‘Happy Valley’ Producer Nicola Shindler to Launch New Drama Label Under ITV Studios

U.K. super-producer Nicola Shindler is to launch a new scripted label under ITV Studios. Based in Manchester, the new label will develop and produce premium drama for the U.K. and international market.

Shindler, who most recently served as chief creative officer of London-based Studiocanal U.K., will join ITV Studios and launch her new company in 2021, though it’s still unclear when in the year she will join. International distribution for Shindler’s new label will be handled by ITV Studios.

The new venture effectively brings to a close Shindler’s relationship with Studiocanal, which took a majority stake in Shindler’s production company Red in 2013. She became CEO of Studiocanal U.K. in 2018, but stepped into the chief creative officer role earlier this year after Entertainment One executive Alex Hamilton was made CEO of the U.K. operation.

Shindler is one of the U.K.’s most successful drama producers, with credits including “Happy Valley,” “Last Tango in Halifax” and “Years and Years” for the BBC; the ground-breaking “Queer As Folk,” “Cucumber” and the upcoming “Boys” for Channel 4; “Butterfly” and five seasons of “Scott and Bailey” for ITV and the recent Netflix Original, “Harlan Coben’s The Stranger.”

She has fostered strong relationships with writers including Russell T Davies, Sally Wainwright, Danny Brocklehurst, Sue Perkins, Sarah Solemani, Lenny Henry, Tony Marchant and Paul Abbott.

Shindler first rose to prominence when working for the then Granada Television as script editor on the ITV drama “Cracker” and won her first BAFTA Award as producer on “Hillsborough” for ITV, a dramatized account of the 1989 football stadium disaster.

The executive is the winner of 7 BAFTA awards, including 2019’s Special BAFTA, and was also awarded an OBE for her services to British Broadcasting.

Julian Bellamy, managing director of ITV Studios, said: “Nicola is one of Britain’s most talented and prolific drama producers. She’s been behind some of the U.K.’s best, most memorable dramas from ‘Queer As Folk’ to ‘Happy Valley’ and I’m delighted that Nicola will be starting a new drama venture with ITV Studios. I’m looking forward to, with Nicola, sharing more details about her new label next year when she joins.”