Fremantle buys into Top Gear alum’s new prodco

FremantleMedia has made another indie investment, this time backing Wild Blue Media, a start up from former Top Gear exec Gary Hunter.

Hunter is credited with the relaunch of Top Gear for the BBC in 2002, after which it went on to become one of the most successful factual shows and formats in the world.

As well as the BBC he has worked at All3Media-backed Studio Lambert, and his credits include Coasrt, Richard Hammond’s Invisible Worlds, and SAS: Are You Tough Enough? and Space Dive.

He is now striking out on his own, with the backing of FremantleMedia. Wild Blue will create factual and fact-ent series, as well as accompanying live events, with FremantleMedia International selling its content globally.

Hunter said: “After a wonderful 12 years at the BBC and a stint with the hugely talented team at Studio Lambert, I am delighted to be working under my own banner.

I’m looking forward to creating new factual features, formats, and returning brands, and working with the global creative network unique to FremantleMedia to bring inspiring, informative and entertaining content to viewers around the world.”

Cecile Frot-Coutaz, CEO of FremantleMedia, said: “Gary has a fantastically fresh and original development slate, plus a wealth of experience and knowledge that complements FremantleMedia.”

Wild Blue is the latest in a long line of indie investments made by FremantleMedia. It has also bought into Naked Entertainment, Man Alive Entertainment, Full Fat TV, Corona Pictures and Dr Pluto, No Pictures Please, Fontaram, Kwai, Wildside and digital media company Squawka.