Tim Hincks, Peter Fincham Launch Expectation; UK Indie Backed By BBC WW
Former Edemol Shine Group President Tim Hincks and ex-ITV Director of Television Peter Fincham have officially launched UK-based indie Expectation. The multi-genre start-up, which was mooted at the end of last year, will work across scripted and non-scripted programming. It has now laid out six departments with a roster of creative executives in key positions. Expectation also has the backing of BBC Worldwide which has taken a 24.9% stake.
This is a big addition to the UK and international market with veteran executives leading the charge. Fincham says the team “is already growing; we’ve started talking to broadcasters and we’re developing ideas that we can’t wait to get working on. Tim and I are like a couple of kids who’ve been given bicycles for their birthday, we literally couldn’t be more thrilled.”
Joining from Channel 4, Nerys Evans is Expectation’s Creative Director, Comedy. Former Endemol Shine execs Nick Mather and Nick Samwell-Smith are Creative Directors, Entertainment.
Fincham says the company will be first and foremost “a creatively led indie — we’re going to put people and programs first, second and third.”
Hincks adds, “Expectation has one simple aim which is to create a home for creative people to do what they do best. A home where the best talent can create and produce the best, most engaging, innovative and entertaining content for the UK and the world. And above all, we’re going to have fun doing it.”
Fincham started out at TalkBack in 1985 and exec produced such series as I’m Alan Partridge (BBC Two), Never Mind The Buzzcocks (BBC Two) and Da Ali G Show (Channel 4). In 2000 TalkBack was sold to Fremantle and two years later Fincham became CEO of TalkBack Thames, responsible for The X Factor and Britain’s Got Talent (ITV), among others. He then spent three years as Controller of BBC One and in 2008 became Director of Television at ITV where he remained until last year amid an executive shake-up. During his tenure at ITV such dramas as Downton Abbey and Broadchurch were launched.
Hincks began his television career in 1990 producing BBC Two’s Food And Drink and working on current affairs programs such as Newsnight and BBC Westminster. He joined Endemol UK in 2002 and was appointed CEO in 2005, President of Endemol Group in 2011, and President of Endemol Shine Group in 2014. During his time, he oversaw Endemol globally and was responsible for the rollout of hits including Million Pound Drop, Peaky Blinders, Hunted, Ripper Street and Broadchurch. In April 2016, he stepped down.
Nerys Evans’ credits include Catastrophe, Flowers and The Windsors. Mather was at Endemol Shine for 10 years before taking on a consultancy role at Tuesday’s Child where he was part of the team that developed Pitch Battle, BBC One’s new primetime singing competition. Samwell-Smith left Endemol Shine last year where he had spent 19 years at Initial, part of Endemol Shine UK. He oversaw the transition of Big Brother from Channel 4 to Channel 5 as well as creating numerous entertainment formats.
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