Wild Rover Productions

Wild Rover Productions is a television production company based in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Founded by Philip Morrow in 1999, the company developed as a regionally based producer with a focus on entertainment, comedy, factual-entertainment and interactive television. Its work has been associated particularly with programming made for UK broadcasters and with formats designed for broad popular audiences. The company’s output includes studio and location-based entertainment, comedy, quiz and game-show programming, and programmes that use television interactivity or audience participation. Its regional base is significant to its identity: Wild Rover became known as one of the United Kingdom’s more successful production companies operating outside London, while its programmes addressed both Northern Irish subjects and nationwide audiences. Among its better-known productions is the UK version of Just for Laughs, a hidden-camera comedy programme broadcast by BBC One. The series was developed as a UK sister version of the Canadian Just for Laughs: Gags format produced by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Wild Rover also produced Would You Pass The 11+?, presented by Eamonn Holmes. The programme was designed to help children prepare for the Northern Ireland Transfer Procedure test and to explain to parents the skills associated with the examination. It was notable as the BBC’s first regional red-button interactive programme. The company’s other entertainment work included All Mixed Up, described in reference material as the United Kingdom’s most successful regional ITV game show, and McKeever, a sketch-comedy programme featuring Northern Irish comedian Nuala McKeever. In 2006, Wild Rover produced Get Smarter in a Week for BBC One, an interactive programme offering advice and techniques intended to help viewers improve their intelligence and problem-solving abilities. Wild Rover also created and developed formats for larger national and international television markets. In 2009, it began producing Secret Fortune, a Saturday-night lottery game show created by Matthew Worthy and Kieran Doherty. The BBC programme premiered in February 2011. A United States adaptation was subsequently piloted for CBS with Donny Osmond as host, although it was not commissioned as a full series. Another format, Take the Money and Run, received a six-episode order from the American Broadcasting Company in 2010. The programme involved the production participation of Jerry Bruckheimer and Amazing Race creators Bertram van Munster and Elise Doganieri. ABC did not renew the programme beyond its first season. These developments illustrate Wild Rover’s movement from regional British production toward format development and international adaptation, although the available reference material does not establish the company’s ownership, financial performance, current executive structure or present production slate in detail.

Wild Rover Productions was established in Belfast in 1999 by Philip Morrow. The company emerged during a period in which UK broadcasters were increasingly commissioning programmes from producers outside London and seeking regionally distinctive content. From its Northern Irish base, Wild Rover built a slate spanning entertainment, comedy, factual-entertainment, quizzes, game shows and interactive television. Its early and regional work included Would You Pass The 11+?, presented by Eamonn Holmes. The programme focused on the Northern Ireland Transfer Procedure test, providing children with preparation advice and helping parents understand the skills assessed. It was also significant in broadcasting terms because it was identified as the BBC’s first regional red-button interactive programme. The project demonstrated Wild Rover’s interest in combining mainstream television with digital participation. Wild Rover’s comedy and entertainment portfolio included All Mixed Up, characterized in the available reference material as the United Kingdom’s most successful regional ITV game show, and McKeever, a sketch-comedy programme starring Northern Irish comedian Nuala McKeever. These productions gave the company a visible role in regional television while using formats accessible to wider UK audiences. In 2006, Wild Rover produced Get Smarter in a Week for BBC One. The interactive programme offered viewers strategies and practical advice intended to improve intelligence, learning and problem-solving. Its format continued the company’s use of participation and self-improvement themes within a popular-entertainment framework. The company subsequently expanded its format-development ambitions. In 2009 it began producing Secret Fortune, created by Matthew Worthy and Kieran Doherty for the BBC Lottery programming strand. The Saturday-night game show premiered in February 2011. A US pilot hosted by Donny Osmond was later commissioned by CBS, but the network did not order a full series. Wild Rover also developed Take the Money and Run for the American market. On 12 October 2010, ABC announced a six-episode order. The production involved Jerry Bruckheimer as executive producer and Amazing Race creators Bertram van Munster and Elise Doganieri. The programme did not continue beyond its first season, but the order represented a notable attempt by a Belfast-based producer to place an original entertainment format with a major US broadcast network. Another important part of the company’s television output has been the UK version of Just for Laughs, a hidden-camera comedy show broadcast on BBC One. Wild Rover created the UK sister version of the Canadian Just for Laughs: Gags programme produced by CBC. This work illustrates the company’s ability to localize an established international entertainment concept for a British audience. The available public material presents Wild Rover as a regionally based independent production company with national and international ambitions. It does not provide reliable information on ownership, financial results, a current corporate group, detailed present-day staffing or a complete post-reference production history. Accordingly, those aspects remain unspecified rather than inferred.

