Salamanda joins C4’s Indie Growth Fund

The UK’s Channel 4 has taken a minority stake in Manchester-based prodco Salamanda Media through the commercially funded pubcaster’s Indie Growth Fund.

Sally Evans

The Indie Growth Fund provides additional support to the UK independent creative sector by taking minority stakes in small and mid-sized enterprises to help them to grow their business to the next stage.

The fund’s strategy is focused on prioritising investment in the nations and regions of the UK and diverse-led and digital businesses across the country.

Salamanda Media, which specialises in factual entertainment, talent-led factual and formats, is run by Sally Evans and Amanda De Freitas, who between them have more than 30 years’ experience in the industry, having developed shows for the BBC, ITV and C4.

Amanda De Freitas

Among former ITV exec Evans’ credits are ITV shows Gino’s Italian Express and Coastal Lives With Robson Green, plus C4 series Embarrassing Pets. BBC Studios alumna De Freitas has worked on I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s I’d Do Anything, All Star Family Fortunes and Dancing on Ice.

Caroline Murphy, head of C4’s Indie Growth Fund, said: “Salamanda Media is a really exciting new company run by two fantastically creative women who have an incredible wealth of experience in delivering top quality content.

“Having started Salamanda Media during the pandemic, Amanda and Sally are already working on some very exciting projects and have won two commissions. I’m delighted they’ve joined the Indie Growth Fund’s portfolio of dynamic companies.”

The addition of Salamanda Media takes the current portfolio of companies in the C4 Indie Growth Fund to 15, with seven having joined since 2020.