BBC Studios Drama Productions: EastEnders Live Read, and a series of Live Pitch Sessions with After Party Studios & Channel 4.0 Live Pitch, Channel 4 Random Acts Live Pitch and the TV PhD Live Pitch with Storyboard Studios.  

The TV Foundation, the charitable umbrella of the UK’s most prestigious TV industry event, The Edinburgh TV Festival, hosts programmes and initiatives that are about making TV open to all – a place where new perspectives, ideas and stories thrive. 

Gemma Bradshaw, Impact Director: We are thrilled to be able to champion and connect some of the most creative and thoughtful people in this TV industry through our career programmes. Whether they’re starting out on The Network or TV PhD, or leading the way on Visionaries or Changemakers, they’ve already showing us the direction the industry needs to go in. 

To purchase passes for the Edinburgh TV Festival go to www.thetvfestival.com/passes