2025 Programme
One event. Packed with opportunity.
For a fraction of the price of an international market, you've got one right here on your doorstep.
Here's what Derren Lawford, CEO & Founder of DARE PICTURES had to say: “This event has saved me thousands and thousands! It’s a UK market right here in London. In one afternoon I’ve kickstarted three different deals.”
GrowthLab London is in its third year as the premier gathering for the UK TV and content sector, providing an unrivalled opportunity to connect, pitch and do business across every screen and revenue stream.
Alongside our new Digital-First & Branded Entertainment Lounge, expanded Commissioner Zone and Distributor and Partner Market Hall, we are running a packed half day programme of talks and sessions where industry leaders will set out their strategies for success. These include our Fast Class Panel Sessions - case studies and actionable, commercial insight on opportunities; and 15 minute Lab Talks focusing on examples of the most innovative creative successes of the year.
Agenda - Overview
- Keynote Interview
- 'Fast Class' Panel Sessions & 'Lab Talks'
- Distributor & Partner Market Hall
- Digital-First & Branded Entertainment Lounge
13:15-18:00
- Commissioner Zone
14:00-18:00
- Networking Drinks
18:00-19:00
Agenda - Detail
13:15
KEYNOTE
INTERVIEW:
DAN McGOLPIN
Director
BBC iPlayer & Channels
Dan McGolpin will join us as keynote speaker at GrowthLab London 2025, in an interview with Ros Atkins (BBC).
The BBC remains the UK’s most-watched media service and iPlayer is now the fastest-growing long-form VOD platform nationally, growing at twice the pace of Netflix, and increasing in popularity with youth audiences. Dan will share his perspective on changing audience consumption in the UK and how it is shaping the TV industry of the future.
13:35
PACKAGING A PROJECT IN 2025 AND BEYOND
'FAST CLASS'
PANEL SESSION 1:
Sponsored by
It's no secret that getting a show financed and commissioned now takes as much creative thinking as the idea itself. So which are the funding partners and distribution models you need to have on your radar? Simon Cox (Banijay Rights) digs into innovative and practical solutions for getting both non-scripted and scripted projects made in the current climate, with Simon Gillis (See-Saw Films), Dov Freedman (Curious Films), Daniel Korn (Hearst Networks EMEA), and Nisha Parti (Parti Productions).
14:15
EMILY FELLER ON ADOLESCENCE
LAB TALK 1:
Emily Feller, Chief Creative Officer at Warp Films, will pull back the curtain on their phenomenal year, sharing the bold creative instincts and decisive moves that set them apart. She will also unpack how Adolescence captured global attention as the standout show of the year.
14:30
SWEAT YOUR ASSETS:
EVERY SCREEN, EVERY REVENUE STREAM
'FAST CLASS'
PANEL SESSION 2:
While commissioning budgets may be tightening, the opportunities to monetise your IP have never been broader. With the right plan, you can build sustainable revenue streams across multiple platforms - from podcasts and live events to merchandise, YouTube, and FAST channels. Join our expert panelists, Arabella Page Croft (Black Camel Pictures), Ben Zand (Zandland), Jill Kellie (Fremantle) and Kate Beal (Woodcut Media), along with chair Jen Topping (Business of TV), to explore how to unlock the value of your IP.
15:10
ED KELLIE ON THE JURY:MURDER TRIAL
LAB TALK 2:
True crime sells, but shaping it into a returnable, saleable format is no easy feat. The Jury: Murder Trial offers an unprecedented window into the most secretive aspect of the British justice system: the jury room. ScreenDog’s Ed Kellie reveals how their bold hybrid-genre experiment for Channel 4 had to adapt to survive and succeed in the market.
BREAK (20 minutes)
15:45
UNLOCKING BRAND FUNDING
'FAST CLASS'
PANEL SESSION 3:
It’s official – branded entertainment finally IS a thing! But is it a thing for you, and how do you go about finding the brands, buyers and partners to make it? K7 Media’s Clare Thompson talks current trends, opportunities and best practice approaches for succeeding in brand-funded content, with Annabelle Canwell (Disney Advertising), Bhavit Chandrani (BE Studio from ITV), Claire Prince (WPP Media), Chris Holdom (Banijay UK), and Lorna Menzies (People's Postcode Lottery).
16:25
SPECS GONZALEZ & JOSHUA BARNETT ON YOUTUBE AND CREATORS
LAB TALK 3:
A conversation between creator and TV star Specs Gonzalez (SCENES, Hear Me Out) and After Party Studios Joshua Barnett as they unpack the game-changing impact and possibilities of creators on the TV landscape. From viral content to commissioned programming, this candid session explores the opportunities, challenges, and common misconceptions of bridging the worlds of digital influence and traditional broadcasting.
16:45
ONSET OCTOPUS ON VERTICAL STORYTELLING
LAB TALK 4:
From China to the US… and now Britain? Vertical drama is exploding - but who’s making it, who’s buying, and more importantly, how do you turn viewers into paying audiences? In this Lab Talk, Ben Pengilly and Liyanne Marie from Onset Octopus - the team behind the global vertical drama smash Pride and Prejudice - will reveal why their business has skyrocketed over the past year, and what every indie needs to know to win in this fast-growing market.
17:00
SELLING BRITISH TV TO THE WORLD
'FAST CLASS'
PANEL SESSION 4:
Sponsored by
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The TV industry may be in a state of flux and budgets down, but the UK is still producing big global dramas, and stats show our non-scripted format exports bouncing back and expanding market share. Ros Atkins (BBC) chairs a panel of industry heavyweights, Jane Turton (All3Media International), Ruth Berry (ITV Studios / Zoo55), and Andy Harries (Left Bank Pictures) explore the strategies needed to maintain the UK’s pre-eminence in the global TV market. From distribution partnerships and creative innovation to tax incentives and the role of PSBs, the panel will examine the challenges and opportunities that will shape how UK indies can continue to fly the flag in 2026.
13:30 - 18:00
DIGITAL-FIRST & BRANDED ENTERTAINMENT LOUNGE
Book 1:1 meetings with key partners including:
13:30 - 18:00
DISTRIBUTOR & PARTNER MARKET HALL
Book 1:1 meetings with distributors and partners including:
14:00 - 18:00
COMMISSIONER ZONE
Book 1:1 meetings with broadcasters and SVOD's including:
18:00 - 19:00
NETWORKING DRINKS
CLOSE OF DAY:
An opportunity to network with peers, speakers and industry partners over drinks.
With grateful thanks to our 2025 sponsors
Media Partners
