The Grey’s Anatomy creator recounts her groundbreaking career and calls Bridgerton “a workplace drama” while receiving the Edinburgh Fellowship Award.
If anyone can be said to have changed the face of TV drama, it is Shonda Rhimes. The creative force behind Bridgerton and CEO of the global media company Shondaland, Rhimes is the first black woman creator and executive producer of a top 10 Network television series (Grey's Anatomy). She is also the first woman to create three television dramas, Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal and Private Practice, which have all achieved the 100-episode milestone. On top of this, she executive-produced How to Get Away with Murder, for which Viola Davis became the first black woman to win an Emmy for outstanding lead actress, among other accolades.
“I'm never going to write a show that doesn't include me,” Rhimes told the Edinburgh Television Festival, where she was honoured with the inaugural Fellowship award.
“Creative powerhouse doesn't even come close,” said Bridgerton actor Adjoa Andoh, presenting Rhimes the award. “She is a global icon, a woman of colour who redefined the television industry, but did so entirely on her own terms. For so many of us in the UK and beyond, she is the blueprint for those who have had to fight to be heard or seen. Shonda represents what's possible when a black woman dares, not just to write the story but to own the pen, the paper, and the whole damn publisher.”
You are not signed in
Only registered users can read the rest of this article.
Nicolas Winding Refn: “If you mass produce nothingness, why would anyone care?”
The Danish auteur is back with a new movie, a prominent role in a computer game, and the same confrontational attitude to formulaic art.
Tech Papers 2025: EBU details development of victorious multilingual chatbot
A team from the EBU and HEIG-VD recently won the coveted Best Technical Paper at IBC2025 for their project on an AI chatbot for ‘trusted news’. David Davies finds out more.
CTO Panel: WBD’s Avi Saxena on facing a “highly volatile but innovative” industry
IBC Conference: Warner Bros. Discovery’s Avi Saxena will take part in an IBC panel of CTOs investigating how best to extract value from the new and rapidly evolving tools of the trade.
David Wood on… 100 years of TV, and beyond!
Dr David Wood, former Deputy Technical Director of the EBU, shares his thoughts on some key moments from the history of modern TV, and what we can expect from the future.
IBC Keynote – C4's Grace Boswood: ‘Focus on the soul of your products’
Channel 4 is riding high, not only enjoying success on YouTube with a digital-first strategy but also picking up awards in the bargain. Grace Boswood, Director of Technology and Distribution at Channel 4, attributes this success to a clear-eyed view on digital transformation and a well-honed strategy.
