Talk:Kenton Allen

List of sources to help write this article:

• http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2006/02_february/09/bbcthree.shtml
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/newtalent/film/newfilmmakers/advice_allen.shtml
• http://news.independent.co.uk/media/article321871.ece
• http://movies.monstersandcritics.com/news/article_1178332.php/BBC_gets_into_bed_with_a_bunch_of_jokers
• http://www.creativematch.co.uk/viewnews/?92028
• http://www.funny.co.uk/news/art_166-4199-BBC-Films-Goes-Into-Comedy.html

Seraphim ^Whipp 09:31, 13 September 2007 (UTC)

Request to update biography – September 2026

WIKIPEDIA ARTICLE SOURCE

Kenton Allen
Born	(1965-06-16) 16 June 1965 Stourbridge, Worcestershire, England
Occupations	Television and film producer; television executive
Years active	1990–present
Employer	Big Talk Studios
Spouse	Imogen Edwards-Jones
Children	2

’‘’Kenton Allen’’’ (born 16 June 1965) is a British television and film producer and executive. He has been chief executive of [[Big Talk Studios]], part of ITV Studios, since 2008."Crew biographies/production companies". Channel 4. Retrieved 10 September 2026. {{cite web}}: line feed character in |title= at position 5 (help)"Big Talk Studios". ITV Studios. Retrieved 10 September 2026. His producing and executive-producing credits include ’‘[[The Royle Family]]’‘,’‘Funland’‘,’‘[[That Mitchell and Webb Look]]’‘,’‘Rev.’‘,’‘Him & Her’‘,’‘[[Friday Night Dinner]]’‘,’‘Mum’‘,’‘Cold Feet’‘,’‘[[Back (TV series)|Back]]’‘,’‘The Outlaws’’ and ’‘Ludwig’‘."Kenton Allen". Royal Television Society. Retrieved 10 September 2026. {{cite web}}: line feed character in |publisher= at position 6 (help); line feed character in |title= at position 7 (help)"Big Talk's Kenton Allen on BBC comedy Ludwig". Televisual. Retrieved 10 September 2026. {{cite web}}: line feed character in |title= at position 4 (help) He produced Martin McDonagh’s short film’‘Six Shooter’’, which won the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film.{{cite news |title=Night of a thousand cars |url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2006/mar/12/awardsandprizes.oscars2006 |work=The Guardian |date=12 March 2006 |access-date=10 September 2026}}

Allen is a Fellow of the Royal Television Society (RTS), receiving the fellowship in 2019."Jane Turton appointed new Chair of the Royal Television Society". Royal Television Society. 1 October 2019. Retrieved 10 September 2026. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |access-date= (help); line feed character in |access-date= at position 3 (help); line feed character in |title= at position 32 (help) He chaired the RTS Programme Awards through 2026.{{cite web |title=RTS Programme Awards 2026 |url=https://rts.org.uk/award/rts-programme-awards-2026 |publisher=Royal Television Society |date=24 March 2026 |access-date=10 September 2026}} He was Advisory Chair of the [[Edinburgh International Television Festival]] in 2012.Sweney, Mark (24 September 2012). "Karl Warner appointed advisory chair for 2013 Edinburgh TV festival". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 September 2026. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |access-date= (help); line feed character in |access-date= at position 13 (help); line feed character in |title= at position 5 (help)

== Early life and radio == Allen was born in Stourbridge, Worcestershire. At 18 he joined the BBC as a trainee studio manager. He later worked in BBC radio, including ’‘[[Loose Ends (radio programme)|Loose Ends]]’’ on Radio 4 and at Radio 1, before producing a live radio programme with Jonathan Ross from Ronnie Scott’s, written by Danny Baker."BAFTA Guru Live Television Keynote Interview: Kenton Allen". BAFTA. Retrieved 10 September 2026. {{cite web}}: line feed character in |title= at position 35 (help)Plunkett, John (12 August 2012). "Kenton Allen: 'It's a glimmer in our eyes. Who knows?'". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 September 2026. {{cite news}}: line feed character in |title= at position 37 (help)

== Television == === Channel X and Granada === Allen moved into television at independent producer Channel X, producing more than 200 editions of ’‘Tonight with Jonathan Ross’’ for Channel 4."Crew and production company". Channel 4. Retrieved 10 September 2026. He subsequently joined Granada Television, where his work included ’‘[[The Mrs Merton Show]]’’ and ’‘The Royle Family’‘. Allen produced two series and two Christmas specials of’‘The Royle Family’’.

