ITV Studios Buys ‘Sherlock’ Producer Hartswood Films

ITV Studios has bought storied British drama label Hartswood Films.

The company described Hartswood as the “longest established scripted producer in the UK.”

Deadline had revealed several months ago that ITV was leading the race to buy Beryl Vertue’s outfit, which has made the likes of Sherlock, Dracula and The Devil’s Hour. More recently, it made Hugh Bonneville-starrer Douglas is Cancelled for ITV.

The move is ITV Studios‘ first acquisition for several years. The company also owns the likes of Nicola Shindler’s Quay Street Productions, Happy Prince, led by Dominic Treadwell-Collins, Ben Stephenson’s Poison Pen Studios and Tiny World producer Plimsoll Productions.

ITV Studios will handle international distribution of Hartswood’s shows.

Julian Bellamy, Managing Director ITV Studios, said: “From Men Behaving Badly to Sherlock, The Devil’s Hour to Douglas is Cancelled, Hartswood Films has been a huge part of the TV landscape for decades. They have a hard won reputation for being brilliant producers of quality, ambitious and highly successful scripted television. I’m delighted to welcome them to ITV Studios.”

Sue Vertue, CEO Hartswood Films, said: “Hartswood are not known for making rash decisions and it’s taken us 40 years to make this one: we are delighted therefore to have chosen to team up with ITV Studios. We have always been open to investment if we could meet like-minded people who understood the need for independence which is at the ‘heart’ of Hartswood, while bringing us a whole new range of strengths and skills.  We are a small company and have done very well on our own, but we couldn’t be more excited about a bigger future and what we can achieve together with ITV Studios.”