ITV Studios takes majority stake in The Couple Next Door prodco Eagle Eye Drama

L-R: Eagle Eye Drama’s Walter Iuzzolino, Jo McGrath and Jason Thorp

ITV Studios has taken a majority stake in Eagle Eye Drama, which was launched in 2018 by Walter Iuzzolino, Jo McGrath and Jason Thorp, the team also behind international drama streaming service Walter Presents.

Eagle Eye, which has been part of Channel 4’s Indie Growth Fund since 2019, produces a wide breadth of scripted content from original dramas to adaptations of international series for English-speaking audiences.

Its slate includes ITV’s Professor T and Hotel Portofino, plus Channel 4’s Before We Die, Suspect and The Couple Next Door.

As part of the deal, ITV Studios has also acquired a majority stake in Belgium-based production services company Happy Duck, led by producer and director Dries Vos (Professor T, The Couple Next Door), which services Eagle Eye’s global slate.

Professor T, starring Ben Miller and adapted from the Belgian series of the same name, has been sold into more than 120 territories worldwide, while Hotel Portofino airs in more than 70 territories across five continents.

Forthcoming series include PBS’s Patience, starring Laura Fraser (Breaking Bad) and Ella Maisy Purvis (Malpractice), and Bookish, created by and starring Mark Gatiss for UKTV’s Alibi, while the company has multiple projects in development.

International distribution of new Eagle Eye series will be handled by ITV Studios.

Helion advised the shareholders of Eagle and Happy Duck on the deal.

ITV Studios MD Julian Bellamy said: “Since launching Eagle Eye just five years ago, Walter, Jo and Jason have built a really impressive scripted business. Disruptive, innovative and international, Eagle Eye has carved out a real point of difference in the market. I’m delighted to welcome them to ITV Studios.”

Iuzzolino, Eagle Eye’s CEO, added: “The team has built ITV Studios into the most exciting production powerhouse in the UK, and we are incredibly proud and honoured to be joining them, and the distinguished list of extraordinary creative minds, for the next phase of Eagle Eye’s growth trajectory.”

Caroline Murphy, head of the Indie Growth Fund at Channel 4, said: “Channel 4 has a successful and longstanding relationship with Walter, Jo and Jason and we were delighted to invest in Eagle Eye and support them during their early growth stage to become the scripted powerhouse they are today. ITV Studios is a natural new home for Eagle Eye and we wish them continued success for the future.”

The announcement follows on from ITV Studios’ recent acquisition of Hartswood Films. In the past few years, the group has also added Nicola Shindler’s Quay Street Productions; Happy Prince, led by Dominic Treadwell-Collins; Ben Stephenson’s Poison Pen Studios; and premium natural history and factual entertainment prodco Plimsoll Productions.