BBC Worldwide Buys Majority Stake in Sid Gentle Films

BBC Worldwide has purchased a 51 percent stake in the British drama specialist and feature film company Sid Gentle Films.

Sid Gentle Films was founded by Sally Woodward Gentle, along with Lee Morris and Henrietta Colvin, in 2013. The company’s credits to date include The Durrells for ITV and Masterpiece, SS-GB for the BBC, Neil Gaiman’s Likely Stories for Sky and the upcoming Killing Eve for BBC America.

The agreement includes an option for a phased increase in ownership by BBC Worldwide in the coming years.

Woodward Gentle, the CEO of Sid Gentle Films, said: “We couldn’t be more delighted to be joining forces with BBC Worldwide. Their respect for our independence coupled with their extraordinary industry links and sales ability is really exciting. Sid has built a reputation working with extraordinary talent and developing projects we believe in and it is very exciting to further our ambitions to create and deliver impactful drama. We have enjoyed working with BBC Worldwide in the past so can’t wait for this new phase in Sid’s life.”

Helen Jackson, BBC Worldwide’s managing director of content, commented: “We have enjoyed working with Sally and her team immensely over the past three years and this is a great opportunity to build on our partnership. Sid Gentle has already delivered several much-loved dramas and we are super excited by what we have seen so far of their latest, Killing Eve. They represent perfectly the creative vibrancy that is British drama right now.”