via Broadcast
Endemol Shine UK has acquired a 50% stake in Lenny Henry’s indie Douglas Road. The Douglas Road deal is the highest-profile agreement struck since the mega-indie merger last year. It is believed that the deal came about after an introduction through The Fall indie Artists Studio after the ESG-owned drama indie began developing a number of projects together.
The production company was founded a year ago by Henry and former EastEnders producer Barbara Emile. It won its first commission in May, landing a 3 x 60-minute documentary for Sky Arts, Lenny Henry’s Got The Blues, in which the comedian attempted to uncover why the UK has never produced an internationally-recognised black blues star. Along with its factual ambitions, Douglas Road will focus on drama and comedy and has a number of projects in advanced development.
Henry said that the company was set to work with the “best of diverse” British on- and off-screen talent.
“Our ambitions are to generate high-end drama, comedy and factual entertainment that truly resembles the world we inhabit,” he added. “Douglas Road takes inspiration from the plethora of races, colours and creeds that co-exist in the British Isles today – these are cultures filled with drama, comedy, fun, excitement, magic, romance, sex and inspiration.”
Endemol Shine UK chief executive Richard Johnston said that Douglas Road complemented the other 17 UK indies within the group.
“The creative vision and track-record of Lenny Henry and Barbara Emile and the progress they have made in a short space of time makes Douglas Road an extremely exciting company to partner with,” he added.
