Hat Trick shuts Manchester office

New Hat Trick recruit Angela Sinden was a script editor on Shameless

• Increase image
• View all images

Hat Trick has closed its Manchester office after three years after struggling to secure enough comedy and entertainment commissions from the region.

However, the London-based indie has now hired former Shameless and Coronation Street script editor Angela Sinden to develop northern drama projects.

Sinden is spending three days a week in the region, working with writers on drama ideas
for ITV1.

All of Hat Trick North's three-person team, led by executive producer Rebecca Papworth, have now left the indie.

The division aimed to capitalise on the BBC's expansion in Salford. But Hat Trick managing director Jimmy Mulville told Broadcast he would now only establish teams in the region once shows had been commissioned.

Mulville had planned to produce at least two entertainment formats, a comedy and a drama, made in the region by the end of 2006. The division has produced two series of BBC3's Drop Dead Gorgeous but a second project, Turn Back Time, ran for just one series.

Mulville said: "All the best drama writers are coming out of shows like Corrie and Shameless, so it made sense to change our focus in Manchester to drama."