FremantleMedia partners with Absolutely Productions

Televisionpoint.com Correspondent
Fremantle International Distribution (FID), has announced the signing of a development deal with award-winning UK independent, Absolutely Productions.

The deal will see Absolutely develop a number of projects in conjunction with FID over the next three years. FID will have a 'first look' distribution option over Absolutely's comedy and drama slates and will have exclusive international distribution rights for TV, home entertainment and formats to all co-created projects.

Founded in 1988 by Morwenna Banks, Jack Docherty, Moray Hunter, Pete Baikie, John Sparkes and Gordon Kennedy, Absolutely Productions has been a producer of quality television since 1990, with key titles including the ground-breaking and influential Absolutely, along with the BAFTA award-winning Barry Welsh Is Coming, Trigger Happy TV, Meg And Mog, Pub Quiz, Historyville and Stressed Eric.

Shane Murphy, Head of Acquisitions and Development, Fremantle International Distribution, commented: "We are delighted to have secured a deal which will enable us to develop new and exciting programming with the creative minds at Absolutely Productions. Fremantle International Distribution is currently expanding its catalogue of high-quality comedy and drama and Absolutely, having produced some of the most innovative and memorable comedy and drama since its founding in the 1980s, is a fitting partner for our world-beating catalogue."

Absolutely Productions Board Member Gordon Kennedy added: "We are delighted that Absolutely and Fremantle International Distribution have linked up to develop new comedy and entertainment projects over the next few years. It is a really exciting challenge and an important stimulus to our creative thinking and planning to have this sort of relationship with an international distributor. With Fremantle's pre-eminent position as a top international distributor of both formats and finished product, we at Absolutely are very confident that this new alliance will be a tremendous success."