A+E Networks UK Orders Alfie Allen Football Doc from Woodcut Media

LONDON: Woodcut Media and The Development Partnership have been commissioned by A+E Networks UK to produce the documentary Alfie Allen’s Story of Football (working title) for HISTORY in the U.K.

Alfie Allen (Game of Thrones) has been passionate about football since childhood, and his knowledge of the sport is defined by the Premiership era. The two-part documentary will explore the stories, moments and people that have defined football over the past century. Allen takes viewers on a geographical, historical and cultural journey across the U.K. to discover football’s roots and how the game evolved through a range of themes that includes the stadiums, leagues, fans, gender and more. Following the U.K. broadcast, Alfie Allen’s Story of Football will air on HISTORY channels operated by A+E Networks UK across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

The program is directed by Mike Christie (Sir Alex Ferguson: Secrets of Success, Darcey’s Ballet Heroes) and produced by Woodcut Media and The Development Partnership, alongside co-producers Krempelwood Entertainment. Derren Lawford (Woodcut Media) and Robert Taylor (The Development Partnership) are co-executive producers, while Di Carter serves as executive producer for A+E Networks UK’s HISTORY. The title will be distributed internationally by Content Media, which is introducing it to buyers at MIPCOM in October.

Allen commented: “Football has been a big part of my life from an early age and the opportunity to work with Woodcut for HISTORY UK to uncover the secrets of the game is a really exciting one for me. This project also marks my first time in documentary, both as a presenter and associate producer, and so for all those reasons it is very exciting indeed.”

Woodcut Media’s CEO and executive producer for the series, Kate Beal, said, “We are proud to be collaborating with A+E Networks UK again, and producing what we believe will be one of their standout shows for 2017. It is also a joy to be working with such high-profile talent as Alfie, especially as the whole Woodcut team are Game of Thrones fans!”

Rachel Job, who commissioned the documentary and serves as the director of programming for HISTORY and H2 at A+E Networks UK, added, “Like Alfie Allen, HISTORY’s viewers are big fans of the beautiful game. So we are confident that this show will build on the success of other talent-led projects on HISTORY, including Sean Bean on Waterloo and the upcoming Ronnie O’Sullivan’s American Hustle (TX January 2017), by taking a novel approach to a subject that both the star presenters and our viewers are passionate about.”