FremantleMedia UK, formerly independent production company talkbackTHAMES, is the UK production arm of FremantleMedia, the global production and content business of the RTL Group, Europe’s largest television and radio company. 

It was formed in January 2012 when the company was restructured into a portfolio of labels managed by creative leaders including Richard Holloway, Dan Baldwin, Jon Rolph and Patrick Holland.

The labels are supported by a new division, FremantleMedia UK, led by CEO, Sara Geater.  The structure has been designed to give the company’s market leading talent greater creative freedom and autonomy in order to deliver the best programmes for customers.

Across the group, the labels provide award winning programming for all major terrestrial, digital channels and digital outlets.  With an unparalleled range of programming including:  The X Factor, Britain’s Got Talent, Celebrity Juice, Take Me Out, Over The Rainbow, The Apprentice, You’re Fired, Can’t Take It With You, Four Rooms, Grand Designs, Great British Railway Journeys, Never Mind The Buzzcocks, The IT Crowd, QI, The Rob Brydon Show,The Sinking of the Laconia, Kidnap and Ransom and Holy Flying Circus  - the Group has aired over 350 hours of programming on terrestrial TV in the past 12 months alone.    

Each label has a creative leader as the Managing Director, a Head of Development and a Head of Production.  The labels consist of:

Boundless - spearheaded by Patrick Holland, Boundless combines factual entertainment, factual features and specialist factual to create a single, factual label. 

Newman Street - headed up by Paul Marquess. Newman Street is FremantleMedia UK's newest label, with drama reflecting real lives and showcasing real stories.  

Retort - headed up by leading scripted comedy producer and executive Jon Rolph, Retort is focussed on scripted comedy.

Talkback - Indie of the Year 2012 (MGEITF Channel of the Year Awards) recognising the long history in comedy entertainment, Talkback is headed up by Dan Baldwin, who is fast becoming one of the UK's most renowned comedy entertainment producers.

Thames -celebrating the strong heritage of entertainment, Thames is led by Richard Holloway, one of the UK’s most successful and experienced entertainment producers. Thames is split into two divisions headed up by two of the industry’s leading talents in this genre: Suzy Lamb as Head of Thames Productions and Andrew Llinares as Head of Thames/Syco Co-Productions.

FremantleMedia UK Interactive - the group’s digital division, led by Peter Cassidy, is comprised of former digital arm talkbackTHAMES digital and Screenpop, the company’s Research and Development unit. 

Partnerships with drama companies Projector Pictures and Hillbilly TV sit alongside the labels.