Sam Pollard and James Abadi, co-creators of horror/game show hybrid Release The Hounds, have teamed with FremantleMedia to launch UK indie, Dr Pluto. Fremantle’s investment in the company gives it a 25% stake with the option to increase its share in the future.
Previously at Sony’s now-defunct Gogglebox Entertainment, Pollard and Abadi are looking to develop concepts across all genres and platforms with a focus on diversity of mind.
“All we are interested in is content that will stimulate people,” Pollard said. “James and I delineate ourselves by an ideology rather than by a genre: that ideology is original, subversive, clever and playful. We’ve created the character of Dr Pluto to personify these values.”
Pollard previously worked at 12 Yard, Shine TV and the BBC before spending five years at Gogglebox where he co-created Release The Hounds, Man V Fly, and Singing In The Rainforest among others. Abadi worked at ITV’s The Lab and has produced, directed and edited shows including Big Brother and I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here. His other TV credits include Release The Hounds, Man V Fly and The Ty And Ky Show.
This is the latest in a string of investments and acquisitions made by Fremantle in the past year which also include Israeli outfit Abot Hameiri; the UK’s Naked Entertainment, Man Alive Entertainment, Full Fat TV and Corona Pictures; Dutch producer No Pictures Please; French indies Fontaram and Kwai; and scripted producer Wildside in Italy.
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