What Lion Television does

Lion Television is a UK-based independent television production company and wholly-owned subsidiary of all3media, founded in 1994 and headquartered in London with a regional production hub in Glasgow (Lion Television Scotland) and an international division (Lion International). The company produces unscripted factual programming and children's content, delivering hundreds of hours of programming annually for major UK public service broadcasters (BBC, Channel 4, Channel 5, ITV, Sky), US public broadcasters (PBS, Smithsonian), European public broadcasters (Arte, ZDF, Discovery), and global streamers (Netflix, National Geographic). Its slate is anchored by long-running IP franchises such as Horrible Histories (BBC, since 2009) and Balamory (revived in 2025), alongside premium archaeology and history documentaries including Secrets of the Saqqara Tomb, Mysteries of the Terracotta Warriors, Pompeii: The New Dig, and Saving Venice.

The company's business model is commissioned and co-production based: it pitches formats and documentaries to broadcaster/streamer commissioners, secures development and production financing on a show-by-show basis, and delivers finished programmes for distribution by the commissioning buyer. Core capabilities include creative development (Head of Comedy & Entertainment, Development Executives, Head of Development for Lion Scotland), production management, legal and business affairs, and design. The company maintains a 20-year co-production track record in China with CCTV, Bili Bili, Tencent, SMG, JSBC, and CICC, and has built US distribution through a dedicated US team with Co-Presidents appointed in 2021. Recent moves include a 2024 Netflix drama documentary (Alexander: The Making of a God) and the 2025 Balamory revival on CBeebies/BBC iPlayer, with the company also trialling AI-augmented documentary production (When Socrates Met Confucius, November 2025). Lion operates within the all3media group governance structure, including group-wide HR, anti-harassment, equal opportunities, and prevention of sexual harassment policies.

Name

Lion Television

Legal name

Lion Television Limited

Website

https://liontv.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Lion Television is a UK-based independent TV production company (subsidiary of all3media) producing unscripted factual and children's programming — hundreds of hours annually — for Netflix, BBC, Channel 4, Channel 5, Sky, PBS, Arte, and Chinese broadcasters. It is anchored by long-running IP including Horrible Histories and Balamory.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Television Production Services

NAICS

Television Broadcasting Stations (51612)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Broadcasting Production Units & Studios (In-house/Member) (MPABADAF)

Keywords

• Factual television production
• Children's programming
• Unscripted documentary series
• Broadcast content production
• International co-productions

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Broadcast commissions and co-productions: Lion Television generates revenue by producing programmes for major broadcasters and streamers on a commissioned or co-produced basis. The company works with Netflix, National Geographic, BBC, Channel 4, Channel 5, ITV, Sky, Arte, ZDF, Discovery, Smithsonian and others.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Lion Television is an independent television production company that develops and produces unscripted factual programming and children's television for major UK and international broadcasters and streaming platforms. The company produces hundreds of hours of content annually, spanning historical and archaeological documentaries, nature and science programming, lifestyle and reality formats, and long-running children's franchises. Productions are delivered on a commissioned or co-produced basis for clients including Netflix, BBC, Channel 4, Channel 5, ITV, Sky, PBS, Arte, ZDF, National Geographic, Discovery, and Smithsonian.

Product overview

Lion Television is an all3media company producing unscripted and children's programming. The company operates multiple production divisions including Lion Television London, Lion Television Scotland, and Lion International, creating hundreds of hours of innovative content annually for major broadcasters and streaming platforms including Netflix, National Geographic, BBC, Channel 4, Channel 5, ITV, Sky, Arte, ZDF, Discovery, PBS, and Smithsonian. The portfolio spans documentary series (archaeology, history, nature, science), children's programming (Horrible Histories, Balamory, Horrible Science), reality and lifestyle formats, and drama documentaries. The company has won multiple BAFTAs, EMMYs, Royal Television Society, and Broadcast Awards.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Lion Television Scotland: Regional production division based in Glasgow, Scotland producing content including the revived Balamory series.
• Lion International

