Kudos (production company)

Kudos Film and Television is a British independent film and television production company. It has produced television series for the BBC, ITV and Channel 4, and its productions include Spooks (US:MI5), Hustle, Life on Mars and its spin-off Ashes to Ashes, The Amazing Mrs Pritchard and M.I. High. In 2007 it was voted Best Independent Production Company by Broadcast magazine. Formed in 1992, since 2007 it has been part of the Shine group. In 2007 it also set up the film unit, Kudos Pictures.

History

The company was formed in 1992. It came to international attention with the BAFTA Award winning spy drama Spooks, which debuted on BBC One on 13 May 2002.

In late 2006, the company was sold to Shine Limited for around £35m.^[1] Shine also bought Princess Productions and Firefly Production to create the Shine Group, although all four divisions retained their individual identity.

With three British films already in production, and ten in development, in June 2007 the company announced plans to set up a film unit, with Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day (2008) expected to be its first release.^[1] It planned to mix and match actors, writers and directors between the units, and already had Hollywood deals for film remakes of Hustle, Spooks and Tsunami: The Aftermath.^[1]

Productions

Television

Forthcoming

• Nemesis: A contemporary spy series about a hunted secret agent created by Frank Spotnitz, executive producer of The X-Files for BBC One and US pay-channel Cinemax ^[2] and stars Australian actress Melissa George.^{[3] [4] [5]}
• Real Humans: An adoption of the Swedish sci-fi drama with the same name. Set in a parallel present day where technology has enabled robots to become so human it is nearly impossible to tell them apart from people. A co-production with original makers Matador Films.^[6] Created by two of the writers and producers of the Swedish Wallander series.
• May Day: When a young girl goes missing, feared dead, the community in which she lives looks to one another for answers. A Five episode mini-series.^[7]
• Untitled Mount Everest project: In collaboration with director Asif Kapadia and filmed on location in the Himalayas for Sky Atlantic. ^[8]

Current

• Hustle: seven series (from 2004) for BBC One - total 42 episodes, with a final^[9] eighth series commissioned for early 2012.
• Law & Order: UK: four series (from 2009) for ITV1 - total 32 episodes, with sixth series of 7 episodes commissioned for late 2011.
• Lip Service: one series (from 2010) for BBC Three - total 6 episodes, with a second series commissioned for 2011.
• The Hour: one series (from 2011) for BBC Two - total 6 episodes with a second series comissioned for 2012.
• Eternal Law: Drama about a pair of angels sent to Earth to work as lawyers in York. Expected Autumn 2011 for ITV1.
• Death In Paradise : The story about a quintessentially English cop posted to The island of Sainte-Marie. To anyone else it would be paradise, but for Detective Inspector Richard Poole, who is totally unsuited to the Caribbean way of life it's hell! Produced for BBC One and France Televisions. ^[10]

Past

• Spooks: ten series (from 2002-2011) for BBC One - total 86 episodes (series ended 23 October 2011)
• M.I. High: five series (2007–2011) for CBBC - total 62 episodes.
• Outcasts: one series (2011) for BBC One - total 8 episodes. Cancelled^[11]
• Ashes to Ashes: three series (2008-2010) for BBC One - total 24 episodes.
• Occupation: one series (2009) - Three part drama serial following three troops sent to Basra in 2003 for BBC One.^[12]
• The Fixer: two series (2008–2009) for ITV1 - total 12 episodes.
• Moving Wallpaper: two series (2008-2009) for ITV1 - total 18 episodes.
• Life on Mars (US version): one series (2008–2009) for ABC. In association with ABC Studios and 20th Century Fox Television. Total 17 episodes.
• Plus One: one series (2009) for Channel 4 - total 5 episodes. Pilot episode previously broadcast in 2007 before being developed into a full series.
• Spooks: Code 9: one series (2008) for BBC Three. Total 6 episodes.
• Burn Up: mini-series (2008) for BBC Two - total 2 episodes.
• HolbyBlue: two series (2007–2008) for BBC One - total 20 episodes.
• Echo Beach: one series (2008) for ITV1 - total 12 episodes.
• West 10 LDN: single episode pilot (2008) for BBC3 - total 1 episode.
• Nearly Famous: one series (2007) for E4 - total 6 episodes.
• Secret Life: one-off episode (2007) for Channel 4 - total 1 episode.
• Tsunami: The Aftermath: mini-series (2007) for BBC One - total 2 episodes.
• The Amazing Mrs Pritchard: one series (2006) for BBC One - total 6 episodes.
• Life on Mars: two series (2006–2007) for BBC One - total 16 episodes.
• Comfortably Numb: feature-length television film (2004) for Channel 4 - total 1 episode.
• Pleasureland: one series (2003) for Channel 4 - total 1 episode.
• Confidence Lab: one series (2002) for BBC Two - total 6 episodes.
• Anderson: single episode pilot (2000) for Channel 4, aired as part of Comedy Lab - total 1 episode.
• The Magician's House: two series (1999–2000) for CBBC - total 12 episodes.
• Psychos: one series (1999) for Channel 4 - total 6 episodes.
• Come on Down and Out: one-off episode (1999) for Channel 4 - total 1 episode.
• Nigel Slater's Real Food: one series (1998) for Channel 4) - total 7 episodes.
• Roald Dahl's Revolting Recipes: one series (1997) for BBC1 - total 13 episodes.
• Desperately Seeking Something: three series (1995–1998) for Channel 4 - total 14 episodes.
• Good Ideas of the 20th Century: one series (1993–1994) for Channel 4 - total 6 episodes.
• Screaming Reels: four series (1993–1998) for Channel 4 - total 29 episodes.

Film

• Meeting People Is Easy (1998)
• Among Giants (1998)
• Pure (2002)
• Eastern Promises (2007)
• Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day (2008)
• The Crimson Wing (2008)
• Death of a Ladies Man (2009)
• Brighton Rock (2010)
• Salmon Fishing in the Yemen (2011)

Awards

2009

• Broadcast Magazine Supplement, The Indies - peer poll
• Televisual Bulldog Award - Best Indie

2008

• Televisual Bulldog Award - Best Indie

2007

• Broadcast Magazine Supplement, The Indies - peer poll
• Broadcast Awards - Best Independent Production Company - 2007

External links

• Official website
• Kudos at the Internet Movie Database

References