BBC Studios Backs Scripted Start-Up Firebird Pictures

BBC Studios has picked up a minority stake in the new scripted start-up Firebird Pictures, founded by producers and former BBC execs Elizabeth Kilgarriff and Craig Holleworth.

Kilgarriff and Holleworth leave their respective roles as BBC Drama’s senior commissioning editor and BBC’s head of business in March. As part of the pact, BBC Studios will be the global distribution partner for all content developed by Firebird.

Kilgarriff joined BBC Commissioning in August 2015 from BBC Productions and has since been responsible for Bodyguard, The Cry, J.K. Rowling’s Strike series, The ABC Murders, Poldark, Doctor Foster 2, McMafia, Hard Sun, Informer, a fifth season of Luther and BBC Two’s forthcoming MotherFatherSon. Holleworth, who will be the company’s chief operating officer, has a long-standing working relationship with Kilgarriff and has run business and operations for Drama, BBC Films and its programs acquisitions. He has brokered deals for shows such as Doctor Who, Peaky Blinders, Sherlock and the forthcoming Dracula and His Dark Materials.