 | |
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television Film |
| Genre | Scripted |
| Founded | 2014 (2014) |
| Founders | George Faber |
| Headquarters | London, UK |
Key people | George Faber (Executive Chairman) George Ormond (Joint Managing Director) Beth Willis (Joint Managing Director) |
| Parent | Banijay UK (2023–present) |
| Website | theforgeentertainment.co.uk |
The Forge is a British television production company founded by George Faber and owned by Banijay UK.
History
The Forge was formed in 2014 by George Faber with the aim of developing and producing original and innovative television drama, working in collaboration with the UK’s leading and emerging creative talent. Faber had previously founded Company Pictures in 1998. George Ormond joined at the company’s inception, with Channel 4’s former Drama Commissioner Beth Willis joining in 2018.
Following its acquisition by Banijay UK in 2023[1], The Forge has continued to develop scripted drama for both UK broadcasters and international streamers.
In 2026, it was announced that Faber would become the company's Executive Director, with Executive Producers Ormond and Willis becoming joint Managing Directors.[2]
Productions
The company’s first major success came with National Treasure (2016), a four-part Channel 4 drama written by Jack Thorne and directed by Marc Munden. Starring Robbie Coltrane and Julie Walters, the series, inspired by Operation Yewtree, explored the personal and public fallout of historic sexual abuse allegations and won the BAFTA for Best Mini-Series.[3]
This was followed by The Miniaturist (2017), a BBC adaptation of Jessie Burton’s novel, starring Anya Taylor-Joy. In the same year, The Forge produced Ackley Bridge (2017–2022), a long-running Channel 4 series set in a multicultural Yorkshire community, noted for its ensemble cast and focus on social realism.
In 2018, The Forge produced Collateral, a BBC Two thriller written by David Hare and directed by S. J. Clarkson, starring Carey Mulligan, Billie Piper and John Simm. That year also saw the broadcast of Kiri on Channel 4, starring Sarah Lancashire, a drama praised for its examination of race, class and child protection[4], which went on to receive multiple BAFTA nominations.[5]
The Forge expanded into political drama with Roadkill (2020), a BBC One series starring Hugh Laurie as a government minister whose public career is threatened by personal scandal.[6] The series won Best Original Music at the BAFTA TV Craft Awards.[7]
In 2021, the company produced Help, a feature-length Channel 4 drama written by Jack Thorne and directed by Marc Munden, starring Jodie Comer and Stephen Graham. Set in a care home during the COVID-19 pandemic, the film received widespread acclaim[8][9] and won the International Emmy Award for Best TV Movie[10] and the Rose d'Or for Best Drama.
In 2022, The Forge produced Rules of the Game, a BBC drama examining workplace culture and institutional misconduct, and Marriage, a BBC One relationship drama starring Sean Bean and Nicola Walker. That year also marked a international expansion with Becoming Elizabeth, a historical drama for Starz focusing on the early life of Elizabeth I, signalling the company’s growing presence in the US market.
From 2023 onwards, The Forge has increasingly partnered with global streaming platforms. The Buccaneers, an Apple TV adaptation of Edith Wharton’s unfinished novel, features a predominantly younger cast alongside Christina Hendricks and was renewed for a third series in 2025[11]. The company followed this with Shardlake (2024), a Disney+ historical mystery adapted by Stephen Butchard.
The Forge's latest productions include Just Act Normal (2025) for BBC Three, alongside upcoming Falling for Channel 4, written by Jack Thorne and starring Keeley Hawes[12], and A Woman of Substance for Channel 4, an adaptation of Barbara Taylor Bradford’s 1979 novel of the same name, starring Brenda Blethyn[13].
Productions list
| Show | Distributor / Broadcaster | Year(s) |
|---|---|---|
| National Treasure | Channel 4 | 2016 |
| The Miniaturist | BBC One | 2017 |
| Ackley Bridge | Channel 4 | 2017–2022 |
| Collateral | BBC Two, Netflix | 2018 |
| Kiri | Channel 4 | |
| Roadkill | BBC One | 2020 |
| Help | Channel 4 | 2021 |
| Rules of the Game | BBC One | 2022 |
| Marriage | ||
| Becoming Elizabeth | Starz | |
| The Buccaneers | Apple TV | 2023–present |
| Shardlake | Disney+ | 2024 |
| Generation Z | Channel 4 | |
| Just Act Normal | BBC Three | 2025 |
| Falling | Channel 4 | 2026 (upcoming) |
| A Woman of Substance |
References
- ^ Burns, Michael (November 2, 2023). "Banijay UK acquires scripted producer The Forge". Retrieved January 20, 2026.
- ^ Goldbart, Max (January 14, 2026). "George Faber Becoming Executive Chairman At 'The Buccaneers' Producer The Forge; Beth Willis & George Ormond Promoted To MD". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
- ^ "Bafta TV Awards 2017: All the winners and nominees". BBC News. May 14, 2017. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
- ^ Hughes, Sarah (January 7, 2018). "Kiri, an acclaimed new TV drama starring Sarah Lancashire, asks hard questions about social care". The Guardian. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
- ^ "Bafta TV Awards 2019: Full winners and nominees list". BBC News. May 12, 2019. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
- ^ "Hugh Laurie to star in political thriller Roadkill by David Hare". BBC Media Centre. August 22, 2019. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
- ^ "BAFTA TV 2021: The Winners and Nominations for the Virgin Media British Academy Television Awards and British Academy Television Craft Awards". BAFTA. April 28, 2021. Retrieved June 27, 2021.
- ^ Sachdeva, Maanya (September 17, 2021). "Help: Jodie Comer drama praised as 'heartbreaking' by Channel 4 viewers". The Independent. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
- ^ McIver, Brian (September 15, 2021). "Covid care home drama 'Help' is the most timely and important television event of the year". Yahoo News. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
- ^ Maas, Jennifer (November 21, 2022). "International Emmys 2022: The Complete Winners List". Variety. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
- ^ "Apple TV+ announces season three for celebrated drama "The Buccaneers," inspired by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Edith Wharton's final novel". Apple Press. October 8, 2025. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
- ^ "Keeley Hawes and Paapa Essiedu to lead new drama 'Falling' written by Jack Thorne". Channel 4 Press. April 24, 2025. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
- ^ "Channel 4 announces brand new drama adaptation of Barbara Taylor Bradford's A Woman of Substance". Channel 4 Press. February 12, 2025. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
- ^ "Keeley Hawes and Paapa Essiedu to lead new drama 'Falling' written by Jack Thorne". Channel 4 Press. April 24, 2025. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
External links
- Official website
