More4 orders bumper commission of Our Farm Next Door: Amanda, Clive and Kids from Wise Owl

More4 is heading to the Yorkshire Dales for a new ten part ob-doc series from Wise Owl Films following ‘Yorkshire Shepherdess’ Amanda Owen and her family as they renovate a derelict farmhouse.

Our Farm Next Door: Amanda, Clive and Kids charts the Owens’ journey to breathe life back into a derelict neighbouring property they bought to plan for the family’s future. The series sees Amanda, Clive and their nine children work with a team of local tradespeople to slowly bring their ambitious vision for the farmhouse - known locally as Anty John’s - to life, tackling the changing seasons and challenging elements along the way, as well as getting to grips with the nature of restoring a listed property in a remote location.

Cameras also follow Amanda as she digs deep into the farmhouse’s past and reveals the fascinating part its former owners played in local history. 

WISE OWL AND ANITA RANI CELEBRATE THE LEGACY OF THE BRONTËS

Anita Rani presents this exploration of the Brontë sisters and their enduring influence in a new Sky Arts documentary from Wise Owl Films.

Anita Rani – The Brontës: Sisters of Disruption (w/t) will look at the impact Anne, Charlotte and Emily Brontë have had on millions of readers across the centuries, including Anita.

Partly autobiographical, this new programme traces Anita’s relationship with the Brontës, as she heads back to Bradford to recall the first time she read Jayne Eyre and Wuthering Heights at school. Anita also reveals the sense of identification she felt with the sisters, growing up in Bradford in the 1980s and 90s, with the stunning landscape of Haworth and the moors (which Anita calls her “happy place”) on her doorstep.

ABBA EUROVISION ANNIVERSARY TO BE CELEBRATED WITH NEW WISE OWL DOCUMENTARY

The 50th anniversary of ABBA winning the Eurovision Song Contest in 1974 is to be celebrated in a new BBC Two documentary from Wise Owl Films, chronicling the band’s unique relationship with the UK.

When ABBA Came To Britain will form the centrepiece of a dedicated Saturday night of ABBA content on BBC Two.

Ever since they were introduced on stage at the Brighton Dome the Swedish super group have held an enduring place in Britain’s hearts and in British pop culture.

The documentary looks at the time Agnetha, Anni-Frid, Benny and Björn spent in the UK from 1974 to 1982 and examines their ground-breaking legacy, from Eurovision to ABBA Voyage.

Featuring previously untransmitted interviews with ABBA, it’s the tale of a relationship that started with the band’s fascination with British music, including The Beatles in the 1960s. After winning the Eurovision Song Contest with Waterloo in 1974, the band would eventually find global stardom, but their relationship with the UK remains unique.

WISE OWL CELEBRATES FIFTH BIRTHDAY

5 years

Wise Owl Films reached the five year landmark this week.

It was Bonfire Night 2018 when Mark Robinson, Kerry Allison and Stuart Ramsay launched an exciting new adventure - Wise Owl Films in Leeds - joined soon after by Charlotte Topliss and Nathalie Mayer.

Since then Wise Owl (and its youth label Hoot) have made 24 series and specials, employed hundreds of people, launched many careers, won awards and worked with an array of talent (on and off screen) – from David Jason to Peter Kay, Amanda Owen to Guy Garvey, West Yorkshire firefighters and Tyne & Wear Metro staff to Blondie.

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WISE OWL'S DOUBLE DELIGHT AT THE RTS YORKSHIRE AWARDS

Wise Owl Films picked up two wins at the RTS Yorkshire Awards held in Leeds on Friday October 20th.

BBC Two’s When Tina Turner Came To Britain came out on top in the Factual Entertainment category.

The judges said: “The programme combined great insight with powerful storytelling. With access to a great set of contributors plus excellent use of archive footage, this programme was ‘Simply the Best’.