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Trigger warning: this article includes mention of suicide and other topics that readers may find disturbing.

Channel 4 has ordered an independent investigation into the death of a producer who took his own life after working on the UK broadcaster’s true crime series In the Footsteps of Killers, Deadline can reveal.

John Balson died on May 17, having spent weeks experiencing intense physical pain and mental anguish. Deadline has spoken with his family and they have given us permission to publish this article in order to raise awareness of the dangers of overwork in factual TV, which was one of Balson’s wishes.

Channel 4 said it was “deeply saddened” by Balson’s death and has instructed British legal firm Reynolds Porter Chamberlain (Rpc) to investigate, pledging to take “whatever action is appropriate.” The broadcaster is in contact with Balson’s family. No decision has been made over whether the show will be broadcast.

Exclusive: Steve Michaels, boss of Asylum Entertainment Group, is continuing his Endeavor-backed M&a drive.

The company has invested in British production company Soho Studios Entertainment, founded by former Alaska TV and Zodiak exec Ian Lamarra.

It marks the latest investment for Michaels’ group, which bought a stake in Dawn Airey’s British production company Moon&Back Media last September.

It comes nearly a year after WME owner Endeavor acquired a majority stake in Asylum with plans to “supercharge” its footprint with a major M&a drive that has seen it invest in a number of nonscripted businesses.

Soho Studios was founded by Lamarra in 2022 with former Objective Media Group boss Paul Sandler and Money Group Entertainment CEO Francis Ridley as co-founding directors.

Its first series order was for ITV’s The Playboy Bunny Murder, a two-part documentary series from Marcel Theroux, which told the murders of three young women in London,...

Silent Witness actress Emilia Fox will turn cold-case sleuth for Channel 4 in an unscripted series working titled In The Footsteps of Killers.

Produced by Alaska TV, the production outfit behind History’s Damian Lewis: Spy Wars, the three-part show will feature Fox and criminologist Professor David Wilson re-investigating historic crimes to unearth new evidence.

Alaska plans to shoot In The Footsteps of Killers like a drama, observing UK government guidelines on social distancing and broadcaster production safety protocols.

Fox said: “We will use this platform to raise awareness and hopefully bring new evidence to these true crime cases which have gone under the radar.”

Alaska’s creative director Ian Lamarra added: “I’m excited about this true crime series that looks and feels like crime drama. I’m sure the combination of Emilia and David’s enthusiasm and expertise on and off screen, will bring fans of both genres to the show.

Damian Lewis’ spy documentary series is going global with a slew of international sales. Damien Lewis: Spy Wars has been picked up in markets including Canada and China.

A+E Network has sold the show to Bilibil.com in China, Blue Ant in Canada, Pop TV in Slovenia, Historia & Atres Media in Spain and Tvnz in New Zealand.

This comes after Deadline revealed that Smithsonian Channel has picked it up for the U.S.

Spy Wars, which is the Homeland star’s first foray into factual television, is an eight-part documentary series about spies that originally was commissioned by A+E Networks’ UK network History. The docu-drama will tell the true stories behind some of the most important international spy operations of the past 40 years.

It is produced by Alaska TV, the British production company responsible for series including BBC Earth’s Fishing Impossible and Channel 4 comedy series Very British Problems,...

Damian Lewis: Spy Wars producer Alaska TV is sniffing out a U.S. sale of its latest format – a docu-series that takes four cocaine users on a dangerous journey to Colombia to learn about the effects of the class A drug.

This comes after Viacom’s Channel 5 commissioned three-part series Doing Drugs For Fun and Wme will help shop the format and finished tape of the show to U.S. broadcasters. Stateside, it will be known as Cocaine: Living With The Cartels.

Alaska’s Brighton-based division is producing the series, which distributor Drive will sell internationally outside of the UK and U.S. The series was commissioned by Emma Westcott for Channel 5 and it is exec produced by Alaska co-founder Chris Fouracre and Creative Director Ian Lamarra.

The formatted documentary takes four recreational cocaine users on a journey to discover the true cost of their party lifestyles. They go on an immersive,...

Exclusive: Damian Lewis’ spy documentary series is heading to the Smithsonian Channel. The network, which is a joint venture between CBS Corporation’s Showtime and the Smithsonian Institute, is on the brink of closing a deal for Damian Lewis: Spy Wars (w/t).

Deadline understands that top brass are keen to keep the British actor’s latest project in the CBS Corp family. It comes after Lewis’ Billions was renewed for a fifth season by Showtime following strong numbers for the financial thriller.

Spy Wars, which is the Homeland star’s first foray into factual television, is an eight-part documentary series about spies that originally was commission by A+E Networks’ UK network History. The docu-drama will tell the true stories behind some of the most important international spy operations of the past 40 years.

It is produced by Alaska TV, the British production company responsible for series including BBC Earth’s...

Exclusive: The Oa and Star Trek: Discovery actor Jason Isaacs has teamed up with British production company Alaska TV to shop a factual space project to broadcasters and streaming platforms in the U.S. and UK.

The British actor is the latest A-list star to expand into the non-scripted world and has partnered with the makers of A+E Networks’ Damian Lewis: Spy Wars to develop Jason Isaacs: Space (w/t).

I hear that Isaacs, who is also set to star in Netflix’s reboot of The Dark Crystal, has filmed a taster tape for the docu-drama and will take the series out to the market with Alaska TV starting next week.

Isaacs will guide viewers through the true stories of skulduggery and war in space over the last 70 years. In recent history, the world’s leaders and private companies have been looking to the stars as the ultimate status symbol.

Exclusive: Damian Lewis is doing factual: The Billions and Homeland star has signed up for an eight-part documentary series about spies for A+E Networks’ UK network History.

The Wolf Hall actor is to front Damian Lewis: Spy Wars (w/t), a docu-drama that will tell the true stories behind some of the most important international spy operations of the last forty years. It is produced by Alaska TV, the British production company responsible for series including BBC Earth’s Fishing Impossible and Channel 4 comedy series Very British Problems.

Using reconstructions, the show will see Lewis act as the guide with each episode telling a different spy story from the Cold War through to the ‘war on terror’ and the renewed espionage hostilities of present day. It is shot on location in Moscow, Israel and London. It will feature experts and former spies including ex-Mossad, ex-CIA, ex-Kgb and...

The VeryBritishProblems (@SoVeryBritish) Twitter feed is being developed into a Channel 4 TV show, with the likes of James Corden, Ruth Jones and Jonathan Ross expected to appear.

Very British Problems will be made up of three one-hour episodes, and will feature comedians and other celebrities talking about the "crushing weirdness and awkwardness of life as a Brit".

Representing the first time a Twitter feed has moved directly to UK television, the show will include "anecdotes intercut with archive and specially-commissioned animations" and "take a comical look at the peculiar characteristics that make up the British psyche".

Stephen Mangan and Jonny Vegas are also said to be signed up, with more stars to be announced.

Alaska TV's Chris Fouracre, executive producer on Very British Problems, said: "Our intention is to make a warm, inclusive, funny show that gently unravels the complexities and awkwardness of the British psyche, through the real...