The UK House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee is to continue work from the last Parliament examining the challenges faced by the British film and high-end television industry and how the sector and its workforce can be better supported. The British film and high-end TV inquiry follows on from the previous inquiry started […]

The Chancellor of the Exchequer used the Government’s first Autumn Budget on October 30th to confirm an increase in the UK’s tax incentive for spending on Visual Effects (VFX) in the UK. The Chancellor confirmed proposals, first raised in the March 2024 Budget, that from April 1st 2025, VFX costs in the UK will attract […]

ITV Studios has acquired a majority stake in Eagle Eye Drama, the UK drama producers which was launched in 2018 by Walter Iuzzolino, Jo McGrath and Jason Thorp – the team also behind international drama streaming service, Walter Presents on Channel 4. Eagle Eye, which has been part of Channel 4’s Indie Growth Fund since […]

While recent market challenges have impacted the TV and Film production landscape, spending across the top six global content providers (Disney, Warner Bros Discovery, Paramount, Netflix, Comcast and Google) has grown since the pandemic. Ampere’s latest intelligence shows that spending across these groups will reach a new high in 2024 and account for 51 per […]

Specialist film and TV PR consultancy Percy & Warren has revealed the findings of its pre-budget survey of UK film and television producers. Across the sector there is concern and uncertainty mixed in with a degree of hope for the future for the production industry ahead of the October 30th budget. The survey results shed […]

Following a tender process BBC Studios has retained the contract to produce Blue Peter. The tender was launched in February and, from a field of eligible tenderers, BBC Studios’ bid scored highest against the published criteria. The iconic Children’s series is presented by Abby Cook, Joel Mawhinney and Shini Muthukrishan. The contract is for two […]

Mattel, the toy and family entertainment company, and ITV have jointly announced new game show Pictionary (25 x 30”) based on the popular drawing game. The show will be produced by Whisper North and hosted by Mel Giedroyc. The format deal was brokered by Laura Burrell, Vice President, International Formats, Paramount Global Content Distribution. Following […]

Mattel, the toy and family entertainment company, and Aardman, the celebrated animation studio behind the likes of Chicken Run, Shaun the Sheep and Wallace & Gromit, are partering to co-develop a new stop-motion 3D animated TV series featuring Pingu The new series will be inspired by Mattel’s mischievous young penguin who lives at the South […]

ITV Studios is evolving its digital business into its own label – Zoo 55. Martin Trickey, who joins from Warner Bros International TV Production in January 2025, has been named Managing Director of Zoo 55, reporting to Ruth Berry President, Global Partnerships & Zoo 55. Graham Haigh, currently EVP Digital, will partner with Trickey as […]

In response to UK commercial PSB ITV’s recent job advert for a Head of Generative AI Innovation, whose role will include using technology to help create ‘shows, films and digital-first content’, Writers’ Guild of Great Britain (WGGB) General Secretary Ellie Peers said: “We were shocked to hear that ITV are intending to bring in an […]