Fremantle partners with Roughcut Television

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Fremantle partners with Roughcut Television

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Fremantle enters into a first-look and drama-development deal with multi-award-winning production company Roughcut Television.

Founded by Ash Atalla and Tim Sealey, Roughcut Television has created award-winning comedy shows such as Big Boys, Stath Lets Flats, Cuckoo and recent drama hit Coma. The company is also behind recently announced psychological thriller Little Disasters, which will be distributed internationally by Fremantle.

Under the new deal, spearheaded by Jill Kellie, VP Commercial Strategy, Commercial & International at Fremantle, and Tim Sealey, Chief Operating Officer at Roughcut, Fremantle will become the primary home for Roughcut TV's scripted drama projects. Productions will be realised in close collaboration with Fremantle's Global Drama and International Distribution divisions. Roughcut is led by CEO Ash Atalla, Creative Director Alex Smith and Head of Drama Marianna Abbotts.

Rebecca Dundon, SVP Scripted Content, International at Fremantle, says: "Roughcut's commercial sensibility and brilliant creative vision lead by Ash, Alex and Marianna is making for an exciting slate of original, contemporary drama series that feel in tune with what audiences and buyers are actively seeking both locally and globally. We're excited to start our drama journey with the highly anticipated Diane Kruger fronted thriller Little Disasters and can't wait to surprise, entertain and inspire audiences across the world with their wider drama ambitions as these projects move from page to screen."

Ash Atalla, CEO of Roughcut Television, adds: "This Fremantle deal is a game-changing moment for Roughcut as we accelerate our push into drama. Our goal is to build fast and become one of a new generation of global drama suppliers. And with the success of Coma, and recently commissioned Little Disasters, the work starts now."

Ash Atalla is an Emmy-, Golden Globe- and BAFTA-winning producer and has worked on multi-award-winning shows such as the original UK version of The Office and The IT Crowd.

His production company Roughcut TV is one of the UK's most prolific independent production companies and has a global reputation as a major scripted producer. Earlier this year, Roughcut's first scripted drama Coma aired on Channel 5. Starring Jason Watkins, the series quickly becoming the most-watched drama for the channel in 2024.

The announcement comes shortly after Fremantle entered into first-look deals with production companies Nevermind Pictures and AlterEgo.

Contacts

Oliver Fahlbusch

Executive Vice President Communications & Investor Relations, RTL Group

+352 / 24 86 5200

[email protected]

RTL is Europe's leading entertainment brand standing for entertainment, independent journalism, inspiration, energy and attitude. With our TV channels, streaming services, radio stations and online platforms in Germany, the Netherlands, France, Hungary and Luxembourg, we reach millions of people across Europe every day. The RTL brand is owned by RTL Group.

About RTL Group

RTL Group is a leading entertainment company across broadcast, streaming, content and digital, with interests in 60 television channels, seven streaming services and 36 radio stations. The Group's families of TV channels are either number one or number two in six European countries, while RTL Group owns or has interests in radio stations in France, Germany, Spain and Luxembourg. RTL Deutschland is the Group's largest business unit and Germany's first cross-media champion, operating across TV, streaming, radio, digital and publishing. RTL Group's streaming services include RTL+ in Germany and Hungary, Videoland in the Netherlands and M6+ in France. Fremantle is one of the world's largest creators, producers and distributors of scripted and unscripted content, responsible for more than 11,000 hours of programming per year, alongside an international network of teams operating in 27 countries. The streaming tech company Bedrock and the ad-tech company Smartclip are also owned by RTL Group. As a market leader, RTL Group strives to foster alliances and partnerships within the European media industry, for example by building a one-stop advertising sales house in Germany with Ad Alliance and driving international advertising sales with RTL AdAlliance. Bertelsmann is the majority shareholder of RTL Group, which is listed on the Luxembourg and Frankfurt stock exchanges and in the MDAX stock index.

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