Fremantle has laid off all staff at drama production company Euston Films and documentary production company Undeniable.
“As part of our ongoing strategic planning, we are constantly reviewing measures to create a more efficient, streamlined and streamlined approach to our business to ensure we are best positioned for future success and growth, and continue to deliver exceptional creativity and world-class content to our valued partners and customers around the world,” said a Fremantle representative.
“As our industry evolves, we must do the same, and with this in mind, we have taken the difficult decision to make changes within Fremantle. We would like to take this opportunity to thank our colleagues, who have been behind some fantastic award-winning programmes, and wish them all the best for the future.”
According to a source, it is “too early” to confirm what will happen to Euston Films or Undeniable, as neither company has technically closed down yet, despite having no employees.
Euston Films, which has produced series including Wreck and the upcoming Nightsleeper, was founded in 1971 as a subsidiary of Thames Television, and produced programmes including 1970s favourite The Sweeney, before closing in 1994. Fremantle, which bought Thames in 2001, revived Euston Films in 2014 under managing director Kate Harwood.
Undeniable was launched just last March under the direction of Fremantle’s head of global documentary, Mandy Chang. The vision was for the brand, which was under Fremantle’s documentary division, to develop and produce high-quality projects. The brand has released a slew of documentaries this year, including Chris Smith’s “Devo,” about the new wave band, and Penny Lane’s “Mrs. America,” about the Mrs. America pageant.
Among the departures are Chang, Harwood and Harwood's co-managing director Naomi Spanos.
“Kate Harwood and Noemi Spanos would like to thank the teams, talent and broadcasters we have worked with over the past 10 years at Euston Films and Fremantle for the faith they have shown in us,” Harwood and Spanos said in a statement. “We are incredibly proud of the seven bold shows we have delivered during this time and look forward to future projects and challenges.”
“I am proud of my role in establishing and building Fremantle’s documentary division and in establishing and leading Fremantle’s iconic brand, Undeniable,” said Chang. “However, the time has come to move on and focus on my own slate of independent documentary films. The diversity of films and people I have been fortunate to work with – including my team – has been a joy to work with. It has been a pleasure working with Fremantle’s world-class documentary brands and I wish them all the best in the future.”
Deadline was the first to report the layoffs.
