NEWS

RIDLEY RETURNS FOR SECOND SERIES

15 JUNE 2023

ITV’s Head of Drama Polly Hill and Drama Commissioner Huw Kennair Jones have ordered a second series of West Road Pictures detective series Ridley starring Adrian Dunbar in the title role.

The retired detective turned police consultant will resume his partnership with former protégée, DI Carol Farman, played by Bronagh Waugh (The Suspect,Unforgotten, The Fall), who is now in charge of investigations.

Ridley is written and created by Paul Matthew Thompson, one of the lead writers of ITV’s iconic detective drama, Vera, and co-created by Jonathan Fisher, Managing Director of West Road Pictures. 

The first series, which aired in 2022, launched with 7.1m viewers and averaged 6.3m over its four episodes. This was ITV1's 4th biggest new drama launch that year.

Adrian Dunbar says: “There can be no greater endorsement of hard work and talent than the recommission of a series and to that end we have to thank ITV and the British public for taking to Ridley in such numbers. We shall certainly work just as hard to keep the standard we have set and I look forward to developing Ridley as a character over the next four episodes.”

Commented Jonathan Fisher: “It was a huge pleasure to produce Ridley for ITV, and we were delighted with the audience response. We’re very excited to be bringing our fantastic cast and crew back together for another series of intriguing mysteries, which we hope will continue to captivate viewers.”

The new series will begin shooting across Northern England in Autumn 2023.

WEST ROAD BOOSTS DEVELOPMENT TEAM

11 APRIL 2023

We are delighted to be strengthening our team with the appointment of Leah Foster as Development Executive and Sarah Caswell as Development Associate.

Leah joins us from Monumental Television where she worked as Development Editor. She was also Script Editor on Mrs Sidhu Investigates for Acorn TV and Junior Script Editor on Murder in Provence for ITV / BritBox. Prior to this, Leah worked at Magnolia Mae Films, where she was Development Associate and served as Producer’s Assistant on Netflix’s The Dig.

Before joining West Road, Sarah was Development Executive at indie My Accomplice where she focused on nurturing new writing talent. She also spent several years at BBC Studios, where she worked as Storyliner, Script Editor and Researcher across Casualty and Holby City. Sarah cut her teeth in production management within BBC News before changing career to follow her true passion – drama.

Jonathan Fisher, West Road Managing Director, said: “It’s very exciting to be welcoming two driven and ambitious creatives to the company in Leah and Sarah. With another busy year of production ahead, it felt like the right time for Ellie and I to bolster the team as our ambitions for the business evolve.”

“I’m thrilled to be joining the exceptionally talented team at West Road Pictures,” Foster said. “When I met Jonathan and Ellie, I instantly felt our creative instincts were aligned along with our dedication to making thought-provoking and unapologetically entertaining shows.”

Caswell said: “I’m delighted to be joining the incredible team at West Road Pictures, having immediately resonated with their bold and creatively ambitious development remit. I look forward to coming on board at this pivotal time in the company’s growth.”

RIDLEY HEADS TO THE US

21 APRIL 2022

We are delighted that PBS has taken North American rights for our upcoming ITV detective drama Ridley, which stars Line of Duty’s Adrian Dunbar, following a deal with All3Media International. Currently filming in northern England, the show follows retired police officer Ridley who resumes his partnership with former protégée DI Carol Farman (Bronagh Waugh) to solve complex murder cases.

All3 has also secured pre-sales for the series with NPO in the Netherlands, VRT in Flemish-speaking Belgium and Britbox in Australia. Pumpkin TV has taken VoD rights in China. The show comes from Paul Matthew Thompson (Vera) and is co-created by former Midsomer Murders exec Jonathan Fisher. West Road Pictures is producing in association with All3Media International.

BLOOD SET FOR DISNEY PLUS HOTSTAR ADAPTATION

28 MARCH 2022

We are very proud that our IFTA-winning series Blood is being adapted for Disney Plus Hotstar in India.

