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ITV Studios ups stake in Monumental TV

ITV and Hulu’s period drama Harlots

ITV Studios has increased its stake in Monumental Television, taking it from a minority to a majority shareholder in the company.

ITV Studios Global Entertainment (ITVSGE) has held a 26% stake in the company since it was founded by Oscar-nominated film producers Alison Owen and Debra Hayward in 2015 and now owns 51%.

The firm said the deal, financial details of which were not disclosed, will see the London-based company “become a more integral part of ITV Studios” as it looks to strengthen its global scripted production base.

ITVSGE will continue distributing Monumental’s television productions worldwide, including three seasons of Hulu drama Harlots, which is available via Starzplay in the UK, and comedy Ghosts on BBC1, created, written and featuring the team behind Horrible Histories.

The latter has been the top comedy series on UK television so far this year with a consolidated series audience average of 3.7 million and has been recommissioned for a second season. Monumental Television is in advanced development on several other major scripted series, ITV Studios said.

Julian Bellamy, MD of ITV Studios, and Maxine Gardner, ITV Studios’ UK finance director, will join Owen, Hayward and Ruth Berry, MD ITVSGE, on Monumental’s board.

Owen is the producer behind high-end television dramas Case Histories and the Emmy-winning Temple Grandin. She is also producer of feature films including the Oscar-nominated Saving Mr Banks and Jane Eyre.

Hayward is the producer of the upcoming movie adaptation of stage musical Cats and the Golden Globe-winning Les Misérables and Bafta-nominated Mary Queen of Scots. She was formerly head of film at Working Title Films.

Drama producers within ITV Studios include Mammoth Screen, World Productions, Tall Story Pictures, Silverprint Pictures, Patrick Spence, Cattleya, Tetra Media, Apple Tree Productions, Jeff Pope and Big Talk.

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