12 Yard

12 Yard Productions Limited
12 Yard
IndustryTelevision
GenreProduction company
FoundedApril 5, 2001 (2001-04-05)
FounderDavid Young
DefunctNovember 11, 2025 (2025-11-11)
FateClosed by ITV, Folded into Bright Entertainment
SuccessorBright Entertainment
Headquarters
London
,
UK
OwnerITV plc (2007–2025)
ParentHat Trick 12 Yard Productions Limited (2001–2007)
ITV Studios (2007–2025)
Subsidiaries12 Yard Productions (Investments) Limited
Website12yard.com

12 Yard Productions Limited, trading as 12 Yard, was a British television production company that mainly focused on the production of game shows and light entertainment programmes.

12 Yard produced formats including the BBC's long-running quiz Eggheads, Saturday night BBC One lottery formats The National Lottery: In it to Win it and Who Dares Wins!, primetime feel-good format Holding out for a Hero, Take on the Twisters and Big Star's Little Star for ITV, and Coach Trip, Celebrity Coach Trip and Christmas Coach Trip for Channel 4.

History

12 Yard was formed by David Young in 2001 shortly after leaving the BBC's Light Entertainment department, which he previously ran. The company was operated under Hat Trick 12 Yard Productions Limited,[1][2] a joint venture run by Young, the creative team behind the worldwide hit Weakest Link and Hat Trick Productions.[3][4]

On 5 December 2007, it was confirmed that ITV plc had acquired 12 Yard for £35 million. The purchase of the company formed as ITV's first acquisition for its ITV Productions division.[5]

On 22 October 2024, ITV Studios announced that it would close the studio at the end of the year, with its IPs and shows being transitioned off to other ITV Studios subsidiaries.[6] In October 2025, ITV announced that 12 Yard and sister label Potato would be folded into a newly-formed label of ITV Studios.[7] The label was launched as Bright Entertainment in January 2026.[8]

The company was dissolved in November 2025[9] while the "Investments" division remains as a dormant company.[1]

Programmes

Title Year(s) Network Notes/Sources
Dirty Money2002Sky One[10]
The National Lottery: In It to Win It2002–2016BBC One[4]
Eggheads2003–2020, 2021-2023BBC One (2003–2005)
BBC Two (2005–2020)
Channel 5 (2021–2023)		[11]
Without Prejudice?2003–2004Channel 4[12]
The Benefactor2004ABC[13]
Coach Trip2005–2006, 2009–2012, 2014–2019Channel 4 (2005–2006, 2009–2012, 2014–2015)
E4 (2016–2019)		[13]
The Rich List2006Fox[14]
The Great British Village Show2007BBC One[15]
The National Lottery: Who Dares Wins2007–2019BBC One[4]
Are You an Egghead?2008–2009BBC TwoSpin-off to Eggheads
Celebrity Eggheads2008–2013, 2017–2018, 2022–2023BBC Two (2008–2013, 2017–2018)
Channel 5 (2022–2023)		Celebrity spin-off to Eggheads
The Colour of Money2009ITV12 Yard's first commission from an ITV-owned network
Celebrity Coach Trip2010–2012, 2019–2022Channel 4 (2010–2012)
E4 (2019–2022)		Celebrity spin-off to Coach Trip[13]
Michael Winner's Dining Stars2010ITV
Perfection2011–2016BBC Two (2011–2012, 2015)
BBC One (2013–2014)		[4]
Holding out for a Hero2011ITV[16]
Sorority Girls2011E4[17]
Christmas Coach Trip2011Channel 4Christmas themed spin-off to Coach Trip[13]
Don't Blow the Inheritance!2012ITV[18]
Top Dog Model2012ITV2[16]
Brendan's Magical Mystery Tour2013Channel 4Spin-off of Coach Trip[19]
Take on the Twisters2013ITV[20]
Big Star's Little Star2013–2018ITV[21]
Pressure Pad2013–2014BBC One (2013–2014)
BBC Two (2014)
Revenge of the Egghead2014BBC TwoSpin-off to Eggheads[22]
The Guess List2014BBC One[23]
Gift Wrapped2014ITV
Celebrity Pressure Pad2014BBC OneCelebrity spin-off to Pressure Pad
The National Lottery: 5-Star Family Reunion2015–2016BBC OneCo-production with Boom Cymru[24]
Guess This House2015ITV[25]
Hello, Campers!2015ITV[26]
Big Star's Bigger Star2015, 2018ITVSpin-off of Big Star's Little Star
Originally a one-off show for Text Santa, and commissioned for full series in 2018.
Insert Name Here2016–2019BBC TwoCo-production with Black Dog Television[27]
Think Tank2016BBC One[28]
Make Me an Egghead2016BBC TwoSpin-off to Eggheads
I'll Get This2018–2020BBC Two
The Instant Gardener2018–2019BBC One[29]
Catchpoint2019–2022BBC OneCo-production with Possessed
Comedians Giving Lectures2019–2022Dave
The Cabins2021–2022ITV2[30]
Unbeatable2021–2023BBC OneCo-production with Possessed
PopMaster TV2023–2025More4Spin-off of Ken Bruce's radio music quiz of the same name[31][32]
Later seasons will be produced by Bright Entertainment
Puzzling2023Channel 5Co-Production with Wheelhouse
The 2025 revival, Celebrity Puzzling, is co-produced with Potato
Bullseye2024ITVOne-off Christmas Special
The full-series revival is produced by Potato (Series 1) and Bright Entertainment (Series 2)

