May 14 – The network production arm of Signpost Productions, which is behind shows including the BBC’s Robson Green’s Weekend Escapes and TNT Sport’s Deaf Away Days, is joining ITV Studios where it will be housed by fellow award-winning production label, MultiStory Media.
Remaining focussed on diversity and inclusion in its production, the new label will be called Signpost Entertainment and will be led by Creative Director Gareth Deighan, who will report into MultiStory Media’s CEO Tim Carter and Chief Creative Officer, Ana de Moraes.
The move will enable Signpost Entertainment to tap into the depth and experience of MultiStory’s production teams, with the two labels working together to target opportunities that combine diverse story-telling and scaled-up production.
Signpost Productions, which will remain part of ITV PLC, has a rich history of diverse programme-making. Based in the North East of England, it will continue to produce the award-winning This is Deaf, for the British Sign Language Broadcasting Trust, and its regular inserts for the BBC’s The One Show, as well as providing on-screen British Sign Language translations for a host of broadcasters and running its state of the art production and post-production facilities in Gateshead and Leeds.
Signpost Entertainment will also continue to work very closely with Signpost Productions on growing and developing a pipeline of diverse talent via the latter’s training arm under the Signpost Academy.
CEO of MultiStory Media, Tim Carter, said: “Our shared ambition is to put on-screen disability and off-screen accessibility at the heart of our productions, producing shows that authentically, joyously and effortlessly entertain broad audiences. We’re delighted to support Gareth as he builds Signpost Entertainment into a creative powerhouse.”
Gareth Deighan said: “This is incredibly exciting. Working with Tim and Ana at MultiStory, while continuing to work closely with Signpost Productions, will supercharge our output and allows us to further place diversity and inclusion at the heart of what we do.”
MultiStory Media produces a wide slate of shows across both entertainment and factual, from Come Dine With Me, For the Love of Dogs and Dubai Hustle, to The Martin Lewis Money Show, current affairs shows Tonight and Peston and various premium documentaries such as Waco: A British Tragedy, Fresh Cuts and The Real… drama companion strand.
Source
ITV Press Centre
