Taskmaster prodco Avalon acquires stake in Brassic producer Calamity Films

Taskmaster prodco Avalon has taken a stake in Calamity Films, the award-winning independent film and television producer behind titles such as Pride, Judy, Last Christmas and the long-running Sky comedy drama Brassic.

Laura Kennedy

The partnership will see Calamity, founded in 2013 by producer David Livingstone, align with what Avalon described as the UK’s largest independent production company and a leading global talent management business. Calamity will continue to operate from its London offices.

Calamity’s production slate includes Pride, which won the Queer Palm at Cannes and earned three BAFTA nominations including Best British Film, going on to win Outstanding Debut.

Its credits also include Judy, which earned Renée Zellweger a BAFTA, Golden Globe and Oscar for Best Actress; and the global box-office hit Last Christmas, starring Emilia Clarke, Emma Thompson and Henry Golding and grossing more than US$120m.

However, perhaps it’s biggest title is Brassic, Sky’s most successful comedy series to date, which has run for seven seasons and 50 episodes and won the Royal Television Society’s inaugural award for Best Comedy Drama.

Brassic is Sky’s most successful and long-running comedy

The company is also part of the team developing Pride the Musical, reuniting director Matthew Warchus and writer Stephen Beresford for an opening at the National Theatre in 2026, alongside a slate of new film and television projects.

The move comes after Avalon took a minority stake in It’s All Made Up Productions in April, the indie set up and run by Boiling Point and Adolescence director Philip Barantini and his long-time collaborator and co-executive producer Samantha Beddoe.

“We are incredibly pleased to be announcing our partnership with Avalon,” said Livingstone. “We’ve known and admired the Avalon team, their projects and independent spirit for many years, and I’m delighted we can further develop our relationship as Calamity looks ahead to its next chapter.”

Avalon CEO Laura Kennedy said, “We love to partner with distinctive producers like David, and share his commitment to talent-led, creative excellence. We are thrilled to be in business together moving forward.”