Fremantle Invests in BOLDPRINT Studios

Fremantle is acquiring a minority stake in BOLDPRINT Studios, a newly formed production company from Phil Harris, former Channel 4 head of entertainment.

BOLDPRINT will focus on creating and developing unscripted formats across reality, entertainment and factual entertainment. Lou Hutchinson, former Twofour head of entertainment, has been appointed the new company’s creative director. Harris and Hutchinson were both former executives at Fremantle label Thames.

In a career spanning over 20 years, Harris has developed and produced some of the U.K.’s biggest entertainment hits. Prior to starting BOLDPRINT, he oversaw Channel 4’s entertainment and events output, including Taskmaster, The Lateish Show with Mo Gilligan, 8 Out of 10 Cats and The Last Leg, as well as new returning brands Jimmy Carr’s I Literally Just Told You and Claudia Winkleman’s One Question. Prior to Channel 4, Harris was creative director of Fremantle label Thames overseeing existing brands Take Me Out, Britain’s Got Talent and The X Factor for ITV as well as new content, such as The Greatest Dancer (BBC One), the reboot of Supermarket Sweep (ITV) and Eating with My Ex (BBC Three).

Hutchinson has been head of entertainment at Twofour since 2021, focusing on developing, producing and creating reality and entertainment hits, including I Kissed a Boy (BBC Three), Make Me Prime Minister (Channel 4) and Loaded in Paradise, a flagship show for the launch of ITVX. Prior to Twofour, Hutchinson worked with Thames, Initial and Lime Pictures with executive producer credits on a catalog of entertainment programming, including I Can See Your Voice (BBC One), The Greatest Dancer (BBC One), Big Brother (Channel 4), TOWIE (ITV2) and Celebs Go Dating (E4).

Harris said: “Our company blueprint will be built on creating bold, scalable global formats, an ambition which aligns perfectly with Fremantle’s global distribution plans.

“Talent development on and off screen is key to our strategy, and that begins with Lou who I’m delighted is starting this journey with me. She’s an entertainment and reality powerhouse, an exceptional creative leader who’s consistently delivered huge scale formats at the highest level.”

Hutchinson added: “Phil and I share two decades of friendship that’s spanned reality galleries, complex location shoots, ambitious live shows and everything in between. I’m so excited to build a brilliant team and slate of ideas together.”

Amelia Brown, Fremantle UK CEO, said: “At Fremantle, we are committed to working with the very best, and Phil and Lou both have incredible passion, talent and commitment to not only creating the next big entertainment formats but also in nurturing new talent. They have been behind some of the most talked about and cutting-edge shows of recent years, and we are thrilled to welcome them back to the Fremantle family and look forward to supporting them in their ambitions for growth.”