Poppy Delbridge has launched a new entertainment formats company, The Empress Way.
The Empress Way is “pioneering a collaborative format-creation model.” Delbridge will “harness her commercial and creative networks to develop and package new ideas for global broadcasters, streaming platforms and brands.”
Delbridge most recently served as the first-ever head of entertainment development at Warner Bros’ Wall to Wall, during which time which set up and managed the UK producer’s entertainment division. Her credits began with UK-originated formats 8 Out of 10 Cats, Sweat The Small Stuff, Would I Lie To You and the early Charlie Brooker shows and went on to include major US shows including Ellen DeGeneres’ Game of Games and Little Big Shots, which she helped reversion for the UK market.
Before being headhunted to join Wall to Wall, Delbridge was a senior creative and head of talent liaison at TalkBack Thames, and worked with Fremantle on their international slate. She previously held a senior creative role at MTV Networks.
Over the last 15 years, she has also served as a BAFTA and Royal Television Society jury member and speaker.
The Empress Way’s model is built on selling packaged format ideas, with high-profile talent and production companies attached, to global broadcasters, streamers, digital platforms and brands, with particular emphasis on the UK and the US markets. The Empress Way will partner to produce on-screen content, originating and optioning formats to form an entire ‘IP package’, from securing commissions, sourcing the best on-screen and production talent to bringing promising concepts to global screens. Delbridge will also her bring experience and skills to producers to reshape and develop new formats.
Delbridge said: “There are lots of brilliant indies out there and, listening to the market, it was clear we didn’t need another one. What was also clear is that great ideas, top talent and gifted production companies don’t come together by magic. Getting a show off the ground is hard work — so much so that a lot of potentially great formats die before they’re born. Our new model aims to solve that. It’s also about playing to strengths. I concentrate on mine — ideas, talent relationships and sales — which frees up producers to focus on producing. We’re confident the result will be format packages that are un-turndownable.”
The company will shortly announce key hires to appoint teams to focus on specific areas of development.
Staff Reporter
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