Youngest Media’s David Flynn & ITVS’s South Shore launch unscripted label Plegazoid

David Flynn

Former Youngest Media founder David Flynn has re-emerged with a new production outfit, this time with the backing of ITV Studios-owned South Shore.

His new label, Plegazoid, has entered into an exclusive joint venture agreement with Don’t Look Down prodco South Shore to develop and produce unscripted formats together.

Flynn has been working with the ITVS-owned prodco for several months having set the company up earlier this year and has two as-yet unrevealed projects at pilot stage with unnamed UK broadcasters.

Moneybags

South Shore and Plegazoid will work with ITVS’s creative network on new IP, while the UK-based group is also handling international distribution for the joint venture.

Plegazoid’s launch comes nine months since Flynn’s former label, Moneybags producer Youngest Media, closed up shop after seven years of operation, citing the long-term effects of the pandemic on its business.

The UK-based firm, which was set up in 2016 by Endemol Shine alums Flynn and Lucas Church, created formats including ITV gameshow Small Fortune and Game Of Clones, which debuted on Channel 4 in the UK before heading to MTV in the US.

Producer and former Game Show Network (GSN) exec Ed October subsequently acquired rights to the formats and/or completed episodes of more than 15 shows from Youngest Media following its liquidation, setting up a US-based namesake to hold the assets.

Of his new venture, Flynn said: “We’re on the hunt for Plegazoids, those counter intuitive ideas that nobody else has thought of. Andy and Mel and the South Shore team share my desire to launch these shows and their creativity and independent spirit make them the perfect partner to join forces with.”

Andrew MacKenzie, CEO of South Shore, added: “David is one of the smartest people in the industry. He’s got an incredible track record and his talent, personality and ambition make him the perfect fit to partner with South Shore. We couldn’t be happier to be launching this joint venture with him.”

Plegazoid was the name given to an answer by Flynn and his team when they created the BBC quiz, Pointless.