DLT Entertainment Bolsters Senior Team With New Appointments

LONDON 24th July 2019: Award-winning production and distribution company, DLT Entertainment, is strengthening its foothold in comedy and entertainment television with the appointment of senior executives, Darren Smith and Phil Tredinnick.

They have been tasked with developing new entertainment and comedy formats for domestic and international audiences. Smith will report directly to Donald Taffner Jr., President of DLT Entertainment, with Tredinnick and the current DLT team reporting into Smith.

Former C4 Comedy & Entertainment commissioner Smith takes on the newly-made role of Creative Director, overseeing creative strategy for DLT. He joins from So Television where he was Creative Director, prior to which he was Head of Entertainment at Endemol-backed Initial, leading on MTV’s The Royal World and overseeing development. Previously, he was Head of Comedy Entertainment at Twofour, launching the indie’s push into the genre with ITV’s Splash! During early roles in development at Zeppotron and as a commissioner, he was instrumental in bringing shows such as 8 Out Of 10 Cats, Friday Night Dinner and 10 O’ Clock Live to our screens.

Reporting to Smith will be Phil Tredinnick as Head of Entertainment Development.

Formerly he was Head of Quiz at Maverick TV where he built a brand-new department from scratch - devising Quiz and Gameshow formats in conjunction with All3Media International. Prior to this he was Head of Development at Crackit - leading a team that won 16 commissions in just over a year including Save Money: Good Food (ITV), Bad Habits for (C5), and The Secret Life of a Hospital Bed (BBC1). He also created the Horribly Wrong archive brand (C5) and, in roles at Tuesday's Child and John Stanley Productions respectively, the Entertainment formats For What It's Worth (BBC1) and Relatively Clever (Sky One).

The move follows the group’s recent investments in Blue Book Management (formerly CKP), Soho Agency and MMB Creative, as it seeks to create greater synergy between talent and the creation of original content.

Donald Taffner Jr., President of DLT Entertainment, said; “DLT has always had a rich and successful heritage in the entertainment and comedy space, but having Darren and Phil on board firmly retrenches us in the genre. Their incredible joint experience and creativity, coupled with our recent investments in Blue Book, Soho Agency and MMB Creative, means we can double-down our efforts in providing a collaborative 360 approach across the business: working with and having access to the best talent, creating best-in-class content, and finding new and fresh ideas in the entertainment and comedy arena. It’s a very exciting time at DLT and we’re eager to see what the future holds.”

DLT continues its role as owner and manager of the Shaftsbury Theatre where Motown, The Musical just completed its successful three+ years run. The Illusionists, featuring the talents of seven of the most incredible Illusionists on earth is open for a strictly limited season this summer, and it recently announced the launch of the new musical & Juliet with performances beginning at the Theatre in November 2019.

-- Ends--

Further information:
Natasha Roberts, on behalf of DLT Entertainment: natasha.roberts@premiercomms.com | +44 200 7292 5094
Charlie Wainwright, on behalf of DLT: charlie.wainwright@premiercomms.com | +44 020 7292 7372

NOTES TO EDITORS

About DLT Entertainment:
With headquarters in London and New York, DLT Entertainment Ltd. is engaged in every aspect of television distribution and production around the world, as well as stage production in the US and in the UK where it owns London’s Shaftesbury Theatre.

Founded in 1963 as a distribution company by Don Taffner Sr., the company added television production to its portfolio in 1977. It has enjoyed terrific success in its fifty-six year history with legendary hits on both sides of the Atlantic including the multiple award-winning and BBC Trust praised sitcom My Family, As Time Goes By, Three’s Company, Too Close For Comfort and Meet My Folks. In addition, DLT has built a reputation as a leading distribution company with classics such as The Benny Hill Show, The World at War, Chicken Soup for the Soul, Cinema Europe: The Other Hollywood, The Russ Abbot Show, Michel LeGrand and Friends, and Dara O’Briain’s Go 8 Bit.

In 2018 DLT expanded its own production activities in the United Kingdom through the acquisition of Vera Productions whose past productions include Getting On, Million Pound Jewellers, Bremner, Bird, and Fortune, and numerous Dispatches such as President Trump’s Dirty Secrets and Politicians for Hire: Cashing in on Brexit.

DLT is also a significant player in the artist management business with key investments in The Soho Agency, Milburn Browning Associates, Blue Book Artist Management, and The Galton Agency.

The Shaftesbury Theatre in London, where Motown, The Musical just completed its successful three+ years run, The Illusionists, featuring the talents of seven of the most incredible Illusionists on earth will run for a strictly limited season this Summer, and new musical & Juliet with performances beginning at the Theatre in November 2019 is owned by DLT.

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