‘Continually reinventing long-standing formats and create cultural buzz’
If our Best Entertainment Programme category is anything to go by, it has been a standout year for CPL Productions. The reality specialist not only scooped the win for E4’s Married at First Sight UK, but its Sky Max returner Rob & Romesh Vs also made the shortlist, having officially become the most successful unscripted series on the channel.
Married at First Sight UK continued to smash the ratings as the most-viewed title across all commercial BVoD platforms, landing a supporting E4 podcast, MAFSUK: It’s Official! and growing tape sales with major buyers including Lifetime in the US.
Love Is Blind UK - the indie’s first Netflix commission - became the streamer’s number one programme in nine countries in its first week, while 90 Day Fiancé UK continued to be a top entertainment title for Discovery+. The inaugural 90 Day Fiancé Tell All special became the most-watched episode on the service in its first month.
The 18th series of A League of Their Own made the show the longest-running non-scripted series in the history of Sky television.
Meanwhile, the indie’s international output has more than doubled year on year, with Channel 4’s Old People’s Home for 4-Year-Olds being reversioned in over 15 territories including Mongolia – and spin off Old People’s Home for Teenagers proving particularly successful in Australia.
Fellow C4 format The Restaurant That Makes Mistakes was watched by a quarter of New Zealand’s population, and the Belgian version was nominated for an International Emmy.
The judges commended the indie’s ability to “continually reinvent long-standing formats and create cultural buzz”.
SHORTLISTED
After Party Studios
The indie won its first commission for Channel 4.0, the topical debate Hear Me Out, while the first series of Scenes with Sky Sports generated 72m views across platforms. The indie also helped Netflix announce a billion-dollar deal with WWE for a scripted comedy piece featuring some of the biggest stars in wrestling, and delivered a live broadcast for the sellout Sidemen Charity Match at Wembley, with 30m views on catch up.
Air TV
The Yorkshire-based has made 120 hours of factual programming across seven series in the last year, delivering UKTV’s biggest ever order for a series, with Bangers & Cash series 13 and two spin-offs including Bangers & Cash: Under the Bonnet for streaming service U. Its returners include a Derelict Rescue for HGTV and Warplane Workshop for More4, while new shows include Yorkshire Air 999 for Warner Bros. Discovery, and Masters of Reinvention for UKTV.
Firecrest Films
The Glasgow-based factual indie has put out 51 hours of new business in the last year, winning recommissions for major BBC Scotland titles Murder Trial, Murder Case, Highland Cops, and Paramedics on Scene and six projects with a global streamer. Its other BBC Scotland titles have included Strike! The Village That Fought Back and Salmond and Sturgeon: A Troubled Union.
Little Dot Studios
The production company and media network created video and podcast content for over 750 social channels and more than 135 digital channels. Highlights of the year include the first feature doc for streaming service History Hit. Endurance, about the expedition to locate Sir Ernest Shackleton’s lost ship, premiered on Nat Geo. Little Dot also partnered with Dr. Seuss Enterprises to launch and manage its official educational YouTube channel, producing animated series which achieved 200,000 subscribers and 20m views.
Strong Watch Studios
In its first year, the indie has worked with the BBC, Channel 4, ITV and CNN alongside global brands and creators like KSI and Speed. Its commissions include YouTube and BBC iPlayer gameshow Ranked, C4 travelogue Where to Next? and The Snake – a creator-led bluffing quiz – for Channel 4.0. Highlights also include helping the comedy indie Hat Trick boost its YouTube presence, doubling reach and revenue within a year.
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