FremantleMedia Takes Over Essential Media’s Scripted Division

Australian producer Essential Media and Entertainment has agreed to sell its scripted division to FremantleMedia.

Essential Media’s drama division is behind such internationally acclaimed series as Rake, Doctor Doctor, The Principal, Jack Irish and the upcoming The Sunshine Kings. The deal will see Essential’s Australian head of scripted and company director, Ian Collie, depart the business and establish a new scripted content production company called Easy Tiger Productions, which is majority owned by FremantleMedia.

Easy Tiger Productions board members will include FremantleMedia’s Sangeeta Desai, COO and CEO of emerging markets; Sarah Doole, director of global drama; and Ian Hogg, regional CEO for Australia and Asia Pacific.

Essential Media and Entertainment’s CEO, Chris Hilton, said: “We are extremely proud of the exceptional drama IP Essential Media has created and financed over the years and are pleased to see it find the additional resources it needs to prosper under FremantleMedia. We wish Ian Collie the very best in the new venture.”

Doole said: “Our ambition is to work with the best scripted talent in the world to tell bold and impactful stories, and Easy Tiger ticks all of those boxes. Ian and his team have been responsible for a number of ambitious titles with global success, and their upcoming slate includes a range of storylines on the forefront of originality that will perfectly complement the series coming from FremantleMedia’s growing family of prime-time drama producers.”

Collie said: “The team at Easy Tiger is renowned for its high production values, creative rigor and talent friendliness. Joining the vastly experienced FremantleMedia group provides Easy Tiger with the opportunity to build on its reputation as a boutique yet high-end production company, from the development phase right through to distribution.”