Talkback (production company)
British television production company
Talkback Productions Final logo, used from 2018 to 2025
Type Subsidiary Predecessor Talkback Thames (first incarnation)Founded 1981; 45 years ago (1981 ) (original) 1 January 2012; 14 years ago (2012-01-01 ) (relaunch) Founders Defunct 9 June 2006; 20 years ago (2006-06-09 ) (original) 1 January 2025; 22 months ago (2025-01-01 ) (relaunch) Fate Merged with Thames to form Talkback Thames Successor Talkback Thames (second incarnation) Headquarters , England
Parent Fremantle (2000–2025)Footnotes
Talkback Productions , commonly simplified to just Talkback (formerly known as Talkback-UK from 2003 to 2006), was a British television production company established in 1981 by comedy duo Mel Smith and Griff Rhys Jones .
History
Talkback was sold to Pearson Television in 2000. The company merged with Thames Television in 2003 and the combined entity was renamed Talkback Thames . Despite the merger, Talkback continued as a separate entity and its own logo to be used at the end of the label's comedy and factual productions until 2006. On 1 January 2012, Talkback Thames was split into four separate production companies; Boundless , Retort , Talkback and Thames .
On 16 September 2024, it was announced that Talkback would be merged again with Thames to re-form Talkback Thames following the managing director Jonno Richards exiting Talkback.
Productions
The 11 O'Clock Show (Channel 4 , 1998–2000)
Alan Carr's Epic Gameshow (ITV , 2020–2022)
Alas Smith and Jones (BBC One & BBC Two , 1991–1998; Sketchbook: BBC One, 2006)
The Armando Iannucci Shows (Channel 4, 2001)
Bernard and the Genie (BBC One, 1991)
Big Train (BBC Two, 1998–2002)
Bonjour la Classe (BBC One, 1993)
Brass Eye (Channel 4, 1997–2001)
Celebrity Juice (ITV2 , 2008–2022)
Da Ali G Show (Channel 4, 2000–2004; HBO , 2003–2004)
The Day Today (BBC Two, 1994)
Demob (ITV, 1993)
Distraction (Channel 4, 2003–2004)
Friends and Crocodiles (BBC One, 2006)
Gash (Channel 4, 2003)
Gideon's Daughter (BBC One, 2006)
Green Wing (Channel 4, 2004–2007)
Hippies (BBC Two, 1999)
House Doctor (Channel 5 , 1998–2003)
I'm Alan Partridge (BBC Two, 1997–2002)
In a Land of Plenty (BBC Two, 2000)
Jam (Channel 4, 2000)
Jamie's Kitchen (Channel 4, 2002)
Jon Richardson: Ultimate Worrier (Dave , 2018–2019)
The Keith & Paddy Picture Show (ITV, 2017–2018)
The Keith Lemon Sketch Show (ITV2, 2015–2016)
Keith Lemon's LemonAid (ITV, 2012)
Knowing Me, Knowing You... with Alan Partridge (BBC Two, 1994–1995)
Lemon La Vida Loca (ITV2, 2012–2013)
Look Around You (BBC Two, 2002–2005)
Los Dos Bros (Channel 4, 2001)
The Lost Prince (BBC One, 2003)
Meet Ricky Gervais (Channel 4, 2000)
Monkey Dust (BBC Three , 2003–2005)
Murder Most Horrid (BBC Two, 1991–1999)
Nathan Barley (Channel 4, 2005)
Never Mind the Buzzcocks (BBC Two, 1996–2015; Sky Max , 2021–2025)
Perfect Strangers (BBC Two, 2001)
QI (BBC Four , 2003–2008; BBC Two, 2003–2008 & 2011–present; BBC One, 2009–2011)
The Sex Inspectors (Channel 4, 2004)
Shooting the Past (BBC Two, 1999)
Shoreditch Twat (Channel 4, 2002)
Smack the Pony (Channel 4, 1999–2003)
Sweat the Small Stuff (BBC Three, 2013–2015)
Sword of Honour (Channel 4, 2001)
They Think It's All Over (BBC One, 1995–2006)
Through the Keyhole (ITV, 2013–2019)
Too Hot to Handle (Netflix , 2020–2024)
Virtually Famous (E4 , 2014–2017)
Would Like to Meet (BBC Two, 2001–2004)
Your Face or Mine? (E4, 2002–2003; Comedy Central , 2017–2019)
References
Bertelsmann Home Entertainment
Arcadia Entertainment
Aris Ekdotiki
ClipArt Films
Feelgood Entertainment
Fiction Pictures
JP Video Productions
Libero Video
Lucifier Video Enterprises
Mascot Video
Media Vista Film & Audio Distributors
Panorama Audio Visual Systems S.A.
Pissanos International
Star Video
Media assets
RTL Deutschland
Groupe M6 (48.6%)
Catchup and Video on Demand
M6+
International
Gulli Girl
Tiji (Russia)
Gulli Africa
Gulli Bil Arabi
MCM Pop
M6 International
RTL Luxembourg
Radio
RTL Radio
RTL Today Radio
RTL LX
RTL Gold
RTL Magyarország
Catchup and Video on Demand
RTL+ Atresmedia (18.65%)
Fremantle
↑ joint venture with Leonine Holding , The Walt Disney Company , Bauer Media Group and Hubert Burda Media .
1 2 joint venture with Amperwelle Studio München Programmanbietergesellschaft, Axel Springer AG , Burda, Studio Gong, m.b.t. Mediengesellschaft der bayerischen Tageszeitungen für Kabelkommunikation, Medienpool and Radio Bavaria Rundfunkprogrammgesellschaft.
↑ joint venture with Verlagsgesellschaft Madsack, Studio Gong Niedersachsen and Brune-Rieck-Beteiligungs.
↑ joint venture with Axel Springer, Heinrich Bauer Verlag, Lühmanndruck Harburger Zeitungsgesellschaft and Morgenpost Verlag.
↑ joint venture with Pressefunk Nordrhein-Westfalen and Westdeutscher Rundfunk .
↑ joint venture with Funk & Fernsehen Nordwestdeutschland , Antenne Niedersachen and Niedersachsen Radio.
↑ joint venture with Mediengruppe Dr. Haas.
↑ joint venture with Rheinland-Pfälzische Rundfunk.
↑ joint venture with Broadcast Sachsen.
↑ joint venture with TF1 Group .
Penguin Random House
USA
UK
Ebury Penguin General Other Vintage Publishing
Canada Germany Spain Other
Other assets