Red Arrow Studios International to distribute the series worldwide
Pre-investment deal agreed with multichannel broadcaster UKTV
For Immediate Release:
LONDON – Monday 8th October 2018 – Woodcut Media and Forces TV Productions have teamed up for the first time to produce a compelling three-part documentary series Royals on the Frontline (international title Windsors at War). UKTV has pre-invested in the series and it will premiere on the broadcaster’s Yesterday channel in 2019.
Currently in production, Royals on the Frontline explores the experiences of the British Royal Family during their military years, from World War II through to the modern day. Featuring incredible archive footage of the royals in service, the series covers Prince Harry’s evacuation from the frontline when his position was compromised by press, Prince Philip’s extraordinary experiences in the Royal Navy, Prince Andrew’s helicopter decoy exploits in the Falklands, the Queen’s rebellion against her father when she joined the ATS in WW2, and much more.
Royals on the Frontline gives an insight into the most famous family in the world, showing a different side to their public persona, one where they put themselves directly in the line of fire to keep their country safe.
Kate Beal, CEO, Woodcut Media said: “There is much more to the Royal Family besides their ‘celebrity’ status, so offering an in-depth series about their military involvement and experiences during years of service, will definitely captivate viewers. In addition to UKTV’s Yesterday channel being a superb platform to launch Royals on the Frontline on, we are also excited as this marks our first co-production with Forces TV, who have granted us access to some incredible footage, interviews and materials that are second to none.”
Daniel Thomas, UKTV’s Acquisitions Manager, has brokered the deal for UKTV.
Red Arrow Studios International will be distributing the international version of the series under the title Windsors at War and will present it to buyers for the first time at MIPCOM. The series will be produced by Forces TV and Woodcut Media.
Executive producers are Kate Beal and Adam Jacobs (Woodcut Media) and Mark Popescu (Forces TV Productions). Series producer is Woodcut’s Jonathan Mayo (Combat Ships).
Mark Popescu, Director of Factual at Forces TV said: “We are excited to be working with Woodcut Media and UKTV on this project and adding our unique perspective and experience. Royals on the Frontline will give people a much better understanding of the often-hidden role played by senior members of the Royal Family in UK history.”
Alex Fraser, SVP, Acquisitions, Red Arrow Studios International added: “We are delighted to be representing this unique series. The experience of war unites people the world over and even though the Royal Family are national and Commonwealth figureheads they still share the same experiences – something that fascinates audiences the world over.”
For further information please contact:
Ali Laurie, UKTV / ali.laurie@uktv.co.uk
Notes to Editors
About UKTV:
UKTV is a commercial broadcaster reaching nearly 40m viewers every month. The award-winning independent has eleven imaginative brands – UKTV Play, Dave, W, Gold, Alibi, Yesterday, Drama, Really, Home, Eden and Good Food. These include the two most popular non-PSB channels in the UK and account for nearly 10% of the British commercial TV market. The network delivers inspired channels to audiences through Freeview, Sky, Virgin Media, BT, TalkTalk, YouView, Freesat, Amazon Fire and UKTV Play, and distributes its highly valued original programmes to 200 territories. Now celebrating over 20 years at the forefront of digital television, UKTV – an independent commercial joint venture between BBC Studios and Discovery, Inc. – is proud to be the first British television broadcaster in The Sunday Times top 100 companies list. corporate.uktv.co.uk | press.uktv.co.uk | @uktvpress
About Yesterday:
Freeview 19 | Sky 155 | Freesat 159 | youview 19
On demand on Sky and UKTV Play
Showcasing UK premieres series such as Impossible Engineering, Forbidden History, and Private Lives of the Tudors, Yesterday provides fascinating factual stories. The channel also features dynamic nature and science programming including David Attenborough’s Natural Curiosities and Wonders of the Universe, and programmes which challenge expectations including Secrets of the Bible. Ancient history is also featured in series including Medieval Dead, plus seminal war documentaries such as World at War. yesterday.uktv.co.uk | @yesterdaytweets
About Forces TV:
Forces TV is part of The Services Sound & Vision Corporation (SSVC), a military charity, whose purpose is to inform, entertain, connect and champion the Armed Forces. SSVC also includes: FORCES LIVE EVENTS (CSE), FORCES CINEMAS, BFBS TV, FORCES MEDIA ACADEMY, FORCES NEWS, FORCES RADIO BFBS, FORCES SPORS, GURKHA RADIO BFBS, SSVC TRAINING, SSVC WELFARE
About Woodcut Media
With offices in London and Hampshire, Woodcut Media, a member of the Anthology Group of businesses, is one of the fastest growing Indies in the UK, producing a broad range of factual programming. A leading true crime producer in the UK (How I Caught the Killer, Jo Frost on Killer Kids, World’s Most Evil Killers, The Krays: The Prison Years), Woodcut’s growing catalogue also includes specialist factual series (Wings of War, Combat Machines, Football: A Brief History by Alfie Allen), premium one off docs (The Ivy, Cut From A Different Cloth and Mandela, My Dad and Me featuring Idris Elba) factual entertainment shows (How Hacks Work, Around the World in 80 Tricks, World’s Scariest Hauntings). www.woodcutmedia.com
About the Anthology Group:
The Anthology Group is made up of Anthology Studios and Anthology Advisory. Anthology Studios is six television and film production companies, a theatre production company and a licensing company, all operating across the UK and internationally. Anthology Advisory is made up of a media investment fund advised by FCA regulated Anthology Advisory Partners and a bespoke media investment advisory business. The group combines creativity and financial expertise to develop and produce scripted and
unscripted, television, film, digital and theatre content. The group was founded by Bob Benton to bridge the gap between creativity and finance. Hilary Strong is Chief Executive Officer of the group. Jeremy Mills is Chairman of Anthology Studios and Carolyn Bennett is Chair of the group parent Anthology Media. http://theanthologygroup.co.uk/
About Red Arrow Studios International:
Red Arrow Studios International is a world-leading TV distributor of scripted, formats and factual shows from a global network of in-house production companies, outstanding third-party producers and digital-content partners. Led by Henrik Pabst, with offices in Munich, London, Los Angeles and Hong Kong, Red Arrow Studios International co-produces and finances global entertainment, and distributes acclaimed content to over 200 territories worldwide. Red Arrow Studios International is part of Red Arrow Studios, which is comprised of 20 production companies in seven territories; digital studio, Studio71; and film distributor Gravitas Ventures. Red Arrow Studios is a ProSiebenSat.1 Media SE company, one of Europe’s leading media groups. https://redarrowstudios.com/international/
