New Birmingham-based scripted label, Mill Bay Media, has been set up by former Head of the BBC Drama Village Will Trotter (Father Brown, Sister Boniface Mysteries, Doctors) and former Head of Continuing Drama at BBC Studios Ollie Kent (EastEnders, Casualty, Holby City), who most recently produced Sanditon and The Burning Girls.
Mill Bay Media, a 53 Degrees Global company, has announced that it is developing two new projects, following a deal to adapt broadcaster Jeremy Vine’s upcoming novel Murder on Line One. The company also has a second “cosy crime” project, written by Jim Cartwright (Little Voice), in development for a major UK broadcaster.
Mill Bay Media will focus on creating and producing popular, returnable, family viewing dramas with global appeal, building on the team’s experience overseeing shows such as Father Brown, which has run for a hundred and twenty episodes and has sold across the world into over 230 territories.
Will Trotter and Ollie Kent said: “We set up Mill Bay Media with the aim of working with the immense pool of talent on and off screen in the West Midlands region and other areas of the country, and building long running shows and providing training opportunities which allow production teams to not just work outside of London but to put roots down and build their lives in the regions. We are thrilled to be working with Jeremy Vine whose fantastic Murder on Line One has all the ingredients for a long running, returning series, and working with the hugely talented Jim Cartwright on another project which sits in the enormously popular cosy crime genre.”
Jeremy Vine said: “The Mill Bay Media team are a real force in TV drama with golden reputations. They put Father Brown onscreen and made it one of the most successful cosy crime daytime dramas in British TV history. They are hugely creative, serious and dedicated — with a bulging contacts book — and my dream is to work with them!”
Nick Bullen, Executive Chairman of 53 Degrees Global added: “We are very proud to be launching 53 Degrees Global’s first scripted label with Will and Ollie. They have decades of experience between them and a strong track record in popular, broad appeal, highly returnable dramas as well as being champions of the West Midlands region and supporting local creative talent.
Jon Creamer
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