ITV Studios Sign Ruby TV Deal

A leading international TV distribution, home-entertainment, merchandising and licensing business has confirmed a significant development and distribution deal with independent UK drama producer Ruby Television.
ITV Studios Global Entertainment have also confirmed that the first script under the deal will be developed by Life on Mars duo.
Led by Alison Owen and Paul Trijbits, Ruby Television is a recently created subsidiary of the highly successful British independent feature film company Ruby Films. The multi-year agreement will provide ITV Studios Global Entertainment with exclusive international TV distribution rights on all new productions created by Ruby Television.
Ruby Television has recently produced the critically acclaimed and ratings success 'Small Island', starring Naomie Harris ('Pirates of the Caribbean') and Ruth Wilson ('The Prisoner' and 'Jane Eyre') based on the novel written by Andrea Levy. Other previous production highlights include 'The Bad Mother’s Handbook', based on Kate Long’s best-selling novel, starring Catherine Tate ('Dr Who').
The deal was brokered by Noel Hedges, Head of Drama, ITV Studios Global Entertainment who commented: "We're delighted to be announcing our new partnership with Ruby TV.
"Alison and Paul are both hugely respected figures in the film business and are already finding this expertise and respect is paying dividends in the TV arena. We believe that by working together our partnership will develop and drive many exciting new projects for the UK and international television markets."
Hedges added: "We're incredibly excited that our first Ruby Television venture will be 'Case Histories' from a script by Ashley Pharoah and Matthew Graham and based on the books by Kate Atkinson."
Established in 1999, Ruby Films’ credits include Sylvia starring Gwyneth Paltrow and Daniel Craig, 'The Other Boleyn Girl', starring Scarlett Johansson and BAFTA-nominated 'Brick Lane.' The company currently has a number of feature films in production including 'Tamara Drewe' starring Gemma Arterton and Dominic Cooper, directed by Stephen Frears, 'Chatroom' starring Aaron Johnson, Imogen Poots and Matthew Beard, directed by Hideo Nakata, and a new feature-length production of 'Jane Eyre' to be directed by multi-award winning director Cary Fukunaga (Sin Nombre).
Alison Owen and Paul Trijbits at Ruby Television said: "Coming hot on the heels of our success with Small Island for BBC1, this investment by ITV Studios Global Entertainment will enable us to really expand our business in the television space with huge confidence.
"We are already developing a range of exciting new drama productions for the small screen and by combining our extensive film and television production and financing experience with one of the world’s leading international television distributors, we will create more programming that has both wide UK and international appeal."
(BMcN/BMcc)