=== Shine === In 2001 Allen joined Elisabeth Murdoch’s [[Shine Group|Shine]] as a founding creative director. He later returned to the BBC.

=== BBC Television === From 2003 to 2008 Allen was Creative Head of BBC Comedy and BBC Comedy North. His producing and executive-producing credits there included the BAFTA-winning ’‘[[That Mitchell and Webb Look]]’‘,’‘Funland’‘,’‘[[The Omid Djalili Show]]’‘,’‘After You’ve Gone’‘,’‘Freezing’‘,’‘[[The Visit (TV series)|The Visit]]’‘,’‘Massive’’ and ’‘[[Ideal (TV series)|Ideal]]’’.

‘’Funland’’, created by Jeremy Dyson and Simon Ashdown, was nominated for Best Drama Serial at the 2006 BAFTA Television Awards, with Allen among the four named nominees."Awards Search: Funland". BAFTA. Retrieved 10 September 2026.

=== Big Talk Studios === Allen became chief executive of Big Talk in September 2008. BBC Worldwide invested in the company that year. ITV acquired Big Talk in 2013 for an initial £12.5 million, with Allen remaining part of its leadership.Deans, Jason (26 July 2013). "ITV buys The World's End producer Big Talk". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 September 2026.

Among Big Talk’s productions during Allen’s tenure were ’‘[[Rev. (TV series)|Rev.]]’’ and Stefan Golaszewski’s ’‘Him & Her’‘. Allen received BAFTA Situation Comedy awards for’‘The Royle Family’‘,’‘Rev.’’ and ‘’Him & Her’’; the RTS describes him as holding the record for the most individual awards in that BAFTA category."Television Awards 2014". BAFTA. Retrieved 10 September 2026.

Allen executive-produced Robert Popper’s ’‘Friday Night Dinner’’, which ran on Channel 4 for six series from 2011 to 2020. Its first series launched with a consolidated audience of 2.8 million, which Channel 4 described as its biggest comedy launch in seven years, and it later won the Rose d’Or for Best Sitcom."Friday Night Dinner". Channel 4. Retrieved 10 September 2026. {{cite web}}: line feed character in |title= at position 13 (help)

His later executive-producing credits included Stefan Golaszewski’s ’‘Mum’‘, the revival of Mike Bullen’s’‘[[Cold Feet]]’‘, Simon Blackwell’s’‘Back’’ and Stephen Merchant’s ’‘The Outlaws’’."ITV commissions ninth series of Cold Feet". Big Talk Studios. 20 June 2019. Retrieved 10 September 2026. {{cite web}}: line feed character in |publisher= at position 4 (help){{cite web |title=Back press pack |url=https://www.channel4.com/press/news/back-press-pack |publisher=Channel 4 |access-date=10 September 2026}}"The Gang is Back Again… Prime Video Reveals Premiere Date and First-Look Images for Third Season of Stephen Merchant's Critically Acclaimed Comedy-Drama The Outlaws". BBC Studios. 23 April 2024. Retrieved 10 September 2026. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |access-date= (help); line feed character in |access-date= at position 13 (help); line feed character in |title= at position 62 (help)

==== Ludwig ==== Allen is an executive producer of the BBC comedy-drama ’‘Ludwig’’, created by Mark Brotherhood and starring David Mitchell and Anna Maxwell Martin. The first episode attracted 9.5 million viewers within 28 days, making it the BBC’s biggest scripted launch for two years and its biggest comedy launch since at least 2018."David Mitchell and Anna Maxwell Martin to return for third series of Ludwig". Royal Television Society. 8 July 2026. Retrieved 10 September 2026. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |access-date= (help); line feed character in |access-date= at position 3 (help); line feed character in |title= at position 24 (help)

In November 2025 ‘’Ludwig’’ won the International Emmy Award for Comedy."2025 International Emmy Winners Announced". International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. 24 November 2025. Retrieved 10 September 2026. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); line feed character in |date= at position 3 (help) A third series was commissioned in July 2026 before the second series aired."Comedy-drama Ludwig renewed for a third series". RTÉ. 8 July 2026. Retrieved 10 September 2026. A Christmas special starring Mitchell and David Suchet was announced in September 2026."Big Talk Studios". Big Talk Studios. Retrieved 10 September 2026.

