Purple Productions, the unscripted indie best known for high-volume shows Motorway Cops and Doorbell Detectives, has closed after seven years.
The Manchester-based company, which primarily employed freelancers, was part of Objective Media Group (OMG) and ultimately owned by All3Media.
The closure has been attributed to challenging market conditions and a review of the OMG business rather than All3Media’s completed merger with Banijay.
Set up in 2019 by former BBC Studios entertainment execs Pam Cavannagh and Dympna Jackson, Purple produced 10 series of Motorway Cops: Catch Britain’s Speeders for 5 and also made Paramount+ spin-off Motor Cops USA.
As well as two series of BBC1’s Doorbell Detectives, it was also behind BBC2’s Villages by the Sea and Channel 4’s A Lake District Farm Group.
Other OMG labels will pick up any recommissions of these series.
Cavannagh wrote on LinkedIn:
"Sad to say goodbye to Purple. Huge heart felt thank you to everyone who has been with us - teams - edit gang and facilities. We really need to champion all that we do in the regions and speak up during these tough times.
"There are all the ingredients for a bright future in Manchester - great staff, stories and tellers, great infrastructure and will. I’m excited for the next steps."
