Wall to Wall alum sets up formats firm

The former head of entertainment development at Warner Bros-owned Wall to Wall in the UK has set up her own entertainment formats company.

Poppy Delbridge

London-based The Empress Way is led by founder Poppy Delbridge, whose credits include 8 Out of 10 Cats, Sweat the Small Stuff, Would I Lie to You?, Game of Games and Little Big Shots, which she helped reversion for the UK market.

Prior to joining Wall to Wall in 2012, Delbridge was a senior creative and head of talent liaison at TalkBack Thames, and worked with Fremantle on its international slate. She also previously held a senior creative role at MTV Networks.

The Empress Way will focus on developing, packaging and selling new format ideas, with high-profile talent and production companies attached, to global broadcasters, streamers, digital platforms and brands, with a particular focus on the UK and US markets.

“There are lots of brilliant indies out there and, listening to the market, it was clear we didn’t need another one. What was also clear is that great ideas, top talent and gifted production companies don’t come together by magic,” said Delbridge.

“Getting a show off the ground is hard work, so much so that a lot of potentially great formats die before they’re born. Our new model aims to solve that. It’s also about playing to strengths. I concentrate on mine – ideas, talent relationships and sales – which frees up producers to focus on producing. We’re confident the result will be format packages that are un-turndownable.”