STUDIOCANAL, Europe’s leader in production, distribution and international sales of TV series and feature films has made a significant investment in new U.K. production house BIRDIE PICTURES announcing the company’s first project. 

 Award-winning Founder and CEO of indie BIRDIE PICTURES, Phil Temple (Code 404, Two Weeks to Live, The Lost Honour of Christopher Jefferies, The Last Kingdom, Stan Lee’s Lucky Man,) was formerly Executive Producer at Kudos, where he was most recently working on This Town by Steven Knight for BBC One.  

As STUDIOCANAL’s investment was announced, Temple also confirmed BIRDIE PICTURES’ first project, optioning the rights to new novel THE MYSTERIOUS CASE OF THE ALPERTON ANGELS, by best-selling author, Janice Hallett (The Twyford Code, The Appeal).  The mystery thriller went straight into the Sunday Times Bestseller list in its first week of release and has been universally praised by critics.

Phil Temple comments: “I am thrilled to join STUDIOCANAL’s growing group of creative production companies and very pleased to seal the deal on this truly brilliant book.  It is just the twist-laden, fiendishly clever mystery that I have been looking for, and which audiences will be mesmerized by, just like I was when I read it and couldn’t speak to anyone for two days as I raced to find out how it ended.” 

He adds, “Birdie will be a home where writers feel listened to, empowered and supported.  We will make quality drama and comedy that audiences will fall in love with, and we also want to have fun doing it.” 

Francoise Guyonnet, Executive Managing Director TV Series, STUDIOCANAL expands: “We are delighted to announce our investment in BIRDIE PICTURES today and in a UK producer of this calibre. Phil is an extremely talented producer with a real gift for helping to bring a writers’ vision to the screen. Phil has worked with all the U.K. broadcasters throughout his rich career and has excellent relationships with writers and talent. Phil shares STUDIOCANAL’s global ambition for projects and we know he is going to bring a strong line-up of relatable English language programming to STUDIOCANAL to share with the international market and audiences worldwide.” 

Janice says “I am beyond thrilled to be working with Phil Temple, Birdie Pictures and STUDIOCANAL to bring The Mysterious Case of The Alperton Angels to the screen. Phil’s expertise in, and enthusiasm for original storytelling will deliver this vivid and surprising tale to a wide TV audience. I am so proud to be a part of his new company’s first screen project.”