What Various Artists Limited does

Various Artists Limited is a London-based independent television production company founded in 2017 by Phil Clarke, Roberto Troni, Jesse Armstrong and Sam Bain. The company produces scripted comedy and drama for major UK and US broadcasters, with a portfolio spanning BBC Three (Such Brave Girls, Juice, Henpocalypse, Spent), HBO (I May Destroy You, Sally4Ever), Apple TV+ (Still Up), Channel 4 (Dead Pixels) and Sky (TOADS). Its creative bench has been materially strengthened by long-running relationships with writers such as Michaela Coel and Kat Sadler.

VAL operates a B2B commissioned-content model: broadcasters fund development and production in exchange for license fees, with VAL retaining secondary rights and, increasingly, co-production economics via studio partners. Revenue is generated through production fees, broadcaster license income, and international distribution through partners including ITV Studios (Two Weeks in August) and A24 (First Day on Earth). The catalog has accumulated BAFTA, Emmy, RTS and Peabody recognition, which functions as both brand credential and bargaining leverage in commissioning discussions.

The company is mid-scale for a UK indie, with approximately 23 employees and an active development slate running through the VAL x LAB programme launched in 2023. Recent operational signals — appointment of a first Finance Director in May 2026 and formal studio partnerships with A24 and ITV Studios — indicate a transition from founder-led start-up to institutionally-managed production company, with a stated strategic emphasis on premium scripted output and international co-productions.

Name

Various Artists Limited

Legal name

Various Artists Limited

Website

https://val-tv.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Various Artists Limited is a London-based independent television production company founded in 2017, producing scripted comedy and drama for major broadcasters including the BBC, HBO, Apple TV+, Sky and Channel 4.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Production Fees and Content Licensing: VAL generates revenue through producing TV content for broadcasters and streaming platforms, earning production fees and licensing revenues from shows sold to BBC, HBO, Apple TV+, Sky, and Channel 4.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Various Artists Limited is an independent television production company that develops, produces, and licenses original scripted comedy and drama series for major UK broadcasters and global streaming platforms. The company produces discrete series as its sellable output, working with commissioners at BBC, HBO, Apple TV+, Sky, and Channel 4 to deliver programmes such as I May Destroy You, Such Brave Girls, Juice, Still Up, Dead Pixels, Sally4Ever, and Two Weeks in August.

Product overview

Various Artists Limited (VAL) is a BAFTA, Emmy and RTS award-winning television production company that creates distinctive scripted drama and comedy content. VAL produces individual television series and radio programmes across multiple platforms including BBC iPlayer, Apple TV+, Sky, HBO Max, Channel 4/All4, and BBC Radio 4. The company operates as a single-unit production company rather than a platform architecture, producing shows across genres including black comedy (Two Weeks in August), family comedy (Dexter Procter The 10 Year Old Doctor), surreal comedy (Juice), chaotic comedy (Such Brave Girls), comedy drama (Still Up, Henpocalypse!, Spent), radio comedy (Big Little Questions), and award-winning drama (I May Destroy You). VAL was co-founded in 2017 by producers Phil Clarke and Roberto Troni along with acclaimed writers and showrunners Jesse Armstrong and Sam Bain.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Two Weeks in August An 8-part BBC drama series described as a black comedy and psychological drama about a group of friends holidaying on a Greek island who uncover more about themselves and each other than they ever expected. Aired on BBC1 and BBC iPlayer.
• Dexter Procter The 10 Year Old Doctor A family comedy series based on the bestselling books by Adam Kay, following the world's youngest-ever doctor as he starts his new job at Lilydale General Hospital.
• Juice Series 2 The second series of the multi-award-winning surreal comedy following Jamma (Mawaan Rizwan) on his hunt for attention as he navigates chaotic family dynamics and literally stumbles through love.
• Such Brave Girls Series 2 The second series of the multi-award-winning chaotic comedy about a messed up family trying to patch things up, navigating life with issues, poor judgement and low self-esteem.
• Spent An uplifting comedy drama about high fashion model Mia whose career has crashed down to earth, starring Michelle de Swarte.
• TOADS A Channel 4 short-form scripted comedy about Amber who has cold feet right before her wedding after kissing many toads in search of her prince.
• Such Brave Girls Multi-award-winning chaotic comedy series about a messed up family trying to patch things up, navigating life armed with issues, poor judgement and low self-esteem.
• Juice Surreal comedy following Jamma (Mawaan Rizwan) on his hunt for attention as he navigates chaotic family dynamics and literally stumbles through love.
• Still Up Comedy drama series about two complicated insomniacs who spend their long sleepless nights together in constant conversation, available on Apple TV+.
• Henpocalypse! Comedy series centred around bridezilla Zara whose hen-do is interrupted by the apocalypse, set in an isolated holiday cottage in Wales.
• Big Little Questions Award-winning BBC Radio 4 comedy double act where Amy Gledhill and Chris Cantrill attempt to provide answers to curious kids.
• I May Destroy You Multi-award-winning drama series written by and starring Michaela Coel, following Arabella as she struggles to come to terms with a sexual assault and begins a journey of self-discovery.
• Sally4Ever BAFTA award-winning comedy series starring Julia Davis as Emma, a seductive and bohemian actress who disrupts Sally's comfortable 10-year relationship.
• Dead Pixels Ground-breaking comedy series about love, avatars and gamers, following twentysomething friends committed to the online game Kingdom Scrolls.

