Exclusive: BAFTA-nominated Rocks co-writer Theresa Ikoko is no longer attached to Channel 4 drama series Dance School, a show the network said she was co-creating two years ago.
Deadline is told that Ikoko is no longer involved with the project, although details were scant. Discovery of Witches scribe Lisa Holdsworth is now sole creator. Reps for Ikoko and the show declined comment.
The series was unveiled with fanfare almost two years ago to the day. Produced by Lost Boys and Fairies maker Duck Soup Films, it follows an eclectic group of dance students as they navigate the intense highs and lows of coming of age in today’s complex world. With shades of the Ikoko-penned Rocks although set in the north of England, Channel 4 said at the time that Dance School would “champion characters who have been meticulously workshopped and inspired by true stories.” Adjacent to the production was 10 industry...
Deadline is told that Ikoko is no longer involved with the project, although details were scant. Discovery of Witches scribe Lisa Holdsworth is now sole creator. Reps for Ikoko and the show declined comment.
The series was unveiled with fanfare almost two years ago to the day. Produced by Lost Boys and Fairies maker Duck Soup Films, it follows an eclectic group of dance students as they navigate the intense highs and lows of coming of age in today’s complex world. With shades of the Ikoko-penned Rocks although set in the north of England, Channel 4 said at the time that Dance School would “champion characters who have been meticulously workshopped and inspired by true stories.” Adjacent to the production was 10 industry...
- 6/13/2024
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
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BBC Studios, the commercial arm of U.K. public broadcaster BBC, has taken full ownership of Firebird Pictures, the scripted production company set up by former BBC executives Elizabeth Kilgarriff and Craig Holleworth in 2019.
BBC Studios previously held a 25 percent stake in the company and has now increased its investment to buy the rest for 100 percent control. Financial terms of the deal weren’t disclosed.
Firebird “works with and champions top-level and emerging talent to create high-end character-led series for British and international audiences,” the company said. “It has recently had two major series green-lit: Wilderness, a six-part series for Amazon Prime Video, written by Marnie Dickens and based on B.E. Jones’ novel, starring Jenna Coleman and Oliver Jackson-Cohen and currently shooting in Canada and the U.S.; and an adaptation of Nikki May’s best-selling debut novel, Wahala, written by Theresa Ikoko for BBC One,...
BBC Studios, the commercial arm of U.K. public broadcaster BBC, has taken full ownership of Firebird Pictures, the scripted production company set up by former BBC executives Elizabeth Kilgarriff and Craig Holleworth in 2019.
BBC Studios previously held a 25 percent stake in the company and has now increased its investment to buy the rest for 100 percent control. Financial terms of the deal weren’t disclosed.
Firebird “works with and champions top-level and emerging talent to create high-end character-led series for British and international audiences,” the company said. “It has recently had two major series green-lit: Wilderness, a six-part series for Amazon Prime Video, written by Marnie Dickens and based on B.E. Jones’ novel, starring Jenna Coleman and Oliver Jackson-Cohen and currently shooting in Canada and the U.S.; and an adaptation of Nikki May’s best-selling debut novel, Wahala, written by Theresa Ikoko for BBC One,...
- 10/5/2022
- by Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
BBC Studios has taken full control of Firebird Pictures, the British drama indie behind Prime Video’s Wilderness and BBC One’s Wahala.
The BBC’s commercial arm already had a stake in the company, which former BBC execs Elizabeth Kilgarriff and Craig Holleworth run together.
Firebird now sits in a stable of BBC Studios indies that include Gentleman Jack firm Lookout Point, Steve Coogan’s Baby Cow Productions, Sherwood maker House Productions, The End of the F*cking World indie Clerkenwell Films and Killing Eve‘s Sid Gentle Films. The BBC also has minority stakes in the likes of Various Artists Limited, Expectation, Curve and Mothership Productions and is backing YouTuber Joe Suggs’ new venture Final Straw Productions.