• 2011

  Secret Fortune premieres

  [1]Wild Rover Productionsen.wikipedia.org

  Secret Fortune premiered as a Saturday-night BBC lottery game show.

• 2010

  ABC orders Take the Money and Run

  [1]Wild Rover Productionsen.wikipedia.org

  ABC ordered six episodes of Take the Money and Run for the US market.

• 2009

  Production begins on Secret Fortune

  [1]Wild Rover Productionsen.wikipedia.org

  Wild Rover began producing Secret Fortune, a lottery game-show format created by Matthew Worthy and Kieran Doherty.

• 2006

  Get Smarter in a Week produced for BBC One

  [1]Wild Rover Productionsen.wikipedia.org

  Wild Rover produced the interactive BBC One programme Get Smarter in a Week.

• 1999

  Company founded in Belfast

  [1]Wild Rover Productionsen.wikipedia.org

  Philip Morrow established Wild Rover Productions in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

A Northern Irish independent television producer combining regional storytelling and talent with mainstream entertainment, comedy, game-show and interactive formats for UK broadcasters and international adaptation.

• Hidden-camera comedy television

  Just for Laughs

  Wild Rover produced the UK version of the hidden-camera comedy format Just for Laughs for BBC One. The programme was developed as a British sister version of the Canadian Just for Laughs: Gags, adapting the format for UK broadcast audiences while retaining its practical-joke and candid-camera foundation.

• Interactive educational entertainment

  Would You Pass The 11+?

  Presented by Eamonn Holmes, this programme addressed the Northern Ireland Transfer Procedure test. It aimed to help children prepare for the examination and to inform parents about the skills required. The show was notable for its use of BBC red-button interactivity and was described as the BBC’s first regional interactive programme of that type.

• Regional ITV game show

  All Mixed Up

  All Mixed Up was an entertainment game show produced for ITV’s regional broadcasting structure. Reference material identifies it as Wild Rover’s most successful regional ITV game show, although detailed information about its running dates, format mechanics and distribution is not available in the cited source.

• Sketch comedy

  McKeever

  McKeever was a sketch-comedy programme starring Northern Irish comedian Nuala McKeever. It formed part of Wild Rover’s regional comedy output and helped foreground Northern Irish comic talent.

• Interactive pop-factual television · 2006

  Get Smarter in a Week

  Produced for BBC One in 2006, Get Smarter in a Week presented tips and strategies intended to help viewers improve intelligence, learning and problem-solving. Its interactive presentation reflected Wild Rover’s interest in participatory factual-entertainment.

• Lottery game show · 2011

  Secret Fortune

  Secret Fortune was a Saturday-night primetime lottery game show created by Matthew Worthy and Kieran Doherty and produced by Wild Rover for the BBC. It premiered in February 2011 and was subsequently tested for the US market through a CBS pilot hosted by Donny Osmond.

• Reality competition format · 2010

  Take the Money and Run

  Take the Money and Run was a Wild Rover television format that received a six-episode order from ABC in 2010. The US production involved Jerry Bruckheimer as executive producer and Bertram van Munster and Elise Doganieri as executive producers associated with The Amazing Race. ABC did not renew the programme after its first season.

• 2010

  Pursue US network adaptation of Take the Money and RunStrategy

  Background

  Wild Rover developed an entertainment format with potential for international adaptation and sought a major US network commission.

  Action taken

  ABC ordered six episodes, with Jerry Bruckheimer, Bertram van Munster and Elise Doganieri attached in executive-producer roles.

  Aftermath

  ABC did not renew the programme beyond its first season.

  Source

• 2009

  Develop and produce Secret FortuneProduct launch

  Background

  Wild Rover sought to extend its format-development work into Saturday-night national entertainment through a lottery game show created by Matthew Worthy and Kieran Doherty.

  Action taken

  The company began producing Secret Fortune for the BBC; the programme premiered in February 2011.

  Aftermath

  A US pilot hosted by Donny Osmond was commissioned by CBS but was not taken forward as a full series.

  Source

1. 1Wild Rover Productionsen.wikipedia.org