Red Production Company

Background

Red Production Company was formed in 1998 by Nicola Shindler, a television producer who had worked on Our Friends in the North and Cracker. Red's first production was the controversial drama Queer as Folk, written by Russell T Davies and based on the lives of three gay men in the city. This was screened on Channel 4 in early 1999 and drew much comment and praise.

The same year, Red followed this up with another series for Channel 4, an anthology of six half-hour plays about love entitled Love in the 21st Century. Queer as Folk 2 arrived in 2000, and since then Red has expanded to produce dramas for nearly all of the main British television channels. The company's success led to an attempt by Granada Television – in whose Quay Street building the company rented offices – to buy it, but Shindler turned down their offer, wanting to retain control of her own company.

In 2013, Red moved into the MediaCityUK complex in Manchester. RED is now based in offices at Ancoats since 2022, with CEO Patrick Schweitzer (previously from Tall Story Pictures) at the helm.

In June 2025 12 years after StudioCanal acquired Red Production Company, Red Production Company's parent company StudioCanal announced the shuttering of their Manchester-based British television production outfit Red Production Company cutting down as Patrick Schweitzer stepping down as chief executive with Red's current and future state will be taken over by StudioCanal's British television production division StudioCanal TV UK as their new production arm.

Partnerships

In December 2013, it was announced that Shindler had sold a majority stake in Red to the French media company StudioCanal.

In 2015, it was announced that Shindler would provide creative guidance and management oversight to a new production company called Guilty Party, founded by the actor Simon Bird, Jonny Sweet, and Spencer Millman.

In 2016, Shindler went into business with author Harlan Coben to form the US-based production company, Final Twist Productions. Shindler is Co-CEO with Coben. StudioCanal will provide distribution services.

Programmes

;For BBC One

• Clocking Off (2000–03)
• Linda Green (2001–02)
• Sparkhouse (2002)
• The Good Housekeeping Guide (2006)
• Magnolia (2006)
• New Street Law (2006–07)
• Single Father (2010)
• Last Tango in Halifax (2012–2020)
• The Driver (2014)
• Happy Valley (2014–23)
• Ordinary Lies (2015–16)
• Danny and the Human Zoo (2015)
• Trust Me (2017)
• Come Home (2018)
• Years and Years (2019)
• Ridley Road (2021)

;For BBC Two

• Flesh and Blood (2002)
• Indian Dream (2003)

;For BBC Choice

• Having It Off (2002)

;For BBC Three

• Burn It (2003)
• Casanova (2005)
• Conviction (2004)

;For ITV

• Bob & Rose (2001)
• The Second Coming (2003)
• Mine All Mine (2004)
• Big Dippers (2005)
• Dead Man Weds (2005)
• Jane Hall (2006)
• Unforgiven (2009)
• Scott & Bailey (2011–16)
• Prey (2014–15)
• Paranoid (2016)
• Butterfly (2018)
• Finding Alice (2021)
• No Return (2022)

;For Channel 4

• Queer as Folk (1999–2000)
• Love in the 21st Century (1999)
• Legless (2005)
• The Mark of Cain (2007)
• Cucumber (2015)
• It's a Sin (2021) ;For E4
• Banana (2015)

;For Sky One

• Now You See Her (2001)

;For Sky Atlantic

• Hit & Miss (2011)

;For Netflix

• Paranoid (2016)
• Safe (2018)
• The Stranger (2020)
• Stay Close (2021)

;For Amazon Prime Video

• Anansi Boys (TBA)

References

References

1. (1997-12-24). "RED PRODUCTION COMPANY LIMITED overview - Find and update company information - GOV.UK".
2. "Front Page - Red Production Company".
3. (24 July 2016). "Happy Valley producer: Gritty north? 'I get very cross about that phrase'". [[The Guardian]].
4. (2 October 2013). "RED Production Company moves to MediaCityUK". [[Manchester Evening News]].
5. Keslassy, Elsa. (June 4, 2025). "Studiocanal Shutters ‘Happy Valley’ Outfit Red Production in the U.K.".
6. (5 December 2013). "Last Tango in Halifax producer sells majority stake to French company". [[The Guardian]].
7. (5 December 2013). "Studiocanal Ramps Up TV Series Biz with RED Acquisition". [[Variety (magazine).
8. (14 October 2015). "StudioCanal Launches U.K. TV, Film Banner with 'Inbetweeners' Star". [[The Hollywood Reporter]].
9. (8 March 2016). "Harlan Coben Launches U.S. Production Company Final Twist With Red's Nicola Shindler (EXCLUSIVE)". [[Variety (magazine).