==== Mitchell and Webb ==== Allen has maintained a long-running production association with David Mitchell and Robert Webb. He executive-produced ‘’That Mitchell and Webb Look’’ at the BBC and, in 2013, executive-produced ’‘Ambassadors’‘, a three-part BBC Two comedy-drama starring Mitchell and Webb as British diplomats in the fictional Central Asian republic of Tazbekistan. He later executive-produced’‘Back’’, which reunited the pair in a scripted Channel 4 comedy."Back press pack". Channel 4. Retrieved 10 September 2026.

In 2025 Allen was an executive producer of Channel 4 sketch series ‘’Mitchell and Webb Are Not Helping’’, produced by That Mitchell & Webb Company in association with Big Talk Studios."Mitchell and Webb Are Not Helping - Press Pack". Channel 4. 26 August 2025. Retrieved 10 September 2026. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |access-date= (help); line feed character in |access-date= at position 13 (help); line feed character in |title= at position 9 (help) Its first episode consolidated at 2.3 million viewers after 28 days and Channel 4 commissioned a second series in December 2025.{{cite web |title=Channel 4 announces series two of hit sketch comedy Mitchell and Webb Are Not Helping |url=https://www.channel4.com/press/news/channel-4-announces-series-two-hit-sketch-comedy-mitchell-and-webb-are-not-helping |publisher=Channel 4 |date=11 December 2025 |access-date=10 September 2026}}

In May 2026 Big Talk Studios and That Mitchell & Webb Company launched an official global Mitchell & Webb YouTube channel combining archive material with new original content."That Mitchell & Webb Company and Big Talk Studios launch official YouTube channel". Big Talk Studios. 18 May 2026. Retrieved 10 September 2026. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |access-date= (help); line feed character in |access-date= at position 13 (help); line feed character in |title= at position 16 (help)

==== Recent productions ==== In 2026 Allen executive-produced ’‘[[Can You Keep a Secret? (TV series)|Can You Keep a Secret?]]’’, created by Simon Mayhew-Archer and starring Dawn French, Mark Heap, [[Craig Roberts]] and Mandip Gill."Can You Keep a Secret? Cast and Crew". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 10 September 2026. {{cite web}}: line feed character in |title= at position 23 (help) The first episode reached 5.3 million viewers over 28 days and the BBC commissioned a second series in February 2026.Morris, Lauren (19 February 2026). "BBC renews Dawn French's divisive sitcom Can You Keep a Secret for series two". The Independent. Retrieved 10 September 2026. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |access-date= (help); line feed character in |access-date= at position 13 (help); line feed character in |title= at position 49 (help)

Allen is also an executive producer of ‘’The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13¾’’, a nine-part BBC adaptation of Sue Townsend’s novel adapted by David Nicholls."BBC reveals casting and first look at The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13¾". Big Talk Studios. 14 April 2026. Retrieved 10 September 2026. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |access-date= (help); line feed character in |access-date= at position 3 (help); line feed character in |title= at position 65 (help)

In 2026 Netflix commissioned ‘’Marbles’’, a six-part comedy created by Robert Popper, produced by Big Talk Studios and Popper Pictures and starring Robert Webb and Timothy Spall. Allen is among its executive producers.Moore, Kasey (26 August 2026). "Marbles: Netflix Sets Comedy Series From Friday Night Dinner Creator With Robert Webb and Timothy Spall". What’s on Netflix. Retrieved 10 September 2026. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |access-date= (help); line feed character in |access-date= at position 3 (help); line feed character in |title= at position 17 (help)

== Film == Allen produced Martin McDonagh’s short film ’‘[[Six Shooter (film)|Six Shooter]]’’, starring Brendan Gleeson, which won the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film at the [[78th Academy Awards]]."Night of a thousand cars". The Guardian. 12 March 2006. Retrieved 10 September 2026.

