EXCLUSIVE: Fremantle is laying of all staff at storied drama indie Euston Films and docs label Undeniable, with senior execs Mandy Chang and Kate Harwood exiting.
Around 10 staff have been laid off as nasty economic headwinds and the global contraction bite at Element Pictures and 72 Films-owner Fremantle.
Former BBC in-house drama boss Harwood is leaving Euston along with fellow MD Noemi Spanos and a number of others. All staff are leaving. The Euston brand and IP remain with Fremantle, so the label is technically not closing, we understand. Harwood and Spanos remain attached to their respective IP.
Euston is a fabled British drama indie that was founded in 1971 and made hits including The Sweeney and Van der Valk in its early years. It was revived under Harwood’s leadership in 2014 and went on to make seven shows, with the latest, Nightsleeper, launching on the BBC in just 10 days’ time. Other Euston shows include Channel 4’s Baghdad Central, the BBC’s Dublin Murders and ITV’s The Sister starring Russell Tovey. “We would like to thank the teams, the talent and the broadcasters we’ve worked with over the last 10 years of Euston Films and also Fremantle for the faith they have shown in us,” said Harwood and Spanos. “We are very proud of the seven bold authored shows we have made in this time and are looking forward to future projects and challenges.”
Kate Harwood (left) and Mandy Chang. Image: Dimitrios Kambouris / Michael Tullberg via Getty
Chang, who used to run storied BBC docs strand Storyville, arrived at Fremantle as Global Head of Docs in 2021, backing the likes of Mrs. America and Kim’s Video. Two and a half years later she stepped back from that role to run docs label Undeniable, with Mark Reynolds replacing her. Undeniable IP also remains with Fremantle. The company had been working on a doc based on Ruth Wilson’s one-woman play The Second Woman.
Chang said she is leaving to “move on and focus on my own slate of films in the independent documentary field.” “The diversity of films and people that I’ve been fortunate to work with – my own team included – has been a joy,” she said. “It has been a privilege working with Fremantle’s global documentary labels and I wish them all success in the future.”
The news comes a few days after UK TV trade Broadcast revealed that Fremantle was shutting down factual producer Label1, which made the likes of Hospital. Tricky economic headwinds have continued to bite and rivals such as Banijay and All3Media have also shut down labels of late. ITV Studios has also made layoffs and the broadcasters have brought in hundreds-wide redundancy programs.
A Fremantle spokesperson said the move comes “as part of ongoing strategic planning.”
She added: “We are continuously reviewing measures necessary for creating a more effective, coordinated and streamlined approach to our business to ensure it is in the best position for future success and growth, and to continue to deliver exceptional creativity and world class content for our valued partners and clients around the world.”
The spokesperson called the changes a “difficult decision,” and “thanked colleagues, who have been behind some incredible, award-winning programming, and wish them all the best for the future.”
Fremantle also owns Normal People maker Element Pictures, The Responder producer Dancing Ledge and Red Planet Pictures. It splashed lots of cash on new companies a couple of years ago but has been quieter in the market of late, with its last big deal being Asacha.
