Fremantle Establishes New Manchester-Based Drama Label

Fremantle has launched a new drama label, Castlefield, led by Managing Director Hilary Martin and Creative Director Simon Judd.

Based in Manchester, Castlefield will focus on crafting a development slate that boasts “edgy and emotionally compelling” contemporary drama series. Martin and Judd joined Fremantle in 2017 to set up a northern branch of Euston Films. Both held previous roles at BBC Drama North.

Andrea Scrosati, group COO of Fremantle, said: “Our focus at Fremantle is to support and work with the best talent to create bold original stories that aspire to be global. The launch of Castlefield is a perfect example of this strategy. Hilary and Simon have an impressive slate of courageous and impactful projects that I have no doubt will make Fremantle’s scripted portfolio even more unique.”

Martin said: “We would love Castlefield to be a home for creatively brave and emotionally truthful storytellers. We are passionate about the authentic and distinctive slate we are growing and believe that the stories we tell will deeply connect with audiences around the world.”

Judd said: “Our aim is to create a slate that stands out from the crowd. We don’t just want to tell good stories well—we want to tell great stories brilliantly and in ways that have never been seen before.”