Created by Sophie Petzal, the series is a psychological thriller about familial bonds, memories, and the past’s impact on the present.

The Indian adaptation will be under the Hotstar Specials label with Gurmmeet Singh as showrunner and Mihir Desai as director. The pair previously directed Amazon Prime Video’s hit series “Mirzapur.” It will be produced by Dreamers & Doers Co, a content studio owned by Reliance Entertainment.

Gaurav Banerjee, head, content, Disney Plus Hotstar, said: “We are elated to announce the Indian adaptation of award-winning drama ‘Blood,’ thereby further strengthening our thriller offerings. On our journey to engage with millions of viewers, we are delighted to be able to collaborate with the most prolific creative minds at All3Media International to present stories that defy narratives to satiate our viewer’s appetite for unparalleled entertainment experience.”

ITV COMMISSION WEST ROAD PICTURES DETECTIVE DRAMA

2 JUNE 2021

We are thrilled to announce that ITV have commissioned 4 x 120’ films of West Road Pictures’ new detective drama, Ridley, starring Adrian Dunbar in the leading role. Ridley is written and created by Paul Matthew Thompson, one of the lead writers of ITV’s iconic detective drama, Vera. 

Commented Adrian Dunbar:

“I don’t think I’ve ever headed into a production with more excitement and enthusiasm. As an actor I know how rare it is to be given such a wonderful opportunity, and the combination of Polly Hill and Chloe Tucker at ITV and Jonathan Fisher at West Road Pictures means we are in both safe and creative hands.”

Commented Jonathan Fisher: 

“I couldn’t be happier to be getting started on Ridley, as we continue to build the West Road production slate with our second commission for ITV. We’re so excited to be teaming up once again with the inimitable Adrian Dunbar, bringing to life Paul Matthew Thompson’s characterful and engaging scripts. ITV has a fine tradition of nurturing much-loved detective series, and it’s a real privilege to be bringing Ridley to the channel.”

Ridley has been commissioned for ITV by Head of Drama, Polly Hill, with Drama Commissioner, Chloe Tucker overseeing production of the drama from the channel’s perspective.

CASTING ANNOUNCED FOR HOLLINGTON DRIVE

6 MAY 2021

Anna Maxwell Martin, Rachael Stirling, Rhashan Stone, Peter McDonald, Ken Nwosu, Jonas Armstrong and Jodie McNee will star in Hollington Drive, from acclaimed screenwriter Sophie Petzal. The series has been commissioned by ITV’s Head of Drama, Polly Hill, and is produced by West Road Pictures. 

Hollington Drive focuses on the lives of sisters, Theresa, (Anna Maxwell Martin, Motherland) and her older headteacher sibling, Helen (Rachael Stirling, Wild Bill).  

The series will be directed by Carolina Giammetta (The Drowning) and produced by Catrin Lewis Defis (The Pact). Executive producers are Sophie Petzal and Jonathan Fisher.

Jonathan Fisher, Managing Director of West Road Pictures, commented: “We’re so excited to have started filming on Hollington Drive, and to have attracted a top-rate cast led by the exceptional Anna Maxwell Martin and Rachael Stirling. We can’t wait to share this captivating and surprising story with the ITV audience. 

The series is produced in association with All3Media International, who will distribute the series internationally.

NEW SERIES HOLLINGTON DRIVE GREENLIT FOR ITV

24 FEBRUARY 2020

We are thrilled that ITV have greenlit West Road Pictures’ new four-part series Hollington Drive, from Blood creator Sophie Petzal. 

Hollington Drive will explore the lives of two sisters and the fraught relationship between two families bubbling beneath a seemingly amicable surface.

Hollington Drive was commissioned by ITV’s Head of Drama Polly Hill. She said, “I am delighted to be making Sophie’s brilliant script for ITV. It’s a beautifully written thriller that looks at maternal love and sisterly love, in a story that will compel and surprise the audience.  I am also pleased to be working with Jonathan Fisher and our first ITV drama with West Road Pictures.”