Firebird launched in 2019 with minority support from the BBC after Kilgarriff and Holleworth left their respective roles as BBC Senior Commissioning Editor and BBC Drama/BBC Films Head of Business. Recent greenlit are Wilderness,...
The BBC’s commercial arm already had a stake in the company, which former BBC execs Elizabeth Kilgarriff and Craig Holleworth run together.
Firebird now sits in a stable of BBC Studios indies that include Gentleman Jack firm Lookout Point, Steve Coogan’s Baby Cow Productions, Sherwood maker House Productions, The End of the F*cking World indie Clerkenwell Films and Killing Eve‘s Sid Gentle Films. The BBC also has minority stakes in the likes of Various Artists Limited, Expectation, Curve and Mothership Productions and is backing YouTuber Joe Suggs’ new venture Final Straw Productions.
Firebird launched in 2019 with minority support from the BBC after Kilgarriff and Holleworth left their respective roles as BBC Senior Commissioning Editor and BBC Drama/BBC Films Head of Business. Recent greenlit are Wilderness,...
- 10/5/2022
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
BBC Drama Slate Features Series From ‘Rocks’ Writer Theresa Ikoko & ‘This Is England’s Shane Meadows
The BBC has unveiled its latest drama slate at a virtual event on Tuesday, pulling the curtain back on new series from Rocks writer Theresa Ikoko, This Is England creator Shane Meadows, and the latest female-focused drama from Killing Eve producer Sid Gentle Films.
Ikoko, who was BAFTA-nominated for Rocks, will adapt Nikki May’s soon-to-be-published debut novel Wahala, which follows three thirty-something Anglo-Nigerian women whose friendship group is infiltrated by the beautiful, charismatic, and super-wealthy Isobel.
Set in London, Isobel’s arrival creates mounting tensions, unravels bonds, and exposes secrets with shocking and tragic consequences. Ikoko said the series is “Big Little Lies meets Girlfriends” and will be an “amazing celebration of Nigerian British culture.”
Wahala is produced by Firebird Pictures, with founder Elizabeth Kilgarriff executive producing alongside the BBC’s Mona Qureshi. BBC Studios will distribute the series internationally.
The project was one of six series announced by BBC drama controller Piers Wenger,...
Ikoko, who was BAFTA-nominated for Rocks, will adapt Nikki May’s soon-to-be-published debut novel Wahala, which follows three thirty-something Anglo-Nigerian women whose friendship group is infiltrated by the beautiful, charismatic, and super-wealthy Isobel.
Set in London, Isobel’s arrival creates mounting tensions, unravels bonds, and exposes secrets with shocking and tragic consequences. Ikoko said the series is “Big Little Lies meets Girlfriends” and will be an “amazing celebration of Nigerian British culture.”
Wahala is produced by Firebird Pictures, with founder Elizabeth Kilgarriff executive producing alongside the BBC’s Mona Qureshi. BBC Studios will distribute the series internationally.
The project was one of six series announced by BBC drama controller Piers Wenger,...
- 5/18/2021
- by Jake Kanter
- Deadline Film + TV
The projects join a new Shane Meadows series, announced earlier.
A project from I May Destroy You creator Michaela Coel and a series from Working Title are in the works from the BBC drama department, which set out details of six new commissions today.
The commissions were announced by Piers Wenger, BBC director of drama, and include Shane Meadows’ The Gallows Pole, announced earlier by Screen.
New BBC dramas include Working Title’s Everything I Know About Love, adapted by journalist Dolly Alderton from her memoir of the same name.
The series will follow Maggie and Birdy, two best friends...
A project from I May Destroy You creator Michaela Coel and a series from Working Title are in the works from the BBC drama department, which set out details of six new commissions today.
The commissions were announced by Piers Wenger, BBC director of drama, and include Shane Meadows’ The Gallows Pole, announced earlier by Screen.
New BBC dramas include Working Title’s Everything I Know About Love, adapted by journalist Dolly Alderton from her memoir of the same name.
The series will follow Maggie and Birdy, two best friends...
- 5/18/2021
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
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