As part of its continued commitment to younger audiences, BBC Three has announced a new commissioning opportunity at the Edinburgh TV Festival 2025. The initiative invites independent production companies to pitch a current affairs documentary for BBC Three. The selected films will be available on BBC iPlayer and also via YouTube.

Details of the Pitch

The BBC plans to commission five single current affairs documentaries from five different independent production companies. The initiative will involve collaboration with the BBC Nations division where relevant. The goal is to find standout films that feature compelling characters, voices, or perspectives that resonate with the 16-34 demographic in the UK.

Statements from BBC Executives

Fiona Campbell, Controller, Youth Audience, BBC iPlayer & BBC Three, said: “We are looking for a maximum of five stand out films from five different Indies that uncover arresting characters, voices or perspectives that will resonate amongst 16-34’s in the UK. We want Indies to come to us with ideas that explore a riveting world, tell a gripping story, or show confronting perspectives that reflect issues facing young Brits today.”

Nasfim Haque, Head of Content for BBC Three, added: “We want to find original stories, that enhance 16–34-year-olds understanding of today’s world and reflect life across the UK in the 2020s. The ideas should have original journalism at their heart and the content should provide viewers with a new and timely insight on the modern world.”

A Year of Intriguing Documentaries: 2024-2025