Beezr & Spark North team up for Tool Club to air on Channel 4

25 February 2021

Channel 4 and Screen Scotland today announced a new pilot from Scotland-based Beezr Studios and Spark North - Spark Media’s new Sheffield -based off-shoot - for Channel 4 daytime. The hour-long pilot, Tool Club, was commissioned through the joint funding partnership between Screen Scotland and Channel 4 announced last year. 

We might all have attempted to spruce up our surroundings recently, but with millions of pounds spent each year rectifying the DIY jobs Brits have botched at home this timely pilot will offer useful tips and hacks to help us skill up and offer some practical inspiration to everyone bored of the same four walls.

Tool Club is a celebration of the do it yourself attitude and host Michael Underwood will lead a team of creative DIY experts including Jessica Grizzle (all round DIY expert), Julia Miller-Osborn(DIY Dynamo) and Max McMurdo (Designer and Upcycler) who will  tackle a range of DIY disasters.  From an ambitious community build to a garden makeover, small household repairs and furniture upcycling, each project will be a handy guide for viewers at home who want to get stuck in themselves. 

A mobile DIY roadshow, the Tool Bus will be a drop-in base for members of the local community to walk in with their DIY-woes. With no job too big or too small, The Tool Bus will be a base for the team to demonstrate and teach some simple skills that can transform DIY disasters into something to be proud of.

Alasdair MacCuish said ‘The opportunity to bring Tool Club to the C4 Daytime audience is something we are very excited about. The show couldn’t be more timely, and having the support of both the Channel and Screen Scotland has been tremendous during these challenging times’.

Joff Powell from Spark added ‘With our compelling cast of experts, Tool Club is uniquely positioned to teach those who visit the Tool Bus, and those at home, the skills they desperately need in order to perfect DIY for themselves. It’s going to be packed with tips and tricks that the entire nation can learn and takeaway with them’.

Dani Carlaw, Head of Unscripted at Screen Scotland said: “It is fantastic that Scottish production company Beezr, working with Spark North, have won through with such a compelling pilot in Tool Club. Creating the opportunity for potential returning series made out of Scotland through pilot initiatives like this is a real priority for Screen Scotland. We are delighted with this market development partnership initiative with Channel 4 Daytime, and the quality of ideas that came through from companies in Scotland.”

Tool Club was commissioned for Channel 4 by Kate Thomas, Commissioning Editor for Daytime and Features. Alasdair MacCuish is Executive Producer for BEEZR. Joff Powell is the Executive producer for Spark North. 

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For more information contact Kate Conway, kconway@channel4.co.uk