‘Idris Elba’s Fight School’ Producer Workerbee Restructures Along Films And Format Lines, Ben Mitchell Joins From BBC Studios

deadline.com:

Workerbee, the UK indie behind Idris Elba’s Fight School, is reshaping to focus on features and formats. The Banijay UK-owned company has hired a pair of execs as part of the move and had promoted Michelle Chappell to Managing Director, with company founder Rick Murray becoming CEO to drive local and international busness.

Manchester-based Workerbee will split clearly two two business diviisons, films and formats. “Creating these two divisions within the company gives us focus and purpose as we continue to build the team,” said Murray.

Films will focus on premium factual for the SVoD space and be led by Benjamin Hirsch, who has recent docs such as Janet Jackson (Sky, Lifetime and A+E) and Bruno Vs Tyson (Sky) and is currently working on an as-yet unannounced feature film for a major streamer.

There will be a focus on partnerships with high profile directors and filmmakers working in the global docs space. The formats unit will be led by Creative Director Ben Mitchell, who joins from BBC Studios where he was Creative Director of Popular Factual.