Strictly Embargoed until Thursday, 23rd May, 2013
HANDSOME NEW PRODUCTION COMPANY GETS GREENBIRD SUPPORT
Newly-created, Handsome Productions, has received the backing of company
incubator, investor and business accelerator, Greenbird, it was announced today
(THURS).
Founded by Nichola Hegarty and Sharon Stansfield, Handsome will specialise in
producing high-end programming for UK networks and multi-channels, focusing on
popular mainstream programmes across entertainment, factual entertainment and
daytime genres.
Nichola Hegarty and Sharon Stansfield co-created BAFTA winning The Only way is
Essex for ITV2 and their ambition is to consolidate their mutual experience of making
must-watch, award-winning popular shows, with widespread appeal.
This is the third company that Greenbird has invested in and is part of their mission
to invest in creative talent. Joint Managing Director, Jamie Munro, said: “Nicky and
Sharon have a combined experience of producing mainstream hit shows. We believe
they’ll produce programming which is fresh, distinctive and genuinely entertaining for
the audience.”
Nichola Hegarty is a multi-award winning entertainment Executive Producer, who
has produced a wide range of mainstream shows cross multiple genres –
entertainment, factual entertainment, reality and dramality.
Nichola said: “The programmes I have been involving in producing and creating have
always been wide ranging: from The Only Way Is Essex to Test the Nation and from
the first Celebrity Big Brother to The Murder Game. This is an exciting opportunity for
Sharon and I to work together again and create genuinely entertaining talk-about
television. We can’t wait to get started.”
Her credits include Series Editor Celebrity Big Brother,BBC1/C4 for Comic Relief
(winner Best Entertainment Moment 2001) Series Producer Test the Nation, BBC1
(BAFTA Nomination Best Entertainment Programme/RTS Commended Best
Entertainment Show 2003) and Executive Producer The Only Way Is Essex, ITV2 for
which she won a BAFTA and a Broadcast Award 2010).
Sharon Stansfield is one of the most, well-respected Development Executives in
UK TV. Having worked in development at indies such as Tiger Aspect, Ricochet and
Talkback, she has also headed up teams within the BBC and at ITV Studios. She
most recently worked at Lime Pictures where she co-created and worked on series
one and 3 of TOWIE, before going onto develop for the American market.
Her credits both in production and work in development cross multiple genres from
factual to entertainment including The Salon, C4, The Islands of Britain, ITV1,David
Suchet On The Orient Express, ITV1, Panic Room, BBC3, The Restaurant, BBC2,
Chateau Monty, C4, Its Me Or The Dog C4, Sally Morgan Investigates, Living,
TOWIE, ITV2.
BBC Worldwide will have first look options on finished programming and formats that
emerge. BBC Worldwide supports over 40 UK independent production companies with
similar distribution, output and development deals.
For further information please contact Louise Plank at Plank PR on 07801 321 965
or lou@plankpr.com