Zinc Media is resting two of its indie labels and replacing them with a dedicated popular factual and factual entertainment indie as part of head of television Greg Sanderson’s reshaping of the company.
With a remit for “distinctive and playful” mainstream shows, Red Sauce is headed by former BBC commissioning editor Tom Edwards, who brought shows such as Eat Well For Less, House That 100K Built and Hugh’s War on Waste to the screen and has previously been a showrunner on formats such as Channel 4’s Wife Swap and The House That Made Me.
Its launch comes two months after Zinc made Blakeway North executives Sarah Murch and Alison Lewis redundant after 12 years as part of cost-cutting measures ushered in by Covid-19.
With Red Sauce now taking forward recommissions of popular factual IP residing in both Blakeway North and fellow Zinc label Reef, Zinc said these two companies would effectively be rested, but not fully closed.
"We will keep both Reef and Blakeway North brands in our locker and see what the future has for them,” said Sanderson.
Zinc will now operate five production labels: Red Sauce, Blakeway, Films of Record, Brook Lapping and Tern Television.
Zinc said it was looking to minimise any staff impact on the teams of those two labels, with remaining employees set to transfer to Red Sauce as well as working across its porfolio.
Sanderson said: “Red Sauce is popular TV. As well as being distinctive and playful, it will make great TV for the broadest possible audiences, from digital-first, binge-factual to linear audiences.
“Alongside our other factual labels, this will bring all Zinc’s popular factual work from London and the regions under one label, giving Zinc a single force behind factual entertainment in a way that hasn’t been possible before.”
Red Sauce will also work with Zinc’s recently-established branded content division to bring innovative funding models to the table.
Edwards, who takes up the role of creative director immediately, added: “I got into TV to make high quality, uncompromisingly popular factual shows. Throughout my career I’ve been relentless in pursuit of broad audiences, young through old, and relish the chance to be playful and inventive with form and content. Red Sauce will make tasty TV with wide appeal - smart, innovative and entertaining shows that speak to all, the kind of programming I love making.
Edwards was also BBC Factual’s diversity champion, devising and launching the continuing cross-broadcaster assistant commissioner scheme with the Creative Diversity Network.
Since leaving the BBC, he has executive produced Dave series Adam Richman: Supperman.
