UK prodco Rockerdale Studios joins Channel 4’s Indie Growth Fund

Rockerdale’s Michelle Singer and Stu Richards

UK commercially funded pubcaster Channel 4 has added disabled-led producer Rockerdale Studios to its Indie Growth Fund, which provides support to local indies.

Rockerdale Studios takes the current portfolio of companies in the It’s a Sin broadcaster’s Indie Growth Fund to 17, with nine companies having joined since 2020.

Founded in 2014, the 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 businesses.

Rockerdale Studios was founded in 2017 by CEO Stu Richards and chief operating officer Michelle Singer and puts on- and off-screen disabled talent at the heart of its productions.

Specialising in making scripted, entertainment, features and fact-ent formats, the outfit is behind shows including Mission: Accessible (Channel 4), Bobby & Harriet Get Married (Viceland and Comedy Central), Brad Boyz (All4) and upcoming series Rosie Jones’ Dine Hard (All4).

In a joint statement, Richards and Singer said: “The essence of what we do is bringing a mischievous, funny spin to genres that need a rocket up them – and so who better to get into bed with than Channel 4?

“The alignment with them in our emphasis on hiring brilliant disabled people – over 80% of senior roles on our last show – is another reason this works. We’ve got the noisy ideas and the diverse talent to make them. That’s the Rockerdale sell to broadcasters.”