Zara writes screenplays, comedy sketches and short stories for TV, podcasts and radio. In 2021 she was launched as a columnist for Scotland's biggest newspaper, The Scottish Sun and she often writes articles and features for national publications including The Guardian.
Zara has a Master's degree in Journalism with distinction. She worked for the Scottish Human Rights Commission and The Innocence Project as an Investigative Journalist. She has been freelancing for national publications for over a decade.
As a TV producer Zara Janjua has written for ITV's This Morning & Loose Women. She has written scripts and comedy for BBC Shows, BBC Radio London and STV.
Zara is a copywriter for brands, from Virgin Holidays & Atlantic, the FA to PayPal, MasterCard, World Pride and NatWest. She has recently been commissioned to write a film for WaterBear, the Netflix of nature, founded by Academy Award-winning documentary producer of My Octopus Teacher.
Zara is also writing her first non-fiction book, represented by The Good Agency.
Credits
Upcoming
United Thingdom, BBC Radio 4
Gifted, Episode 5, Red Camel Productions, CBBC
Crongton, Episode TBC, Unstoppable Productions, CBBC
Doulas, Optioned, The Comedy Unit
E-Mum - Optioned, BBC Studios
Noising Up, Series 3, BBC Radio Scotland
2023
Noising Up, Series 1&2, BBC Radio Scotland
2022
Challenge The Gap, Waterbear Network
Raiders of The Lost Archive - BBC Scotland
Feminist Newsreader, Short Stuff, BBC Studios
Aunty Gee, Short Stuff, BBC Studios
Scottistani Life, Short Stuff, BBC Studios
Growing Up Scottish, Spud Gun Productions, BBC Scotland
2021
Kally Khandashian, Short Stuff, BBC Studios
Match of the Yesterday 1314, Short Stuff, BBC Studios
Pak Life, Short Stuff, BBC Studios
Kally at the Euros, Short Stuff, BBC Studios
Scotland Made Me, Spud Gun, BBC Scotland
2020
The Comedy Underground, Dabster Productions, BBC Scotland
Awards
2023
Young Films Foundation Competition, Shortlist
2022
Funny Women Comedy Shorts, Longlisted
2021
Funny Women Comedy Shorts, Finalist
Funny Women Comedy Writing, Shortlisted
David Nobbs Comedy Writing Award, Finalist
BBC Children Writersroom, Winner
ITV Female Pilot Club, Winner
ALL3Media Comedy Writing, Winner
2020
BBC Comedy Writersroom, Winner
Funny Women Comedy Writing, Shortlisted
David Nobbs Comedy Writing Award, Finalist