Hot Shots 2023: Nessa Wrafter

If Derry Girls creator Lisa McGee describes you as “an extraordinary talent”, there’s a good chance you’re going places.

McGee chose to mentor Nessa Wrafter as part of the BBC/ITV Mentorship Scheme withDancing Ledge Productions, based on her TV project, Reunion, which they’ve been developing since 2021. “I’m not the only one to have realised how talented Nessa is. In the past couple of years, her career has taken off,” McGee notes.

While dabbling in directing and short-form comedy, Wrafter’s first paid writing commission was an audio drama concept for Storypunk in 2020. Since then, RTÉ and BBC Studios are among those to hire the emerging scriptwriter.

Her first project with the co-producers was an episode of crime drama Smother, which aired in March this year. She followed that up with an episode of new crime drama Blackshore, which is due to air in 2024. Next year is shaping up to be a big one for Wrafter as her episode of Kidnapped (the Chloe Ayling Story) will also air on BBC3.

But here’s where things get really interesting: Wrafter is creator and showrunner of Blood & Water, currently in development with RTÉ and Treasure Entertainment. And she has another as-yet-unannounced project up her sleeve.

A testament to her ambition, Wrafter has set up her own indie, Klick Productions, to develop original projects. “I truly believe Nessa has a unique and exciting voice,” says McGee. “Her writing is ambitious, truthful and hilarious, putting female stories front and centre.”