Products and services

• Balamory Beloved children's series revived for a new generation, airing on CBeebies and streaming on BBC iPlayer, featuring a distinctive Scottish setting with community-focused storytelling.
• Horrible Histories Award-winning children's comedy series featuring historical facts through sketches, songs, cartoons, and quizzes, with multiple series and specials targeting CBBC and BBC audiences.
• Homes Under the Hammer Long-running property-focused daytime television series featuring real-life property purchases with commentary from property development experts, broadcast on BBC One.
• Inside the Tower of London Documentary series exploring the history and daily operations of the Tower of London, featuring Beefeaters, curators, and historical explorations, airing on Channel 5.
• Pompeii: The New Dig Three-part documentary series following the most extensive archaeological excavation in Pompeii for a generation, following an Italian team of archaeologists excavating Insula 10.
• Secrets of the Saqqara Tomb Feature documentary following international archaeologists as they excavate an ancient necropolis near Cairo, featuring 27+ sarcophagi untouched for over 2,500 years, released on Netflix.
• Alexander: The Making of a God Six-part drama documentary series for Netflix exploring the life of Alexander the Great through drama recreations, expert academic insight, and archaeological excavations, co-produced with Tailfeather Productions.
• Saving Venice Documentary examining Venice's battle against climate change and rising sea levels, exploring flood defense solutions and environmental preservation efforts, co-produced for PBS and Arte.
• Arctic From Above Nature documentary series hosted by Liz Bonnin exploring Arctic wildlife through aerial research using helicopters, drones, and satellites, broadcast on Sky Nature.
• Mysteries of the Terracotta Warriors Premium archaeology feature documentary for Netflix exploring ongoing excavations at the First Emperor's mausoleum and new tomb discoveries, featuring Chinese archaeologists.
• Diddy In Plain Sight? Documentary examining allegations against Sean Combs/Diddy ahead of his federal trial, featuring interviews with those closest to him, airing on Channel 4.
• Horrible Science Children's comedy series commissioned by BBC bringing science education through entertainment, nominated for BAFTA recognition.
• RE/style Unscripted lifestyle series featured in the Lion Television All Shows catalog.
• Cleopatra: The Final Secret Documentary exploring Cleopatra through a women-in-archaeology lens, winner of a Gracie Award.
• Stolen - Catching the Art Thieves Documentary series tracking art theft investigations and recovery efforts.

Quantifiable outcome

• Mysteries of the Terracotta Warriors ranked in top 5 in Netflix history and won an Emmy
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and major.

• Entities in China, Greece, and the UKminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 November 2025The documentary 'When Socrates Met Confucius' was produced through collaboration with entities in China, Greece, and the UK, aiming to promote cross-cultural understanding using AI to simulate dialogue between ancient thinkers.
• All3MediacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLion Television is an all3media company. All3Media is the parent company of Lion Television and operates as a group providing corporate policies, HR support, and overarching governance including anti-harassment policies, equal opportunities policies, and other group-wide procedures that apply to Lion Television.
• Tailfeather ProductionsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTailfeather Productions co-produced Alexander: The Making of a God with Lion TV. The series was created by Lucy van Beek for Tailfeather Productions and co-produced with Lion TV, with co-executive production by Nick Catliff representing Lion Television.
• Chinese Networks (Bili Bili, Ten Cent, CCTV, SMG, JSBC, CICC)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLion Television has built strong relationships with Chinese networks and co-production partners including Bili Bili, Ten Cent, CCTV, SMG, JSBC and CICC for joint ventures and co-productions about China for global audiences.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Fremantle: One of the largest global production and distribution groups (RTL Group-owned) with a broad factual, entertainment and drama portfolio. Comparable to Lion as a supplier of premium unscripted content to global streamers and public broadcasters, though at materially greater scale and vertical integration.
• ITV Studios: Major UK and global production and distribution group producing unscripted, scripted and entertainment content. Comparable to Lion in unscripted factual and lifestyle programming (e.g., Homes Under the Hammer-style formats) and in supplying ITV and international broadcasters, though at significantly greater scale.

Direct peers

• Expectation Entertainment: UK-based independent producer of scripted, factual and entertainment programming. Comparable to Lion in the unscripted/factual segment, working with major UK broadcasters and streaming platforms.
• Voltage TV Productions: UK indie producing high-end documentary, history and factual series for international broadcasters and streamers. Comparable to Lion in factual genre mix, premium positioning and international distribution footprint.
• Windfall Films: Independent UK producer of premium factual, science and history programming for global broadcasters and streamers. Comparable to Lion in the factual/history/science documentary space (e.g., archaeology and nature content) and in supplying international buyers.
• Dragonfly Film and Television: Banijay-owned UK indie producing premium factual, documentary and entertainment programming for major broadcasters and streamers. Closely comparable to Lion on genre mix (factual, true crime, documentaries), buyer relationships, and production scale.
• Darlow Smithson Productions: Long-established UK indie producing premium documentary, history and factual programming for global broadcasters and streamers. Comparable to Lion in factual genre mix, archive-driven franchises and premium positioning.
• KEO Films: Independent UK producer of premium documentary, factual and specialist factual programming. Comparable to Lion in factual genre focus, international co-production approach and broadcaster relationships.
• Silverprint: Independent UK producer of premium documentary and factual programming with a strong history and archaeology orientation. Comparable to Lion in the heritage/history documentary space and in selling to PBS, BBC, Channel 5 and streamers.
• Plimsoll Productions: UK-based independent production company specialising in premium unscripted and factual entertainment for global streamers and broadcasters. Highly comparable to Lion in genre mix (documentaries, factual entertainment), commissioning clients (Netflix, BBC, Channel 4), and award-winning output.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/LionTelevision
• Facebookfacebook.com/LionTelevision
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lion-television
• Instagraminstagram.com/liontelevision

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Lion Television