CPL Productions (formerly Celador) is a British entertainment company originally formed in the United Kingdom in 1981 as an independent television

production company A production company, production house, production studio, or a production team is a studio that creates works in the fields of performing arts, new media art, film, television, radio, comics, interactive arts, video games, websites, music, a ...

. It created and produced a number of popular

light entertainment Light entertainment encompasses a broad range of television and radio programming that includes comedies, variety shows, game shows, quiz shows and the like. In Great Britain In the early days of the BBC virtually all broadcast entertainment w ...

shows and is best known for the TV format ''

Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? ''Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?'' (often informally called ''Millionaire'') is an international television game show franchise of British origin, created by David Briggs, Mike Whitehill and Steven Knight. In its format, currently owned and ...

'' and the film ''

Slumdog Millionaire ''Slumdog Millionaire'' is a 2008 British drama film that is a loose adaptation of the novel '' Q & A'' (2005) by Indian author Vikas Swarup. It narrates the story of 18-year-old Jamal Malik from the Juhu slums of Mumbai. Starring Dev Pat ...

'' which, in 2009, collected seven BAFTAs, four

Golden Globes The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of t ...

and eight

Oscars The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

including Best Director and

Best Picture This is a list of categories of awards commonly awarded through organizations that bestow film awards, including those presented by various film, festivals, and people's awards. Best Actor/Best Actress *See Best Actor#Film awards, Best Actress#F ...

. The name Celador is a re-spelling of "

cellar door Cellar door may refer to: * ''Cellar door'' (phrase), commonly cited in popular culture as a beautiful-sounding English phrase * Cellar door (wine), sales room at a winery * '' Cellar Door: Terminus ut Exordium'', 2014 release by The Underachieve ...

", a phrase whose sound is often noted to be particularly

euphonious Phonaesthetics (also spelled phonesthetics in North America) is the study of beauty and pleasantness associated with the sounds of certain words or parts of words. The term was first used in this sense, perhaps by during the mid-20th century an ...

History

Celador was founded by Paul Smith, , and included

Jasper Carrott Robert Norman Davis (born 14 March 1945), best known by his stage name, Jasper Carrott, is an English comedian, actor and television presenter. Early life Born in Shaftmoor Lane, Acocks Green, in Birmingham, Carrott was educated at Acocks G ...

as one of its founder shareholders. After establishing itself as a leading UK production company it expanded into TV format licensing, film production and radio station ownership and operation. By 2006, Celador was owned by Complete Communications Corporation, a firm which Smith (who owned 18%) wanted to break up so he could concentrate on radio and film production. Managing director and former 1990s ''Top of the Pops'' presenter Adrian Woolfe wanted to buy the television division outright as part of a management buyout with Danielle Lux, but this was split into parts with Lux completing the buy-out of Celador Productions without Woolfe and the rights to ''

''. Celador Productions would be re-named it to CPL, before becoming a division of

ProSieben ProSieben (, ''sieben'' is German for "seven"; often stylized as Pro7) is a German free-to-air television network owned by ProSiebenSat.1 Media. It was launched on 1 January 1989. It is Germany's second-largest privately owned television compan ...

's Red Arrow Studios.

''Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?''

Celador International and the rights and associated properties of ''

'' were acquired by Dutch group

2waytraffic 2waytraffic is a television production company based in Hilversum, Netherlands. It was established in 2004 by former Endemol executives Kees Abrahams, Unico Glorie, Taco Ketelaar, and Henk Keilman. It currently has offices in London, New York, Bud ...

, eventually becoming part of

Sony Pictures Television Sony Pictures Television Inc. (abbreviated as SPT) is an American television production and distribution studio. Based at the Sony Pictures Studios complex in Culver City, it is a division of Sony Entertainment's unit Sony Pictures Enterta ...

. In 2004, Celador commenced legal action against

The Walt Disney Company The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment industry, entertainment conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios (Burbank), Walt Disney Stud ...

for what it claimed were unpaid profits from the American version of the programme, licensed by Disney for its

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...

TV channel. At a trial by jury in Los Angeles in June 2010, Celador was awarded $269m (£177m) in damages after ruling it failed to receive a fair share of profits.

CPL Productions

As of 2022, CPL Productions is making a new version of ''

You Are What You Eat ''You Are What You Eat'' is a British dieting programme presented by Trisha Goddard and Amir Khan that broadcasts on Channel 5. The show was originally broadcast on Channel 4, before moving to Channel 5 in 2022 for its revived series. Both ...

