NI based Waddell Media are stretching their cross generic and multi platform capabilities with their upcoming projects in drama, documentary, online and lifestyle programming including ‘At Your Service’ a new eight part series to be aired on RTÉ One 4th September at 8.30pm.
Advancing on their experience of lifestyle programming with shows like ‘How Long Will You Live?’ and ‘Looking for Love’ Waddell Media are giving viewers a look into the hotel and catering business with the series ‘ At Your Service’. Presented by expert hoteliers Francis and John Brennan from the five star Park Hotel in Kenmare, the hosts will be giving business makeovers to a selection of guesthouses and small hotels throughout Ireland that need urgent help with different problems. Directed by Richard Weller (How Long Will You Live) and produced by Maggi Gibson, filming for the series took place from March to June of this year in eight hotels in counties Clare, Waterford, Kildare, Wicklow and Offaly.
Waddell are also in pre production on a 1 x 60 min NI based drama entitled ‘Scapegoat’ based on the 1953 murder of Patricia Currans. The drama will be directed by Michael McDowell from the ‘Hole in the Wall’ gang that created ‘Give My Head Peace’. The project has received funding from BBC NI and Northern Ireland Screen with filming commencing in February 2009.
Other Waddell productions to air this autumn include ‘Meon na mBan’ (The Minds of Women) a six part series for TG4. Directed and produced by Sarah Reddin, who previously worked on the holiday show ’Getaways’, the series gains insights from women all over Ireland on a range of issues .The series was produced with support from Northern Ireland Screen’s Irish Language Broadcast Fund.
Additionally a 60 minute documentary for ITV1 called ‘The Priests’, directed by Catherine Ross, will follow the rise of three singing priests from Northern Ireland in the entertainment world, who have gained a major recording deal with Sony Records. In a separate programme a concert of the priests, which will be filmed next week in Armagh, will be broadcast on the PBS Channel in the States. A Multi platform progamme base on GAA skills for young people through the Irish language will air on the BBC NI website entitled ‘Preab Suas’. The series is directed by Maureen Murray and produced by Gerard Stratham.
Having moved to new premise in St Helen’s Business Park in Holywood Co. Down, Waddell Media have also extended it’s boundaries with the newly established New York office. Future projects in development that will stem from here include a two part ‘How Bruce Lee Changed the World’ directed Steve Webb and produced by Waddell’s Jon- Barrie and ‘Engineering Thrills’ for the Discovery Channel.
