The UK’s National Film and Television School (NFTS) has launched a scholarship in memory of Channel 4 publicist Lesley Land.
Land, a much-loved publicist who worked for Channel 4, died unexpectedly last December aged 41. She was honored during the in memoriam segment at Sunday night’s BAFTA TV Awards.
Her parents Anita and Brook Land have now partnered with Channel 4 and NFTS to create the Lesley Land Scholarship, which will allow participants to study for two years as part of the school’s Masters in Marketing, Distribution and Sales programme. The Lands will fund the scholarship, which will cover the tuition fees for the course.
The master is made up of specialized modules that will train participants in entertainment press and advertising. Alumni of the course went on to work at various well-known entertainment companies including BFI, Film4 and Warner Bros. Discovery. Applications for the scholarship are now open, with the first successful student expected to start the course in January 2024.
In addition to Channel 4, Land had worked at Sky, The Outside Organisation, Taylor Herring and Planet Hollywood, directing campaigns for a plethora of films and TV shows. One of the last projects she worked on was David Baddiel’s documentary “Jews Don’t Matter,” which was particularly close to her heart.
“We are delighted to endow this scholarship in memory of our dear Lesley,” said Anita and Brook Land. “The NFTS is a fantastic institution and the perfect place to honor what she has accomplished in her too short life.”
Channel 4 CEO Alex Mahon added: “Lesley was a much loved member of the Channel 4 family and she is dearly missed by her many friends and colleagues here and across the industry. The Lesley Land Scholarship is a wonderfully fitting tribute to a warm, kind, and brilliantly talented young woman who impacted more people’s lives than she ever could have imagined.