Gaelic language commissioning
NEW GAELIC VISUALISED PODCAST OPPORTUNITY FOR WORLD CUP 2026
The summer of 2026 is set to be a sporting spectacle with Scotland’s return to the biggest stage of world football at the heart of it. The men’s national team will compete at the World Cup for the first time since 1998, driving a national conversation around the team’s participation as well as the wider tournament across the USA, Canada and Mexico.
BBC ALBA are looking to commission a new visualised podcast format ensuring that Gaelic language content will be part of this historic Scottish moment.
Over the past few years, football has seen a shift away from traditional broadcast punditry to long-form conversations with more reflective discussions which prioritise honest, personality-driven content. Programmes including The Rest is Football and Open Goal engage their audiences with distinct insights and hilarious stories, whereas The Overlap has become one of the leading sport creators on YouTube in the UK with a strong youth following.
Our priority is to ensure Gaelic representation in a fresh, engaging manner on a subject that is sure to be at the forefront of most minds through June and July. Our primary target audience is Gaelic speakers under the age of 45. However, we would hope to reach anyone who has an interest in football or whose imaginations are captured by the World Cup.
Although episodes should be informative, this is not a news podcast. The podcast should include insightful and entertaining opinion, comedic anecdotes and a warm on-air relationship between contributors and guests which audiences find relatable. Potential contributors should be well-known figures within the Gaelic world who are able to react quickly and wittily with each other, whilst creating space and encouraging participation from everyone on-air. The podcast should mainly focus on Scotland’s participation in the wider spectacle.
We are looking to commission a minimum of six episodes at this stage, although a flexible approach will allow us to commission more episodes, if necessary, as the competition unfolds. Episodes should revolve around key moments, whether that be squad announcements or group stage fixtures. These will require a quick turnaround for publication to maintain a sense of topicality. We intend to upload the visualised podcast to BBC Sounds, BBC iPlayer and BBC ALBA’s YouTube channel, allowing audiences to consume the content in their preferred format.
Visualisation should be authentic to the podcast, allowing for audiences to fully immerse themselves in the content. It should be high quality allowing for distribution of clips on BBC ALBA’s social media platforms.
We welcome ideas from Scottish production companies or content creators with an interest in the above. Please note proposals should include the following:
• Format name
• On-air and off-air talent
• A summary of your production model
• Proposed initial episode structure
• Visualisation style
• Budget (our guide price is £2500 per episode, although we are happy to discuss this further with the successful creative / production company)
Pitches should be submitted to bbcalbacommissioning@bbc.co.uk. The deadline for proposals is 5pm on 28 April 2026.
BBC ALBA COMMISSIONING ROUND, AUTUMN 2025
BBC ALBA aims to deliver content to Gaelic viewers that is rooted, relevant and relateable. At the same time we are ambitious and outward-looking, determined to celebrate our language and culture on a world stage.
We are seeking proposals for bold factual programmes that can win a wide audience, as well as creative ideas that can achieve critical recognition for the channel.
COMMISSIONING PRIORITIES
• We are looking for high-impact factual content. Programmes with compelling characters and contemporary issue-led stories are particularly welcome.
• We will consider returning factual entertainment series that have performed well with audiences.
• We also welcome high-impact content aimed at a younger audience, 18-35.
• In this round we are not prioritising general historical subjects – although we will consider sports stories that have a recent historical dimension; or stories that have a clear contemporary resonance, an innovative approach, or expressions of interest from other broadcasters.
• We are not looking for proposals that are essentially music performances with a factual wraparound. However, we will consider in-depth, narrative-led music documentaries.
• Although co-funding isn’t essential, we are keen to see proposals which already have other funders/broadcasters attached
SCHEDULE PRIORITIES
• This round is primarily for content delivering into the 2026 linear schedule, iPlayer and BBC ALBA YouTube.
• We’re looking for distinctive, eye-catching peak-time content for the 9pm slot on the linear schedule - but which will also make an eye-catching impact on iPlayer.
• iPlayer-first and BBC ALBA YouTube series ideas are welcome. At the heart of iPlayer and YouTube proposals should be a compelling format that will hook viewers from the get-go. Episodes should be fast-paced, bold and colourful with bags of wit and attitude with a clear storytelling and visual style for digital first content.
FORMATS AND DURATIONS
• We will consider single programmes and short series in factual.
• We can take a flexible approach to durations.
• We will consider ambitious feature-length single documentaries that have a cinematic/festival life cycle before appearing on linear TV. Feature documentaries should have co-funding attached or a credible co-funding finance plan in place.
CO-FUNDING
Priority will be given to ideas that take into consideration further funding such as, but not limited to:
• Creative Scotland's Broadcast Content Fund
https://www.creativescotland.com/funding/funding-programmes/targeted-funding/screen
• Tax reliefs (via BFI tax credits certification)
https://www.bfi.org.uk/supporting-uk-film/british-certification-tax-relief
SUBMISSIONS
Proposals should be one or two pages (max) and must include:
• Title. This should be short, snappy and searchable – a few memorable words that instantly sum up the programme for viewers scrolling through iPlayer. Please provide a Gaelic and English version.
• Format. The number of programmes and their duration.
• Target audience. What demographic is the programme aimed at?
• Programme price. Cost per programme and/or for the full series (as appropriate).
• Logline. The programme idea in a nutshell.
• Treatment. A summary of the story with detail of the key on-screen people (including a taster reel), the creative approach and visual style. If you’re pitching a multi-parter tell us what makes it hooky and why the audience will want to return for more.
• Access. Provide detail on what access to subjects and stories you’ve secured. This must be based on actual conversations - not speculation.
• Mock-up of an iPlayer thumbnail. A visual and graphic representation of the content; how will it catch the viewer’s eye and encourage them to watch?
• Two or three strong supporting images
• Key production talent
• Digital media. What are the digital and social plans for this idea? Please add a short synopsis of digital assets, from reels to short clips, that will enhance the linear content and can be used as standalone content as well as generating interest in the linear programme.
• Marketing hooks and opportunities
Please ensure that all these elements are included in your proposal.
We welcome taster reels although they’re not essential. However, if new talent is involved an audition reel is crucial.
Please do not attach talent names to your submissions unless they have been approached and expressed interest.
DATE FOR SUBMISSIONS
Deadline for ideas: Monday 29th September, 5pm
Once all the submissions have been received the Commissioning Team will discuss them in detail and shortlist what we consider to be the most compelling and suitable ideas for this round.
We will then arrange to meet with Producers to discuss the shortlisted projects. This will be an opportunity to explore the ideas in greater depth.
We plan to meet with Producers either in person at Pacific Quay in Glasgow or online on the 9th / 10th October and the 20th / 21st October.
Following these meetings we aim to share commissioning decisions on the 31st October.
Submissions and any questions on anything contained in this Commissioning Round should be addressed to Claire MacDonald and Jennifer MacKenzie at: bbcalbacommissioning@bbc.co.uk
Who we are
- Head of Gaelic Services & Inclusion: Margaret Mary Murray
- Director of Content Additionality: Margaret Cameron
- Commissioning Editor: Bill MacLeod
- Commissioning Executive: Fiona MacKenzie
- Commissioning Executive: Calum McConnell
