Heather Basten wins Best Casting in a TV Comedy Series award
- Dreaming Whilst Black casting director Heather Basten has won at the Casting Directors' Guild Awards
- "Winning this award truly is a humbling acknowledgement to the brilliant actors and our entire casting department"
Heather Basten has won the trophy for Best Casting in a TV Comedy Series at the Casting Directors' Guild Awards.
Basten picked up the prize for her work on BBC Three comedy series Dreaming Whilst Black, on which she was assisted by Peter Noden and Fran Cattaneo.
She says: "Winning this award truly is a humbling acknowledgement to the brilliant actors and our entire casting department.
"I have an immense amount of pride and gratitude for the collaborative casting journey we had on this show. It is a testament to the trust, space and creativity we were offered.
"To anyone who resonated deeply with the series' exploration of identity, the pursuit of dreams against societal odds, or being asked to eat your lunch in a different room, this award is truly shared with you. Thank you to everyone that laughed along with us, and thank you to the CDG for this recognition."
Basten was presented with her award by comedian Sindhu Vee. The event also saw Basten reuniting with Dreaming Whilst Black's star and co-creator, Adjani Salmon, who was at the event to present another award.
A second series of Dreaming Whilst Black was announced earlier in the month.
Aside from Salmon, the regular cast appearing in the show includes Dani Moseley, babirye bukilwa, Rachel Adedeji, Demmy Ladipo, Akemnji Ndifornyen, Jo Martin, Roger Griffiths, Martina Laird and Alexander Owen. Guest stars have included Peter Serafinowicz, Isy Suttie, Will Hislop and Lydia Rose Bewley.
The shortlist for the Best Casting in a TV Comedy Series category also featured Suzanne Crowley, Gilly Poole and Katie Mozumder for Extraordinary; Sarah Crowe and Ben Marks for Motherland; Lauren Evans for Sex Education; and Theo Park and Laura MacFadden for Ted Lasso.
Now in their sixth year, the awards, which are run as a partnership between The Casting Directors' Guild and Spotlight, also saw a win for Kharmel Cochrane for the film Rye Lane and Dear England casting director Bryony Jarvis-Taylor. The full results across all ten categories can be seen via spotlight.com
Spotlight's managing director Matt Hood says: "Casting directors are often the unsung storytellers of the industry. Their vision and skills that help orchestrate an ensemble of characters bring a script to life in every medium. The CDG Awards have led the way in recognising this vital craft, and the belated addition of the Academy Award for Casting Direction as a competitive category is a moment in cinematic history. At Spotlight we will always champion the work of brilliant casting directors and we're delighted to be able to celebrate those winners who have excelled in their field."
This article is provided for free as part of BCG Pro.
Subscribe now for exclusive features, insight, learning materials, opportunities and other tools for the British comedy industry.