In the first episode of 90s-set ITV drama Quiz, a group of men are devising a game show. Provisionally titled Cash Mountain, it involves players doubling their money with each correct answer on their way to the summit. Concerned that the concept’s too old-fashioned, a Birmingham accent comically suggests, “We could set it on an actual mountain. Like, a little one? Wales?”
Cash Mountain didn’t go down the Welsh Outward Bound route but stuck to its questions-and-cash simplicity to become global smash hit Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? That Brummie voice belonged to Steve Knight (played in Quiz by Keir Charles). He was one of the three creators credited with devising the quiz show that was later struck by the “Coughing Major” cheating scandal so brilliantly dramatised in James Graham’s play and TV adaptation.
In the nineties, Knight and his writing partner Mike Whitehill worked at TV production company Celador.
Cash Mountain didn’t go down the Welsh Outward Bound route but stuck to its questions-and-cash simplicity to become global smash hit Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? That Brummie voice belonged to Steve Knight (played in Quiz by Keir Charles). He was one of the three creators credited with devising the quiz show that was later struck by the “Coughing Major” cheating scandal so brilliantly dramatised in James Graham’s play and TV adaptation.
In the nineties, Knight and his writing partner Mike Whitehill worked at TV production company Celador.
- 2/16/2022
- by Louisa Mellor
- Den of Geek
Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? is returning to British broadcaster ITV with ten new episodes.
The Grand Tour’s Jeremy Clarkson is once again hosting the stripped run following a series of anniversary specials earlier this year. The show relaunched in May with over 6M viewers and a 31% share.
The show will air in 2019 and will once again give members of the public the chance to win £1M.
The show is being produced by Sony-owned production company Stellify Media, which produces the reboot of Blind Date for Channel 5 and recently secured a Jackass-meets-Wipeout gameshow commission for Netflix. Filming takes place in Manchester.
Commissioned for ITV by Head of Entertainment Siobhan Greene and Commissioning Editor Ben Kelly. It will be executive produced by Fiona Clark and Stellify’s joint managing directors Kieran Doherty and Matthew Worthy, with Directors Julia Knowles and Richard Valentine.
Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?...
The Grand Tour’s Jeremy Clarkson is once again hosting the stripped run following a series of anniversary specials earlier this year. The show relaunched in May with over 6M viewers and a 31% share.
The show will air in 2019 and will once again give members of the public the chance to win £1M.
The show is being produced by Sony-owned production company Stellify Media, which produces the reboot of Blind Date for Channel 5 and recently secured a Jackass-meets-Wipeout gameshow commission for Netflix. Filming takes place in Manchester.
Commissioned for ITV by Head of Entertainment Siobhan Greene and Commissioning Editor Ben Kelly. It will be executive produced by Fiona Clark and Stellify’s joint managing directors Kieran Doherty and Matthew Worthy, with Directors Julia Knowles and Richard Valentine.
Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?...
- 9/13/2018
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
As the thriller Locke arrives on disc we talk to writer-director Steven Knight about its making, Tom Hardy, World War Z and more...
One of the best thrillers of the year takes place inside one car. Said car is being driven by Ivan Locke, played by Tom Hardy.
Steven Knight, the creator of Peaky Blinders, wrote and directed the movie (having previously helmed the mighty Statham in Hummingbird), and he spared some time to talk about the film as it arrives on DVD and Blu-ray...
Shooting Locke, you did the drive down the motorway 18-20 times for real to film it, and pulled together your cut from there. Were you aiming for the claustrophobia of a small theatre?
Yeah. While making Hummingbird, we tested the cameras by shooting from moving vehicles. Then we would view the test footage in a cinema, and I found it really good. So I wanted...
One of the best thrillers of the year takes place inside one car. Said car is being driven by Ivan Locke, played by Tom Hardy.
Steven Knight, the creator of Peaky Blinders, wrote and directed the movie (having previously helmed the mighty Statham in Hummingbird), and he spared some time to talk about the film as it arrives on DVD and Blu-ray...
Shooting Locke, you did the drive down the motorway 18-20 times for real to film it, and pulled together your cut from there. Were you aiming for the claustrophobia of a small theatre?
Yeah. While making Hummingbird, we tested the cameras by shooting from moving vehicles. Then we would view the test footage in a cinema, and I found it really good. So I wanted...
- 8/21/2014
- by ryanlambie
- Den of Geek
Cast your brain box back in time to April 2011, where we brought word that Eastern Promises writer Steve Knight had worked up a script called Hummingbird that he intended to make his directorial debut. Things have moved on apace as he’s now got the cash to make the movie and Jason Statham locked in to star.The Stath will play a former Special Forces soldier who has found himself sucked into London’s grimy criminal underworld (fertile territory for Knight, it would seem). But when he gets the chance to take on another identity, he embraces it, and becomes an avenging angel looking to take down wrongdoers.Im Global is aboard to stump up the $20 million to make the movie, which Knight will shoot early next year in the city. It won’t actually be his first directing credit, though: he also shot a few episodes of Jasper Carrott...
