ITV America launches Red Bandit

ITV America and veteran TV producer Helga Eike have teamed up to launch Red Bandit Media, a production company focusing on unscripted programming.

Helga Eike

Eike will become president of the company, which now joins Leftfield Entertainment, ITV Entertainment, Thinkfactory Media, High Noon, DiGa and Gurney Productions in ITV’s US portfolio.

Eike was previously senior VP of development at Endemol Shine North America’s Authentic Entertainment. She will report to ITV America chief creative officer Adam Sher and to Leftfield Entertainment CEO David George.

Eike said: “In partnering with ITV America, Red Bandit Media will be able to step outside the box while remaining part of a production group that collectively has banked decades of experience and thousands of hours of programming, exactly the strategy that made Leftfield and ITV such powerhouses in our business.”

In related news, ITV Studios America and ITV Studios Global Entertainment have inked an overall first look TV deal with Little Engine Productions and its co-founders Gina Matthews and Grant Scharbo.

The agreement covers scripted programming development, production and distribution.

ITV Studios America will be Little Engine’s studio partner on projects targeting US networks and streaming platforms while ITV Studios Global Entertainment will focus on projects structured as co-productions with European television networks.

“Gina and Grant’s vision for Little Engine, their proven experience and their deep relationships with talent and networks around the world align seamlessly with our strategy to build a global scripted television business,” said Philippe Maigret, president of ITV Studios America.

Launched in 2007, Little Engine Productions has produced more than 100 hours of network television, including National Geographic miniseries Saints & Strangers. Other projects include Rush for USA Network and thriller Missing for ABC.