Essential Media and Entertainment, one of Australia’s leading independent international producers of high quality screen content announces the sale of its scripted division to FremantleMedia for an undisclosed sum. Essential Media’s drama division has been behind internationally acclaimed series such as Rake, Doctor Doctor, The Principal, Jack Irish and upcoming series The Sunshine Kings. The company has been a prolific independent TV producer over the past decade since it was founded and continues to produce high end factual and lifestyle content.

The deal will see Essential’s Australian Head of Scripted and company director Ian Collie depart the business and establish a new scripted content production company called Easy Tiger Productions majority owned by FremantleMedia. Founded in 2006 by Chris Hilton, Sonja Armstrong and Ian Collie, Essential Media produces documentaries, features films, factual series and lifestyle programming. The business also produces scripted television and factual entertainment in Los Angeles and Toronto via its joint ventures Essential Media USA, EQTV and Essential Media Canada.

Essential Media and Entertainment’s CEO Chris Hilton said: “We are extremely proud of the exceptional drama IP Essential Media has created and financed over the years and are pleased to see it find the additional resources it needs to prosper under FremantleMedia. We wish Ian Collie the very best in the new venture.”

Essential Media’s current Australian unscripted production slate includes a second season of Body Hack with Todd Sampson (for Network Ten), Uncharted with Sam Neill (for Foxtel & Prime NZ) and The Living Universe (ABC, Arte France, Curiosity Stream & UKTV). The latest season of Gourmet Farmer Season 5 is currently being broadcast on SBS to stellar ratings cementing its position as SBS’s number one food series franchise, and the next instalment of Shane Delia’s culinary adventures Shane Delia’s Recipe for Life (SBS) will premiere soon.