Published : 05 Nov 2026, 12:55 AM
Updated : 05 Nov 2026, 12:55 AM
“Fleabag” creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge is offering a rent-free London flat to emerging writers who cannot afford accommodation in the British capital.
The 41-year-old actor and writer bought the property and donated its use to Writers' Block, a theatre initiative supporting playwrights from underprivileged backgrounds.
Residents will only have to cover utility bills, while Waller-Bridge has also made a financial contribution, the BBC reports.
Screenwriter Jack Thorne, co-creator of “Adolescence”, is among those backing the scheme.
He said he was fortunate to have a brother who provided him with accommodation for five years when he was starting out.
"For many writers, the need for a roof makes writing impossible," Thorne said, describing the initiative as important for ensuring that people from all backgrounds can tell their stories.
Playwright James Graham, “Happy Valley" creator Sally Wainwright and “The Crown” writer Peter Morgan are also supporting the project.
Waller-Bridge's partner filmmaker Martin McDonagh is involved as well.
Graham said the scheme could help address the lack of representation of working-class people in the writing industry.
Recalling his own early struggles in London, he said he had slept on friends' floors and worked in call centres and bars while pursuing his writing career.
The BBC says Writers' Block grew out of the Adopt a Playwright Award, established in 2008 to provide affordable accommodation for writers from disadvantaged backgrounds who need to travel to London for professional opportunities.
The new initiative aims to reduce the financial barriers that can prevent emerging playwrights from accessing meetings, rehearsals and performances in the capital.
