ITV

Tag: Jenna Coleman

  • BBC Studios takes ownership of Firebird Pictures

    BBC Studios takes ownership of Firebird Pictures

    Mumbai: BBC Studios has taken full ownership of Firebird Pictures, the scripted independent production company set up by Elizabeth Kilgarriff and Craig Holleworth. The deal adds the company to its portfolio of majority-owned indie labels.

    Established in 2019 by former BBC executives Kilgarriff and Holleworth, Firebird works with and champions top level and emerging talent to create high-end character-led series for British and international audiences. BBC Studios has been a minority investor in the business since it was launched. The indie has recently had two major series green-lit: Wilderness, a six-part series for Amazon Prime Video, written by Marnie Dickens and based on BE Jones’ novel, starring Jenna Coleman and Oliver Jackson-Cohen and currently shooting in Canada and the US; and an adaptation of Nikki May’s best-selling debut novel, “Wahala”, written by Theresa Ikoko for BBC One, due to shoot in the UK next year. Firebird has multiple projects in development with many UK and US platforms, with more greenlights due to be announced later this year.

    BBC Studios managing director – scripted Mark Linsey said, “Since it launched three years ago, Firebird has been firing on all cylinders, attracting top and emerging talent and building an exciting slate with international appeal. With two major series now greenlit and a number of shows in development, we’re excited to bring Kilgarriff and Holleworths into the BBC Studios family and support them in this next phase of their journey. ”

    Kilgarriff and Holleworth said, “From the very beginning of Firebird’s journey with just a blank piece of paper and an empty office with one chair, BBC Studios have supported and backed us every step of the way, fully trusting in our vision and ambition and helping build the company to where we are today. We are delighted to now be cementing our relationship and are excited for Firebird’s future as we grow the company together.”

    The announcement sees the number of indie labels majority owned by BBC Studios grow to six. Others include Lookout Point (Gentleman Jack, Happy Valley 3), Baby Cow Productions (Chivalry, The Witchfinder), House Productions (Sherwood, Life After Life), Clerkenwell Films (Somewhere Boy, The End of the F**king World) and Sid Gentle Films (Killing Eve, Ragdoll).

    In August, the BBC’s commercial arm also announced that it was taking 25 per cent stake in Mothership Productions, the new factual indie set up by former Channel 4 deputy director of Programmes Kelly Webb-Lamb. Other BBC Studios minority-owned indie investments include Moonage, Various Artists Limited, Expectation Entertainment, Curve Media, and Boffola Pictures (a Lookout Point investment). In addition, BBC Studios represents hundreds of other independent production companies through first-look and distribution deals and returned more than £180 million to the UK independent production sector in 2021 – 2022 in development funding, rights investment and royalties.

  • BBC’s ‘Doctor Who’ writer Steven Moffat replaced by Chris Chibnall

    BBC’s ‘Doctor Who’ writer Steven Moffat replaced by Chris Chibnall

    MUMBAI: After six series at the helm, the multi-award-winning Steven Moffat has decided to step down as the lead writer and executive producer of Doctor Who.

     

    Moffat took over the reins on Series 5 in 2010 and during his tenure the show has become a truly global success. He has been responsible for introducing the eleventh and the twelfth doctors in Matt Smith and Peter Capaldi; as well as two companions Amy Pond (Karen Gillan) and Clara Oswald (Jenna Coleman) and iconic characters and monsters including River Song (Alex Kingston), Missy (Michelle Gomez), Rory Pond (Arthur Darvill) and the terrifying Weeping Angels.

     

    Additionally, the hit 50th Anniversary special in 2013, which saw fans around the world celebrate the world’s longest-running sci-fi series with the Doctors Matt Smith, David Tennant and John Hurt battling the deadly Daleks in a feature-length episode. Steven’s final series will air on BBC One in spring 2017 and there will be a Christmas Special in 2016.

     

    Moffat says, “Feels odd to be talking about leaving when I’m just starting work on the scripts for season 10, but the fact is my timey-wimey is running out. While Chris is doing his last run of Broadchurch, I’ll be finishing up on the best job in the universe and keeping the TARDIS warm for him. It took a lot of gin and tonic to talk him into this, but I am beyond delighted that one of the true stars of British Television drama will be taking the Time Lord even further into the future. At the start of season 11, Chris Chibnall will become the new showrunner of Doctor Who. And I will be thrown in a skip.”

     

    Like Moffat, Chibnall is also a lifelong Doctor Who fan and a multi-award-winning writer and executive producer. He has most recently achieved success with the triple-BAFTA-winning hit ITV seriesBroadchurch. His other credits include The Great Train Robbery, United, Law & Order: UK, Life On Mars and Torchwood. Chibnall’s debut series will launch in 2018.

     

    Chibnall says, “Doctor Who is the ultimate BBC programme: bold, unique, vastly entertaining, and adored all around the world. So it’s a privilege and a joy to be the next curator of this funny, scary and emotional family drama. I’ve loved Doctor Who since I was four years old, and I’m relishing the thought of working with the exceptional team at BBC Wales to create new characters, creatures and worlds for the Doctor to explore. Steven’s achieved the impossible by continually expanding Doctor Who’s creative ambition, while growing its global popularity. He’s been a dazzling and daring showrunner, and hearing his plans and stories for 2017, it’s clear he’ll be going out with a bang. Just to make my life difficult.”

