Banijay UK Takes Stake In James Norton & Kitty Kaletsky’s Rabbit Track Pictures

Andreas Wiseman and Max Goldbart
·3 min read

Banijay UK is investing in Happy Valley star James Norton’s Rabbit Track Pictures, we can reveal jointly with the Times Of London.

London based TV & film production company Rabbit Track was co-founded by film, TV and stage actor Norton and scripted executive Kitty Kaletsky. Deal terms were not disclosed.

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The company launched in 2019 and has scripted projects green-lit for the BBC and ITVX and a growing development slate. Their first film, Rogue Agent, the Netflix thriller starring Norton, was released in 2022.

According to the companies, the investment, which comes via Banijay’s £50M UK Growth Fund, will allow Rabbit Track to “build its team and accelerate growth”, and it includes a first look with distributor Banijay Rights.

Great Point helped launch Rabbit Track, along with fellow founding partner The Development Partnership, by providing seed investment via its Great Point Ventures EIS fund. Both Great Point Media and The Development Partnership remain shareholders in the company. Robert Taylor will remain a director at Rabbit Track Pictures.

BAFTA nominee Norton, whose name has become a regular on James Bond prediction lists, is best known for Happy Valley (BBC/Netflix), McMafia (BBC/AMC), The Trial of Christine Keeler (BBC) and War and Peace (BBC). Film credits include Greta Gerwig’s Little Women, Mr Jones directed by Agnieszka Holland, and Paramount’s upcoming Bob Marley biopic directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green. He is currently starring in the stage production A Little Life.

Kaletsky has worked on both sides of the pond at companies including Archery and Black Bear, having started her career at Number 9 Films. She is Managing Director of Rabbit Track and is responsible for running all creative and business aspects of the company.

Patrick Holland, CEO and Executive Chair of Banijay UK, said: “James and Kitty have a truly impressive slate of projects and are incredibly ambitious for the growth of their business.  We are so delighted that they have chosen Banijay UK as their partner; their passion, commitment, talent and belief are exactly the qualities we want to invest in. We can’t wait to start working together.”

Norton commented: “To be joining the Banijay family is such an exciting moment for us as a company.  Patrick and his team have been incredibly welcoming and supportive already, and clearly share mine and Kitty’s values and ambition for the company. We can’t wait to jump into the rabbit hole with them and see where the next step of this adventure takes us!”

Kaletsky added: “When James first called me about running a company together, I was still fully living and working in Los Angeles. Little could we have imagined, when kick-starting Rabbit Track right before the pandemic, that just a few short years later, we’d be teaming up with such a huge and exciting partner as Banijay. We feel very lucky to be part of this family which will take our success to new levels and can’t wait to get going with Patrick and the whole group.”

Today’s investment is the seventh Growth Fund deal to be announced since it was launched in February 2023. Previous talent deals include a first look with scripted producer, Chris Sussman, and a multi project deal with Scottish documentary director and producer Kevin Macdonald. The fund has also facilitated the acquisition of Mam Tor productions and investments in new scripted company Conker Pictures and North Wales based start-up, Ty’r Ddraig. It has also enabled DSP to grow the business launching DSP Films headed by Graeme McAulay to focus on premium documentaries.

Global TV giant Banijay houses 120 production companies across more than 20 territories. Banijay subsidiaries make shows including MasterChef, Big Brother, Deal Or No Deal, Peaky Blinders, Survivor, and Black Mirror.

Norton is repped by WME and The Artists Partnership.

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