I would push back quite hard against allegations of


elitism. Good literature needs to be taken seriously Mark Bell, The Commissioner, page 14


ITVS hires two in bid to build on northern growth


ITV Studios has poached BBC executive producer Andrew Nicholson and hired freelancer Sally Evans for two newly created Manchester-based factual roles. Nicholson, executive producer


on BBC2’s Antiques Master, will work at the same level across a range of ITVS Factual (North) and Leeds-based Shiver’s output. Evans will also become an execu- tive producer for the division, as well as head of development. Both will report to creative


director Alexander Gardiner. Their arrival builds on ITVS’ efforts to recruit creative talent at every level of the business as part of its transformation. The London and ITVS Factual


(North) development teams will report in to Evans, who has worked for the business in a free- lance capacity on shows such as May The Best House Win. Nicholson’s experience straddles


shows including Pop’s Greatest Dance Crazes and Beyond Walford for BBC3, as well as Virgin 1’s The Naked Office. “These latest appointments are


a fantastic reflection of our growth in the region. Both bring a huge breadth of experience in factual programmes, which will be invalu- able in continuing to grow our business,” said Gardiner.


News


Sky lands UK rights to Spielberg’s Terra Nova


BY MICHAEL ROSSER


BSkyB has secured the UK rights to Steven Spielberg’s epic new dinosaur series Terra Nova, argua- bly the biggest show at last month’s LA Screenings. The deal with 20th Century Fox


Television Distribution will see Sky 1 air the series shortly after its US launch on 26 September. The series kicks off with a two-


hour pilot and has an initial order of 13 episodes. It is set in the year 2149 when


life on Earth is on the brink of extinction. In a bid to save the human race, scientists send a group of people back in time 85 million years to prehistoric Earth. The Shannon family join the


tenth batch of settlers to travel back to Terra Nova, a colony estab- lished in the past. However, they are unaware that it is surrounded by vicious dinosaurs, and that they will also have to contend with threats from within the camp. Jason O’Mara, who played Sam


Tyler in the US remake of Life On Mars, plays Jim Shannon, while Shelly Conn (Strike Back) plays Elisabeth, his wife and mother of their three children.


Terra Nova: two-hour pilot episode of the dinosaur series cost £10m The ambitious series is under-


stood to have required more than 250 sets, and the two-hour pilot cost $16m (£10m) alone. The series is currently being filmed in Australia, co-produced by 20th Century Fox Television, Chernin Entertainment, DreamWorks Tele- vision and Kapital Entertainment. Sarah Wright, controller of


acquisitions for entertainment at Sky, negotiated the agreement with Steve Cornish, senior vice- president and managing director


of 20th Century Fox Television Distribution. Stuart Murphy, director of Sky 1,


said: “Terra Nova is a huge weekly epic adventure with a family at the centre of the action, a community full of tensions and rivalries, and some pretty scary dinosaurs. “The deal is part of Sky’s long-


term commitment to invest in content – both originated and acquired – that is worth paying for.” Spielberg is one 13 executive producers on the series.


Presentable lures Lime’s Hall to replace outgoing founders BY BALIHAR KHALSA


Lime Pictures’ Jamie Hall, who has overseen Hollyoaks and The Only Way Is Essex as group head of pro- duction, has been poached by Zodiak Media-owned Presentable to become managing director. Hall joins the Cardiff-based


indie as its founders Megan and Chris Stuart retire, and plans to build on its comedy, entertainment and factual slate, as well as bring- ing experience of scripted formats. He has been with Lime since


2005, working across its diverse output, including the likes of Grange Hill, MTV’s Living On The


www.broadcastnow.co.uk Hollyoaks: previous Hall remit


Edge and Apparitions for the BBC. Hall was also responsible for running Lime’s in-house post-pro- duction department.


scripted business Joely Fether, Zodiak UK


Zodiak UK chief executive Joely


Fether said Hall’s appointment brought an opportunity for the company to expand its existing catalogue and to collaborate with Zodiak UK’s scripted and non- scripted business “to make even more programmes from Wales”.


to collaborate with Zodiak UK’s scripted and non-


This is an opportunity


Presentable was established by


the couple as a radio indie in 1993, and has since gone on to produce a range of TV programmes. BBC4 quiz show Only Connect and Rhod Gilbert’s Work Experience for BBC Wales and BBC2, which was recently recommissioned, are among its most recent work. Megan Stuart thanked the


people who have “supported and contributed to Presentable’s for- tunes over such a long period – a period during which the industry has changed dramatically”. Other Presentable productions


include The Poker Lounge for C4 and Terry Wogan’s Ireland for BBC1.


1 July 2011 | Broadcast | 7


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