     

    BBC One controller Charlotte Moore adds, “I want to thank Steven Moffat for everything he has givenDoctor Who – I’ve loved working with him, he is an absolute genius and has brought fans all over the world such joy. I will be very sad to see him leave the show, but I can’t wait to see what he will deliver in his last ever series next year with a brand new companion. I have decided to schedule Steven’s big finale series in spring 2017 to bring the nation together for what will be a huge event on the channel. 2016 is spoilt with national moments including the Euros and Olympics and I want to hold something big back for 2017 – I promise it will be worth the wait! I would also like to take this opportunity to welcome Chris Chibnall, a wonderfully talented writer who I know will bring something very special to the hit series.”

     

    BBC Drama Commissioning controller Polly Hill says, “Like Charlotte, I would like to thank Steven for his brilliance, which has made Doctor Who a global hit under his tenure. Chris Chibnall is the perfect successor to take over the reins of this incredible show, so I am delighted that his love for Doctor Who has made it impossible for him to resist! Chris is an incredible writer and his vision and passion for Doctor Who gives it an exciting future and promises to be a real treat for Doctor Who fans across the world.”

  • BBC’s ‘Doctor Who’ writer Steven Moffat replaced by Chris Chibnall

    BBC’s ‘Doctor Who’ writer Steven Moffat replaced by Chris Chibnall

    MUMBAI: After six series at the helm, the multi-award-winning Steven Moffat has decided to step down as the lead writer and executive producer of Doctor Who.

     

    Moffat took over the reins on Series 5 in 2010 and during his tenure the show has become a truly global success. He has been responsible for introducing the eleventh and the twelfth doctors in Matt Smith and Peter Capaldi; as well as two companions Amy Pond (Karen Gillan) and Clara Oswald (Jenna Coleman) and iconic characters and monsters including River Song (Alex Kingston), Missy (Michelle Gomez), Rory Pond (Arthur Darvill) and the terrifying Weeping Angels.

     

    Additionally, the hit 50th Anniversary special in 2013, which saw fans around the world celebrate the world’s longest-running sci-fi series with the Doctors Matt Smith, David Tennant and John Hurt battling the deadly Daleks in a feature-length episode. Steven’s final series will air on BBC One in spring 2017 and there will be a Christmas Special in 2016.

     

    Moffat says, “Feels odd to be talking about leaving when I’m just starting work on the scripts for season 10, but the fact is my timey-wimey is running out. While Chris is doing his last run of Broadchurch, I’ll be finishing up on the best job in the universe and keeping the TARDIS warm for him. It took a lot of gin and tonic to talk him into this, but I am beyond delighted that one of the true stars of British Television drama will be taking the Time Lord even further into the future. At the start of season 11, Chris Chibnall will become the new showrunner of Doctor Who. And I will be thrown in a skip.”

     

    Like Moffat, Chibnall is also a lifelong Doctor Who fan and a multi-award-winning writer and executive producer. He has most recently achieved success with the triple-BAFTA-winning hit ITV seriesBroadchurch. His other credits include The Great Train Robbery, United, Law & Order: UK, Life On Mars and Torchwood. Chibnall’s debut series will launch in 2018.

     

    Chibnall says, “Doctor Who is the ultimate BBC programme: bold, unique, vastly entertaining, and adored all around the world. So it’s a privilege and a joy to be the next curator of this funny, scary and emotional family drama. I’ve loved Doctor Who since I was four years old, and I’m relishing the thought of working with the exceptional team at BBC Wales to create new characters, creatures and worlds for the Doctor to explore. Steven’s achieved the impossible by continually expanding Doctor Who’s creative ambition, while growing its global popularity. He’s been a dazzling and daring showrunner, and hearing his plans and stories for 2017, it’s clear he’ll be going out with a bang. Just to make my life difficult.”

     

    BBC One controller Charlotte Moore adds, “I want to thank Steven Moffat for everything he has givenDoctor Who – I’ve loved working with him, he is an absolute genius and has brought fans all over the world such joy. I will be very sad to see him leave the show, but I can’t wait to see what he will deliver in his last ever series next year with a brand new companion. I have decided to schedule Steven’s big finale series in spring 2017 to bring the nation together for what will be a huge event on the channel. 2016 is spoilt with national moments including the Euros and Olympics and I want to hold something big back for 2017 – I promise it will be worth the wait! I would also like to take this opportunity to welcome Chris Chibnall, a wonderfully talented writer who I know will bring something very special to the hit series.”

     

    BBC Drama Commissioning controller Polly Hill says, “Like Charlotte, I would like to thank Steven for his brilliance, which has made Doctor Who a global hit under his tenure. Chris Chibnall is the perfect successor to take over the reins of this incredible show, so I am delighted that his love for Doctor Who has made it impossible for him to resist! Chris is an incredible writer and his vision and passion for Doctor Who gives it an exciting future and promises to be a real treat for Doctor Who fans across the world.”