'' with Trisha Goddard and Amir Khan for Channel 5 and has teamed up with the Ranga Bee production company to make a six-part comedy series, written and created by Romesh Ranganathan and Benjamin Green for BBC Studios, called ''Avoidance''.

Television

*''Avoidance'' (co-production with Ranga Bee) *''

Married at First Sight ''Married at First Sight'' is an international reality television show format of Danish origin. * ''Gift ved første blik'', the original Danish series and other international versions International is an adjective (also used as a noun) meaning "b ...

'' (UK version) *''

'' (Channel 5 version) *''

A League of Their Own (British game show) ''A League of Their Own'' is a British sports-based comedy panel game that was first broadcast on Sky One (now Sky Max) on 11 March 2010. The show is currently hosted by Romesh Ranganathan and features Jamie Redknapp as a team captain and ...

'' (Sky TV)

Celador Entertainment

Television

*''

All About Me ''All About Me'' is a British television sitcom starring Jasper Carrott about a multicultural family living in Birmingham. It was broadcast on BBC One from 2002 to 2004. ''All About Me'' was created by Steven Knight, who also wrote two of the ea ...

'' *''

Canned Carrott ''Canned Carrott'' is a comedy stand-up and sketch-show by Jasper Carrott. It gave rise to a spin-off series, and made the names of regular contributors Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis. Two of the regular sketches were "Wiggy" and "The Detectiv ...

'' (as well as many other stand up shows with

) *''

Commercial Breakdown ''Commercial Breakdown'' is a light entertainment show that shows humorous television advertisements from around the world and ran from 29 December 1989 to 3 August 2008 and aired on BBC One. British adverts were initially not allowed because ...

'' (originally called ''Carrott's Commercial Breakdown'') *'' The Detectives'' (with Jasper Carrott) *''

Everybody's Equal ''Everybody's Equal'' is a game show that originally aired on ITV from 7 June 1989 to 22 July 1991 and hosted by Chris Tarrant. It was later revived under the name ''Whittle'' and aired on Channel 5 from 31 March to 30 December 1997 with Tim V ...

'' *'' The Hypnotic World of Paul McKenna'' *''

It's Been a Bad Week ''It’s Been a Bad Week'' is a British radio comedy on BBC Radio 2, that first broadcast on 11 February 1999. It is presented by Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis, and is also referred to as ''Punt and Dennis: It's Been a Bad Week''. More than 100 epi ...

'' *''

The People Versus ''The People Versus'' was a British game show that aired on ITV from 13 August 2000 to 18 June 2002. Series 1 was hosted by Kirsty Young and Series 2 by Kaye Adams. The central format was that the questions were sent in by the viewers. For ...

'' *'' Richard Digance's Greatest Bits'' *''

Talking Telephone Numbers ''Talking Telephone Numbers'' is a British game show that aired on ITV from 28 February 1994 to 29 December 1997 and was hosted by Phillip Schofield and initially Emma Forbes, who was later replaced by Claudia Winkleman. The show's format ...

'' *''

Turn Back Your Body Clock Turn may refer to: Arts and entertainment Dance and sports * Turn (dance and gymnastics), rotation of the body * Turn (swimming), reversing direction at the end of a pool * Turn (professional wrestling), a transition between face and heel * Tur ...

'' *'' Wayne Dobson Close-up'' *''

'' (format now owned by

Sony , commonly stylized as SONY, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. As a major technology company, it operates as one of the world's largest manufacturers of consumer and professional ...

under the

2WayTraffic 2waytraffic is a television production company based in Hilversum, Netherlands. It was established in 2004 by former Endemol executives Kees Abrahams, Unico Glorie, Taco Ketelaar, and Henk Keilman. It currently has offices in London, New York, Bud ...

banner) *''

Winning Lines ''Winning Lines'' is a National Lottery game show that was broadcast on BBC One from 12 June 1999 to 16 October 2004. It was originally hosted by Simon Mayo and then by Phillip Schofield. Gameplay Round 1 Forty-nine contestants take part in th ...

'' *''

'' (Channel 4 version)

Films

*'' Dirty Pretty Things'' (2002) directed by Stephen Frears and starring

Audrey Tautou Audrey Justine Tautou (; born 9 August 1976) is a French actress. She made her acting debut at the age of 18 on television and her feature film debut in ''Venus Beauty Institute'' (1999), for which she received critical acclaim and won the Cés ...

and

Chiwetel Ejiofor Chiwetel Umeadi Ejiofor ( ; born 10 July 1977) is a British actor. He is the recipient of various accolades, including a BAFTA Award, a Laurence Olivier Award, an NAACP Image Award, and nominations for an Academy Award, two Primetime Emmy Awa ...

