News / television
Award-winning Bristol production company to close after 30 years
A television production company who made shows including The Secret Life of 4 and 5 Year Olds, Eat Well For Less? and Dickinson’s Real Deal is closing after more than three decades.
The Bristol headquarters of RDF, known as RDF West, is on Regent Street in Clifton Village, with another office in London.
The decision to close RDF has been made by its parent company, Banijay, with Broadcast reporting that Banijay wants to realign its business to make it “strategic and agile” as broadcasters look to digital-first strategies.
RDF staff have called the news “devastating”, thanking the many freelancers who contributed to the “fabulous, groundbreaking output over the years”.
“All the staff, past and present, are so shocked and saddened by the news, as RDF was a very special place to work,” a post on RDF’s Facebook page reads.
“We all hope that the industry comes through this really difficult period and all the wonderful, talented programme makers are working on new commissions soon.”
RDF was founded in 1993, with RDF West established in 2006 and soon becoming one of the UK’s most successful regional production companies, making award-winning factual television programmes for the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5.
In an email quoted by Broadcast, Banijay executive chairman, Patrick Holland, said: “Broadcasters are increasingly moving away from general factual and lifestyle programming, the traditional domain of 8/9pm linear schedules, as they focus on a digital-first strategy.
“While we are seeing exciting and sizeable commissions coming through (particularly in scripted, reality and entertainment genres), given the channel slate changes and the ongoing economic pressure being felt across the global industry, we are making some structural changes particularly to our unscripted business.”
RDF-made shows Only Connect and Tipping Point will continue to be made within Banijay.
Main image: RDF
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