Kelly Webb Lamb
BBC Studios Productions increased its investment in Mothership TV, the unscripted indie founded by former Channel 4 Deputy Director of Programmes, Kelly Webb-Lamb. The deal marks the corporation’s main commercial arm taking full ownership of its second unscripted indie following the acquisition of Voltage TV in 2022. Mothership will be part of BBC Studios' newly announced Unscripted Productions, led by Kate Ward (MD, Unscripted Productions). Under the terms of the deal, BBC Studios will have first-look global distribution and format rights to Mothership’s output.
Kelly Webb-Lamb, Founder and CEO of Mothership, said: “What matters most to me is being able to make great telly with great people, and I’ve really enjoyed and valued Mothership’s relationship with BBC Studios over the past 3 years. I’m looking forward to deepening this relationship going forward.”
Kate Ward, MD, Unscripted Productions, BBC Studios, commented: “As demand for unscripted formats continues to grow both in the UK and around the world, we are thrilled to be strengthening our successful partnership with Kelly and Mothership and look forward to a very exciting future.”
Mothership launched in 2022 and is currently in production on "Secret Genius," a major new competition format for Channel 4 in which Alan Carr and Susie Dent will test Britain’s brainpower “like never before to uncover the country’s most gifted and unsung minds.” Mothership has also produced "Around The World In 80 Weighs" and Sandi’s "Great British Woodland Restoration," both for Channel 4, and has a raft of new programmes in development.
BBC Studios Unscripted Productions was formed in May of this year through merging of BBC Studios’ Factual, UK Entertainment, and Entertainment Development units, the division brings together teams and labels including the Natural History Unit, Science Unit, Specialist Factual Productions, Documentary Unit, UK Entertainment, wholly owned labels Voltage TV and Mothership TV, and invested indies Samphire Films and Mettlemouse Entertainment. Unscripted Productions’ slate includes titles like "Planet Earth III" (BBC), "The Americas" (NBC), "Walking with Dinosaurs" (BBC), "Strictly Come Dancing" (BBC), "Dragons Den" (BBC), "Tucci in Italy" (Nat Geo), "Tempting Fortune" (Channel4) and music and live events from Glastonbury to recent VE day coverage across the BBC.
BBC Studios Productions also houses six scripted labels: Lookout Point (Gentleman Jack, Happy Valley 3), Baby Cow Productions (Brian and Margaret, Changing Ends), House Productions (Conclave, Sherwood), Clerkenwell Films (Baby Reindeer, The End of the F**king World) Sid Gentle Films (Killing Eve, Rain Dog) and Firebird (Wild Cherry, Outrageous), in addition to minority investments in a further five – Various Artists Limited, Expectation Entertainment, Turbine and Boffola Pictures.