Wednesday round-up: Latest news, deals & hires

Wednesday, 4.22pm: Shinfield Studios hires Apple alum

Shadowbox Studios, the owner of Shinfield Studios, has appointed Mike Mosallam as COO.

In addition to the one million sq ft Shinfield Studios, which completed construction last year, Shadowbox also owns Shadowbox Atlanta in the US.

Mosallam most recently worked at Apple TV, where he created and led the studio strategy and operations division - growing its studio count by more than a 10x in two and a half years. He also created the production planning arm of Netflix Studios, where he oversaw the implementation of their global studio real estate strategy. 

At Shadowbox, Mosallam will be responsible for overseeing Shadowbox’s existing and planned sites and production services across the globe, as well as spearheading its global expansion plans. Shadowbox is currently building a new facility in Queensland, Australia. Mosallam will be based in the US. Read more

Wednesday, 3.24pm: Sherry Fynbo launches prodco Last Word

True-crime producer Sherry Fynbo (Escobar Exposed) has started her own company, Last Word Entertainment.

The production and distribution company is being launched with executive producer James Carroll, who co-executive produced and lead edited Waco: American Apocalypse. Fiona Crago, Fynbo’s colleague at Beyond Rights, is heading up business strategy.

Fynbo’s first project is Mafia: Most Wanted, scheduled to premiere on Canada’s streaming platform Crave. The three-part docuseries exposes Italian crime syndicate the ’Ndrangheta and its hidden stronghold in Toronto.

The show has been produced in partnership with Screen Siren Pictures. Fynbo and Carroll serve as executive producers, and Trish Dolman serves as director and executive producer. Eric Birnberg of Lewis Birnberg Hanet LLP legally represents Fynbo in Canada.

Last Word said it is also in production on a slate of as-yet unreleased projects for major streaming platforms, which will be announced in the coming months.

Wednesday, 12.45pm: Yes Studios extends Fauda

Yes Studios has confirmed that a fifth season of its hit series Fauda is in pre-production, with an official filming start date set for the end of April.

The new season of the action thriller, which will be filmed in Israel as well as overseas, follows the Fauda team abroad on a private mission.

The show, which was created by Lior Raz and Avi Issacharoff, is again being led by director Omri Givon (Hostages) and written by Omri Shenhar (Tehran, Magpie). Fauda is produced by Yes TV and L. Benasuly Productions for Yes TV, with Yes Studios handling international distribution.

The fifth run is expected to premiere on Yes TV in Israel in early 2026, followed by a worldwide launch on Netflix, the global home to its first four seasons. 

Wednesday, 10.58am: Lisa Chapman’s Honeybird reveals partner deals

UK-based production company Honeybird Studios has unveiled a new creative partnership model for content development.

The model aims to assist with the development and production of co-owned unscripted formats by combining forces to strengthen creative propositions, or creating new cross-genre collaborations.

Honeybird, which was set up by former Whizz Kid exec Chapman in 2023, has partnered with FilmNova, ATS, Gramafilm, Tickled Pink, Claudia Guerretta, Ready Everybody on the new scheme.

Chapman partnered with managing directors Derek Drennan and Stew Batt to launch Honeybird, having been managing director at Ex On The Beach firm Whizz Kid and then senior vice president of non-scripted TV at eOne UK. 

Wednesday, 10.03am: Crime+Investigation unveils UK orders

Crime+Investigation in the UK has revealed a series of commissions and acquisitions, including a show from Laura Whitmore that investigates shocking murders committed by juveniles. 

Whitmore will serve as executive producer on the six-part series Britain’s Killer Teens, which will be produced by Faces of Evil indie Woodcut Media. She will aim to uncover why young people commit such crimes and explore what measures might be taken to try and prevent them in future.

The channel, which is part of Hearst, has also ordered a string of recommissions including a second series of Gypsy Rose: Life After Lockup – which is based on exclusive access to the newly-freed Gypsy Rose Blanchard a decade after being convicted of the second-degree murder of her mother.

The second series will follow her struggles with estrangement from her husband, Ryan, rekindled romance with ex-boyfriend, cosmetic surgery and pregnancy.

Wednesday, 9.02am: Ireland’s TG4 appoints first female director general

Irish-language broadcaster TG4 has named Deirdre NÍ Choistín as director general, marking the first time a woman has held the role at the network.

Ní Choistín assumes the position from April when her predecessor Alan Esslemont steps down, following nearly a decade as director general.

She will be the fourth person to hold the role since TG4 was founded in 1996. Read more