Universal Television Alternative Studio UK
A London-based NBCUniversal production studio specializing in unscripted, factual, entertainment, comedy and branded television content.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Universal Television Alternative Studio UK is a British television production company headquartered in London and operating with an office in Los Angeles. The studio is the current identity of Monkey Kingdom, a production business established in 2000 by David Granger and Will MacDonald. Its work has covered live studio entertainment, structured reality, factual programming, documentaries, quiz and game shows, comedy, digital content and brand-led productions. The company developed a reputation for originating and producing commercially distinctive entertainment formats for British broadcasters and international audiences. Its best-known programmes include Made in Chelsea, a structured-reality series; The Real Housewives of Cheshire; The Question Jury, a daytime quiz and panel format; TFI Friday; The Charlotte Church Show; The House of Obsessive Compulsives; Elton John: Me, Myself & I; Make My Day; Swinging; The Bi Life; and Don't Hate the Playaz. The production catalogue has included commissions and partnerships involving the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, IKEA and Amnesty International. The company became part of NBCUniversal in 2010. Its acquisition followed the growth of NBCUniversal's British production presence, which also included the acquisition of Carnival Films and the creation of WTTV, a joint venture associated with Working Title Films, Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner. Before establishing Monkey, Granger and MacDonald had worked on programmes including Don't Forget Your Toothbrush, TFI Friday, The Priory, Lock, Stock..., MTV's Most Wanted and The Big Breakfast. Monkey expanded beyond unscripted television during the late 2000s. In July 2009 it entered an arrangement with ITV Studios' global distribution arm, ITV Global Entertainment, under which the business was backed in developing its scripted television activity. Catherine Oldfield was appointed to lead that scripted production operation. Although unscripted and factual entertainment remained central to the company's identity, its broader capabilities included comedy, documentary and digital work. The company's productions have received nominations and awards from organisations including BAFTA, Rose d'Or, the International Emmy Awards, the Royal Television Society, The Comedy Awards, Broadcast Awards and other industry bodies. Made in Chelsea won a BAFTA for Reality and Constructed Factual in 2013, while The Question Jury won a Broadcast Award for Best Daytime Programme in 2017. Other recognised projects included TFI Friday, The Charlotte Church Show, Swinging, Make My Day, The Real Housewives of Cheshire and Elton John: Me, Myself & I. In 2018, the company produced Don't Hate the Playaz, described in reference material as the first British television panel show to feature an all-black, all-female line-up. The company also reported that 40 percent of the senior team on Made in Chelsea consisted of people from Black, Asian or other minority ethnic backgrounds. In May 2025, following an announcement of layoffs by Universal International Studios, the business was moved into Universal Studio Group's American unscripted television division, Universal Television Alternative Studio. It was subsequently rebranded Universal Television Alternative Studio UK, effectively retiring the Monkey name after approximately 25 years while placing its production staff under the UTAS structure.
History
Universal Television Alternative Studio UK began in 2000 as Monkey Kingdom, founded in Britain by television producers David Granger and Will MacDonald. The founders had previously worked on a range of high-profile British entertainment programmes, including Don't Forget Your Toothbrush, TFI Friday, The Priory, Lock, Stock..., MTV's Most Wanted and The Big Breakfast. Their new company concentrated on developing entertainment, factual and reality concepts for broadcasters and other commissioning clients. Monkey's early and continuing output combined studio entertainment with observational and constructed factual forms. Its catalogue included Make My Day, a hidden-camera fixed-rig comedy; The Charlotte Church Show; Elton John: Me, Myself & I; The House of Obsessive Compulsives; and Swinging. The company later became especially associated with Made in Chelsea, a structured-reality series, and The Real Housewives of Cheshire. It also produced quiz, panel and music formats such as The Question Jury and TFI Friday. In July 2009, Monkey Kingdom signed an arrangement with ITV Global Entertainment, the international distribution arm of ITV Studios. The deal supported the company's move into scripted television, and Catherine Oldfield became head of its scripted production business. The initiative broadened Monkey's ambitions beyond its established unscripted and factual base, while distribution relationships helped position its formats and programmes for wider markets. NBCUniversal acquired Monkey Kingdom in 2010. The purchase formed part of NBCUniversal's wider British production strategy, following its acquisition of Carnival Films and the launch of WTTV, a joint venture connected with Working Title Films and producers Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner. Under NBCUniversal ownership, Monkey continued creating, producing and selling programmes in the United Kingdom and United States. Its work could be commissioned by broadcasters, developed for international distribution or created for commercial and institutional partners. The company's output during the 2010s included a sustained run of Made in Chelsea and The Real Housewives of Cheshire, together with entertainment, factual and documentary projects. The Question Jury received recognition as a daytime format, while Made in Chelsea became one of the company's most decorated productions. Monkey also worked beyond conventional broadcaster commissions, producing material for organisations and brands including IKEA and Amnesty International. Recognition came from BAFTA, Rose d'Or, International Emmy, Royal Television Society, Broadcast Awards, The Comedy Awards and other industry bodies. The company's projects won or received nominations for reality, constructed factual, daytime, music, comedy, game and entertainment categories. Made in Chelsea won a BAFTA for Reality and Constructed Factual in 2013. The Question Jury won the Broadcast Award for Best Daytime Programme in 2017, while The Real Housewives of Cheshire received recognition from the Royal Television Society's North West awards. In 2018, Monkey produced Don't Hate the Playaz, a music and comedy panel show noted for its all-black, all-female line-up. The company also highlighted the ethnic diversity of the senior production team working on Made in Chelsea. These developments reflected an effort to broaden representation in entertainment production and on screen. In May 2025, Universal International Studios announced layoffs and reorganisational changes. As part of that restructuring, Monkey was placed under Universal Studio Group's American unscripted television division, Universal Television Alternative Studio. The British operation was renamed Universal Television Alternative Studio UK, or UTAS UK. The change effectively ended the Monkey brand as the operating identity after roughly 25 years, while its production personnel and activities continued within the new Universal Television Alternative Studio structure.