Big Talk’s film catalogue includes ’‘Shaun of the Dead’‘,’‘[[Hot Fuzz]]’‘,’‘Scott Pilgrim vs. the World’‘,’‘[[Attack the Block]]’‘,’‘Sightseers’‘,’‘Cuban Fury’’ and ’‘[[Man Up (film)|Man Up]]’’.Macnab, Geoffrey (30 October 2018). "The Brit 50: Big Talk Productions (2018 edition)". Screen Daily. Retrieved 10 September 2026. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |access-date= (help); line feed character in |access-date= at position 13 (help); line feed character in |title= at position 4 (help)

In 2026 Big Talk Studios and Altitude announced ‘’Mars Express’‘, written by Joe Bone and based on Colin Pillinger’s’‘My Life on Mars: The Beagle 2 Diaries’‘. The film is to be directed by Mackenzie Crook in his feature directorial debut and stars Toby Jones as Colin Pillinger and Emily Watson as Judith Pillinger.Tabbara, Mona (12 May 2026). "Mackenzie Crook to direct debut feature 'Mars Express' starring Toby Jones for Big Talk Studios, Altitude". Screen Daily. Retrieved 10 September 2026. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |access-date= (help); line feed character in |access-date= at position 13 (help); line feed character in |title= at position 40 (help)Tabbara, Mona (18 August 2026). "Emily Watson joins cast of Mackenzie Crook's directorial debut 'Mars Express'". Screen Daily. Retrieved 10 September 2026. {{cite news}}: line feed character in |title= at position 19 (help)

== Industry roles and recognition == Allen was Advisory Chair of the Edinburgh International Television Festival in 2012.Sweney, Mark (24 September 2012). "Karl Warner appointed advisory chair for 2013 Edinburgh TV festival". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 September 2026. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |access-date= (help); line feed character in |access-date= at position 13 (help); line feed character in |title= at position 41 (help)

He received an RTS Fellowship in 2019 for his contribution to television. Allen subsequently chaired the RTS Programme Awards through 2026.

The RTS states that Allen holds the record for the most individual BAFTA Situation Comedy awards, with wins for ‘’Rev.’‘,’‘The Royle Family’’ and ‘’Him & Her’‘.’‘Funland’’ was nominated for the BAFTA Television Award for Best Drama Serial in 2006, with Allen among the named nominees. In 2025, ‘’Ludwig’’, on which Allen serves as executive producer, won the International Emmy Award for Comedy.

== Personal life == Allen is married to writer and author [[Imogen Edwards-Jones]]. They have two children.

== External links == * Big Talk Studios

 [[Category:Living

people]] [[Category:British film producers]]

TALK PAGE EDIT REQUEST

’‘’Conflict-of-interest disclosure:’’’ I am Kenton Allen, the subject of this article. I am therefore not making the substantive changes directly.

The article has become substantially out of date, particularly from the Big Talk Studios period onwards, and I would be grateful if an uninvolved editor could review the proposed replacement/update below. I have tried to retain an encyclopaedic tone and to support the new material with published sources, prioritising independent or authoritative sources such as BAFTA, the Royal Television Society, The Guardian, Screen Daily, Channel 4 and the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.

The proposed update adds or updates, among other things:

- my BBC Comedy period and the 2006 BAFTA Drama Serial nomination for

   ‘’Funland’’;

- Big Talk’s acquisition by ITV Studios and later producing credits; - ‘’Friday Night Dinner’‘,’‘Mum’‘,’‘Cold Feet’‘,’‘Back’’ and ‘’The

   Outlaws’’;

- ‘’Ludwig’’, including its 2025 International Emmy win, third-series

   commission and 2026 Christmas special;

- the longer Mitchell and Webb collaboration, including

   ‘’Ambassadors’‘,’‘Back’‘,’‘Mitchell and Webb Are Not Helping’’ and
   the official Mitchell & Webb YouTube channel launched in 2026;

- ‘’Can You Keep a Secret?’‘,’‘The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged

   13¾’’ and ‘’Marbles’’;

- the forthcoming feature ‘’Mars Express’’; - my 2019 RTS Fellowship and chairing of the RTS Programme Awards

   through 2026.

I have deliberately not included an unpublished individual producer credit for ‘’Mars Express’’ in the visible proposed article. I am one of the film’s producers, but that individual credit has not yet been announced in a reliable published source; it can be added once the forthcoming announcement is public.

I am happy for independent editors to amend, shorten or restructure the proposed wording as necessary to comply with Wikipedia’s policies on biographies of living people, neutrality, reliable sourcing and conflict of interest.

Thank you for reviewing the request. ~2026-48836-70 (talk) 13:50, 10 September 2026 (UTC)