Dan Snow’s History Hit Increases Original Series Investment

History Hit, an SVOD and content platform co-founded by broadcaster and historian Dan Snow and acquired by All3Media’s Little Dot Studios in 2020, is boosting its original programming investment.

Looking to add more than 60 hours per year, History Hit TV is committing to at least six original series helmed by established talent. The first announced series additions are Suzannah Lipscomb’s Six Wives of Henry VIII and Ancient Britain with Ray Mears.

History Hit will also continue to offer opportunities to diverse new history talent via single documentaries and series, building on the success of Luke Pepera’s Africa: Written Out of History, Alice Loxton’s Women of the Second World War and Tristan Hughes’ Boudica: Death to Rome.

Additionally, History Hit is set to commence a search for a head of original programming to take charge of the increased investment, overseeing development and executive producing the delivery of series and singles.

Snow, co-founder and creative director of History Hit, said: “When I started History Hit, it was an epic undertaking. Back then, the idea we would commission this scale of quality original content was just a wild dream. Our basic premise that the world was ready for a subscription-supported TV channel for real history fans has proved correct. Tens of thousands of people from an array of countries are subscribing to, renewing and watching History Hit. We choose unfashionable subjects as well as the big popular crowd-pleasers. We have a culture of trust in our on- and off-screen talent. We commission months ahead or hours ahead. That freedom, the ability to develop ideas and get them into production the same day, makes the head of original programming the most exciting role in TV. A dream job for someone passionate about history. It will take our output to another level and push our quality up to the gold standard of history broadcasting. We’re looking for someone who wants to join the adventure and make some history.”

Dan Jones, CEO of Little Dot Studios, said: “It is incredibly exciting to be building on the fantastic work of the History Hit team to commit to this level of original production. History Hit subscriber numbers have doubled year on year, alongside podcasts topping four million listens each month, with a live tour planned in 2022, more brand partnerships and even merchandise selling out. Set alongside Little Dot’s network offering of more than 30 genre brands that are on course to pass one billion viewers in 2022, it is clear passion niches are flourishing.”