*''

Separate Lies ''Separate Lies'' is a 2005 British drama film directed by Julian Fellowes, who also wrote the screenplay, updating the 1951 novel ''A Way Through the Wood'' by Nigel Balchin, which had already been turned into a stage play under the title ' ...

'' (2005) written and directed by

Julian Fellowes Julian Alexander Kitchener-Fellowes, Baron Fellowes of West Stafford, (born 17 August 1949) is an English actor, novelist, film director and screenwriter, and a Conservative peer of the House of Lords. He is primarily known as the author of ...

and starring

Emily Watson Emily Margaret Watson (born 14 January 1967) is an English actress. She began her career on stage and joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1992. In 2002, she starred in productions of ''Twelfth Night'' and ''Uncle Vanya'' at the Donmar W ...

Tom Wilkinson Thomas Geoffrey Wilkinson (born 5 February 1948)Born January–March 1948, according to the ''Births, Marriages & Deaths Index of England & Wales, 1916–2005.''; at ancestry.com is an English actor of film, television, and stage. He has rece ...

and

Rupert Everett Rupert James Hector Everett (; born 29 May 1959) is an English actor, director and producer. Everett first came to public attention in 1981 when he was cast in Julian Mitchell's play and subsequent film '' Another Country'' (1984) as a gay pup ...

*''

The Descent ''The Descent'' is a 2005 British horror film written and directed by Neil Marshall. The film follows six women who enter a cave system and struggle to survive against the humanoid creatures inside. Filming took place in the United Kingdom. Ex ...

'' (2006) directed by

Neil Marshall Neil Marshall (born 25 May 1970) is an English film and television director, editor, producer, and screenwriter. He directed the horror films '' Dog Soldiers'' (2002) and '' The Descent'' (2005), the science fiction action film ''Doomsday'' (2 ...

and starring Shauna Macdonald,

Natalie Mendoza Natalie Jackson Mendoza (born 12 August 1976) is an Australian actress, singer, and dancer. She is best known for her roles as one of the main characters, Jackie Clunes, in the British drama series '' Hotel Babylon'' (2006–2008) and as Juno i ...

, Alex Reid,

Saskia Mulder Saskia Mulder (born 18 May 1973 in the Hague) is a Dutch film and television actress. She is the younger sister of model Karen Mulder. Career Mulder appeared in '' The Beach'' and the British horror movie ''The Descent''.Moore, Roger (2006)The ...

Nora-Jane Noone Nora-Jane Noone (born 8 March 1984) is an Irish actress. In 2020, ''The Irish Times'' ranked her 47th on its list of the greatest Irish film actors of all time. She made her screen debut in the drama film ''The Magdalene Sisters'' (2002) and h ...

and

MyAnna Buring MyAnna Buring (; born 22 September 1979 as Anna Margaretha My Rantapää) is a Swedish actress, known for her roles in '' The Descent'', '' Kill List'', '' The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1'' and ''Part 2'', '' Ripper Street'', '' The W ...

*''

'' (2008) *''

The Descent Part 2 ''The Descent Part 2'' is a 2009 British adventure horror film and sequel to the 2005 horror film ''The Descent''. It was directed by Jon Harris from a screenplay by James McCarthy, J Blakeson, and James Watkins. The film was produced by Chr ...

'' (2009) *'' The Scouting Book for Boys'' (2010) *''

Centurion A centurion (; la, centurio , . la, centuriones, label=none; grc-gre, κεντυρίων, kentyríōn, or ) was a position in the Roman army during classical antiquity, nominally the commander of a century (), a military unit of around 80 le ...

'' (2010)

Celador Radio

Celador previously owned twenty-seven UK commercial radio stations including The Breeze and Sam FM networks and Fire Radio. In January 2017 Celador Radio acquired Anglian Radio's five stations (North Norfolk Radio, Radio Norwich, The Beach, Town 102 and Dream 100) which broadcast across the Anglian region. In 2019 Celador Radio disposed of its entire radio division to Bauer Media. The final portfolio comprised the following

radio stations Radio broadcasting is transmission of audio (sound), sometimes with related metadata, by radio waves to radio receivers belonging to a public audience. In terrestrial radio broadcasting the radio waves are broadcast by a land-based radio ...

, which were sold to

Bauer Radio Bauer Media Audio UK is a UK-based radio division of the Bauer Media Group. History In early 2008, German magazine publisher Bauer bought the radio division of British company Emap, which had been established as East Midland Allied Press in ...

in February 2019.

