FremantleMedia Cuts Comedy Output Deal with Rough Cut Television

LONDON, March 22: FremantleMedia Enterprises (FME)
has reached an exclusive first-look output deal with Rough Cut Television, Ash
Atalla’s new independent production company, that grants FME all of the new
venture’s worldwide television, DVD and new media rights.

Atalla has produced a number of successful British
comedies, including The Office. Atalla also helmed two of talkbackTHAMES’ top comedy properties, The
IT Crowd and Man
Stroke Woman, which are
both distributed internationally by FME.

FME has
licensed The IT Crowd into 16 countries worldwide, with a
second season of the series due soon. Nominated for an International Emmy in
2006, the show is also currently in production in the U.S. with NBC. Since its
2005 debut, Man Stroke Woman has also become one of FME’s
top comedy exports, now broadcasting in 11 countries.

David Ellender, the CEO of FremantleMedia
Enterprises, noted: “Ash is a comedy talent beyond compare with whom we have
already enjoyed a terrific working relationship and we are thrilled to welcome
him to the FME family. We’re confident that his prolific talent will lead to
the development of yet more brilliant shows to shape the genre, and we very
much look forward to representing them across multiple media platforms around
the world. Comedy is a key genre for us and this deal with Ash is sure to
cement further our position as the place to come for the hottest talent and the
funniest comedy.”