Should your application be successful, and you are invited to participate in the programme you will be required to read and sign additional forms and agreements.

How we use your personal information

BBC Studios is producing this programme for broadcast, use and exploitation by the BBC (the Commissioner).  We are responsible for handling personal data you provide in accordance with data protection law.  We will use your personal data as necessary to assess your suitability as a contributor to this programme and to produce, distribute and promote the programme. We may need to collect sensitive information about you if relevant in the context of the programme or where we have a lawful reason to do so. For example, details of medical conditions to identify health and safety risks or to assess your fitness to participate, or information about whether you have any unspent convictions to assess your suitability as a contributor or for safeguarding purposes (see further information on this below). Such personal data will be restricted to only those members of the programme’s production team and special advisors who have a need to access the information.

What personal data will we collect?

• Data about you which you provide in your application, including your contact details, biographical information, and information about your background, and reason for applying to be on The Answer Run;
• Proof of your identity;
• Information in connection with background checks (see further section on background checks below) and other due diligence checks;
• Information about any physical or mental health issues that we may need to understand to ensure you are fit and well enough to appear on the show;
• Information about any accessibility needs or reasonable adjustments we may need to make if we decide to take you forward to appear on the show.

What is the lawful basis for processing your personal data?

BBC Studios has a legitimate interest in using your personal data for journalistic, artistic and literary purposes. We also process personal data in order to fulfil our legal obligations (for example, to meet tax reporting or safeguarding requirements).

To the extent we process special category health data and/or criminal offence data relating to you, our lawful basis is your explicit consent.
 

How long will we retain your data:

If you are selected to be part of the programme, we will retain as your application form, contact details, and any relevant information collected in connection with fitness to participate (including relevant medical information), for up to 7 years in line with our retention schedule.  Unless you advise us otherwise, we may also store your details so we can contact you about contributing to future series or other Studios programmes.

Unsuccessful applications will be kept until after broadcast of the programme or series.  We may retain your contact details if you have indicated you wish for us to contact you about contributing to future series or other Studios programmes.

(a) Unsuccessful Applicants
All unsuccessful applications will be deleted within 3 months of the completion of the casting period.

(b) Shortlisted Applicants
If you are invited to an audition but are not ultimately selected to appear on the show we will delete your data within 6 months of the broadcast of the final episode of the series.

(c) Selected Applicants
If you are selected to be part of the Programme, BBC Studios may retain some information relating to your contribution in perpetuity. We will retain other information (such as your application form, applicant biography, contact details, background checks and health and safety assessments for up to 7 years in line with our data retention schedule.
 

Sharing your personal data

We may share your application or information provided within it with the BBC as part of the selection process, for example for the purposes of seeking editorial policy or legal advice. Once we pass your personal data to the BBC, the BBC will become a separate data controller of the personal data and be responsible for processing and storing it in accordance with data protection law and its privacy policy.

For more information about how BBC Studios (and the BBC where relevant) uses your personal data and to find out about your rights, visit: https://productions.bbcstudios.com/privacy-policy

If you wish to withdraw once you have submitted this application form, please contact bbcnorth.casting@bbc.co.uk
 

Background and criminal records checks

If you are shortlisted, we will request proof of your identity as well as whether you have any unspent criminal convictions or County Court Judgements (CCJs) against you.   If you pass these initial checks we will seek your consent (which we rely on as our lawful basis) to carry out further background checks. The background checks may include searching for information relating to:

• Your name, age, address, and employment details;
• Any criminal convictions and court proceedings;
• Any activities that could bring BBC Studios or the BBC into disrepute, or cause harm or offence to our audiences;
• Information from your social media profiles where publicly available, including but not limited to Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn.

The information obtained from these searches will be used to assess your suitability to be part of the programme and to inform any measures we may need to put in place as part of our duty of care to our contributors.

You can withdraw your consent to us conducting background checks at any time prior to the checks being carried out by contacting the Production Team - theanswerrun@bbc.com. The withdrawal of consent shall not affect the lawfulness of processing based on consent before its withdrawal. If you do not consent to us carrying out background checks or withdraw your consent before we have carried out the searches, you will not be able to take part in the programme.

Health data

If you’re shortlisted, we may also collect personal data relating to your physical and mental health as well as any accessibility needs or reasonable adjustments you require. This information will also enable us to meet our duty of care obligations to you and provide appropriate support where necessary.

This information will only be shared with relevant members of the production team, our contracted service providers (e.g. studio management) and the BBC to the extent necessary.

Further information will be provided if we decide to take your application forward.
 

Terms and Conditions 

The series is being produced by the BBC Studios (BBCS). The information given by individuals submitting an application form (“Applicant(s)”) may be used in the series, should they be selected.

