Aflevering What Tv Producers Wish You Knew Before Applying | Malak Aldean Kasa Connect Ep:34

In this episode of Kasa Connect, guest host Noor sits down with Malak Aldean, a comedy producer and freelance journalist whose work spans BAFTA-winning shows, BBC, Channel 4, and her Substack Conversations on Comedy. Malak shares her unconventional journey into television, from children’s TV and Blue Peter to scripted comedy, as well as the real barriers creatives face when trying to break into the industry. She speaks candidly about gatekeeping, unpaid labour, industry snobbery, and the realities of freelance life, especially for those without traditional access or connections. The conversation also explores: - Why most TV jobs are never advertised - Scripted vs non-scripted TV (and why moving between them is so hard) - Comedy as a tool for cultural storytelling - Representation, tokenism, and who really gets to decide what gets made - Malak’s ambition to champion Arabic-language comedy and emerging talent (00:00) Industry gatekeeping & interview stories (00:00) Podcast introduction (00:02) Family background & influences (00:04) Choosing TV & film (00:06) Barriers to entry (00:07) First roles & internships (00:08) Landing Blue Peter (00:10) Development & scriptwriting (00:11) Freelance work & contracts (00:12) Script reading & scripted TV (00:13) COVID disruption (00:14) Breaking into comedy (00:15) Scripted vs non-scripted divide (00:17) Networking & comedy focus (00:18) How TV jobs are found (00:19) Tiger Aspect & producing (00:19) Why comedy (00:22) Quick-fire questions (00:26) Egyptian representation (00:27) Arabic-language comedy ambitions (00:29) Career goals (00:31) Advice for producers (00:34) Advice for writers (00:37) How projects get made (00:39) Diversity & bias (00:40) Industry stories (00:43) Support resources (00:45) Authenticity & patience (00:47) Tokenism & schemes (00:50) Where to find Malak