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Newcastle-based former children’s TV star forms own production company

The star of a former children’s TV show has moved away from the spotlight and formed her own TV production company.

Newcastle-based actress Kim Tserkezie who played Penny Pocket in the hit CBeebies series, Balamory has spent the last four years researching and developing her new production company, Scattered Pictures which will focus on North East talent both in front of and behind the camera lens.

BAFTA member Kim’s role in Balamory led to her being voted in a national poll as ‘the best representation of a wheelchair user on screen’ and one of the ‘most influential disabled people in the UK.’

She has worked alongside Robson Green and Imogen Stubbs in ITV’s prime time drama Blind Ambition and played in various films and theatre productions as well as presenting programmes on BBC2.

Now, she is using her TV experiences to write and produce home grown screen projects in collaboration with some of the UK’s most successful industry leaders. The change in career originally came about out of a desire to create more interesting roles for disabled actors.

Kim said: “As a disabled actress it has been difficult to find exciting character roles removed from the stereotypical portrayals of disabled people. I decided that if the roles weren’t there then it was up to me to create them.”

“In recent years the North East has also been a difficult place to find TV work in despite a wealth of talent both behind the scenes and in front of the camera. My aim is to nurture that talent, promote the area and bring quality, prime time productions to the region.

“Every aspect of the production would be locally sourced wherever possible including premieres of our work at iconic places like the Tyneside Cinema in Newcastle. This will be great for the economy of the North East and will bring work not only for us, but also for others such as actors, make up artists, camera operators, directors, catering staff and location teams too.”

Using the creative skills of fellow director Paul Green and other established local writers such as Bridget Deane, Kim has set ambitious targets and goals that are coming to fruition. Already leading broadcasters are showing interest in their comedy slate which has received investment from Northern Film and Media and a number of nationwide award winning production companies are in discussion with them to co-develop projects.

One such project is with Liverpool’s Lime Pictures who are working with Scattered Pictures on a prime time TV drama series based on Kim’s original idea and one that she is set to star in.

Rebecca Hodgson, Head of Drama at Lime Pictures is delighted to be working with Kim.

“Lime Pictures are enjoying collaborating with Scattered Pictures on the development of a six-part television drama called Yamas set in a Greek restaurant in Newcastle. Kim is a creative producer who brings a warmth and charm to the development process.”

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