Kudos Strikes First Look Deal with Chris Chibnall’s Imaginary Friends Productions
23rd May 2013
Kudos has struck a first look deal with Imaginary Friends Productions, the company run by Broadchurch writer and Executive Producer Chris Chibnall.
The agreement follows the pair’s recent collaboration on Broadchurch, ITV’s highest rated drama this year whose finale attracted 10.5milion viewers. Across the series, Broadchurch won an average audience of 9.4 million, 60% up on slot average.
Under the two year deal, Kudos will have an exclusive first look to co-develop and co-produce Chibnall’s new original scripted ideas with his production company Imaginary Friends. As with Broadchurch, Chibnall would Executive Produce any future commissions alongside Kudos’ Chief Executive Jane Featherstone, with Shine International representing international sales.
A British producer, writer and playwright, Chibnall has also previously collaborated with Kudos as a writer on Life on Mars and a showrunner on Law & Order: UK. Additional credits include United, Torchwood, Doctor Who, and the forthcoming two-part feature length BBC One drama, The Great Train Robbery. Broadchurch was the first project developed by Imaginary Friends, which recently appointed Broadchurch script executive Sam Hoyle as Head of Development.
Jane Featherstone said: “I love working with Chris – he is an outstanding writing talent with a distinctive and powerful voice. He is also a brilliant producer and collaborator. Broadchurch was just the beginning and I’m incredibly excited about what we can do together next.”
Chris Chibnall said: “I set up Imaginary Friends to create authored mainstream dramas. Broadchurch was a joyous and inspiring collaboration, and when I told Jane Featherstone about the next ideas I had in mind, the glint in her eye matched the one in mine. Kudos and Imaginary Friends share an ambitious drive to create big and bold programmes so this should be a bit of an adventure.”
Recent shows from Kudos include the high profile Utopia, written by Dennis Kelly and recently re-commissioned for a second series by Channel 4, and BBC One’s Mayday written by Ben Court and Caroline Ip. Forthcoming productions include The Tunnel for Sky Atlantic/Canal Plus, The Smoke for Sky One and From There To Here for BBC One.
Best known for era-defining television including Spooks, Hustle, Life on Mars, and Ashes to Ashes, Kudos has been regularly voted the ‘UK’s Best Independent Production Company’ and the company most admired by its peers and won multiple BAFTAs, International Emmys and RTS awards.
The deal was brokered by Kudos Chief Operating Officer Dan Isaacs and Cathy King of Independent Talent Group.
