ITV Studios Acquires Line of Duty Producer

ITV Studios has purchased a majority stake in World Productions, which is behind the hit drama Line of Duty.

World Productions has produced a string of hit dramas. In addition to Line of Duty, the company’s credits include The Bletchley Circle, Dark Angel, In Plain Sight, Code of a Killer, The Great Train Robbery and The Fear. World Productions is currently producing Save Me for Sky Atlantic, a new series written by and starring Line of Duty’s Lennie James with Suranne Jones, and the four-part psychological thriller Born to Kill is currently airing on Channel 4.

ITV Studios’ distribution business, ITV Studios Global Entertainment, will handle the international distribution of new series.

Following the transaction, World Productions CEO Roger Charteris will step down from the business, with Creative Director and new CEO Simon Heath and Managing Director Roderick Seligman continuing to oversee the creative and day-to-day management.

Julian Bellamy, the managing director of ITV Studios, said: “I’m delighted to welcome Simon and the World Productions team into the ITVS family. World has made a name for itself as one the country’s foremost drama producers with a raft of brilliant, standout series from BBC’s Line of Duty to Channel 4’s Born to Kill. I can’t wait to work with Simon’s team as they drive World Productions into a new phase of growth in the U.K. and beyond.”

Heath said: “We’re delighted to be linking up with Julian and his terrific team at ITVS. With their support, we’re looking to build on the success of the last five years and expand into the future.”

Charteris commented: “We are immensely proud of how far World Productions has come and to be handing over a company which is producing some of the very finest British television drama.”