The BBC has named the 33 recipients of its 2025 TV Small Indies Fund, one of three producer growth schemes across the corporation.
The broadcaster is introducing monthly online insight sessions covering business and editorial issues, which will be open to all small producers.
AbbottVision Studios, the Manchester-based scripted producer set up by State of Play creator Paul Abbott, Northern Ireland's Deadpan, the company behind BBC3/Virgin Media comedy Video Nasty, Adam Wishart’s Bristol-based outfit The Slate Works, which made BBC2’s 7/7: The London Bombings [pictured] and Tobi Kyere’s London indie Them Ones, are among the companies sharing the £1.3m pot.
The fund supports the growth of indies with turnovers of below £10m in drama, comedy, film, entertainment, factual, daytime and children’s, and 76% of this year’s cohort are based outside of London.
This year’s recipients are the most diverse since the fund’s launch in 2020, with 79% featuring at least two people in leadership roles from underrepresented groups.
Other funds
Meanwhile, Stellify Media, Alleycats TV and Walk on Air Films are among eight Northern Irish indies that will receive £25,000 from the BBC’s Hot House unscripted co-commissioning scheme with Northern Ireland Screen.
The producers will be able to apply for match funding from the screen agency.
Walk on Air is also one of 11 companies chosen to work with audio commissioning teams for the third iteration of BBC Radio’s £250,000 Indie Development Fund, which is expanding to encompass the corporation’s entire audio division.
Others include Scotland’s The Big Light and Welsh producer Bengo Media.
2025 TV Small Indie Fund recipients:
Northern Ireland
- Deadpan
- Nice one
- Blackthorn
Wales
- Riot Time
- Red Seam
- Cardiff Productions
- Kailash Films
Scotland
- barry crerar Scotland & NI
- Studio Something
- Flabbergast
- Rogan (Scotland base)
English Regions
- Candle & Bell Limited - North East
- Northern Child – North East
- Schnoobert Productions Limited – North East
- Button Down – Yorkshire & The Humber
- ClockWork Films – Yorkshire & The Humber
- Public Dreams Ltd – Yorkshire & The Humber / London
- CosmoSquare - Yorkshire & The Humber
- AbbottVision Productions – North West, (Manchester Base)
- The Fold– North West
- Common Story – West Midlands
- Acclaimed Content – West Midland
- Rural Studios – West Midlands
- Chalk Productions – South East
- Slate Works – South East
London
- 104 Films
- B-Side Production
- Juno Studios
- Lunar Pictures
- Nico
- Them Ones
- Three Tables Productions
- Turnover Films
BBC Radio & Music Indie Development Fund recipients:
Scotland:
- Feral Inc
- Dabster Productions
- The Big Light
Wales:
- Bengo Media
- Songbird
Northern Ireland:
- Walk on Air Films
England:
- Voxwave – West Midlands
- Peanut & Crumb – South East
- Silver Music Entertainment – East
- Candle & Bell Ltd – North East
- Zandland – North West
Hot House scheme recipients:
Daytime
- Alleycats TV
- Below the Radar
- Rare TV
Documentaries
- B&C Films
- Blair Black
- Walk on Air Films
Factual Entertainment
- Afro-Mic
- AlleycatsTV
- Stellify Media
