31 March, 2010
Nutopia, the company set up by former BBC2 controller Jane Root and Laura Franses, has made two senior appointments.
Former Love Productions executive David DeHaney, who has worked on hit series such as Baby Borrowers and Boys And Girls Alone, comes on board as creative director with a remit to drive development and production of the indie’s factual slate.
Phil Craig also joins Nutopia as an executive producer to develop and deliver factual series and factually-inspired dramas. Craig’s previous credits include Discovery’s Emmy-nominated 9/11 drama documentary The Flight That Fought Back.
Craig, who previously worked at Furnace Productions and as joint head of programmes at Brook Lapping, will also executive produce the new indie’s second commission, 9/11: The Test, for Channel 4, The History Channel and BBC Worldwide.
The 90-minute drama documentary looks at the 2001 attacks from the point of view of key political and military leaders.
Nutopia’s first commission – the epic 12-hour series America: The Story Of US – is due to air on the History Channel in April in the US. The indie is also currently in pre-production for a major new format for Channel 4.
Last December, Nutopia signed a two-year, first-look distribution deal with BBC Worldwide that saw the distributor invest an undisclosed sum in the indie’s development slate in return for a first look on all distribution rights outside the UK and the US.
Nutopia board members include C4 boss Michael Jackson and ex-Endemol chief creative officer Peter Bazalgette.

By Ann-Marie Corvin – Broadcast