Quantifiable outcome

• I May Destroy You won multiple Emmy Awards including Outstanding Writer for a Limited or Anthology Series
• +4 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

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ITV StudioscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026ITV Studios is a co-production partner for Two Weeks in August, VAL's 8-part BBC drama series launching in 2026. ITV Studios provides production support and distribution capabilities for this original drama.
• A24coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026A24 is co-producing First Day on Earth with VAL and Michaela Coel, for HBO/BBC broadcast. A24 is the acclaimed independent film and TV company known for awards success, providing production funding and distribution for this high-profile project.
• Adam KayminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Adam Kay is the author whose bestselling books are being adapted by VAL into Dexter Proctor Ten-Year-Old Doctor, an 8-part series for BBC.
• Catherine ShepherdminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Catherine Shepherd wrote Two Weeks in August, VAL's original 8-part BBC drama series produced in association with ITV Studios.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Sister Pictures: UK prestige scripted indie founded by Jane Featherstone (ex-Shine), known for Chernobyl, The Split, and Giri/Haji. Closely comparable to VAL as a small, London-based, prestige-scripted production company working with top writer-producers and global streamers.
• Drama Republic: UK scripted indie behind Doctor Foster, The Honourable Woman, and Keeley Hawes-fronted thrillers. Comparable to VAL on prestige scripted focus, BBC/Channel 4 relationships, and small-team indie structure.
• Hat Trick Productions: Independent UK scripted producer behind Drop the Dead Donkey, Outnumbered, and Derry Girls. Directly comparable as a long-running UK indie comedy-drama house with overlapping broadcaster customers.
• Bad Wolf: Welsh-based prestige scripted indie (His Dark Materials, Industry, I Hate Suzie). Comparable to VAL on prestige scripted positioning, BBC/HBO customer mix, and global-streamer co-productions.
• Baby Cow Productions: UK comedy-led indie co-founded by Steve Coogan and Henry Normal, producing shows such as Alan Partridge and Mid Morning Matters. Directly comparable to VAL on genre focus (scripted comedy), UK-indie scale, and broadcaster relationships.
• Tiger Aspect Productions: Established UK scripted indie (Mr. Bean, Peep Show production arm, Doc Martin) within Endemol Shine/Banijay. Comparable to VAL on London base, scripted comedy-drama focus, and long-running BBC/Channel 4 commissions.
• Working Title Films: Long-established UK production company (Love Actually, Fleabag as producer). Comparable to VAL on UK scripted production prestige, BBC/Channel 4/streamer customer base, and award recognition.
• The Ink Factory: UK scripted indie behind The Night Manager and The Pigeon Tunnel. Comparable to VAL on BBC/HBO international co-productions, prestige author-driven projects, and indie scale.
• Fable Pictures: London-based scripted indie (Harlots, Emily in Paris producer of UK slate). Comparable to VAL as a small scripted indie working across BBC, ITV, and international streamers on drama and comedy.

Broad incumbents

• A24: US-based independent film and TV producer (Euphoria, Beef, The Curse). Listed as a direct co-production partner on VAL's First Day on Earth, and overlapping broadly with VAL on prestige-scripted positioning, despite its much larger scale and US base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/vivaesprit_events
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/various-artists-limited

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 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 Various Artists Limited