ITV America and veteran producer Helga Eike have launched Red Bandit Media, a production company focused on unscripted programming, with Eike as president. Red Bandit is part of ITV America’s portfolio, which includes the Leftfield Entertainment group of production companies and ITV Entertainment (as well as Thinkfactory Media, High Noon Entertainment, DiGa and Gurney Productions).
Eike reports to ITV America chief creative officer Adam Sher and to Leftfield Entertainment CEO David George.
“Helga is a prolific producer and executive whose programming abilities transcend nearly every genre, with shows tapping into pop culture in captivating and often surprising ways,” said Sher and George jointly. “We’re extremely excited to have Helga and Red Bandit Media join the ITV America family, and are confident the company will deliver for buyers in today’s competitive and growing marketplace.”
The deal was brokered by Ed Simpson, executive VP, business development & international at ITV America, and packaged by CAA.
Eike was senior VP of development at Endemol Shine North America’s Authentic Entertainment; her work includes Toddlers & Tiaras and Ace of Cakes.
“The challenge for all producers has always been to create content that stands out and breaks through, and to do that we must take risks with innovative new formats–and even question what we define as ‘TV’,” said Eike. “In partnering with ITV America, Red Bandit Media will be able to step outside the box while remaining part of a production group that collectively has banked decades of experience and thousands of hours of programming, exactly the strategy that made Leftfield and ITV such powerhouses in our business.”
