ITV Studios has today announced a major expansion of its development pipeline through a dual-pronged strategy, with the launch of a new “development pod” with Great Shout, alongside the signing of a first-look deal with leading production company Afro-Mic Productions.

Spearheaded by Tim Carter, Managing Director, ITV Studios, UK Unscripted and Mike Beale, Managing Director, Creative Network, ITV Studios, these strategic partnerships underscore the commitment to fostering innovative, high-quality, scalable entertainment formats across the UK and international markets.

The New Development Pod

Great Shout will operate as a ‘development pod’, a standalone label led by producers Patrick Carr and Bob Fletcher, who bring over 30 years of combined experience in prime-time entertainment and comedy entertainment.

Carr’s credits include the multi-BAFTA winning Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway and the creation of In For A Penny both for ITV, as well as more recent work with Richard Bacon’s Yes Yes Media. Meanwhile, Fletcher’s games and entertainment experience spans major UK indies and broadcasters including Hungry Bear Media, Fremantle, BBC, Sky and ITV. His credits include the BAFTA-winning series of A League of Their Own (series 13) and he developed and produced the first series of the hit comedy travelogue Bradley Walsh & Son: Breaking Dad (ITV). The duo will focus on originating returnable reality, game and quiz formats.

Under this model, Carr and Fletcher, who join with immediate effect, will pitch directly to networks and buyers while leveraging ITV Studios’ infrastructure. The partnership is designed to combine Great Shout’s ideas and agile development process, with the global scale of the group, including its UK and international production companies and distribution network.

First Look Deal

Complementing the launch of Great Shout, ITV Studios has also entered into a strategic first-look agreement with Afro-Mic Productions. As part of this collaboration, Afro-Mic will have the support of the group’s comprehensive infrastructure including its extensive format catalogue, market intelligence and global distribution business. As well as the opportunity to exploit content via innovative digital labels Zoo55 and Studio55, ensuring a unique range of voices and storytelling can reach a global audience.

Belfast-based Afro-Mic Productions is an award-winning independent producer of high-quality factual entertainment and formatted content including three series of Will & Ralf Should Know Better (U&Dave) and How To Sleep Better for Channel 4, both recently nominated for an RTS Award.

Tim Carter, MD, ITV Studios, UK Unscripted said: “These strategic collaborations will add range, diversity and surprise to our unscripted development pipeline. They complement our production labels’ best in class development teams, while allowing us to remain agile and maintain our position as a leader in returnable IP.”

Mike Beale, MD, Creative Network, ITV Studios added: “We are thrilled to welcome Great Shout and Afro-Mic Productions to the ITV Studios family. These partnerships represent our commitment to fostering relationships with creatives and third party producers across the UK and internationally.”

Patrick Carr and Bob Fletcher, Founders of Great Shout, commented: “We’re beyond excited to join forces with ITV Studios and start turning great ideas into formats that give people something to shout about.”

Emma-Rosa Dias, MD of Afro-Mic Productions, said: “We’re delighted with this creative partnership which feels like a collaboration genuinely tailored to where we want to take Afro-Mic next. We’re ambitious about creating original IP with a Northern Irish heart that can travel globally. Access to ITV Studios’ infrastructure allows us to think bigger from the outset, and we’re excited about what we can achieve together.”

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Notes to editors

About ITV Studios

ITV Studios is a creator, producer and distributor of world-leading programmes that people can’t get enough of. We connect millions of people every day and shape and reflect the world they live in.

ITV Studios is home to some of the best creative minds, crafting around 7,500 hours of original programming across 60 production labels. Our global footprint spans 13 countries including the UK, US, Australia, France, Germany, The Nordics, Italy and the Netherlands and our global distribution business sells our catalogue of over 100,000 hours to broadcasters and platforms around the world.

It launched a new label, Zoo 55, dedicated to expanding its digital and gaming activity, in 2025. Zoo 55 has 200+ owned and operated channels in the social space delivering 47bn views in 2025, as well as 20 FAST channel brands and 28 unique channels distributed in 43 countries and 318 live streams globally.

In 2026, ITV Studios launched Studio 55, a global brand partnership studio which is designed to offer brands, marketing agencies and content creators unprecedented access to ITV Studios’ world-class portfolio of IP. Its focus spans bigger licensing deals and digital first formats targeted to deepen fan loyalty and build on how audiences interact with TV brands.

ITV Studios is part of ITV PLC, which includes the UK’s largest commercial broadcaster ITV and the ad-funded, free streaming home for ITV, ITVX.

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