British Indie Raconteur Secures First-Look Deal with BBC Worldwide

LONDON: Raconteur Associates, a new indie founded by William Miller and Ruth Wrigley, has entered into a first-look deal with BBC Worldwide.

As part of the deal, BBC Worldwide will manage the international distribution of Ranconteur’s finished programming and formats. The company focuses on non-scripted content and formats for exploitation in the U.K. and abroad.

Raconteur has also made its first appointment with Charlotte Crosse joining the company to the newly created role of head of development and talent. Crosse was previously working as on-screen talent producer for the BBC’s Natural History Unit.

Raconteur CEO William Miller said: “We are really excited to have partnered with BBC Worldwide who have the scale and expertise needed to support us with our ambitious plans to grow the business and create a broad slate of programs for the U.K. and international markets. Both Ruth and I are excited to have the chance of working with the experienced team at BBC Worldwide to grow our slate of programs and explore the enormous opportunities that the international market can offer UK creatives.”

BBC Worldwide’s director of factual entertainment, Tracy Forsyth, said: “We jumped at the chance to work with someone as talented and innovative as Ruth. She has such a track record of creating genre-busting entertainment formats from Big Brother to TOWIE to How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria and we think, wedded with William’s experience with talent and passions for factual programs, will produce some truly unique globally sought-after ideas.”

Ruth Wrigely, Raconteur Associates’ creative director, added: “Charlotte is a great addition to the team bringing hugely complementary skills in a range of genres that are really important to our development plans. As well as being a brilliant producer, she also brings her amazing knowledge and abilities to nurture and manage talent, which is essential for the direction we are going with the company.”