‘Idris Elba’s Fight School’ Producer Workerbee Restructures – Deadline


Workerbee, the UK indie behind Idris Elba’s Fight School, is reshaping to focus on features and formats.

The Banijay UK-owned company has hired a pair of execs as part of the move and had promoted Michelle Chappell to Managing Director, with company founder Rick Murray becoming CEO to drive local and international busness. Mitchell joins from BBC Studios where he was Creative Director of Popular Factual to become Creative Director.

Manchester-based Workerbee will split clearly two two business diviisons, films and formats. “Creating these two divisions within the company gives us focus and purpose as we continue to build the team,” said Murray.

Films will focus on premium factual for the SVoD space and be led by Benjamin Hirsch, who has recent docs such as Janet Jackson (Sky, Lifetime and A+E) and Bruno Vs Tyson (Sky) and is currently working on an as-yet unannounced feature film for a major streamer.

There will be a focus on partnerships with high profile directors and filmmakers working in the global docs space.

The formats division will focus on factual entertainment and features akin to the recent UK version of The Bridge for Channel 4 and Idris Elba’s Fight School (BBC Two). Holly Davies is joining as Head of Development, Formats, and will work closely with Mitchell to grow this slate.

Davies has worked with companies such as Viacom Internatonal Studios, Spun Gold, Boundless and Naked. At the latter, she led development on Netflix’s Snowflake Mountain.

Murray said the rejig meant Workerbee was “well positioned for a new era of growth,” adding: “We’ve come a long way from the early days of two desks and a photocopier.” 

Mitchell joins the business in the 2023 and Davies joins later in the month.





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