Specialist factual producer Big Wave Productions is opening a new office in Cornwall headed by Producer/Director Mike Cunliffe.

Kirstie McLure, Managing Director, Big Wave Productions, says: “Telling stories in and around the natural world is the beating heart of Big Wave.  With two biologists in our senior creative team, we know the subject like no other and understand the rich seam of stories which being close to the ocean gives us.  Cornwall has one of the UK’s most iconic coastlines, outstanding wildlife, and fascinating human and cultural stories.  It is the perfect location from which to create visually stunning, compelling and inspiring programmes for the domestic and international market.

“Mike is extremely well-respected throughout the industry. He not only has a long history of developing ideas to commission including returnable factual, entertainment and structured reality formats, he lives and breathes the ocean.  He is the perfect person to lead our growth in this area.”

With over 25 years experience, Producer/Director Mike Cunliffe’s career has spanned the full spectrum of factual, factual entertainment and entertainment programming.  Cunliffe has worked in a freelance capacity with Big Wave on many of its biggest projects including Operation Whale (2 x 60 min) for ITV; and The Measure of all Things (3 x 60 min) for the BBC.  He joined the company full time in 2021 and is now focused on developing Big Wave’s slate of returnable factual and formatted factual content.

Mike Cunliffe says: “I’m incredibly happy to have found a home with Big Wave Television.  They are truly immersed in the natural world, telling incredible stories of inspirational people and environments. TV is in one of its most golden periods in terms of opportunity and the pure brilliance of ideas that are now regularly brought to the screen. The creative challenge and the intense satisfaction of working in the industry continue to make me happily jump out of bed to develop and make great TV.”

Big Wave’s new office is based in Wadebridge.  Cunliffe takes up his new role with immediate effect.

Big Wave’s shows include; New Forest: The Crown’s Hunting Ground, a wildlife special  hosted by Hugh Bonneville for Smithsonian Channel UK and Terra Mater Studios, premiering in summer 2021 (pictured); Operation Whale x 2 for ITV and Animal Planet, hosted by Ben Fogle and Ellie Harrison; science series such as Marcus Du Sautoy on the Measure of All Things x 3 for BBC4 and CGI Sun special for Discovery’s Curiosity Strand; and more than 20 hours of marine and shark  shows for the BBC, Discovery Shark Week and Nat Geo’s Shark Fest.

Jon Creamer

Share this story

Share Televisual stories within your social media posts.
Be inclusive: Televisual.com is open access without the need to register.
Anyone and everyone can access this post with minimum fuss.