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Sony Pictures Television Partners with Creators of BBC Hits

Sony Pictures Television (SPT) is collaborating with the creators of popular BBC series The Salisbury Poisonings and Blue Lights.

SPT is expanding its presence in the UK drama market by providing majority support to Hot Sauce, a new production company based in Belfast, led by Declan Lawn and Adam Patterson. Hot Sauce joins other notable companies like Left Bank and Bad Wolf within the SPT portfolio. The specifics of the stake and deal remain undisclosed.

Lawn and Patterson first met while working on the BBC’s Panorama, before co-writing the acclaimed drama The Salisbury Poisonings, which focused on the 2018 novichok nerve agent incident involving Russian spies. This success propelled them into the spotlight of factual drama, leading to projects such as the Netflix film Rogue Agent and the BBC Northern Ireland series Blue Lights, which was recently renewed for a fourth season even before the second season premiered. Lawn expressed his astonishment at the strong support from the national broadcaster.

Hot Sauce: A New Independent Production Company

Initially intended as a brand for their creative collaboration, Lawn and Patterson have transformed Hot Sauce into a fully operational independent label, with plans for future hires. The company will focus on producing scripted television and films while remaining represented by United Agents in the UK and WME in the U.S.

Matthew Justice, SPT’s EVP Head of UK and Europe, remarked that the partnership was a unanimous decision, praising Lawn and Patterson’s distinctive approach to drama. He expressed enthusiasm for integrating them into the SPT family and developing Hot Sauce further.

Justice highlighted that this move represents an “investment in the industry in Belfast,” noting SPT’s longstanding presence in Northern Ireland through its ownership of Stellify Media, the producer of Who Wants to be a Millionaire?.

In response, Lawn and Patterson acknowledged SPT’s confidence in Belfast as a creative center for television and film. They expressed excitement about partnering with SPT to grow Hot Sauce in the coming years.

SPT’s Strategic Expansion

SPT’s recent mergers and acquisitions include increasing its minority stake in Eleventh Hour Films, the producer of Alex Rider. Wayne Garvie, SPT’s international productions head, has previously indicated a goal of making SPT the leading drama studio in Britain, with successful shows like The Crown, Doctor Who, and Sex Education under its belt.

 

Person

Declan Lawn, Adam Patterson, James Norton, Matthew Justice, Wayne Garvie

Company Names

Sony Pictures Television, BBC, Hot Sauce, Left Bank, Bad Wolf, Netflix, Stellify Media, Eleventh Hour Films

Titles

The Salisbury Poisonings, Blue Lights, Rogue Agent, Who Wants to be a Millionaire?, The Crown, Doctor Who, Sex Education

Disclaimer: This story has not been edited by Vitrina staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.