[michael21]

http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/news/i...031356.article

Antix Productions, the indie behind Most Haunted, is relocating to MediaCityUK and has scored its first terrestrial commission.

The company, founded by presenter Yvette Fielding and Karl Beattie in 2001, will move from its current offices in Cheshire to the new Greenhouse office complex at the Salford Quays site.

Beattie, head of production at Antix, said: “The BBC’s move up north has been the foundation for one of the biggest changes in television.

“Keeping northern talent in the north and enticing southern talent up to this rich area of television production and creativity is fast destroying the prejudice of all things outside the M25.”

The indie will join others including Libra Television, Dreamscope Productions, Humanoid Productions and Kelly’s Eye Animation at the Greenhouse.

Terrestrial commission

All six staff will make the move next week and this number will swell over the coming month as Antix begins crewing up for a new commission, which also marks the first time the indie has secured an order from a terrestrial broadcaster.

Beattie could not divulge further details but said it was “a complete departure” from the paranormal programming for which Antix is famous.

This has included Ghost Hunting With… for ITV2, which will return with the cast of The Only Way is Essex this autumn.

Most Haunted: resurrection?

In addition, Antix has won back the rights to its supernatural series Most Haunted, which ran on Living from 2002 to 2010.

Beattie said he was in talks with both UK broadcasters and channels around the world about resurrecting the format.

New projects

The indie is also in talks with Sky1 about a new documentary strand and will go into pre-production on its first feature film next year.

Horror film Malum has been written by Beattie, who will also direct. It will centre on a group of people who go into a haunted house where all is not what it seems.