BBC Worldwide, Hardy & Sons, Left Bank Align for New Venture

LONDON, January 31: BBC
Worldwide, along with independent British producers Hardy & Sons and Left
Bank Pictures, have entered into a three-way venture to relaunch Hardy &
Sons as a new as-yet-untitled production outfit specializing in drama and
documentaries.

Under the terms of the
deal, BBC Worldwide and Left Bank Pictures will each hold a 15-percent stake in
the new venture, with the majority 70-percent stake held by Justin Hardy, the
owner and creative director of Hardy & Sons.

The new venture will draw
on Left Bank Pictures’ experience in contemporary drama and film, and Hardy
& Sons’ forte for historical drama and documentary. BBC Worldwide will be
the distributor for the joint venture, using its global sales network and
co-production relationships to secure commercial revenues.

Left Bank Pictures was
founded in 2007 by Andy Harries, with Jenny Borgas as the head of film, Francis
Hopkinson as the head of television and Marigo Kehoe as the head of production.
BBC Worldwide has a 25-percent equity stake in the company and Helen Jackson,
BBC Worldwide’s head of independents, has a seat on the Left Bank Pictures
Board.

Hardy & Sons was
recently awarded Best Single Drama at the Broadcast Awards for its film The
Relief of Belsen. Further
productions include Harlot’s Progress and City of Vice,
both produced in collaboration with Touch TV for Channel 4 in the U.K.

Hardy commented: “A
partnership with Andy makes a lot of sense. We both have experience in factual
drama. In the case of The Deal,
The Queen and Longford, they are the finest factual dramas in the world.
We are privileged to sit in such company. As for Wayne at BBC Worldwide,
television distribution has found the kind of entrepreneur it needs."

Harries, Left Bank
Pictures’ managing director, said: “We want to be in business with Justin
because he has an fantastic track record for bringing history into focus for a
prime-time modern audience. He is a kind of magician and makes, bold, imaginative
and original drama series on budgets that would leave most drama companies
terrified! His sensibility, ambition, energy and experience will make a great
fit with Left Bank and we will work closely together as we plan for the future.
Left Bank is growing its domestic and international business through key
investments and creative alliances with ‘must have’ talent like him. There is
much more to follow.”

BBC Worldwide’s Jackson
added, “In just two years, Hardy & Sons has become a U.K. leader in historical
productions and we are very excited to be part of this new partnership.
Combining the formidable talents of Justin Hardy and Andy Harries will create a
force to be reckoned with in British television that we look forward to
showcasing around the world.”

—By Irene Lew