High-Volume, Low-Cost & Social-Ready: Nicki Gottlieb on Format Creation

Nicki Gottlieb has spent more than two decades making factual and entertainment shows in the U.K., with a long list of credits that includes Inside the Ambulance, Secrets of the London Underground and Fraud Squad. That skill set aligns with the need to create content that will have an impact on both social media and the TV screen, Gottlieb says.

“I’ve done a lot of high-volume, lower-cost TV,” Gottlieb tells TV Formats. “At Brown Bob, that was our bread and butter. When you’re making 20 hours in one commission, you dig deep into the format. You have your format point, and you deliver it over and over. Being able to turn around stories so quickly is a skill. You don’t have time to sit back and allow the narrative to unfold. That sensibility delivers nicely for the TikTok generation. You’re not having one story for half an hour; you’re having three or four stories for half an hour. You’re jumping all over the shop, you’re delivering takeout, and it feels authentic. That’s what you need.”

As COO of U.K. indie Content Kings, Nicki Gottlieb runs the company alongside Gavin Hay and Jonathan Levi, driving its commercial and strategic direction. Together, they leverage years of linear expertise to create shows designed to deliver across platforms.

“We need to find a different way of telling the same story,” Gottlieb says. “Authenticity is at the forefront. What are you going to give the audience that’s new? Everybody wants takeout. What would [the show] look like on Instagram? How is it being talked about? What’s your click rate? Those are the conversations you’re having now.”

For Gottlieb, Content Kings’ Lip Reading the Royals is the perfect example. “How do you tell the story of the royal family in a different way, when we’ve all been making the same show over and over again? Do it with lip reading. We can do that with politicians, stars and sportspeople. The plan is to go big with it and explore different avenues. We’re working with Getty to access all the archives. How do you make TV shows today? You collaborate with people. Let’s bring everybody in with all your skill sets and let’s work together to make something special.”

Alongside a spirit of collaboration, Content Kings is also betting on new technology, with Gottlieb eagerly integrating AI into her toolkit. “We are pushing to bring AI into that factual space,” she says. “We’ve spent a lot of time in the past doing reconstructions and using archives. For the editorial, it takes you to a point. Can AI enable us, on the higher-volume, lower-cost shows, to go to a different place and tell a different story? We’re having a few conversations with people about that, and they are open to it as long as it’s authentic. You have to always maintain authenticity. Especially when money’s tight, it’s very difficult to create new things when you don’t have the finances to test. AI allows you to test things.”

Beyond authenticity and budget, the team at Content Kings is also firmly focused on ensuring the long-term value of its IP. Indeed, while Gottlieb shuttered her indie Brown Bob, the body of work she built over ten years at the outfit is now at Content Kings.

While the U.K. commissioning landscape remains challenged, Gottlieb is feeling optimistic. “We’re seeing more positivity coming from the broadcasters. We’re coming together, saying, ‘Let’s not let our industry die; let’s all work together to create some really cool stuff.’”