Eleventh Hour adds Corner exec

UK prodco Eleventh Hour Films has appointed an exec from London-based indie On the Corner to oversee its development slate.

Mike Ellen

Mike Ellen has been named head of development and takes charge of the development of original and book-based drama content for domestic and international markets.

Ellen joins from On the Corner, where he ran the scripted development slate and produced shows for the BBC, ITV and Sky in the UK as well as Showtime and AMC in the US.

Prior to On the Corner, Ellen was development executive at BBC Scotland Drama and was behind series including Murder, Case Histories, Single Father, Waterloo Road and Lip Service.

His arrival follows a management restructure at Eleventh Hour UK designed to give its four directors more responsibility.

Paula Cuddy, creative director at the indie, said: “Mike is a creative and respected development head in scripted and shares Eleventh Hour Films’ vision in creating drama with gripping stories and brilliant writing talent at its core. He is ideally placed to continue to grow our slate of distinctive, populist, high-end dramas.”

Ellen added: “TV drama has to have great talent, passion and craft at its heart. I respond to smart, moving and entertaining stories which feel relevant to the world around us. Eleventh Hour Films shares the same values – and along with the team’s breadth of experience and great talent relationships, we are very much aligned.”

The independent drama company was founded in 2010 and its productions include Safe House, New Blood, Foyle’s War and Collision.

Last year, the firm signed a coproduction deal with fellow London-based company Luti Media to develop a slate of dramas, including Laylah & the Universe for Channel 4 in the UK.