Industry

Banijay Rights, the leading distribution arm of Banijay Group, today confirms a first-look deal with multi award-winning production company, Chatterbox. The agreement gives Banijay Rights exclusive access to its slate of distinctive factual programming and formats.
Chatterbox was founded by senior creatives Nav Raman, a former Channel 4 factual entertainment commissioning editor, whose slate included Brat Camp, Child Genius and The Unteachables, and Ali Quirk, who brings a strong track record in popular factual content from Gogglebox and Come Dine With Me, to Gold Rush and Sky Cops. The relatively new prodco has already picked up two BAFTA Awards and a Broadcast Award for its BBC documentary, Leaving Care.

The first title in the deal is a compelling BBC Three documentary, Stacey Dooley Investigates: The Whale Hunters. With rare access to a Norwegian commercial hunting vessel, Stacey witnesses the killing of a Minke whale and travels to the Faroe Islands to explore its contentious tradition of whale slaughter. Chatterbox has also landed a talent-led factual entertainment format and a new documentary being directed by an Oscar and BAFTA award-winning producer.

Nav Raman and Ali Quirk, Chatterbox comment on the alliance, “We are delighted to be working with Banijay Rights, they are great partners who will ensure our high-quality, impactful and entertaining programmes are discovered by as wide a global audience as possible.”

Tim Mutimer, CEO Banijay Rights adds, “Chatterbox is an exciting, innovative company, delivering fresh perspectives and new voices through a range of programmes and formats. We are excited to be working closely with the business to further extend its programming’s international reach.”

This new agreement is a result of Banijay Rights’ collaboration with the Indielab growth accelerator, which helps independent production companies achieve scale and develop their businesses. This affirms the distributor’s commitment to work with third-party producers: Chatterbox joins Banijays growing group of ground-breaking independent production partners who include, Firecrest Films, Indielab alumni Proper Content and Storyboard, as well as a co-development deal with FirstLook TV.