Lookout Point has taken a founding stake in Boffola Pictures, the new production company from the former Director & Head of BBC comedy commissioning, Shane Allen & Kate Daughton. The new outfit will specialise in scripted comedy and comedy drama for the UK and International markets.
The duo plan to create a range of high-profile shows which capitalise on the rising global appeal of British comedy, with the potential to work across the full spectrum of channels, platforms and audiences, and harnessing their excellent relationships with A list talent and media outlets around the world.
Allen, also formerly head of Channel 4 comedy, and Daughton have collaborated with some of the biggest names in UK comedy including Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Robert Popper, Peter Kay, Daisy May Cooper and Charlie Brooker, and have helped nurture a raft of award-winning series, many of which have gone onto major international success, such as Fleabag, This Country, Black Mirror, The Inbetweeners Movie, Ghosts, Back to Life and Friday Night Dinner.
Lookout Point, led by Faith Penhale and owned by BBC Studios, will take a founding stake in Boffola Pictures and provide commercial and strategic support. Lookout Point took its first steps into the comedy genre last year with the hiring of Pippa Brown, who continues to spearhead the company’s own comedy slate. BBC Studios will be the global distribution partner for all content developed by Boffola Pictures.
Faith Penhale, CEO of Lookout Point, said: “Shane and Kate really are the best in the business. As their truly spectacular list of credits proves they have an unerring eye for the most brilliant, original talent and they know how to turn great ideas into era-defining, world-conquering shows. It is a privilege to be joining forces with them as they take this exciting next step together.
Extra info:
Shane Allen
Shane joined the BBC in 2012 to oversee the TV scripted comedy output across the BBC’s portfolio of channels. He is the first person to have been head of comedy at both C4 and the BBC.
BBC commissions include, for BBC One: Peter Kay’s Car Share, King Gary, Ghosts, Gavin & Stacey 2019 Christmas, Worzel Gummidge, The Goes Wrong Show, Click & Collect, and This Time With Alan Partridge. For BBC Two: Mum, Upstart Crow, Motherland, Frankie Boyle’s New World Order, Dave Allen At Peace, W1A, Charlie Brooker’s Antiviral Wipe, Two Doors Down, Inside No.9, The Rack Pack, There She Goes and Mandy. For BBC Three: Fleabag, Back to Life, People Just Do Nothing, Enterprice, Jerk, Witless, Uncle, Man Like Mobeen, Famalam, Ladhood, The Young Offenders and This Country and for BBC Four: Detectorists, Vic & Bob’s Big Night Out, Brian Pern and Eric, Ernie and Me.
Shane is working on a new venture to develop a British Comedy Association. Opening the doors to new voices and furthering the impact of British comedy as a respected part of the cultural landscape.
Prior to the BBC, he worked at Channel 4 for eight years starting as a commissioning editor and ending as Head of Comedy. Key commissions include The Inbetweeners Movie (£45m at the UK box office), Friday
Night Dinner, Black Mirror, Peep Show, The It Crowd, Toast, Comic Strip: The Hunt For Tony Blair, Cardinal Burns, Fonejacker/Facejacker, Star Stories, PhoneShop and Charlie Brooker’s Dead Set. Allen brought The British Comedy Awards to Channel 4, reinvigorating the brand and reverting the show to a live broadcast.
Before joining Channel 4, Allen worked in the independent production sector. His credits include The 11 O’clock Show, Ali G In The Us Aiiiii, Shooting Stars and The Brass Eye Special.
Kate Daughton
Kate joined the BBC in 2016 as Head of Comedy, commissioning and exec-producing a wide range of series. Key BBC Commissions include, for BBC One: The Offenders, Ghosts, The Goes Wrong Show. This Time with Alan Partridge, Warren, Count Arthur Strong. For BBC Two: Two Doors Down, Out of her Mind, Squeamish About, The Mind of Herbert Clunkerdunk, Mum, Don’t Forget the Driver, Upstart Crow, Defending the Guilty, Semi-Detached. For BBC Three: Back to Life, Stand up for Live Comedy, In My Skin, Man Like Mobeen.
Before joining the BBC Kate produced all episodes of the BAFTA award-winning Toast of London, David Mitchell and Robert Webb’s Back, Big Bad World and a number of other shows.
Lookout Point
Lookout Point, which is owned by BBC Studios, is one of the UK’s leading television producers, known for delivering highly authored scripted series with scale, ambition, and global impact. Their Bafta-nominated show Gentleman Jack, created by Sally Wainwright for BBC One and HBO, recently started shooting its second series having won the RTS Award for Best Drama Series. 2020 also saw their ground-breaking adaptation of A Suitable Boy from Andrew Davies and renowned film director Mira Nair air on BBC and Netflix. Alongside Les Misérables starring Dominic West, David Oyelowo and Lily Collins (2019) and the hugely acclaimed production of Tolstoy’s masterpiece War & Peace (2016) this completes a trilogy of world classics from Andrew Davies for the BBC. The company also produced Series 5 of Sally Wainwright’s award-winning and much loved BBC series Last Tango in Halifax, starring Anne Reid MBE and Sir Derek Jacobi, in 2020. Most recently they have announced the commission of an 8 part swashbuckling 18th century family adventure by Sally Wainwright, The Ballad of Renegade Nell, for Disney+.
For any further press enquiries please contact Hannah Bailey hannah.bailey@bbc.com or Hugh Davies hugh@lookoutpoint.tv