Jonathan Fisher, Managing Director of West Road Pictures, said, “I couldn’t be happier to be re-uniting with the brilliantly talented Sophie Petzal on this gripping family drama. Sophie has written a captivating script that I feel sure will have the viewers hooked. We’re very excited to be working with ITV on this series, and can’t wait to get started.”

Sophie Petzal added, “I am absolutely thrilled to be working with Jonathan Fisher and West Road Pictures once again to bring our project Hollington Drive to ITV. This is a tense, complex, darkly funny thriller following two sisters caught up in a toxic and deadly secret. We’re delighted to bring this story to ITV, and hope it will keep audiences gripped to their televisions.”

BLOOD TRIUMPHS AT WRITERS’ GUILD AWARDS

14 January 2020

We are delighted that Sophie Petzal, writer and creator of Blood, has won the award for Best Long Form Drama at the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain awards, beating off tough competition from BBC1’s Gentleman Jack and Sky Atlantic’s Tin Star.

Sophie said, “I’m completely overwhelmed to have received this award from my peers, especially up against such prestigious competition.”

“Blood is the result of a unique collaboration of incredible talents and I have each and every one of our cast and crew to thank for what we have achieved. Season two will begin to air in the coming months and I am hugely excited for people to see where we have taken our story and its characters, old and new.”

Congratulations to Sophie and the Blood team on this award! Series 2 is produced by West Road Pictures and comes to screens this Spring.

CASTING ANNOUNCED FOR PENANCE

15 November 2019

Julie Graham (The Bletchley Circle), Neil Morrissey (Line of Duty), Tallulah Greive (Millie In Between), Nico Mirallegro (The Village), Art Malik (The Woman In White) and Wanda Ventham (Sherlock) have been cast in Penance, Channel 5’s three-part drama based on Kate O’Riordan’s novel of the same name.

Penance follows the lives of Rosalie and Luke Douglas and their teenage daughter, Maddie. Following the loss of their son, Rosalie and Luke find their marriage under immense strain. Maddie and Rosalie find themselves in the caring hands of Jed, a charming and charismatic young man that they encounter at bereavement counselling who is also suffering under the weight of his own grief. Jed rekindles a hope for the future within the Douglas household. But underneath, a deadly and morally corrupt triangle is taking shape.

The three-part drama, which was commissioned earlier this year, was penned by Kate O’Riordan and Ben Morris. It is being produced by West Road Pictures in association with All3Media International and GPO TV Productions. Jonathan Fisher, Managing Director of West Road Pictures, said, “We are thrilled to have attracted such a talented cast to Kate O’Riordan’s gripping family drama of lust and betrayal. With a top-rate production team in place, we can’t wait to share this captivating and entertaining miniseries with our audience.”

BLOOD RETURNS FOR SECOND SERIES

19 August 2019

Family-centred psychological thriller Blood will return for a second season. Six new one-hour episodes have been commissioned by Virgin Media Television in Ireland – with Adrian Dunbar (Line of Duty) confirmed to reprise his lead role in the drama.

The new season, written once again by Sophie Petzal (The Last Kingdom, Riviera), will be produced by West Road Pictures, helmed by Jonathan Fisher, in association with Element Pictures and All3Media International. Channel 5 is also onboard as UK broadcaster with Acorn Media Enterprises returning as co producer for English speaking territories.

Season two opens with catastrophe as Jim, stripped of his medical license, returns from abroad to find his family in conflict. Tensions are rife and trouble is brewing, leading to a horrendous tragedy, the cause and origins of which will be pieced together as the series progresses. As in season one, however, Blood is more than a thrilling mystery, it’s a story about truth and perspective, how our understanding of events and people can colour our beliefs, and how love – and grief – can so often blind us to reality.

Jonathan Fisher, Managing Director of West Road Pictures, said, “We are delighted to be returning to Blood following its terrific reception last year. The second series has a compelling new mystery at its heart, which we feel sure will keep viewers hooked once again. We’re excited to see familiar faces returning, whilst also welcoming some wonderfully talented new additions to the team.”