All change at Darlow Smithson

John Smithson, the co-founder and CEO of UK factual producer Darlow Smithson Productions (DSP), is leaving the company along with creative director Tom Brisley and MD Iain Pelling.

The trio is exiting 18 months after Endemol UK acquired the firm from IMG Media and will “return to their indie roots.”

Smithson co-founded DSP in 1988, growing the business to become a world name in factual programming. The company’s credits include The Falling Man (Channel 4), Thriller in Manila (More4), The Diary of Anne Frank (BBC1/France 2), and Tsunami: Caught on Camera (Channel 4/TLC US). Smithson also produced Oscar-nominated feature Touching the Void.

Brisley has worked for DSP for a decade, while Pelling has been MD since 2004. The three will form a new independent prodco, details of which they will reveal shortly.

“Tom, Iain and I have a burning desire to return to our indie roots after five years under super-indie ownership and we are excited by the creative challenges ahead,” said Smithson. “We are incredibly proud of DSP, its reputation and its large and talented team.”

In the wake of the departures, Endemol UK has elevated DSP senior exec producer Ben Bowie and head of special projects Julian Ware to take joint creative director roles. DSP head of operations Ulla Streib and head of legal and business affairs Julia Pearce are respectively promoted to director of operations and director of legal and business affairs.

The changes will also see senior development producer Emily Roe become DSP head of development. Other changes sees the inclusion of Nick Metcalfe and Iain Riddick to DSP’s senior creative team.

Endemol UK CEO Tim Hincks said: “John and Tom are exceptional creative minds with a track record that speaks for itself. We wish them and Iain all the very best with their new venture.”