The full programme and honourees have been revealed for the first ever The Spotlight Conference, taking place on Tuesday 21st October 2025 at RADA, London.
Uniting performers, casting professionals and agents for a day of essential discussion, The Spotlight Conference will explore technology, diversity and inclusion, mental health, and the future of the industry.
The event will also honour three extraordinary individuals whose work has profoundly shaped the sector, with each honouree leading sessions throughout the day.
The Legacy Award for Lifetime Achievement in Casting will be presented to legendary casting director Debbie McWilliams. Known for her iconic work on every James Bond film from 1981–2021, McWilliams discovered three Bonds – Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig – and helped diversify the franchise.
Ben Frow, Chief Content Officer at Paramount 5, receives the Broadcast Award for Outstanding Contribution to Job Growth in the UK. Under his leadership, public service broadcaster 5 has become a leader in homegrown content, commissioning over 100 hours of new UK drama this year alone and sustaining vital jobs in children’s television.
The Discovery Award for Unwavering Commitment to New Talent is presented to pioneering casting director and recent Emmy award winner, Shaheen Baig. Celebrated for championing diverse and authentic voices in Peaky Blinders, Boiling Point, and the 2025 Emmy Award-winning Adolescence, Baig is a dedicated advocate for underrepresented talent.
The conference will open with Foundations for the Future, laying the groundwork for an inspiring day of conversation. Debbie McWilliams will share her keynote, offering unparalleled insights from her five-decade career of talent discovery.
Sessions include Now Screening: Image, Voice, and your Digital Footprint, led by agent and former co-Chair of the PMA, Kelly Andrews, which will delve into the artist’s public image and the challenges of the digital age.
DEI on Pause: Safeguarding Diverse Casting Pathways will feature leading advocates from the racial, disability and LGBTQ+ DEI spaces, sharing invaluable insights drawn from real-world experiences and data.
From Breakdown to Broadcast: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Commercial Castings will provide a deep dive into the fast-paced world of commercials and advertising, with a panel of leading agents, actors, and casting directors.
A special session, Outstanding Contribution: A Fireside Chat with Ben Frow, will celebrate Frow’s visionary pivot from unscripted to high-quality, homegrown content, exploring the strategic thinking behind his success.
Other highlights include Artificial Intelligence and The Casting Process, Casting for Stage: How Casting Directors Cast, and The Human Future of Talent Discovery: A Conversation with Shaheen Baig & Friends, which will champion the human element in talent discovery.
David Flynn, Programme Director of The Spotlight Conference, comments, “The rules of the game are changing at breakneck speed, and The Spotlight Conference serves as a pause for the industry to take stock of what must be preserved, work through challenges we currently face, and shape the future of how we market, discover and sustain talent in our sector. We’re also delighted to be able to acknowledge the work of Debbie McWilliams, Ben Frow and Shaheen Baig, whose bold, creative decisions have had a tremendously positive impact on the British TV and Film industry.”
Listings and ticket information can be found here.
