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Home About Radio Audiobooks Creative Shop Contact Last Updated on 2nd March 2014 Posted on MARCH 2nd 2014 by Neil Gardner CLOSED FOR BUSINESS Ladbroke Productions has produced its final radio programme for the BBC, and now, with sad hearts and fond memories we close our doors and move on with our lives. Please DO NOT send us your ideas for docs, features, readings or plays. As of April 2014 we will no longer be on the BBC supplier list and the business will be merging with our colleagues at LADBROKE AUDIO/SPOKENWORLD AUDIO. If you are looking for an independent production company to submit ideas to, please visit www.radioindies.org where you will find information on UK radio indies. Many of our critically-acclaimed, award-winning radio programmes are available to buy as DOWNLOAD-TO-OWN digital files from www.spokenworldaudio.com . We'll be updating our programme history pages soon to reflect the last 2 years of BBC productions. We will continue to produce high-qulaity audio productions through our Ladbroke Audio and Spokenworld Audio businesses, including audio drama as well as many hundreds of hours of audiobooks every year. Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the years, to all the talented people who have made programmes with us, and especially to Richard Bannerman, Neil Rosser and Nick Lawrence for being my partners through this creative period. Posted on FEBRUARY 22nd 2013 by Neil Gardner Radio No More...End of an Era Ladbroke Productions has been producing radio programming for the BBC since the early 1990s, in fact it was the first indie to produce a programme for them (the World Service!). In that time we have made around 500+ different productions and many thousands of hours of output for all of the national networks and for BBC World Service. In 2008 we took a chance to go solo from our parent company (Electric Airwaves) and for 5 years we've been continuing to make ground-breaking, original radio content, winning many international awards along the way. BUT all good things must come to an end, and in a time of tough budgets, low commissioning results and higher prodction costs, we are sad to announce that Ladbroke Productions is no longer pitching for BBC radio work. As of Feb 2013 we are not open for commissioning ideas, and will not be engaging in any of the forthcoming commissioning rounds. We have a year of existing BBC programming contracts to work on, and then, once everything has been delivered the company will join with our audiobook production sister company Ladbroke Audio to form one enterprise, focusing on the audiobook and archive sales & production market. It is with profound regret that we close the doors on radio, but one of economic requirement. Over the past 5 years, and the many before that, we've had the honour of working with some incredible talent...producers, writers, presenters, journalists, actors, authors, sound designers, composers, the list goes on and on. We want to thank them all for helping us maintain such high standards and create such unique programming. And should any other producer be looking for top talent...come ask us, we'll put you in touch with some of the finest. So that's it for Ladbroke RADIO, we move forwards as Ladbroke AUDIO and look to pastures greener and, dare I say, less fraught with politics. Radio remains our first love, and we'll always keep an eye open for unique opportunities to showcase our work. But we're not done yet, as 2013/14 has a few real gems up its sleave. Stay with us and we'll offer you some real treats! Posted on July 8th 2012 by Neil Gardner Honest Doubt...update Ladbroke Productions seems to have caused a bit of a stir with our recent "Honest Doubt" series on Radio 4. But rather than being a bad thing, it is in fact a good one, as the emails and letters are all asking when/if there will be an audiobook and/or ebook of the series. When we started out on production over a year ago, both were mooted, but sadly various reasons meant neither was a possibility. So during production we didn't seek to get permission from contributors and rights holders for use of their words in a commercial way. So, now that we have a high demand for audiobook and ebook versions of the series we are racing around trying to clear these permissions and get the rights. In some cases it may mean having to edit something out or work around something we just can't clear, and for Richard Holloway it also means writing a few new words. But we are working through all the issues and hope to bring you more news very soon. A massive thank you to everyone who has so vocally supported the series and helped prove that the great UK listenership isn't afraid of a little discussion and debate and freethinking. And for all of you wanting the music theme from the series, Seb at SNK Music who composed the original 60 second theme is working on an extended version which you will be able to buy soon. The lad is far too talented! Posted on June 19th 2012 by Neil Gardner Time To Celebrate! Ladbroke Productions has done it again...last night (18th June) in New York city, the winners of the prestigious New York Festival awards were announced (the NYFs are the 'Oscars' of international radio). And for the third year in a row we won! Our series "15 By 15" (BBC Radio 4) presented by the brilliant Hardeep Singh Kohli won the SILVER award for Information/Docs (Human Relations). Produced by Richard Bannerman, the series was a hit on-air and there is a second series coming up later in 2012. Hearty congrats to both Hardeep and Richard! Our documentary "It's My Story: Letting Go of James" (Radio 4) presented & co-produced by Anna Scott-Brown, and co-produced by Adam Fowler, also won a SILVER award for Information/Docs (Health/Medical). This amazingly moving programme follows the intensely personal story of a young mentally handicapped boy & his family as he makes the move to full-time residential care. It is a beautiful example of radio craft at its very best. Our heartiest congrats to Anna & Adam, a fitting send-off as they make the move to their own company this summer. Finally, our landmark 50-part series "Russia: The Wild East" (Radio 4) written & presented by Martin Sixsmith , and co-produced by Anna Scott-Brown and Adam Fowler, was awarded a finalist certificate (top 5 in other words) in the Information/Documentary (History) category. I really wish it had won one of the big 3 awards, but I am still incredibly proud of what it has achieved. It is very hard for hudges to get to grips with an award entry that represents 50 episodes of compacted history. Big congrats to Martin, Anna and Adam for yet another stunning achievement. It is a wonderful feeling to get such valued and important recognition from the international radio comminity. Having been a judge for the other categories of the NYFs I can tell you that there is some superb competition out there. It seems that the whole world still embraces radio, particularly docs and features. For three years now our small independent production business has been recognised by our international colleagues for the quality and originality of programming we produce. Who knows, maybe well get some UK recognition one day?! Quote from Neil Gardner, MD of Ladbroke Productions: “It’s been another happy shock for us, as we’ve waited and hoped but not got our hopes up! What we do is create, develop and produce radio programming, and we do it because we love what we do. Happy listeners is the aim, but to have our peers and industry recognize and reward us for some of our programming is an additional bonus. Many people don’t know about the independent radio sector, and even less about radio awards…but I can say that to be nominated for awards such as these is almost honour enough when you see your fellow nominees. And to win a New York Award (considered the Oscars of international radio!) is something you dream of, but never hold your breath over. Over the...