The Breeze Network

The Breeze (Andover) The Breeze (formerly ''Andover Sound'') was an independent local radio station in England, serving Andover and northwest Hampshire, and parts of east Wiltshire from studios at Eastgate House in Andover. Beginning as Andover Sound in 2008, from 2 ...

The Breeze (Bristol) The Breeze (Bristol) was a local radio station serving Bristol. The station was folded into Greatest Hits Radio South West, as part of a rebrand, on 1 September 2020. History It started out as Kute FM on 105.8 MHz FM in February 1998, b ...

The Breeze (Basingstoke & North Hampshire) The Breeze Basingstoke & North Hampshire was an independent local radio station serving Basingstoke and the surrounding area of North Hampshire. Owned and operated by Bauer as part of the Greatest Hits Radio Network. History Kestrel FM The Ba ...

The Breeze (Bath) The Breeze (Bath) was a local radio station serving Bath, Somerset. The station was folded into Greatest Hits Radio South West, as part of a rebrand, on 1 September 2020. History Ownerships The Breeze, originally known as Bath FM and initially ...

* The Breeze (Bridgwater & West Somerset) *

The Breeze (Cheltenham & North Gloucestershire) The Breeze (Cheltenham & North Gloucestershire) was a local radio station serving Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. The station was folded into Greatest Hits Radio South West, as part of a rebrand, on 1 September 2020. History The station originally ...

The Breeze (East Hampshire & South West Surrey) Easy Radio South Coast is an Independent Local Radio station based in Southampton, England, owned and operated by Nation Broadcasting. It broadcasts to the South Coast of the England. As of September 2022, the station has a weekly audience of 47 ...

The Breeze (Frome & West Wiltshire) The Breeze (Frome & West Wiltshire) was a local radio station serving Warminster, Westbury / Trowbridge in West Wiltshire / Frome in East Somerset. The station was folded into Greatest Hits Radio South West, as part of a rebrand, on 1 Septembe ...

The Breeze (Newbury) The Breeze (formerly ''Kick FM'' and ''Newbury Sound'') was an independent local radio station serving Newbury and West Berkshire. The station was owned & operated by Bauer Radio and was part of The Breeze network of stations. It broadcasts fr ...

The Breeze (North Dorset) Greatest Hits Radio Dorset (North Dorset) is an Independent Local Radio station serving North Dorset. History Launched on 25 June 1995 as Gold Radio then later became Vale FM when the station was acquired by TLRC. The station, along with s ...

The Breeze (North Somerset) The Breeze (North Somerset) was a local radio station serving North Somerset, England. The station was folded into Greatest Hits Radio South West, as part of a rebrand, on 1 September 2020. History The Breeze started life as 107.7 WFM with pr ...

*The Breeze (Portsmouth) *The Breeze (Reading) *The Breeze (Southampton) *The Breeze (South Devon) *The Breeze (Winchester) *

The Breeze (Yeovil & South Somerset) Greatest Hits Radio Somerset (Yeovil) is a local radio station serving Yeovil, South Somerset and West Dorset in England. The station, formerly known as The Breeze (Yeovil and South Somerset), was folded into Greatest Hits Radio South West, as ...

Sam FM Stations

Sam FM (Bristol) Sam FM was an adult hits format radio station that broadcast on 106.5 MHz FM broadcasting, FM in Bristol, United Kingdom and owned by Bauer Radio. The station formed part of the Hits Radio network, although its entire output and playlist was ...

Sam FM (South Coast) Nation Radio South Coast is a classic hits radio station broadcasting on 106 MHz & 106.6 MHz FM, on DAB on the South Hampshire multiplex across the South Coast of England and on DAB+ across a limited area on the Portsmouth small scale trial ...

Sam FM (Swindon) Sam FM Swindon was a commercial radio station based in Swindon, England, broadcasting on the 107.7 FM frequency. The station was formed by The Local Radio Company, who wanted to create a local radio rival to GWR FM (now Heart). It started in ...

*Sam FM (Thames Valley)

Anglian Radio Network

Dream 100 FM Dream 100 was an independent local radio station owned and operated by Bauer. It broadcast to Tendring and Essex from studios in Colchester and Ipswich, airing the same music programming as sister station Town 102. The station was folded into Gr ...

(

Colchester Colchester ( ) is a city in Essex, in the East of England. It had a population of 122,000 in 2011. The demonym is Colcestrian. Colchester occupies the site of Camulodunum, the first major city in Roman Britain and its first capital. Colc ...