- 2025
Rebrand as Universal Television Alternative Studio UK
[1]The former Monkey operation is moved into Universal Television Alternative Studio and adopts its current UK identity.
- 2018
Don't Hate the Playaz launches
[1]Monkey produces the music and comedy panel show Don't Hate the Playaz, noted for its all-black, all-female line-up.
- 2017
The Question Jury wins a Broadcast Award
[1]The Question Jury wins the Broadcast Award for Best Daytime Programme.
- 2013
Made in Chelsea wins a BAFTA
[1]Made in Chelsea receives the BAFTA for Reality and Constructed Factual.
- 2010
NBCUniversal acquisition
[1]NBCUniversal acquires Monkey Kingdom, adding it to the group's expanding British production portfolio.
- 2009
Scripted television expansion
[1]Monkey Kingdom enters an ITV Global Entertainment-backed arrangement to expand into scripted production, with Catherine Oldfield appointed to lead the unit.
- 2000
Monkey Kingdom is founded
[1]David Granger and Will MacDonald establish the British television production company that later becomes Universal Television Alternative Studio UK.
Products and positioning
A UK-focused unscripted and entertainment production studio within NBCUniversal, combining original format development, factual storytelling, structured reality, comedy and branded-content capabilities for British and international buyers.
Structured reality television
Made in Chelsea
A long-running structured-reality programme following a socially connected group in London. The series became one of Monkey Kingdom's signature formats and received multiple industry nominations and awards, including a BAFTA for Reality and Constructed Factual in 2013. Its associated music, digital and interactive extensions also received recognition.
Reality television
The Real Housewives of Cheshire
A British regional adaptation of the Real Housewives reality format focused on a group of women in Cheshire. The programme was among the company's prominent reality productions and received recognition including a Royal Television Society North West award and further industry nominations.
Daytime quiz and panel show
The Question Jury
A quiz and panel format built around questions and audience-facing debate. The programme was recognised as a daytime entertainment production, winning the Broadcast Award for Best Daytime Programme in 2017 and receiving further nominations from the Royal Television Society and Televisual Bulldog Awards.
Music and entertainment television
TFI Friday
A music-led entertainment programme associated with the founders' earlier production work and later Monkey output. The show and its anniversary special received recognition including a BAFTA nomination and Broadcast Award nomination.
Comedy and chat show
The Charlotte Church Show
A comedy and chat-oriented entertainment programme fronted by Charlotte Church. It received Rose d'Or, Televisual Bulldog and British Comedy Awards recognition, including a British Comedy Award for Best Newcomer associated with the programme.
Music and comedy panel show · 2018
Don't Hate the Playaz
A music and comedy panel programme produced in 2018. It was noted for presenting an all-black, all-female line-up on a British television panel show, and it received a Royal Television Society nomination for Best Entertainment Show.
Reality television
The Bi Life
A reality television production that received recognition at the British LGBT Awards. The available reference material identifies the programme as part of the company's later unscripted catalogue but does not provide further format or distribution details.
Hidden-camera comedy
Make My Day
A fixed-rig hidden-camera comedy format. The programme received Rose d'Or recognition in 2003, including an award in the gameshow category and a nomination in the reality category.
Marketing campaigns
- 2018Don't Hate the Playaz representation initiative
United Kingdom
The production of Don't Hate the Playaz brought an all-black, all-female line-up to a British television panel-show setting, according to the available reference material. The company also cited increased ethnic diversity in the senior Made in Chelsea production team.
Outcome. The programme attracted industry attention and received a Royal Television Society entertainment nomination.
Brand decisions
2025
Reorganise the British unscripted operationStrategyBackground
Universal International Studios announced layoffs and related organisational changes in May 2025.
Action taken
Monkey was moved into Universal Studio Group's Universal Television Alternative Studio division and renamed Universal Television Alternative Studio UK.
Aftermath
The Monkey name was effectively retired after approximately 25 years, while production staff were placed under the UTAS structure.
2010
NBCUniversal acquires Monkey KingdomM&ABackground
NBCUniversal was expanding its British production presence through acquisitions and production partnerships.
Action taken
NBCUniversal acquired Monkey Kingdom and incorporated it into its UK production portfolio.
Aftermath
The company continued producing and selling television content in the United Kingdom and United States under NBCUniversal ownership.
2009
Expand into scripted televisionStrategyBackground
Monkey Kingdom sought to broaden its business beyond unscripted and factual entertainment.
Action taken
The company entered an arrangement backed by ITV Global Entertainment and appointed Catherine Oldfield to head scripted production.
Aftermath
The company continued to be described primarily through its entertainment, reality, factual and comedy output; the available sources do not quantify the later scripted slate.
Sources1 sources
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