How Breakthrough Leaders is transforming TV’s leadership

In an industry as fast paced and competitive as ours, finding the right opportunities to grow and thrive can sometimes feel like navigating uncharted territory - particularly in these critical times.

Freelancers face employment challenges like never before. Bectu’s 20204 report UK Film and TV Industry Slowdown: A Sector in Crisis makes for painful reading, with

• 68% of the 4,000 film and TV workers surveyed were not currently working

• 88% were concerned about their financial security

• 75% said they were struggling with their mental health due to the lack of work.

 The impact has felt greater for under-represented groups, with Black (32%) and Asian (38%) freelancers reporting lower employment rates than their white colleagues (29%).

Additionally, 50% of Black respondents have said they planned to leave the industry within the next five years, compared to 37% of their white counterparts.

Although not surprising, these alarming statistics have serious and long-lasting repercussions for the future of the sector, especially when data from the Diamond report shows continued under representation of Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic people in senior roles.

It’s important more than ever that we balance financial pressures alongside the need to develop and retain talent, so we can bridge the gaps and reshape the industry’s workforce to be more representative and sustainable for the future, whatever that may look like.

Having been in the broadcast and television space for 20 years and as a diversity and talent executive for the past six, I have seen so many times how recruitment pipelines often fail to capture the full spectrum of diverse talent.

I have both participated and facilitated numerous industry development programmes, and witnessed firsthand how they can transform careers, shape minds, and challenge organisations.

But the one that has resonated with me deeply is the TV Collective’s Breakthrough Leaders (an initiative that identifies and supports Black, Asian, and global majority professionals to become future leaders in the TV industry).

Breakthrough Leaders isn’t just a career development programme—it creates a lifeline for those often overlooked. I was humbled when I was nominated for the inaugural Breakthrough Leaders cohort in 2021. While I didn’t make the final selection, the nomination itself was like a career milestone for me.

The thoughtful feedback I received reminded me that recognition doesn’t always come with a title—it comes with the belief others have in you, pushing you to pursue new possibilities you only dreamt of.

Fast forward, and I’m proud to say I am part of the Breakthrough Leaders 2024 cohort, which last year was sponsored by industry giants Fremantle, BBC Studios, Amazon, Sky, and ITV Studios.

The programme offers a range of benefits. From one-to-one coaching sessions to group discussions, it provides actionable strategies to help participants navigate their careers. More importantly, it’s a space where participants are truly seen. The industry can often feel isolating for people from ethnically diverse backgrounds or those who don’t fit the traditional mould of leadership.

One of the programme’s most profound impacts is its focus on emotional and mental well-being. Over the last year, I’ve experienced personal and professional challenges that made it difficult to practically plan my next steps. The programme didn’t just help me recalibrate my career goals—it anchored me through difficult times. The accountability partners, group coaching, and support from my peers have been invaluable.

Like others in the programme, I’ve faced moments of self-doubt and professional uncertainty and Breakthrough Leaders offered something different: a vital safe space for under-represented professionals to heal, learn, and show up as their best selves, even in the face of adversity.

Beyond individual growth, the programme is addressing systemic diversity issues in the industry. Breakthrough Leaders is dismantling barriers by identifying, nurturing, and showcasing exceptional talent. It’s not about ticking boxes; it’s about transforming the leadership landscape in television for the better.

If I were to liken the programme to something, it would be the Tree of Souls in the film Avatar, which is a place of connection, grounding and renewal. Breakthrough Leaders is more than a professional development programme; it’s a sanctuary for those navigating uncertainty in their careers and lives. It’s a place where people who might feel invisible in the broader industry find a network that truly values them.

For those in positions of influence, I urge you to champion initiatives like this. For individuals unsure of their next steps, I encourage you to take the leap and apply.

The Breakthrough Leaders programme isn’t just about climbing the career ladder—it’s about building a foundation of resilience, confidence, and community that will sustain you throughout your career, and not just whilst you are on the cohort but for the future to come.

This programme has the power to change lives and careers—and it has certainly changed mine. Sometimes, we all need to break down to break through. And when we do, programmes like Breakthrough Leaders are there to guide us, support us, and celebrate us every step of the way.