) *

Town 102 Town 102 was a radio station serving Ipswich that was owned by Tindle Radio, Anglian Radio Group and Bauer Radio. It broadcast from 2006 to 2020. Launched in 2006, in its later years, Town 102 carried identical content to Anglian Radio sister ...

(

Ipswich Ipswich () is a port town and borough in Suffolk, England, of which it is the county town. The town is located in East Anglia about away from the mouth of the River Orwell and the North Sea. Ipswich is both on the Great Eastern Main Line r ...

) *

The Beach A beach is a geological formation consisting of loose rock particles along the shoreline of a body of water. Beach, Beaches or beaching may also refer to: Geography Canada * Beaches (federal electoral district), a federal electoral district in ...

(

Great Yarmouth Great Yarmouth (), often called Yarmouth, is a seaside resort, seaside town and unparished area in, and the main administrative centre of, the Borough of Great Yarmouth in Norfolk, England; it straddles the River Yare and is located east of ...

Lowestoft Lowestoft ( ) is a coastal town and civil parish in the East Suffolk district of Suffolk, England.OS Explorer Map OL40: The Broads: (1:25 000) : . As the most easterly UK settlement, it is north-east of London, north-east of Ipswich and so ...

) *

North Norfolk Radio North Norfolk Radio was an Independent local radio station in North Norfolk, England, owned and operated by Bauer Radio as part of the Greatest Hits Radio network. It was closed on 1 September 2020 and merged with Greatest Hits Radio Norfolk ...

(

Cromer Cromer ( ) is a coastal town and civil parish on the north coast of the English county of Norfolk. It is north of Norwich, north-northeast of London and east of Sheringham on the North Sea coastline. The local government authorities are N ...

Sheringham Sheringham (; population 7,367) is an English seaside town within the county of Norfolk, United Kingdom.Ordnance Survey (2002). ''OS Explorer Map 252 - Norfolk Coast East''. . The motto of the town, granted in 1953 to the Sheringham Urban Dist ...

) *

Radio Norwich 99.9 Greatest Hits Radio Norfolk & North Suffolk (Norwich) (formerly Radio Norwich 99.9) is an Independent Local Radio station owned and operated by Bauer, broadcasting to Norwich and the surrounding area. The station was merged with North Norfolk R ...

(

Norwich Norwich () is a cathedral city and district of Norfolk, England, of which it is the county town. Norwich is by the River Wensum, about north-east of London, north of Ipswich and east of Peterborough. As the seat of the Episcopal see, See of ...

)

Other stations

Fire Radio Hits Radio Bournemouth & Poole is an Independent Local radio station owned and operated by Bauer as part of the Hits Radio Network. The station broadcast to Bournemouth, Poole, and Christchurch, Dorset, based in Segensworth in Fareham The sta ...

(Bournemouth and Poole)

People

Paul Smith, CBE, is Chairman of Celador Entertainment Limited which is the parent company for Celador Films, Celador Radio, Celador Theatrical and Lusam Music.

Ellis Watson Ellis Watson has held senior positions at companies such as Menzies, First Group, Syco and DC Thomson. Information Watson was on the Board of Menzies Distribution from 2005 until mid-2009. He left Menzies in 2009 to take up a position on the boar ...

, was the CEO until 2003. Following the new structure of Celador's previous constituent divisions, Celador Productions, (renamed CPL Productions) is now run by managing director (since 2003) Danielle Lux. Christian Colson left Celador Films as Managing Director in 2009 to form

Cloud Nine Films In meteorology, a cloud is an aerosol consisting of a visible mass of miniature liquid droplets, frozen crystals, or other particles suspended in the atmosphere of a planetary body or similar space. Water or various other chemicals may comp ...

, now renamed

Cloud Eight Films Cloud Eight Films (originally known as Cloud Eight) is a British production company founded on 19 December 2008 by Christian Colson, based in London, England. It is known for film such as ''127 Hours'', '' Selma'' and ''Steve Jobs'' and currently ...

. In the last few years, former managing director Adrian Woolfe has teamed up with Claudia Rosencrantz, the person who commissioned ''Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?'' originally at ITV, to launch the Studio 1 production company and an entertainment news network called LIT, which has been available to stream via

Peacock Peafowl is a common name for three bird species in the genera ''Pavo (genus), Pavo'' and ''Afropavo'' within the tribe Pavonini of the family Phasianidae, the pheasants and their allies. Male peafowl are referred to as peacocks, and female pea ...

since January 2021.

References

External links

*{{Official website, https://www.cplproductions.co.uk/ Television production companies of the United Kingdom Film production companies of the United Kingdom Entertainment companies established in 1981