Third Yorkshire writer announced as recipient of the Kay Mellor Fellowship

Wakefield-based British-Iranian playwright Jasmin Mandi-Ghomi has been announced as the 2025 recipient of the Kay Mellor Fellowship. Jasmin follows Kat Rose-Martin and Kirsty Taylor, both from Bradford, as the third and next writer to receive the fellowship, which was established in 2019 in memory of the late Kay Mellor, a pioneering writer in the world of TV and theatre.

The fellowship, a collaboration between Leeds Playhouse, Rollem Productions, the BBC, and Leeds City Council, serves as a platform to nurture new voices from the North. This joint commitment highlights the organisations’ shared dedication to championing emerging talent and amplifying diverse voices in the arts.

Jasmin’s debut full-length play, Allah In the Walls, was developed through the Catalyst Programme at North Wall Arts Centre and was shortlisted for the 2022 Bruntwood Prize. In 2021, she wrote The Magic of Wild Heather, created for the National Theatre’s Public Acts initiative, which was performed at Cast Theatre in Doncaster. Jasmin has also been involved with several prestigious schemes, including the BBC’s Northern Voices, Sheffield Theatres’ Bank Cohort, and the Bush Theatre’s Emerging Writers Group. In 2023, she participated in the Warner Writers Exchange Scheme, where she wrote her first TV pilot, Joon. Her latest play, The End, was written for the Bush Theatre’s Young Company and staged in August 2024.

During her fellowship year, Jasmin will develop stories exploring the meaning home, delving into the thriller genre, and being inspired by her Yorkshire and Iranian heritage, while continuing to hone her unique voice as a playwright for both stage and screen. She joined the two previous fellows and representatives from the organisations for a photocall alongside Ribbons, a public art installation in Playhouse Gardens that honours the many women – both past and present – who have contributed to the city. Kay Mellor's name is woven into the structure, serving as a lasting tribute to her impact.

Jasmin said: “I am beyond excited to be awarded the Kay Mellor Fellowship for 2025. Kay was a real staple in my household when I was growing up and I would love to help more people feel seen through my writing in the same way she did. With the support of this Fellowship, I hope to challenge myself and explore how to tell the diverse personal stories I love on a larger scale. I feel incredibly lucky to be part of a legacy that includes previous Fellows Kat Rose-Martin and Kirsty Taylor. I hope to continue in their footsteps and tell stories that make Yorkshire proud.”

Gaynor Mellor, creative director of Rollem Productions, said: “What an honour it is to be running the third Kay Mellor fellowship alongside Amy Leach at Leeds Playhouse, Alice Ramsay at the BBC and Leeds City Council. My mum would be so proud that we are carrying on her legacy of handing down the ladder to emerging writers and helping them to develop and craft their talent. We’re really excited to be working with Jasmin Mandi-Ghomi, our 2025 fellow, and welcoming her into our Rollem family. Jasmin sent in a fantastic script and is brimming with passion and ideas.”

Jess Loveland, head of New Writing, BBC Writers and Drama Commissioning, said: “I’m absolutely thrilled to congratulate Jasmin on being selected for the Kay Mellor Fellowship in 2025. This fellowship truly represents Kay’s vision for nurturing bold emerging talent and I can’t wait to see how Jasmin’s voice flourishes throughout the programme.”

Amy Leach, deputy artistic director at Leeds Playhouse, said: “Jasmin brings a fresh and vital perspective to everything she creates. It’s brilliant to collaborate with all of the partners to support her development as a writer, and we know her work will resonate deeply with our audiences. The Kay Mellor Fellowship has always been about nurturing talent and opening doors, and we’re proud to continue that mission in Kay’s memory.”

Kirsty Taylor on the fellowship said: “The fellowship has been an ace year of learning and developing. I've had access to some amazing workshops and masterclasses with people in the industry, and getting individualised feedback, advice and edits as I embark on my tv writing journey has been invaluable. It's been so great to connect with Jasmin and Kat, my fellow fellows! I love their energy and voice, and feel really inspired and encouraged hearing about what they're doing next,. And how good is it to have hype women like them?!”

Kat Rose-Martin said: “I was awarded the Fellowship back in 2020 and it was honestly a lifeline for me at the time. It not only kept me in the industry but also turbo charged my career. There are so many doors that were opened to me: I signed with an incredible agent; have worked for BBC, Channel 5, Channel 4, American production companies and many more. It’s honestly such a privilege to be part of Kay’s legacy and I’m thrilled to be alongside such powerhouse women. I look forward to carrying the baton alongside them and being a support for each other. We’re like Charlie’s Angels of the Northern writer/performer multiverse. Except we’re not Charlie’s, we’re Kay’s!”

In addition to the Fellowship, Leeds Playhouse launched The Kay Mellor Fund in 2023 to raise money to nurture local writers – something that was always very close to Kay’s heart – through its industry-leading Furnace Artist Development programme. This fund supports locally rooted writers through bespoke investment, mentoring and training opportunities.