C4 invests in Sacha Baron Cohen & Andrew Newman's new start-up indie

8 October 2015

Channel 4 today announced it has partnered with Spelthorne Community Television, a UK based start-up indie co-founded by world leading comedy talent, Sacha Baron Cohen and former Objective Productions Chief Executive, Andrew Newman – a creative partnership which began on Ali G. This latest Growth Fund investment will see Channel 4 take a minority stake in the business with the collective mandate to help break a new generation of risk-taking comedy talent.

Spelthorne Community Television, named after the borough containing Ali G’s Staines hometown, will specialise in creating scripted TV comedy and comedy entertainment content with a strong focus on innovation and new ideas. Through this company the duo will support new and emerging comedy writers and performers with bold ambition.

Sacha Baron Cohen is a multi-award winning actor, writer and producer. He made his debut in 1998 on Channel 4’s The 11 O’clock Show where he worked with producer Andrew Newman.

Baron Cohen’s celebrated and highly influential TV series Da Ali G Show (Channel 4) won two BAFTA TV Awards, an RTS Award and garnered several Emmy Award nominations in the U.S. where it aired on HBO. His characters from the hit show drew international acclaim and inspired the follow up box office successes Ali G Indahouse (2002), Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006) which was Oscar nominated and saw Baron Cohen awarded Best Actor at the Golden Globes in 2007, and Brüno (2009). His Hollywood career has included roles in Sweeney Todd, Les Miserables and The Dictator and he has most recently co-written and starred in the upcoming Grimsby scheduled for release in 2016.

Until recently Andrew Newman was Chief Executive at Objective Productions where across six years he was responsible for a slate of programmes for the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Five and Sky, amongst others, including: The Cube (ITV1), Peep Show (Channel 4), The Real Hustle (BBC3), Derren Brown (Channel 4), John Bishop’s Britain (BBC1), Fresh Meat (Channel 4), Big Bad World (Comedy Central) and Toast of London (Channel 4). Newman began his TV career as a runner on The Big Breakfast. He went on to work on some landmark shows including Brass Eye and The Word before moving into key commissioning roles at Channel 4 and Five where he was responsible for many successful comedy shows including: 8 Out Of 10 Cats, Alan Carr Chatty Man, Bo Selecta, SWAG, The IT Crowd, Fonejacker, Peter Kay’s Britain’s Got The Pop Factor, Charlie Brooker’s Dead Set and The Inbetweeners. Alongside his day job, Newman also wrote with Sacha on the Borat and Brüno movies.

David Abraham, Chief Executive at Channel 4 said: “I’m thrilled to see Sacha and Andrew return to their Channel 4 roots where their special creative talent for making distinctive comedy was first nurtured. Spelthorne Community Television share the Growth Fund’s ambition to support innovative talent and we’re looking forward to working with them as they develop a business which invests in the next generation of unforgettable comedy shows and characters.”

Sacha Baron Cohen said: “After more than a decade away from Channel 4, it’s very exciting to come back home and back to the British TV industry that launched my career and those of many of my contemporaries; Ricky Gervais, John Oliver and those blokes who did The Inbetweeners. All have gone on to have great success internationally. A little too much success if I’m honest.

“But this isn’t about people who are at the top of the pile and are coasting – this is a chance to help establish careers for ambitious people who have yet to make a mark in British television – I include amongst these, Andrew Newman, who, let’s face it, hasn't done a lot since he worked with me on The 11 O’Clock Show nearly 20 years ago.

“Ultimately our aim with Spelthorne Community Television is to discover new talent, develop new shows, then test them on UK audiences before we remake them, starring me, for the much more important US market.”

Andrew Newman said: “Just as Channel 4 backed Sacha’s edgy comic vision with Ali G, I hope that through the backing of the Growth Fund our new company will be able to do the same for other people with fresh ideas. Over the past six years I’ve had great fun producing ground breaking and innovative shows but setting up this business with Sacha is a brand new creative opportunity. We want to make top quality television across the board and with so many emerging platforms, now seems like a brilliant time to do it.”

Entertainment and media lawyer, Nick Swimer, brokered the deal between Channel 4 and Spelthorne Community Television.

Channel 4’s £20m Growth Fund, headed up by Laura Franses, was launched in 2014 to support the UK independent production sector outside of the normal commissioning cycle by providing access to funding for creative companies with a clear trajectory for growth.

Following this investment the corporation has a varied portfolio of nine UK based independent productions companies including Arrow International Media, Eleven Film, Lightbox Media, Popkorn Media, Renowned Films, True North Productions, Voltage TV Productions and sports indie Whisper Films.

No output or minimum guarantees are given to invested companies in relation to Channel 4 commissions – and Growth Fund investments do not influence the strategy of Channel 4’s commissioning team which continue to work with the broadest range of suppliers.

 

Notes to editors

• Channel 4 continues to take submissions from interested independent producers who can register their interest by contacting growthfund@channel4.co.uk
• http://spelthornecommunitytv.com/