Wonder Women Conference 2026 Champions Female Leadership in TV

At the Conference of Wonder Women 2026 at BAFTA, London, October 1, the senior women leaders of the UK Television industry and the creative industry addressed the increasing challenges faced by the production industry.

The speakers discussed rapid growth of online streaming changing the nature of TV industry, opening up new prospects but also playing a large part in the dramatic shrinkage of the production industry in the UK. In this context, there was great emphasis on the importance of increased cooperation within the industry, investments in creative personnel, focusing on women’s leadership in particular.

Key Highlights:

• Women leaders call for stronger action on female leadership in the production industry
• UK TV contraction puts talent and production under pressure
• Producers shift focus from winning commissions to audiences

Michelle stated that the producer's job has been completely transformed from being ‘just winning commissions’ to now ‘winning audiences.’ Since viewers have established increasingly personal connections with the creators and on-screen talent, producers are now expected to craft content that goes beyond just the show. The audience is demanding more media access and authenticity, especially in the non-scripted arena. This development clearly signifies that the focus has shifted more towards audience strategy and talent relations and engagement.

This debate also discussed the manner through which YouTube's expanding influence and the rise of direct-to-consumer networks are transforming the traditional television industry. With more people accessing media in non-traditional ways, production firms are forced to adapt the way they create, distribute and earn revenue from content.

Reemah Sakaan, President, 5, who also held high-level positions in BBC and ITV, mentioned that the sustainability of the system in which films and TV shows are produced in the UK is a major issue, especially due to the contraction of the market after its rapid growth post-COVID.

“There’s probably too many of us. We’re all going to have to contract. There’s probably too many companies we’re all going to have to contract.” Reemah commented.

The leaders called for greater coordination among broadcasters, streaming services, production houses and other investors and industry players towards protecting talent pipelines and creating sustainable opportunities. The key message was the continued commitment towards ensuring that there is diversity within leadership at all times. There was also an emphasis on making sure that any contraction of the industry did not disproportionately impact women, especially those who are more senior or involved in decision-making.

Additionally, the speakers focused on the growing complexity of TV production, which has become more multifaceted due to the involvement of a larger number of sponsors, brands, co-producers, and other interested parties.

In this context, stress on significance of creating a framework for accountability, setting the scope of decision-making, and making sure that people are clear about their roles and responsibilities is of vital importance.

At the discussion panel on ‘Women at the Top in TV’ chaired by Manori Ravindran, Reemah Sakaan, President of 5, Margaret Parvin, Head of International Business Affairs at Amazon MGM Studios, Michelle Chappell, Managing Director of Workerbee, and Amelia Brown, CEO of Fremantle UK looked into the extent of change occurring in the television industry.