21 Sep 2021
Popular factual label Red Sauce, part of Zinc Media Group, is scaling up both its London and Manchester production and development teams following confirmation of a significant volume of commissions. The company has been commissioned by Channel 5 to make 52 hours of programming – the largest volume deal ever received by a Zinc Media label. This is in addition to the 10-part series commission, announced last week, from Dave, the first time that Zinc Media Group has worked with the UKTV-owned channel.
Tom Edwards, Creative Director, Red Sauce, says: “We’ve had a fantastic response to the launch of Red Sauce. Volume commissions of returning series are the holy grail – and very precious. It enables us to invest in great production talent in both London and especially in Manchester, and significantly grow our presence. We are also in the final stages of confirming a brand-funded series, as well as being in paid development on a high-profile talent-driven project, both for major broadcasters. And we will soon announce new hires that will double the size of our development team. It’s an extremely exciting time.”
Bargain Loving Brits in the Sun – Costa Living, a 40 x 60 min commission for Channel 5, will be made by Red Sauce in Manchester. Building on the Channel’s hugely successful BLB brand, this observational documentary series charts the lives of the Brits who’ve swapped the damp and grey of the UK for a new life in the UK’s most popular holiday destination, Spain. Covering a cross section of ex-pat and holidaymaker stories, drawn from across the sun-kissed coastlines, Costa Living reveals parts of ‘Secret Spain’ close to the coast but inland. This new series will continue to deliver on the much-loved and instantly-recognisable character of the previous BLB series, but will enhance the storytelling with the introduction of a wider range of characters and locations.
This is the largest single commission of BLB and for the first time will feature both Benidorm and the Costa del Sol in the same series. This is in addition to the recommissions of Bargain Loving Brits in the Sun (6 x 60 min, the Spain-based original) and Bargain Loving Brits by the Sea (the UK-based spin off, 6 x 60 min), which are already in production.
As announced last week, Red Sauce has also secured a 10-part series commission from Dave, the first time that Zinc has worked with the UKTV-owned channel. Special Ops: Crime Squad UK gives viewers a unique insight into the workings of the UK’s elite police task forces, the country’s most specialist, talented and successful sleuths. With unique access to the highest-level detective techniques used to tackle crimes where ordinary policing has failed to make progress, this gritty but intelligent series will reveal the workings of police operative units made up of the most driven and elite detectives in the country. Filming with numerous task forces across the country, Special Ops: Crime Squad UK will reveal the real, lived experience for the police officers involved, through exclusive interviews, archive, CCTV and body cam footage. The series will be made by Red Sauce in London.
“To up-scale our operations so early in Red Sauce’s life is a very exciting prospect,” adds Tom Edwards, “growing our team to more than 100 roles across this swathe of shows. The majority of these will be in Manchester, giving us a substantial and very experienced team both there and in London.”
Ben Smith, Executive Producer, Red Sauce, adds: “Manchester has an incredibly vibrant and talented production community, so we are thrilled to be able to sign up so many production roles. And, of course, it’s incredibly exciting to be making the next generation of Bargain Loving Brits in such volume.”
Bargain Loving Brits in the Sun – Costa Living was commissioned for Channel 5 by Denise Seneviratne. It is Executive Produced by Ben Smith for Red Sauce at Zinc Media. Special Ops: Crime Squad UK was commissioned for UKTV by Kirsty Hanson. It is Exec Produced by Tom Edwards and Series Produced by Rob Lambie for Red Sauce at Zinc Media. The series is distributed internationally by Passion Distribution.