Bob & Co


Hilary Strong & Bob Benton’s ILP strikes ‘eight-figure’ literary estates deal

Hilary Strong and Bob Benton’s recently launched IP management firm International Literary Properties (ILP) has struck an eight-figure deal to acquire a dozen literary estates, including Brideshead Revisited writer Evelyn Waugh. The agreement was struck with former rights holders Peters, Fraser + Dunlop and will see ILP also take control of the estates of Maigret […]

Anthology Group emerges from Bob & Co.

A new UK production group is set to emerge from the re-organisation of the Bob & Co group of companies. Bob Benton and his partner Hilary Strong announced in Edinburgh today that the new entity will be called the Anthology Group and will bring together six television and film production companies (two of them entirely […]

Avalon Factual Television exec moves to Woodcut

Avalon Factual Television features and daytime chief Matthew Gordon is moving to another UK prodco, Woodcut Media. Gordon (pictured) has been named executive producer of factual, reporting to Woodcut CEO Kate Beal. He’ll work also closely with Woodcut’s creative director, Derren Lawford. Bob & Co.-owned Woodcut is known for factual shows such as Jo Frost […]

Agatha Christie chief joins Bob & Co as CEO

Agatha Christie Ltd chief executive Hilary Strong is joining UK-based production group Bob & Co as CEO. Strong is leaving her role at the Agatha Christie estate, which represents the IP of author Christie, after nearly five years. She is exiting to run Bob & Co’s portfolio of television drama, factual programming, film, theatre and […]

Agatha Christie chief joins Bob & Co as CEO

Agatha Christie Ltd chief executive Hilary Strong is joining UK-based production group Bob & Co as CEO. Strong is leaving her role at the Agatha Christie estate, which represents the IP of author Christie, after nearly five years. She is exiting to run Bob & Co’s portfolio of television drama, factual programming, film, theatre and […]

Bob & Co drafts in David Parfitt for drama

Shakespeare in Love and Parade’s End producer David Parfitt is teaming up with programming financing group Bob & Co. Parfitt, the former chairman of BAFTA in the UK, will serve as a creative consultant and sit on the committee of the Jersey-based investment fund. In the consultancy role he will work with Bob & Co-backed […]

Raw drama exec joins Wiffen’s prodco

Miriam Brent is joining former FremantleMedia drama chief Donna Wiffen’s prodco, Duchess Street Productions. Brent is leaving her post as development editor at Raw TV to become script executive at Duchess Street. She officially begins today and will work alongside development producer Jo Roderick at the Bob & Co.-backed firm, which ex-Fremantle head of worldwide […]

Idris Elba preps Mandela, My Dad and Me doc

Idris Elba is making Mandela, My Dad and Me, a one-off doc about his life and preparation for playing Nelson Mandela in the hit movie Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom. Elba’s prodco Green Door Pictures, UK indie Woodcut Media and Shine regional division Shine North are making the 1x60mins film. Content financier Bob & Co. are part-financing […]

News brief: Clifton Chronicles prodco taps ex-Sky exec

The Clifton Chronicles firm Duchess Street Productions has hired a former Sky drama executive to become its development producer. Jo Roderick will develop and provide editorial guidance on a slate of scripts, including one idea currently at Sky 1 for the Bob & Co.-owned prodco, which former FremantleMedia drama boss Donna Wiffen (left) runs as […]

Viewpoint: Simon Flamank, Bob & Co.

Veteran kids TV financier and producer Simon Flamank explains why piecing together investment on an animated children’s series is now more akin to the independent film producer model than the public broadcaster commission of old. We all regularly talk about the changing landscape of animatedchildren’s TV programming, how there are more television channels, more platforms, […]