- 11/2/2011
- EmpireOnline
London -- Fresh from its $269 million David vs Goliath victory against Disney's ABC last week, "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?" producer Celador may now turn its fire on the William Morris Agency, Celador chairman Paul Smith told THR Monday.
Celador believes it has a case to recoup significant fees against the agent -- now part of William Morris Endeavor Entertainment -- which packaged its blockbuster show for the U.S. market eight years ago.
"We believe we have a case against William Morris and are considering all aspects of the situation," said Smith, who founded the British independent producer and created the global format blockbuster alongside Steve Knight, David Briggs and Mike Whitehill in 1998.
"We haven't decided categorically whether we have the appetite to proceed with another litigation, but we certainly believe we have the grounds to do so," he added.
Celador has what is known as "tolling agreement" in place,...
Celador believes it has a case to recoup significant fees against the agent -- now part of William Morris Endeavor Entertainment -- which packaged its blockbuster show for the U.S. market eight years ago.
"We believe we have a case against William Morris and are considering all aspects of the situation," said Smith, who founded the British independent producer and created the global format blockbuster alongside Steve Knight, David Briggs and Mike Whitehill in 1998.
"We haven't decided categorically whether we have the appetite to proceed with another litigation, but we certainly believe we have the grounds to do so," he added.
Celador has what is known as "tolling agreement" in place,...
- 7/12/2010
- by By Mimi Turner
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Fresh from its victory over Disney's ABC network, Celador sets sights on firm that set up Us deal for Millionaire
The London-based television production company Celador, which created the game show Who Wants to be a Millionaire?, is considering suing the powerful Hollywood talent agency William Morris for acting improperly in negotiating a deal that brought the hit format onto Us screens in 1999.
Celador is flush from victory after winning $269m (£178m) in damages last week from Disney's ABC network, which airs the Us version of Millionaire. After a six-year legal battle, Celador successfully persuaded a Californian jury that it was fiddled out of a fair share of profits from the show, which is still re-run five days a week on coast-to-coast television.
An original sale of the game show format to Disney was negotiated 11 years ago on Celador's behalf by William Morris, a huge talent empire which represents clients...
The London-based television production company Celador, which created the game show Who Wants to be a Millionaire?, is considering suing the powerful Hollywood talent agency William Morris for acting improperly in negotiating a deal that brought the hit format onto Us screens in 1999.
Celador is flush from victory after winning $269m (£178m) in damages last week from Disney's ABC network, which airs the Us version of Millionaire. After a six-year legal battle, Celador successfully persuaded a Californian jury that it was fiddled out of a fair share of profits from the show, which is still re-run five days a week on coast-to-coast television.
An original sale of the game show format to Disney was negotiated 11 years ago on Celador's behalf by William Morris, a huge talent empire which represents clients...
- 7/11/2010
- by Andrew Clark
- The Guardian - Film News
Celador investors awarded unpaid royalties in damages but Us entertainment giant may appeal against ruling
The British creators of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? won $269m (£178m) in damages from the Disney entertainment empire in a Us court after a six-year battle over unpaid royalties.
After three days of deliberation, a jury decided that Disney's ABC network had cheated Celador International out of its entitlement to a 50% share in profits from the American version of the show, which airs five days a week on coast-to-coast television and has proven hugely lucrative.
Celador's founder, the multi-millionaire producer Paul Smith, hailed the verdict, which came in a courtroom in Riverside, east of Los Angeles, as a victory for a small company over a multinational.
"This is money to which we're entitled and Disney endeavoured to avoid paying it. I'm delighted we're going to get it," Smith told the Guardian. "It's been debilitating and it's been very,...
The British creators of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? won $269m (£178m) in damages from the Disney entertainment empire in a Us court after a six-year battle over unpaid royalties.
After three days of deliberation, a jury decided that Disney's ABC network had cheated Celador International out of its entitlement to a 50% share in profits from the American version of the show, which airs five days a week on coast-to-coast television and has proven hugely lucrative.
Celador's founder, the multi-millionaire producer Paul Smith, hailed the verdict, which came in a courtroom in Riverside, east of Los Angeles, as a victory for a small company over a multinational.
"This is money to which we're entitled and Disney endeavoured to avoid paying it. I'm delighted we're going to get it," Smith told the Guardian. "It's been debilitating and it's been very,...
- 7/8/2010
- by Andrew Clark
- The Guardian - Film News
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