‘Peaky Blinders’ EP Tommy Bulfin & Apple TV+ Commissioner Kim Varvell Set Up Banijay-Backed Drama Indie

EXCLUSIVE: Banijay has backed a TV drama indie set up by Peaky Blinders EP Tommy Bulfin and Apple TV+ commissioner Kim Varvell.

The duo, who count Line of Duty, Normal People, Bad Sisters and Des amongst an enviable list of credits, have launched Conker Pictures and will focus on making TV drama series for both local and global buyers.

Banijay has taken a minority stake in Conker via its £50M ($62M) UK Growth Fund and Conker has struck a first-look deal with distributor Banijay Rights. Hires and development projects are imminent.

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Bulfin has just finished a five-year stint as BBC Commissioning Editor during which time he worked on the likes of Peaky Blinders, Line of Duty, Normal People and The Gold. Varvell has spent the last three years in Jay Hunt’s Apple TV+ commissioning team, with credits including Sharon Horgan’s Bad Sisters, the Uma Thurman-starring Suspicion and upcoming Idris Elba-starrer Hijack.

The pair spent time working together at Des producer New Pictures.

“We have been friends and colleagues for many years and it has long been our ambition to work together again,” said Bulfin and Varvell. “We have had the good fortune to work with some of the brightest and best talent in the UK over the past few years and are excited to build on these strong relationships in our new home at Conker Pictures.”

The pair hailed Banijay UK for its “rich history of delivering hit shows,” while Banijay UK CEO Patrick Holland in turn praised their “wonderful instincts for talent and restless energy to produce the very best.”

Conker Pictures is French powerhouse Banijay’s second UK drama indie investment since the high-profile acquisition of Endemol Shine Group. Deadline revealed last year that Banijay had taken a majority stake in Chloe producer Mam Tor and Holland has since detailed his growth fund, which will be used for the next three to five years to invest in up-and-coming businesses and help existing labels grow.

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