What Big Talk Productions does

Big Talk Studios (legally Big Talk Studios Ltd., previously operating as Big Talk Productions) is a UK-based independent television production company founded in 1995 and headquartered in London. The company develops, produces, and supplies comedy and drama series to major UK public broadcasters — primarily BBC, Channel 4, and ITV — as well as to international streaming platforms including Apple TV+ and Amazon Freevee. As a wholly owned subsidiary of ITV Studios, Big Talk operates within one of the world's largest independent production groups, drawing on the parent's distribution infrastructure, production resources, and international market reach. Its current slate includes the David Mitchell-led detective comedy Ludwig (BBC), which won the 2025 International Emmy for Comedy; Stephen Merchant's The Outlaws (BBC); the Mitchell & Webb sketch return Mitchell and Webb Are Not Helping (Channel 4); the Dawn French sitcom Can You Keep a Secret? (BBC); the Noel Fielding historical comedy The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin (Apple TV+); the Jordan Gray comedy Transaction (ITV); the upcoming David Nicholls adaptation The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13¾ (BBC); the Channel 4 seasonal drama Dear Father Christmas; and the Amazon Freevee comedy Dinner with the Parents.

The company runs a project-based production model rather than a unified consumer platform. Revenue is generated through production fees and licensing arrangements with broadcast and streaming commissioners, who retain distribution control over the resulting content. Productions are made available to viewers through the broadcasters' owned platforms (BBC iPlayer, Channel 4 streaming, ITVX) and through the streaming services of international partners. In May 2026, Big Talk expanded into direct-to-consumer distribution for the first time by co-launching an official Mitchell & Webb YouTube channel featuring original and archival content. The company maintains a lean team of 11-50 employees, and its creative output is anchored by long-running partnerships with A-list British comedic talent, which form the principal basis of its competitive position.

Big Talk's value proposition to its broadcast and streaming customers is the supply of high-quality, talent-driven scripted comedy that achieves strong viewership and critical recognition. The company's track record includes BBC's biggest new scripted show since 2022 (Ludwig) and a launch episode reaching 5.3 million viewers (Can You Keep a Secret?). Success metrics are realized at the level of individual commissions: each series functions as a discrete deliverable against a commissioning brief, with recommissions and international format sales providing the primary indicators of franchise value.

Name

Big Talk Productions

Legal name

Big Talk Studios Ltd.

Website

https://bigtalkproductions.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Big Talk Studios is a London-based independent television production company, subsidiary of ITV Studios, producing comedy and drama series for UK broadcasters (BBC, Channel 4, ITV) and international streaming platforms including Apple TV+ and Amazon Freevee.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Television Production

NAICS

Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries (512)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro primary industry

Live-Action TV Movies, Miniseries & Specials Production (MPADABAD)

Keywords

• Television production
• Comedy series production
• Drama series production
• Broadcast content licensing
• Independent production company

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. TV Production Commissions: Produces original comedy and drama series commissioned by broadcasters such as BBC, Channel 4, ITV, and international streaming platforms like Apple TV+. Revenue generated through production fees and licensing deals with broadcast partners.

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Big Talk Productions is an independent British television production company that develops, produces, and licenses original comedy and drama series for major UK broadcasters (BBC, Channel 4, ITV) and international streaming platforms (Apple TV+, Amazon Freevee). The business operates as a multi-project production house, delivering commissioned series, sitcoms, sketch shows, and comedy-dramas to broadcaster and streaming partners, and earning revenue through production fees and licensing agreements. The company operates as a subsidiary of ITV Studios.

Product overview

Big Talk Studios (Big Talk Productions) is an independent British television production company that develops, produces, and distributes comedy and drama content. The company operates as a multi-project portfolio rather than a unified platform, producing individual TV series and comedy shows that are commissioned by and distributed through major UK broadcasters (BBC, Channel 4, ITV) and streaming platforms (Apple TV+, Amazon Freevee, ITVX). The portfolio includes flagship series such as Ludwig (awarded 2025 International Emmy for Comedy), The Outlaws, The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin, Can You Keep a Secret?, Mitchell and Webb Are Not Helping, Transaction, and The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13¾. Content is distributed across BBC iPlayer, Channel 4, ITVX, Apple TV+, Amazon Freevee, and YouTube. The company is part of ITV Studios.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ludwig BBC comedy detective series starring David Mitchell as a puzzle creator who poses as his missing identical twin brother, a detective inspector, to solve crimes. Case-of-the-week comedy-drama format commissioned by BBC One and BBC iPlayer. Aired from 2024 and won the 2025 International Emmy for Comedy.
• Can You Keep a Secret? BBC sitcom starring Dawn French as widow Debbie Fendon, a granny, lawn bowler, and self-described tinpot dictator who protects her family at all costs. Also stars Mark Heap, Craig Roberts, and Mandip Gill. Premieres on BBC iPlayer and BBC One.
• Mitchell and Webb Are Not Helping Channel 4 sketch comedy show starring David Mitchell and Robert Webb, featuring a new generation of comedy writers and performers in their long-awaited return to Channel 4.
• Transaction ITVX/ITV2 comedy series starring Jordan Gray and Nick Frost, described as a colourful and noisy comedy from writer-performer Gray. Also stars Doon Mackichan, Thomas Gray, Francesca Mills, and Kayla Meikle.
• The Outlaws BBC comedy-drama created by and starring Stephen Merchant. A critically acclaimed series following community service offenders whose lives entangle with a criminal conspiracy. Currently in its third season on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
• The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin Apple TV+ comedy series starring Noel Fielding as the legendary 18th-century highwayman Dick Turpin, featuring fantastical adventures. Season two renewed in 2024.
• The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13¾ BBC adaptation of Sue Townsend's iconic British character Adrian Mole, written by David Nicholls, produced for BBC iPlayer and BBC One.
• Dinner with the Parents Amazon Freevee comedy series featuring an ensemble cast including Michaela Watkins, Dan Bakkedahl, Carol Kane, Henry Hall, Daniel Thrasher, and Jon Glaser.
• Mitchell & Webb YouTube Channel Official YouTube channel launched by That Mitchell & Webb Company and Big Talk Studios, featuring exclusive new original short-form content and an expanding archive of the Mitchell & Webb comedy partnership.
• Dear Father Christmas (w/t) Channel 4 Christmas 2025 drama featuring an ensemble cast including Lenny Rush, James Buckley, Greg Davies, Asim Chaudhry, Rochenda Sandall, and Stephen Fry.

Quantifiable outcome

• Ludwig won 2025 International Emmy for Comedy
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• ITV StudioscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBig Talk Studios is part of ITV Studios, one of the world's largest independent television production companies. This provides access to scale, distribution networks, and production resources across global markets.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat3 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/big-talk-productions

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Big Talk Productions