What Rollem Productions does

Rollem Productions is an independent, female-led UK television and theatre production company founded in Leeds, West Yorkshire in 2000 by the late BAFTA award-winning writer Kay Mellor (OBE 2009, BAFTA Dennis Potter Award 1997, RTS Fellowship 2016). The company develops and produces character-driven drama series for UK terrestrial broadcasters, with its portfolio of 15+ productions including The Syndicate (BBC, 2012-2021, 4 series), Fat Friends (ITV, 2000-2005), In The Club (BBC, 2014-2016), Girlfriends (ITV, 2018), and My Left Nut (BBC Three, 2020), the latter winning Royal Television Society Best Drama awards in Northern Ireland and Yorkshire. The underlying technology stack is conventional television and theatre production — no proprietary software, AI/ML systems, or platform architecture is disclosed; the moat rests entirely on creative IP, writer relationships, and broadcaster commissions.

The business operates a project-based revenue model with two distinct streams: (1) television production commissions from BBC and ITV, generating production fees and licensing income on a one-time license basis, and (2) stage adaptations of Rollem IP (Fat Friends The Musical, Band of Gold stageplay, The Syndicate stageplay) that tour UK theatres through partnerships with Josh Andrews Productions and JAS Theatricals, generating transaction-fee income from ticket sales. Go-to-market is enterprise field sales — the company develops original scripts and pitches to commissioning editors at major UK broadcasters, complemented by structured writer development programs (Kay Mellor Fellowship, WFTV Screenwriters Lab, Channel 4 Writing Awards) that create a pipeline of emerging Northern writing talent. The company has no disclosed consumer pricing and no publicly reported revenue figures.

Customer concentration is high: BBC and ITV account for substantially all TV revenue, with Channel 4 (added 2024) representing an early diversification step. The company is family-owned following Kay Mellor's 2022 passing, now led by her daughters Gaynor Mellor (Managing Director, Creative) and Yvonne Francas-Mellor (Managing Director, Production), with headcount of 1-10. Operational focus post-transition has shifted toward institutional partnerships and writer development programs, with the most recent new TV production being My Left Nut in 2020.

Name

Rollem Productions

Legal name

Rollem Production Company Ltd

Website

https://rollemproductions.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Rollem Productions is an independent, female-led UK television and theatre production company founded in Leeds in 2000, producing character-driven drama series for BBC and ITV and stage adaptations of its TV IP for UK touring theatres.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Television and Theatre Production Services

NAICS

Motion Picture and Video Industries (5121), Performing Arts Companies (7111)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro primary industry

Scripted TV Series Production (Live-Action) (MPADABAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

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

Keywords

• Television drama production
• Stage production
• Scripted content commissions
• Screenwriter development
• Theatrical adaptations

Headquarters

HQ city

Kirkstall

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Television Production Commissions: Rollem produces TV dramas that are commissioned by broadcasters such as BBC and ITV. Revenue comes from production fees and licensing deals with these broadcasters for original content including series like The Syndicate, Fat Friends, and In The Club.
2. Stage Productions and Theatre: The company generates revenue through stage adaptations of their TV properties, including Fat Friends The Musical and Band of Gold stageplay. These productions tour UK theatres and generate ticket sales through venue partnerships.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Rollem Productions is an independent, female-led television and theatre production company that develops, produces, and licenses original scripted drama content. It creates multi-series drama for UK broadcasters (BBC and ITV) and adapts its own television IP into live theatre productions, including musicals and stageplays that tour UK venues.

Product overview

Rollem Productions is an independent, female-led television and stage production company founded by writer Kay Mellor in 2000. The company produces a portfolio of television dramas including The Syndicate, Fat Friends, In The Club, A Passionate Woman, Girlfriends, The Chase, Love Lies & Records, Strictly Confidential, Between the Sheets, Overshadowed, My Left Nut, and Gifted. Additionally, the company has produced stage adaptations including Fat Friends The Musical and Band of Gold (stageplay). Rollem operates as a writer-first production company that develops and produces content across television and theatre, with productions spanning comedy dramas, period pieces, thrillers, and adaptations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fat Friends Multi-award-winning comedy drama exploring a group of people at a local slimming club, examining their collective preoccupation with weight, diet, and body image. Four series aired on ITV from 2000 to 2005.
• The Syndicate Kay Mellor's drama series following different groups of people whose lives are transformed by winning the lottery. Four series aired from 2012 to 2021 on BBC, following lottery syndicates in various settings including a supermarket, hospital, manor house, and kennels.
• In The Club Contemporary drama following six couples who meet at their local Parent Craft class during pregnancy. Two series aired from 2014 to 2016.
• A Passionate Woman Two-part period drama set in Leeds in the 1950s and 1980s, based on the true story of a housewife whose life is turned upside down by a handsome Polish man. Aired on BBC One in 2010.
• Girlfriends Drama following three childhood friends in their 60s dealing with various life challenges after the sudden death of one of their husbands. Aired on ITV in 2018.
• The Chase Drama centered around a veterinary practice in Yorkshire, exploring family dynamics and relationships. Two series aired from 2006 to 2007.
• Love, Lies & Records Drama following registrar Kate Dickinson juggling personal life with the daily dramas of births, marriages and deaths at the local registry office. Six-part series aired on BBC in 2017.
• Fat Friends The Musical Musical adaptation of the hit TV series with music by Nick Lloyd Webber. World premiere at Grand Theatre Leeds in November 2017, followed by a UK tour.
• Band of Gold (stageplay) Stage adaptation of Kay Mellor's multi award-winning ITV series about women working in a red-light district. World premiere at Leeds Grand Theatre in November 2019, followed by a UK tour.
• Strictly Confidential Drama following a former police officer turned sex therapist who becomes involved in investigating a young woman's death. Aired on ITV1 in 2006.
• Between the Sheets Miniseries exploring the romantic and sexual challenges of several couples whose lives are interlinked in a web of intrigue. Six-part series aired in 2003.
• Overshadowed Eight-part BBC3 miniseries told through vlogs, following a young Irish vlogger whose life spirals out of control when she meets 'Anna' who casts a dark shadow over her life. Won the Mind Media Awards 2018 Drama Category.
• My Left Nut Coming-of-age comedy drama based on an award-winning stage play, following a teenage boy who discovers a swelling on his testicle and struggles to tell anyone. Three-part series aired on BBC in 2020 and won Best Drama at the 2020 Royal Television Society Northern Ireland Awards.
• Gifted Television film exploring the pressures and perceptions of football, fame and celebrity status following an accusation of rape against a top footballer. Aired with over 6.1 million initial viewers.

