Taggart star Blythe Duff returns to GCU for screenwriting workshop

Actress Blythe Duff returned to GCU to perform scripts written by students on our MA TV Fiction Writing course.

The Taggart star, a GCU Cultural Fellow, took part in a day-long workshop offering advice on scriptwriting from an actor’s perspective.

Ten students from the class of 2019 had their original scripts performed at a live reading and received constructive feedback about dialogue, stage directions and scene structure.

MA TV Fiction Writing is the only master’s course in the UK dedicated to writing television drama.

Graduates have worked on some of Britain’s most popular long-running shows, including EastEnders, Casualty, and Holby City.

Blythe said: "I love working with aspiring writers and this year we've been handed some really good work.

"If you're a writer just starting off, seeing your work performed is a great way for you to develop and receive feedback. By seeing it acted out, you can tell which parts are over-written, or what scenes can be broken up, and it's great for the actors as well."

Professor Ann Marie Di Mambro, MA TV Fiction Writing lecturer, said: “Blythe brings a wealth of talent and we are privileged to have her read our students' work

"We got a really positive response from all of the actors who all said they were impressed with the standard of the work.  I felt very proud of the students, they really rose to the challenge of working with professionals."

In October, Blythe donated all of her scripts from Taggart to the archives at Glasgow Caledonian University.

Scripts from 95 episodes are available to the public, and MA TV students, along with memorabilia from the iconic detective show, including books, press cuttings, still photographs, and awards.