Big Talk Studios Hires First Drama Creative Director From Bronte, Producer Of J.K. Rowling’s ‘Strike’

EXCLUSIVE: Big Talk Studios, producer of Amazon/BBC series The Outlaws, has turned to Brontë Film & TV to find its first creative director of drama.

Jenny van der Lande will join Big Talk in the newly-created role having developed all six seasons of J.K. Rowling’s BBC/Max series Strike, starring Tom Burke and Holliday Grainger.

Alongside her creative director duties at Brontë, she has also led the editorial side of Snowed-In Productions, overseeing projects including ITVX’s upcoming Sophie Turner series Joan and Mrs Wilson, the BBC’s Ruth Wilson drama.

Joining in June, Van der Lande will report to Big Talk CEO Kenton Allen and work closely with Luke Alkin, drama executive producer. She will split her time between London and Bristol, and is tasked with growing the ITV Studios-backed company’s drama slate.

Allen said: “She brings a wealth of experience and relationships and has an incredibly sharp and strategic mind. Our experience of producing high-impact shows on realistic budgets combined with Jenny’s fantastic editorial brain will enable us to build on the success of shows like The Outlaws.”

Van der Lande added: “I’m proud of everything Ruth [Kenley-Letts] and I have achieved at Brontë and Snowed-In and I’ll miss everyone hugely but it’s time for a new adventure. Kenton’s enthusiasm is infectious and it’s easy to understand why Big Talk make such entertaining shows full of heart, humanity, and wit.”

She previously developed the BAFTA-nominated London Spy while working as a development executive for Working Title Television. She was also series editor of BBC show Casualty.

Season 3 of Stephen Merchant’s The Outlaws premieres on May 30 on the BBC and a day later on Amazon Prime Video. Big Talk recently produced The Completely Made-up Adventures of Dick Turpin for Apple TV+.