LAUNCH
Jimmy Kimmel and Brent Montgomery’s media company Wheelhouse has launched London-headquartered Wheelhouse U.K. “Deal or No Deal” producer Glenn Hugill, formerly with ITV Studios’ Possessed TV, will serve as president of the U.K. entity and as chief content officer at Wheelhouse Entertainment, working closely with chief creative officer Scott Lonker and programming executive VP Will Nothacker, across Wheelhouse’s U.S.-based production entities, Spoke Studios, Kimmelot, Butternut, Campfire Studios and Portal A.
From Possessed, Hugill brings with him to Wheelhouse U.K. Nick Mather, who will serve as creative director, Matt Floyd as head of development and Jack Borgeat as development producer.
Wheelhouse U.K. and ITV Studios have inked a multi-year production and distribution deal through which all series developed by Hugill and commissioned in the U.K. will be produced by ITV Studios-housed labels. The team will work with ITV Studios’ director of unscripted Angela Jain on U.K.-based creative services and production management.
The deal for Wheelhouse U.K., Glenn Hugill, and the companies’ production and distribution agreement, was brokered by Wheelhouse chief strategy officer Ed Simpson, and by ITV Studios’ corporate development director Joanna Smith.
BBC
The BBC has acquired Irish crime drama “North Sea Connection” and will broadcast on BBC Four and iPlayer in February. Written by Mark Greig (“Marcella”) the six-part series follows Ciara Kenny (Lydia McGuinness), who fishes the waters off the Irish coast as her family has done for generations. But when her ambitious brother Aidan (Kerr Logan) secretly agrees to carry out a drug run at sea for a Nordic cartel that goes horribly wrong, their lives are forever changed.
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Meanwhile, the BBC has revealed further casting news for the next season of “Doctor Who” with Anita Dobson and Michelle Greenidge added to the cast. “Doctor Who” returns in November with three special episodes to coincide with the show’s 60th anniversary, with David Tennant as the 14th Doctor. The 15th Doctor, played by Ncuti Gatwa, will then take control of the Tardis, with his first episode airing over the festive period in 2023.