Applicants agree to abide by the rules, regulations, terms and conditions (the “Rules”) of the series which may be varied from time to time by BBCS at its sole discretion. Any decision made by BBCS is final. The selection period is expected to run from January 2026 until March 2026 and will work in the following way:

Applications and Eligibility

1. All applications shall be considered equally.
2. Each Applicant warrants that all information supplied by them will be, to the best of their knowledge, truthful, accurate and in no way misleading and agree that BBCS may at its sole discretion remove them from the selection process or new title itself at any time and at any stage if they supply or have supplied any untruthful, inaccurate or misleading details and/or information and/or is otherwise in breach of any of the Rules.  Shortlisted Applicants agree that BBCS may conduct background checks to confirm information supplied on their application form.
3. Applications are made at an Applicant's own expense and BBCS shall not be liable to reimburse any expenses incurred in making an entry.
4. Each Applicant will be required to supply in advance to BBCS or bring a valid form of photo identification with them to any selection process.
5. The following persons are not eligible to apply:

• Employees, officers, directors and/or agents of the BBC or its commercial subsidiaries.

You must advise production of any member of your immediate family (including any live-in partner, siblings, parents) is any person described above.
(Also, if any member of your immediate family starts employment with the BBC or its commercial subsidiaries, during the duration of the production period, the production team must be notified).
6. Applications must not contain defamatory or obscene material and/or anything which is likely to bring BBCS into disrepute.
7. No applications will be returned to the Applicants nor will any materials submitted in support of any application e.g. photographs. 
8. All information supplied to BBCS (including your personal data) will be dealt with in accordance with data protection law solely for the purposes of production and exploitation of the series and in line with The Answer Run Applicant Privacy Notice (BBC One - The Answer Run - The Answer Run Applicant Privacy Notice) BBCS will not supply your personal information to third parties other than as is reasonably necessary to produce or exploit the series.
9. BBCS shall not be obliged to make use of any Applicant’s entry and shall not be liable for any loss of publicity or enhancement of reputation.
10. The closing date for applications is Monday 23rd March 2026 at midnight although BBCS may change this deadline at its sole discretion.
11. Applicants will be selected at the sole discretion of the BBCS.  BBCS will only contact shortlisted Applicants. 
12. Each Applicant must be willing to undertake background checks (including criminal records checks) and disclose details of any criminal convictions and/or unspent convictions and upcoming proceedings other than driving offences which have not resulted in a ban or a more serious sentence. Any disclosure is not in itself preclusion to eligibility for appearing in the contest but BBCS has the right to decide in its sole discretion whether this could affect suitability to take part.
13. Applicants warrant that they are UK residents, currently residing in the UK and have the right to live and work in the UK for the period specified and are free to take part in any selection process and the series itself (if required by BBCS).  Applicants agree to notify the Production of any changes in residence during this period. 
14. BBCS reserves the right to decline any application and/or any Applicant and/or Participant (as defined below) at any time at its sole discretion and will have no liability for any consequential loss.
15. BBCS reserves the right to alter the terms and conditions, Rules, format of the series and/or to cancel the series at any time at its sole discretion and will have no liability for any consequential loss.
16. All Applicants acknowledge that we are in a period of extensive uncertainty caused by the Coronavirus pandemic that in turn has resulted in extensive disruption to television production generally.   Applicants also acknowledge that it is unfortunately not possible for BBCS and/or the BBC to be able to guarantee any intended production schedule nor can it guarantee all or any part of the contribution.

Production

17. BBCS shall select Applicants to take part in the series (“the Participant(s)”).
18. The Participants will consent to being filmed and recorded by BBCS where required for the series. The Participants will be expected to sign a standard BBC contributor contract upon selection to be a Participant.
19. The production period is currently intended to be, and Participants will be kept updated by BBCS of the dates and times they are required. This could extend at the discretion of the production team due to any production delays.
20. Participants need to ensure that they will be available for the filming period advised to them by BBCS. If Participants are working, obtaining permission to be away from work for that period it is entirely the Participant’s responsibility, as is any clearance of their involvement with relevant bodies for those Participants in receipt of benefits (for example the local employment office).
21. All reasonable expenses will be paid for by BBCS only if agreed beforehand by the Producer in writing.
22. BBCS is under no obligation to make or broadcast the series or use the Participant’s contribution in the series.
23. Applicants and Participants must not bring the BBC/BBCS into disrepute with their actions. BBCS reserve the right to remove any applicant on this basis.

Publicity

24. The BBC press office will control all press and publicity relating to the series and each Applicant and/or Participant warrants and agrees that they shall not undertake any press, publicity or other discussions with any third party in connection with the application to be a contestant in or appear in the series. Any enquiries from the press regarding the Participant’s and/or Applicant’s contribution must be referred to the BBC press office.
25. The BBC and / or BBCS reserves the right to seek and issue publicity on behalf of Applicants and/or Participants.

Confidentiality
26. The Applicants and/or Participants must not disclose any information concerning the series, including The Production Team, and other  cast members/ auditionees,  or their participation, to any other person or company, whether by means of discussion, letter, press photograph, television interviews, publication, social networking (including but not limited to; Facebook, X (previously known as Twitter), Tik Tok, Snapchat and LinkedIn), or by any other means now known or hereafter invented without the prior written consent of BBCS.