Fremantle Backs New Indie Formed By Former Channel 4 Entertainment Boss

Fremantle has backed the new indie run by Channel 4‘s former entertainment boss Phil Harris.

Harris has unveiled Boldprint Studios and Fremantle, his former employer, has taken a minority stake.

Deadline revealed Harris’ departure several months ago and we understand he had for a long time planned to set up his own production outfit. He has also signed a Creative Director, Lou Hutchinson, who used to be the Head of Entertainment at I Kissed a Boy producer Twofour.

Harris said Boldprint will “be built on creating bold, scalable global formats; an ambition which aligns perfectly with Fremantle’s global distribution plans.”

Fremantle UK CEO Amelia Brown, who herself was set to exit the Britain’s Got Talent maker last year, said Harris and Hutchinson have “been behind some of the most talked about and cutting-edge shows of recent years and we are thrilled to welcome them back to the Fremantle family and look forward to supporting them in their ambitions for growth.”

Harris joined Channel 4 in 2019 from Fremantle-backed Britain’s Got Talent indie Thames, where he was Creative Director. During his tenure he commissioned the likes of Late Night Lycett, Paddy McGuinness format Tempting Fortune and Prince Andrew: The Musical.

Fremantle has had an acquisitive few years, more focused on the scripted side but also taking stakes in the likes of natural history producer Wildstar Films. It splurged roughly $270M across 2021 and 2022, Deadline analysis found, but slowed spending down considerably last year.