Quantifiable outcome

• The Syndicate achieved 5-star reviews for stage adaptation
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• BBC NorthcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024BBC North provides investment in the Kay Mellor Fellowship program alongside Leeds City Council, Rollem, and Leeds Playhouse. The partnership supports emerging writers from Yorkshire with placement on the BBC Writers Voices programme.
• New Writing NorthcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Rollem partners with New Writing North on the Channel 4 Writing for Television Awards, offering Northern writers placement, mentoring, and £3,000 bursary to develop scripts.
• Channel 4coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Channel 4 partners with Rollem and New Writing North on writing awards that discover new television writers from Northern England with long-term placement opportunities.
• Women in Film and TV (WFTV)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024WFTV partners with Rollem to host the annual Kay Mellor Screenwriters Lab, a fully-funded 5-day residential program for unrepresented female screenwriters held at Arvon Foundation's The Hurst centre.
• Arvon FoundationsupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2024Arvon Foundation hosts the WFTV Kay Mellor Screenwriters Lab at The Hurst centre in Shropshire, providing the venue and masterclass facilities for the program.
• BBC Writers VoicescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024BBC Writers Voices is part of the Kay Mellor Fellowship package, providing fellows with access to the prestigious writer development programme with workshops, masterclasses, and industry knowledge.
• Bonafide FilmssupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Bonafide Films offers placement opportunities alongside Rollem as part of Channel 4 Writing for Television Awards 2024.
• Red ProductionssupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Red Productions offers placement opportunities alongside Rollem as part of Channel 4 Writing for Television Awards 2024.
• Josh Andrews ProductionscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Josh Andrews Productions collaborated with Rollem on stage adaptations including The Syndicate play and Fat Friends The Musical, serving as co-producer on theatrical productions.
• JAS TheatricalssupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2020JAS Theatricals partnered with Rollem for The Syndicate stage play production, assisting with theatrical distribution and touring.
• Leeds PlayhousecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Leeds Playhouse is a key partner in the Kay Mellor Fellowship program. The partnership supports new writing talent in Yorkshire through a year-long paid fellowship, combining theatre and television development. Leeds Playhouse also houses The Kay Mellor Fund for nurturing northern writers.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• BBC Studios: Vertically integrated production/distribution arm of the BBC, Rollem's other key customer; a broad incumbent that produces in-house drama, distributes globally, and competes with Rollem for both commissions and IP opportunities.
• ITV Studios: Vertically integrated UK broadcaster-producer and one of Rollem's two primary customers; a broader incumbent that commissions indie drama, produces in-house, and competes with Rollem for the same commissioning slots and talent.

Direct peers

• Bonafide Films: UK independent TV drama producer (The A Word, Us Among the Stones) that already partners with Rollem on the Channel 4 Writing for Television Awards; directly comparable in scale, female-led leadership, and BBC/Channel 4 commissioning focus.
• Red Production Company: Manchester-based independent TV drama producer (Queer as Folk, Happy Valley, Banana) with similar Northern England roots and BBC/Channel 4 commissioning model, making it the closest direct peer to Rollem in scale, geography, and approach.
• Drama Republic: UK indie drama producer behind Doctor Foster, The Cry, and Life; similar size and operating model, focused on returning high-quality drama series for UK public broadcasters and streamers.
• World Productions: UK independent drama producer behind Line of Duty, Bodyguard, and The Pembrokeshire Murders; a comparable scale indie with a similar commission-from-public-broadcasters model and a track record of long-running hit drama series.
• Tiger Aspect Productions: Endemol Shine-owned UK indie producing Mr. Bean, Peaky Blinders (co-prod), and Robin Hood; a comparable scale scripted-drama indie competing for similar UK broadcaster commissions.
• Sister Pictures: UK indie drama producer (Chernobyl, The Split, Conversations with Friends) operating in the same commissioner landscape with comparable scale and a similar prestige-drama positioning that competes for the same talent and slots.
• Kudos Film and Television: Banijay-owned UK drama indie (Spooks, Broadchurch, Grantchester) producing character-driven and genre drama for UK and international broadcasters; same indie model and primary customer base as Rollem.
• Hat Trick Productions: Long-running UK independent TV producer (Father Ted, Outnumbered, Derry Girls) that also creates character-driven comedy-drama for UK broadcasters, with a similar indie structure and writer-led development ethos.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/rollemprodco
• Facebookfacebook.com/RollemProdCo
• Instagraminstagram.com/rollemprodco
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rollem-productions

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Rollem Productions