Nicola Shindler’s Quay Street Productions has made five new hires across production, development and business affairs, ahead of its first raft of productions.

Richard Fee, Davina Earl, Chris Leach, Athena Stavrakis and Kate Boyle join the growing team as Executive Producer, Head of Development, Head of Production, Script Executive and Head of Business Affairs, respectively.

Fee, Earl, Stavrakis and Boyle are in position immediately, with Leach joining in February. All are based at the production company’s office in Quay Street Manchester, except Boyle.  The new hires come ahead of the production of the ITV Studios inaugural drama, Nolly. The recently announced ITV biopic is written by Shindler’s long-term collaborator Russell T Davies and stars Oscar-nominated actor Helena Bonham Carter in the lead role. It is the first drama in Quay Street’s slate, with more commissions set to be announced shortly.

Richard Fee joins Quay Street as Executive Producer, having worked with Nicola Shindler since 2010 at RED Production Company, producing high-end drama for the BBC, ITV, Netflix, Amazon, and Sky. Recent projects include the forthcoming Sheridan Smith drama, No Return, and an adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s epic fantasy novel, Anansi Boys for Amazon. Alongside Shindler, bestselling novelist Harlan Coben and screenwriter Danny Brocklehurst, Fee is the fourth member of the creative quartet to bring Coben’s adaptations to screen, including the hit series The Stranger, Safe and most recently the #1 global TV show on Netflix, Stay Close.

Appointed as Quay Street’s Head of Development, Davina Earl is also a RED Production Company alum, where she headed up development and previously served as Script Executive on dramas Safe and Come Home. Earl was assistant producer on Danny Brocklehurst’s In The Dark, worked on BAFTA-winning drama In The Flesh and longstanding continuing drama Hollyoaks. Starting her career at the BBC, she worked as a script editor for Comedy Production, worked in commissioning and also for BBC Writersroom.

Chris Leach joins the team as Head of Production with credits including Vera and Bancroft. He has worked on a diverse range of projects including Coronation Street, The Bay and most recently A Spy Among Friends for BritBox/Charter. Prior to joining Quay Street, Leach was a Production Executive at ITV Studios, having started his career at Granada Television 24 years ago.

Athena Stavrakis joins the team as Script Executive. She most recently served as Assistant Producer on BBC One’s Sherwood and worked with Shindler as a Script Editor on several productions for RED Production Company, including The Stranger, Trust Me, and Ordinary Lies.  Prior to working in development, she worked in the AD and Production department on dramas including Black Mirror, Humans and Downton Abbey.  Stavrakis is currently a mentor on the ScreenSkills 2022 Mentoring Programme.

Kate Boyle has been appointed as Head of Business Affairs, having previously been Senior Business Affairs Manager for ITV Studios, where she has supported Quay Street since its inception.  Before that, Boyle worked as Head of Legal and Business Affairs at indie FilmWave and held various senior legal roles within the BBC and BBC Studios, and has advised on high-end dramas including Good Omens and The Letter for the King.

The new recruits join Quay Street Productions’ growing team alongside seasoned Script Executive Fiona McAllister (Doctor Who, Emmerdale, Coronation Street), Script Editors Denzel Adebayo (who worked in production on Peaky Blinders, Ackley Bridge, Intergalactic, Cobra) and Charlie Quinn (BBC Writersroom, Hollyoaks), Development Editor Freya Boroda and Executive Assistant Karis Winstanley.

Nicola Shindler said: “Within its first year, Quay Street Productions has secured its first commission and has more in the wings, and as such, it is hugely important for us to have an incredible team in place to support the company’s ongoing development and growth.  Richard, Davina, Chris Athena and Kate are all hugely talented and bring an array of experience with them. Alongside the team installed since last year, they are overflowing with amazing ideas for fascinating stories that Quay Street Productions can tell, and it’s a very exciting time.”

International distribution for Quay Street Productions is handled by ITV Studios.

Jon Creamer

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