Really great interview with Mike Benson from @ClapperboardStudios over on Deadline this weekMike’s had one of the most interesting career pivots in UK TV, going from unscripted titles like Troll Hunters and... Read more
Really great interview with Mike Benson from @ClapperboardStudios over on Deadline this week
Mike’s had one of the most interesting career pivots in UK TV, going from unscripted titles like Troll Hunters and Celebrity Fat Fighters to launching Clapperboard Studios and building a powerhouse of scripted drama.
Since Cold Call kicked things off on Channel 5, Clapperboard has gone from strength to strength with over 25 series produced including The Holiday, Love Rat, The Serial Killer’s Wife, and now Hunting Alice Bell (with David Baddiel, Simon Pegg, and Alexandra Roach - what a cast!).
He talks in the interview about balancing risk and reward, building an AI production tool to boost efficiency (not cut jobs), and finding ways to make high-quality shows on realistic budgets. Super insightful stuff for anyone working in production right now.
And we were lucky enough to have Mike kindly host a table at our recent Freelancer Networking Event at the Edinburgh TV Festival (in partnership with BECTU). It meant a lot to have someone with his experience supporting the freelance community and sharing his time with emerging talent.
🔗 Read the full interview here: https://deadline.com/2025/09/clapperboard-studios-interview-1236509022/
Mike’s had one of the most interesting career pivots in UK TV, going from unscripted titles like Troll Hunters and Celebrity Fat Fighters to launching Clapperboard Studios and building a powerhouse of scripted drama.
Since Cold Call kicked things off on Channel 5, Clapperboard has gone from strength to strength with over 25 series produced including The Holiday, Love Rat, The Serial Killer’s Wife, and now Hunting Alice Bell (with David Baddiel, Simon Pegg, and Alexandra Roach - what a cast!).
He talks in the interview about balancing risk and reward, building an AI production tool to boost efficiency (not cut jobs), and finding ways to make high-quality shows on realistic budgets. Super insightful stuff for anyone working in production right now.
And we were lucky enough to have Mike kindly host a table at our recent Freelancer Networking Event at the Edinburgh TV Festival (in partnership with BECTU). It meant a lot to have someone with his experience supporting the freelance community and sharing his time with emerging talent.
🔗 Read the full interview here: https://deadline.com/2025/09/clapperboard-studios-interview-1236509022/
