By Basant El-Faramawy
Phoebe Waller-Bridge has purchased and donated a rent-free flat in London for early-career playwrights as part of the new Writers' Block initiative, launched on Thursday, November 5, 2026.
Flat Provided Without Rent
The Fleabag creator, 41, will provide the flat without rent, with residents paying only bills. The scheme also includes what organizers called a "generous financial contribution" to support writers from underprivileged backgrounds.
High-Profile Backing
Jack Thorne, co-creator of Adolescence and writer of Wonder, Enola Holmes, and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, is providing financial backing. Thorne said he was lucky to have family support when starting out and stressed that many writers cannot write because they struggle to afford housing.
Waller-Bridge's partner, playwright and director Martin McDonagh, is also involved. Other backers include James Graham, Sally Wainwright, and Peter Morgan.
Addressing Class Barriers
Graham said the scheme tackles the class barrier facing writers, citing research that only 16% of people working in the creative industries come from working-class backgrounds. He noted that the initiative helps writers avoid giving up completely.
Writers' Block evolved from the Adopt a Playwright Award founded in 2008, which has supported 55 writers to date. The new partnership with Omnibus Theatre in Clapham connects playwrights with hosts who offer spare rooms at dramatically reduced rates.
Actor Alan Turkington, known for the Netflix series Heartstopper, is among the hosts offering a room in his Camberwell flat. He praised the scheme as a worthwhile way to rent out a spare room.
