Banijay Takes Stake In Akala’s Production Outfit

Banijay has taken a minority stake in the production outfit run by MOBO winner, doc presenter and social commentator Akala.

The super-indie’s investment via its £50M ($62M) Growth Fund will help Akala’s Immovable Studios – which he runs with long-time business partner and talent manager Chanelle Newman – push further into the premium TV space. The deal includes a first look with distributor Banijay Rights.

Immovable Studios has produced a number of Akala-fronted TV projects including BBC triple Poetry: Between the Lines, Akala’s Odyssey and Akala Presents: The Ruins of Empires. Upcoming is an untitled docu-series based on Akala’s novel Natives, also for the BBC, and another scripted series in funded development.

With Banijay’s input, Immovable said it wants to grow a slate focusing on premium scripted and unscripted, as it seeks more talent partnerships.

Akala said: “I think television is a place where some of the best art in the world is being made today, where some of our favourite modern epics have been created, and I am extremely excited to delve further into this medium to do what I love: storytelling.”

Banijay UK CEO Patrick Holland called Akala “an extraordinary talent, a creative force whose books Natives and The Dark Lady have reimagined stories from our shared histories.”

Akala is one of the most powerful Black British voices out there today. He won Best Hip Hop Act at the Mobos in 2006 and has since been included multiple times on the annual Powerlist of the 100 most influential Black British people in the UK. He has written a number of other books, fronted multiple docs and released numerous albums.

The Banijay Growth Fund launched last year and has invested in the likes of James Norton and Kitty Kaletsky’s Rabbit Track, Lenny Henry’s Esmerelda Productions, and Kim Varvell and Tommy Bulfin’s Conker Pictures.

Immovable Studios is supported by advisor Hasham Khan of ABP Advisory and TV/music executive, Sorraya Sequeira.