Fremantle acquires stake in Phil Harris’ entertainment indie BOLDPRINT STUDIOS with Lou Hutchinson appointed Creative Director
Fremantle today announces it is acquiring a minority stake in BOLDPRINT Studios, the newly formed production company from former Channel 4 Head of Entertainment, Phil Harris.
BOLDPRINT will focus on creating and developing innovative, unscripted formats across reality, entertainment and factual entertainment for domestic and international broadcasters and streaming platforms. Former Twofour Head of Entertainment, Lou Hutchinson, has been appointed the new company’s Creative Director.
The investment reunites Phil and Lou with Fremantle who were both former executives at Thames under Fremantle UK CEO, Amelia Brown.
Phil Harris says: “Our company blueprint will be built on creating bold, scalable global formats; an ambition which aligns perfectly with Fremantle’s global distribution plans.
Talent development on and off screen is key to our strategy, and that begins with Lou who I’m delighted is starting this journey with me. She’s an entertainment and reality powerhouse; an exceptional creative leader who’s consistently delivered huge scale formats at the highest level.”
Lou Hutchinson says: “Phil and I share two decades of friendship that’s spanned reality galleries, complex location shoots, ambitious live shows and everything in between. I’m so excited to build a brilliant team and slate of ideas together.”
Amelia Brown, Fremantle UK CEO, adds: “At Fremantle we are committed to working with the very best and Phil and Lou both have incredible passion, talent and commitment to not only creating the next big entertainment formats, but also in nurturing new talent. They have been behind some of the most talked about and cutting-edge shows of recent years and we are thrilled to welcome them back to the Fremantle family and look forward to supporting them in their ambitions for growth.”
The investment in BOLDPRINT Studios follows a number of acquisitions and step-ups made by Fremantle in recent years, including Belgium-based A Team Productions (Baghdad Messi, Land of the Heroes), UK production company Dancing Ledge Productions (The Responder, Big Mood), scripted Italian production company Lux Vide (Devils, Leonardo), international development and production company Fabel (Bosch), Australian-American television production company Eureka Productions (Parental Guidance, Finding Magic Mike), Irish production company Element Pictures (Normal People, Poor Things), 72 Films (All or Nothing: Arsenal, 9/11: One Day in America), Wildstar Films (America The Beautiful, Epic Adventures with Bertie Gregory) and Silvio Productions (Shadow of Truth, The Baby Daddy, Buried).
https://deadline.com/2024/01/fremantle-channel-4-head-entertainment-boldprint-studios-1235801745/