Two Rivers Media and Chateau TV have secured a major 2-year programming deal from Channel 4 to supply new programming under the ‘Chateau’ brand.
The announcement comes off the back of Two Rivers’ strategic collaboration with Chateau TV, Dick and Angel Strawbridge’s independent production company.
The commissioning deal comprises: two new eight-part series of Escape to the Chateau, the international hit series hosted by Dick and Angel; a recommission of Escape to the Chateau: Make, Do And Mend; and a further series featuring Dick and Angel which is currently in development.
The announcement follows the seventh series of Escape to the Chateau which was its best performing series, reaching 3.1million, a 13.1% share. Escape to the Chateau: Make, Do And Mend, which broadcast in summer 2020 was Channel 4’s most successful brand new series launch in its 8pm slot.
Two Rivers’ and Chateau TV’s first programming collaboration was Escape to the Chateau: Make, Do And Mend (4 x 60 mins). In this primetime series for Channel 4, filmed by the Strawbridge family on location at the Chateau in France, Dick and Angel helped solve the nation’s make-do and mend dilemmas.
Lizi Wootton, Head of Popular Factual, Two Rivers, says: “We are extremely proud to be making these series for Channel 4. Our strategic partnership with Chateau TV is important for us as a growing indie with ambitions to make programming which is both creatively strong and internationally successful. Working with Dick and Angel, some of the most popular talent on-screen today, is extremely exciting and am personally delighted to be building on our long-standing relationship.
“There is a huge opportunity to grow the success of the Chateau brand on-screen and we are thrilled to be playing such a key role in its programming future.”
Alan Clements, Managing Director, Two Rivers, says: “We have been bowled over by the success of Escape to the Chateau: Make Do And Mend, our first Chateau production. Lizi has worked with Dick and Angel since the beginning of their Chateau journey, and the success of this new show is testament to their close working relationship. Securing this deal from Channel 4 is a huge endorsement of our creative partnership with Chateau TV and we are confident that all shows will do well internationally through our partnership with All3Media International. I also wanted to thank Screen Scotland, who have been hugely supportive through this process.”
Dick and Angel Strawbridge say: “We are excited to be at the start of what we hope will be a long and successful relationship with Two Rivers, one of the most exciting indies in the UK sector at the moment. We first started working with Lizi when Escape to the Chateau was little more than an idea, so it’s terrific to be collaborating again on these series and growing our creative relationship.”
Sean Doyle, Deputy Head of Features & Formats at Channel 4, adds: “Angel and Dick are hugely popular as was seen by the reaction to Make Do and Mend and the record breaking figures for Escape to the Chateau at the end of 2020. They are jewels in the Channel 4 crown and it’s been an exhilarating ride helping them grow over the last 2 years.”
It is six years since Dick and Angel found Château de la Motte Husson - a 45-room, five-storey house. Dilapidated after years of neglect, they decided to bring it back to life. The story of their adventure, Escape to the Chateau, is one of Channel 4’s top rated shows, averaging about 2.5 million viewers weekly. It has sold to 42 territories, from Australia to Angola; Canada to China (full list below).
Not yet two years old, Two Rivers has become a major force in production from the UK Nations. Its portfolio already features programming credits across unscripted and scripted including hit factual series Escape to the Chateau: Make Do And Mend (for Channel 4); drama special Susan Hill’s Ghost Story – The Small Hand (for Channel 5); major landmark history series Becoming Scotland (for BBC Scotland); investigative documentary Inside The Trial Of Alex Salmond (for BBC Two); and the BAFTA-nominated Frankie Boyle’s Tour of Scotland and Frankie Boyle Live: Excited For You To See And Hate This (both for BBC Two).
Since Dick and Angel formulated the original concept for the Escape to the Chateau series back in 2014, they have been intrinsically involved with every aspect of development and production. The desire to continue to share their Chateau adventures, as told through their eyes, led to the creation of their own production company in 2019 – Chateau TV. As well as producing future series and spins-off under the Escape to the Chateau brand, Chateau TV will produce additional content featuring a diverse range of talent; real people with positive, heart-warming stories.