Lion Television
| Type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1997 |
| Founders |
|
| Parent | All3Media (2019–2026) Banijay UK (2026–present) |
| Divisions |
|
| Website | www |
Lion Television, also known as Lion TV, is a British factual television production company that is a subsidiary of Banijay UK headquartered in London, Glasgow and Los Angeles. Founded in 1997 by former BBC documentary producers Richard Bradley, Nick Catliff and Jeremy Mills, Lion Television produced factual, scripted & non-scripted documentary programming for networks such as BBC and Channel 4.
History
In July 2001, Lion Television partnered with former head of factual at September Films, James Burstall, to launch a joint-venture production company which was called Leopard Television with the newly launched company would be based at Lion Television's headquarters and would share Lion's American offices as James Burstall became the new company's president & CEO.[1]
On 23 June 2003, Lion Television expanded its American production services by opening a Los Angeles production office based in Los Angeles with Lion Television's former head of its New York office, Ciara Byrne, would head Lion Television's new production office based in Los Angeles via executive director.[2] Five months later on 13 November of that year, Lion Television breached into the Asian production service with the establishment of its Beijing office via a joint venture with Chinese television network Phoenix Television as the two signed a co-production pact to produce programming from Lion's Beijing office.[3]
In June 2004, All3Media had entered exclusive talks to acquire Lion Television alongside its Scottish division and Lion's American productions offices based in both Los Angeles & Miami and its Beijing production office (via a joint venture with Chinese television network Phoenix Television) in order for All3Media expand the group across the Atlantic and the Asian regions that would give the former turnover of at least £115m while Lion Television's co-founders Jeremy Mills and Richard Bradley would stay when All3Media's acquisition of Lion Television is completed.[4] Two weeks later on that same month of that year, All3Media had confirmed that they acquired Lion Television and its Scottish production division, American and Chinese production offices based in Los Angeles, Miami and Beijing (the latter was a joint venture with Phoenix Television) this gained All3Media's first entry into the American & Chinese production business as Lion's American offices became All3Media's own American & Chinese production services while Lion Television's co-founders Jeremy Mills and Richard Bradley continued leading Lion Television.[5]
In September 2019, Lion Television's parent All3Media had brought the London-based production subsidiary Lion Television with its fellow drama production outfit Lime Pictures (which All3Media had brought it in 2006) with Lion's London-based production offices being merged into the latter's production office (also based in London) while the former's managing directors & co-founders Richard Bradley and Nick Catliff joined Lime Pictures' London production office and became CCOs while retaining Lion Television continued operating as it became a label within Lime's London office.[6]
In August 2025, Lion Television's American production arm Lion TV USA had moved to All3Media's own American production division. It had become a creative & development studio under the latter's American production division whilst it continued as a standalone label, with them working closely with its American parent All3Media American. CEO Allison Corn had departed Lion TV US while Stan Hsue continued leading Lion's American division-turned-creative & development studio as All3Media America started to produce future programming with Lion TV US.[7]
Filmography
| Title | Years | Channel | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hotel | 1997 | BBC One | |
| Paddington Green | 1998–2001 | ||
| Egypt's Golden Empire | 2001 | PBS | First American production |
| Homes Under the Hammer | 2003–present | BBC One | as Lion Television Scotland |
| History Detectives | 2003–2014 | PBS | co-production with Oregon Public Broadcasting |
| Playing it Straight | 2004 | Fox | |
| Cash Cab | 2005–2006 | ITV | |
| Tales from the Green Valley | 2005 | BBC Two | |
| Vegas Virgins | Challenge | ||
| Dealing with Dickinson | BBC One | ||
| The Queen's Cavalry | |||
| Cash Cab USA | 2005–2020 | Discovery Channel/Bravo | |
| S.W.A.T. USA | 2005 | Court TV | |
| The Big Day | 2007 | BBC One | |
| Horrible Histories (original) | 2009–2014 | CBBC | co-production with Citrus Television Owned and distributed by BBC Worldwide |
| Horrible Histories: Gory Games | 2011–2018 | ||
| Officially Amazing | 2013–2016 | ||
| Tudor Monastery Farm | 2013 | BBC Two | |
| Sexy Beasts | 2014–2021 | BBC Three/Netflix | |
| Junk Food Flip | 2014–2016 | Cooking Channel | |
| Secrets of the Castle | 2014 | BBC Two | |
| The Secret History of the British Garden | 2015 | co-production with Alexandra Henderson Associates | |
| Horrible Histories (revival) | 2015–present | CBBC | Owned and distributed by BBC Worldwide/BBC Studios |
| Supertruckers | 2015–2017 | Quest | |
| Mary Beard's Ultimate Rome: Empire Without Limit | 2016 | BBC Two | |
| Driven to Love | 2016–2017 | We TV | Co-production with DWE Talent, Knockout Entertainment, Matar Productions and Zig Zag Productions |
| Mary Bread's Ultimate Rome: Empire Without Limit | 2016 | BBC Two | |
| Six Degrees of Murder | 2016–2017 | Investigation Discovery | |
| Hoarder SOS | 2016 | Channel 4 | |
| Officially Amazing Goes Bonkers | 2017–2018 | CBBC | |
| Play Your Pets Right | 2018–2019 | Sky Kids | |
| Inside The Tower of London[8] | 2018–present | 5 | |
| Step Up To The Plate | 2019–present | CBBC | |
| Mary Beard's Shock to the Beard | 2020 | BBC Two | |
| The Battle of Britain: 3 Days That Saved the Nation | Channel 5 | ||
| Britain's Biggest Dig | BBC Two | ||
| 22 Kids & Counting | 2021–2022 | Channel 5 | |
| Tomb Hunters | 2021 | Smithsonian Channel | co-production with At Land Productions |
| Jason Biggs: Cash at Your Door | E! | as Lion TV USA | |
| Virtually Home | BBC One | as Lion Television Scotland | |
| Mary Beard's Forbidden Art | 2022 | BBC Two | |
| Stolen: Catching the Art Thieves | as Lion Television Scotland | ||
| Arctic from Above | 2023 | Sky Nature | |
| Horrible Science[9] | 2025–present | CBBC | |
| Frontline: Our Soldiers Facing Putin[10] | 2026 | Channel 4 | |
| Balamory[11] | CBeebies | as Lion Television Scotland |
References
- ↑ Waller, Ed (13 July 2001). "Ex-September man forms JV with Lion TV". C21Media.
- ↑ "Lion builds US presence". C21Media. 23 June 2003.
- ↑ "Lion leaps over the Great Wall". C21Media. 13 November 2003.
- ↑ Deans, Jason (3 June 2004). "All3Media in hunt for Lion deal". The Guardian.
- ↑ "U.K.'s All3 buys Lion TV to Southside expansion". Variety. 20 June 2004. Retrieved 15 July 2023.
- ↑ Lanter, Jake (12 September 2019). "All3Media To Bring Together 'Cash Cab' Maker Lion TV With 'Free Rein' Producer Lime Pictures". Deadline Hollywood.
- ↑ Kahn, Ellie (12 August 2025). "All3Media sets layoffs at Lion TV US". Broadcast Now.
- ↑ "Hit Series Returns Inside the Tower of London". Lion Television. 6 October 2020.
- ↑ Creamer, Jon (4 September 2024). "BBC, Lion launch Horrible Science brand". Televisual.
- ↑ "Lion TV secures landmark NATO series for Channel 4". Lion Television. 27 January 2026.
- ↑ "Lion Television Scotland secures the contract to produce the new series of Balamory". BBC Media Centre. January 28, 2025.