UK Talent Agency Roar Launches Production Arm With Debut Feature Following Rebrand

UK Talent Agency Roar Launches Production Arm With Debut Feature Following Rebrand

EXCLUSIVE: UK talent agency Roar Group, which looks after clients including Kelly Brook, star of NBC comedy One Big Happy and Extra TV host Mark Wright, is launching a standalone film and TV production company as part of a major rebrand and has set up its first feature.

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The company, led by Professor Jonathan Shalit OBE, is rebranding as InterTalent Rights, bringing together its broadcast and branding arm Roar Group, acting agency Cole Kitchenn and comedy division CKP as well as its Roar sport and music arms.

As part of the rebrand, the firm is making a major move into production. Cole Kitchenn has previously co-produced a number of films and theatre productions for its clients including Dame Joan Collins comedy feature The Time of their Lives and company directors Stuart Piper, Jason Haigh-Ellery and Alex Segal are executive producers on Timothy Spall and Vanessa Redgrave’s Adrian Noble-directed feature Mrs Lowry & Son.

Its first standalone project is Lifecoach, starring The Inbetweeners’ Emily Atack. The film, which has a budget of £2.7M ($3.8M) and is written by Nick Reed, is a rom-com that follows a hapless life coach who gives advice but needs it himself. The producers are currently looking for an A-list comedian to take the lead role. It is being co-funded by Big Finish Studios with production likely to start in spring 2019.

It is also developing its first television series; a series about Olympic boxer Nicola Adams, who is represented by Shalit.

Managing director Stuart Piper tells Deadline that it hopes these projects are the “first of many”. “When I look at the industry, the people I most admire are the ones who straddle different areas such as James Corden, Sheridan Smith and Olivia Colman. Uniting our divisions gives us a platform to represent multi-faceted talent and launching a production company can help us offer these opportunities,” he added.

Elsewhere, the firm, which is also led by Severine Berman, Christian Knowles and Grant Michaels, also represents clients including former Spice Girl Emma Bunton, its comedy division looks after Micky Flanagan and its music department is the chosen part of Syco on The X Factor and Britain’s Got Talent.

The rebranding of the group will bring together a staff of over 40 in its Central London office. Piper said “We think big and aim high, and this exciting synergy will elevate us to true industry leader status.”

Chairman Shalit added: “There are no boundaries anymore – the combined breadth of experience, knowledge and skill of the entire InterTalent team is unrivalled.”