A Northern Irish factual indie set up by Rumpus Media’s former director of factual has won its first brace of commissions.
Belfast-based High Rock Media, which also has a London base, has secured an as-yet unnamed Channel 4 three-part format putting ‘supermarket snobbery’ to the test, plus a Channel 5 series telling the history of Cheshire through its residents.
The company’s founder – and managing director and creative director – is Fintan Maguire, who has also executive produced documentaries for Spun Gold and Crackit Productions.
Maguire’s output has ranged from access docs with the Royal Family and National Trust and he has worked with talent including Laura Whitmore, Sir Tony Robinson, and Alan Titchmarsh.
Catriona Doyle, a former Waddell Media exec who has previously worked on BBC shows Strictly Come Dancing, The Weakest Link and Ready Steady Cook, has joined as development executive.
High Rock’s focus is on accessible factual shows such as travelogues, ob docs and lifestyle programmes.
“Launching a production company has always been my ambition but to realise that goal in what is arguably one of the most challenging times in our television history was inevitably daunting,” said Maguire.
“Our ambition is to take viewers on a voyage of discovery in entertaining ways – both these commissions have that ethos at their heart and we hope this is the start of delivering many such series in the future.”