Other

Title Year(s) Network Notes/Sources
Best Possible Taste: The Kenny Everett Story2012BBC FourTV movie
Cheaters: Unfinished Business2025-presentNetflixOriginated at 12 Yard, but produced by Lifted Entertainment

References

  1. 1 2 "12 Yard Productions (Investments) Limited overview – Find and update company information – GOV.UK". Companies House. 5 April 2001. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  2. ↑ "Privacy Notice". 12 Yard Productions. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  3. ↑ "Show of the week: Letterbox". TBI Vision. 8 January 2018. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford host new show for ITV Daytime". Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  5. ↑ Welsh, James (5 December 2007). "ITV acquires 12 Yard". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on 1 September 2012. Retrieved 5 December 2007.
  6. ↑ "ITVS plans closure of 12 Yard Productions".
  7. ↑ "ITV Studios to launch entertainment label". The Talent Manager. 3 September 2025. Retrieved 10 August 2026.
  8. ↑ Kaminska, Karolina (14 January 2026). "ITV Studios launches new label Bright Entertainment with Lily Wilson". C21media. Retrieved 10 August 2026.
  9. ↑ "12 YARD PRODUCTIONS LIMITED overview - Find and update company information - GOV.UK". find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 10 August 2026.
  10. ↑ "Voice of Big Brother to host Sky One quiz show". 10 January 2002. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
  11. ↑ "BBC quiz show Eggheads appeals for Glasgow teams to apply". 30 May 2018. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  12. ↑ "Ten International Formats To Watch For In 2018". 28 December 2017. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
  13. 1 2 3 4 "E4 hits the road with Celebrity Coach Trip". Archived from the original on 22 January 2019. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  14. ↑ "The Rich List". 2 November 2006. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
  15. ↑ "ITV acquires 12 Yard". 5 December 2007. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
  16. 1 2 "ITV Studios Global Entertainment Sells Three Formats to Far East". 2 December 2013. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
  17. ↑ "SORORITY GIRLS". November 2014. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
  18. ↑ "Tim Vine to host new family-based ITV quiz show". 3 July 2012. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
  19. ↑ "Coach Trip commissioned for ninth series by Channel 4". 4 September 2013. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
  20. ↑ "ITV commissions new daytime quiz show Take on the Twisters". Archived from the original on 14 July 2013. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
  21. ↑ "Extra: "Little Star" moves to U.S.; "Love Island" to Germany". Archived from the original on 15 April 2017. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  22. ↑ "Lisa cracks quiz to become an Egghead". Archived from the original on 31 March 2016. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  23. ↑ "BBC One Orders Saturday Night Entertainment Series Fronted By Rob Brydon". 7 February 2014. Archived from the original on 9 February 2014. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  24. ↑ "BBC1 plans "5 Star Family Reunion"". Archived from the original on 11 September 2015. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  25. ↑ "Guess this House". Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  26. ↑ "Hello Campers". Archived from the original on 15 July 2015. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  27. ↑ "Series 4 for Insert Name Here". 10 September 2018. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  28. ↑ "Bill Turnbull set to front new quiz show Think Tank after his BBC Breakfast departure". 12 December 2015. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  29. ↑ "Instant Gardener returns to BBC1 this month". Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  30. ↑ "ITV2 announces recommission for the Cabins".
  31. ↑ Martin, Roy (6 April 2023). "PopMaster is heading to television for a six part series on More4". Radio Today. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  32. ↑ "PopMaster: Ken Bruce music quiz to become TV show on Channel 4". BBC News. BBC. 6 April 2023. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
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