Wednesday round-up: Latest news, deals & hires

Banijay’s Forge rejigs leadership

National Treasure and The Buccaneers indie The Forge is shaking up its leadership team with founder and managing director George Faber segueing into an executive chairman role.

Executive producers Beth Willis and George Ormond are stepping up to lead the indie into 2026 as co-MDs, with responsibility for running the business, setting its strategic direction and driving an ambitious programming slate working with leading and upcoming writers.

Banijay UK-owned The Forge is currently prepping high-profile Channel 4 dramas A Woman of Substance, based on the Barbara Taylor Bradford novel of the same name, and Jack Thorne-penned Falling, starring Keeley Hawes and Paapa Essiedu.

It has also secured a third series order for period drama The Buccaneers for Apple TV+, which draws from the unfinished final work of Edith Wharton. Read more

Josh Safran drama, Rockford Files get pilots at NBC

NBC has greenlit two scripted pilots from Universal Television, including a remake of 1970’s show The Rockford Files.

Writer Mike Daniels is attached with Carl Beverly, Sarah Timberman and Chris Leanza on the Rockford Files, which tracks a private investigator who solves crimes after being sent to prison for a crime he didn’t commit.

The other pilot greenlight has been given to Protection, which is being written and exec produced by Josh Safran, Jenna Bush Hager and Ben Spector.

The story picks up after a US marshall is killed and explores a deadly conspiracy as a family of law enforcement agents become the target of a mysterious assassin.

Bright Entertainment lands ITV order

ITV Studios has unveiled its latest unscripted label Bright Entertainment, with the newly branded label launching with a primetime ITV commission.

The production company, first announced in September, is led by former ITV commissioner Lily Wilson as managing director, with former Talkback Thames creative chief Tom Williams joining as creative director.

Bright Entertainment is tasked with creating premium and scalable primetime entertainment and competition formats and is one of the first moves made by ITVS unscripted chief Tim Carter.

To aid its growth, the indie has absorbed ITVS unscripted sibling Potato, bringing its team and portfolio of content on board, as well as the remaining IP catalogue of previously shuttered stablemate 12 Yard. Read more