Time’s executive producers present River Pictures, backed by BBC Studios

The executive producers of the BBC’s award-winning prison drama Time started their own script production.

River Pictures has launched as the latest producer to join the BBC Studios group, led by Andrew Morrissey and Michael Park. They were previously executive producers in the BBC’s advertising department and worked on both seasons of Jimmy McGovern’s BAFTA-winning film. Timewith the final season starring The last of us‘ Bella Ramsey and all three seasons of RTÉ’s Irish drama Barbecue.

Screenwriting label River will have offices in London and Liverpool and will draw inspiration from the rivers Thames and Mersey, which flow through these cities respectively. The company will try to incorporate “strong regional voices” into its production when it opens before the end of the year.

In 2024, Morrissey and Park will star in two BBC Studios series on screen: RTÉ Crime Black Coast and BBC Three non-fiction drama Kidnapped, which tells the story of Chloe Ayling, a British model who was kidnapped in Italy in 2017 and was met with disbelief and cynicism from both the media and the public before her captors were eventually jailed. We only told you about the latter in April.

Before joining BBC Studios, Morrissey was development manager at McGovern’s LA Productions in Liverpool, where he worked on projects including: Continue and factual drama film Right, both for BBC One. Parke was an executive producer at indie film Ecosse Films, where he produced, among other projects He kills buyers for ITV, five series RAW for RTE and Flemish (Atlantic Ocean). He joined BBC Scotland in 2016 and moved to BBC Studios two years later.

The River bosses will report to Mark Linsey, president of BBC Studios’ Scripted Productions. The move to give them their own label “continues BBC Studios’ strategy to support the best creative talent and strengthen its position as a global studio, bringing the best of British stories to both UK and international audiences .” said the BBC statement.

“Andrew and Michael are two incredibly talented storytellers who can tell authentic, complex stories that are impactful in a way that is thought-provoking and always accessible to a wide audience,” said Linsey. “In addition to their current productions, they have an exciting selection of titles and I can’t wait to see them under their new label.”

“We’re very proud of the shows we’ve created with the team at BBC Studios and are excited about this new chapter and commitment to producing bold, ambitious and characterful dramas in a creatively supportive environment,” said Morrissey and Parkes. . in a statement. “Having a base in both Liverpool and London means we can build on the strong creative relationships we have developed in the North West. Time And Kidnapped. We can’t wait to go.”

The launch of River Pictures is the latest in a long line of planned investments in the UK. It has bought companies such as Turbine Studios and Moonage Pictures and owns other companies such as Lookout Point. Development contracts were also signed with Bonafide Pictures, among others.