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Bonny Lad

Independent TV & Video Production
Unscripted • Sport • Digital
Trusted by BBC • ITV • C4 • Amazon
North East, UK We don’t make content.

We make films with heart, soul, and purpose. Bonny Lad Productions is a video and television production company based in the North East of England. We specialise in crafting premium factual content — from broadcast documentaries to brand films — that cut through the noise and leave a lasting impression. Led by seasoned Producer/Director Jonny Smith, we’ve built a reputation for powerful storytelli

ng, striking visuals, and editorial integrity. Whether it’s a fast-turnaround digital campaign or a cinematic series for streamers and broadcasters, we bring the same obsessive attention to detail and creative fire to every frame. We work with:

• Broadcasters & streamers looking for compelling unscripted series or standout talent-led docs.

• Brands & agencies wanting video that moves people — and gets results.

• Production companies and agencies needing trusted creative leadership: Shooting PD, Producer, Director or Edit Producer.

• Freelancers who want to collaborate with good people, making great work. We’re proudly based in the North East, but our work travels — from factory floors to football stadiums, boardrooms to broadcast. If you’re after safe, beige, forgettable — we’re not your people. But if you want films with edge, honesty, and heart — let’s talk.

🎥 www.bonny-lad.com
📍 Sunderland & beyond
💬 Drop us a message — we’re always up for a cuppa, collaboration, and conversation that counts.

23/08/2026

Today, Newcastle and Liverpool fans come together to honour the one, the only - Kevin Keegan.

And over recent days, we’ve had the privilege of helping tell the story behind today’s incredible tribute.

Our friends at Signpost asked Bonny Lad to help make a film for BBC’s The One Show, following Wor Flags as they transformed around 1,000 shirts left in memory of King Kev into something very special.

There was the pleasure of hearing the remarkable plans from Wor Flags and getting a sneak peek at the design. Of filming the messages supporters had written on their shirts. Of digging through archive we’d never seen before, including Natural Born Footballers from 1995 and a BBC special on Kevin Keegan Week. And, as always, the privilege of filming inside an empty St James’ Park — something we never take for granted.

But there was pressure too.

Pressure to repay the trust Wor Flags placed in us to tell their story. Pressure to deliver for Signpost and the BBC on such a tight turnaround. And, most of all, pressure to do justice to a true legend of the game.

Spooling through the archive, what struck us was just how likeable Kevin Keegan was, not just at Newcastle, but wherever he went. His warmth, generosity, passion and humour always shone through.

One archive moment sadly had to be shortened in the final edit. Keegan is being interviewed in the dressing room after securing promotion to the Premier League when David Kelly empties a bucket of water over his head mid-answer.

His response?

“Could have been champagne, but cheapskate club, it’s water!”

That was King Kev.

Thank you to Signpost for trusting us with this special project. To Robson Green for an incredibly moving contribution — one that nearly had us in tears behind the camera. And to our presenter Adebanji Alade for coming to Newcastle and seeing first-hand what Keegan meant, and still means, to this city — and for his stunning portrait of Special K.

Hopefully our little film does justice not just to the football legend, but to the man himself.

Rest in peace, King Kev. Thank you for the memories.

There was, and will only ever be, one Kevin Keegan. 🖤🤍

31/07/2026

Tonight’s the night! 🎺

After months of filming, Our Lives: The Last Miner in the Band airs tonight at 7:30pm on BBC One.

Easington is a place with a remarkable history. Like many former mining communities, it's changed enormously over the years and is perhaps not talked about as much as it once was. But spend even a short time there and you'll quickly discover something that hasn't changed - a warm welcome, a strong sense of community and everyone talking about the band. It was a privilege to tell a small part of that story.

You'll meet some wonderful characters along the way...

There are many more wonderful people whose stories you'll see tonight, and we’re incredibly grateful to everyone who welcomed us into their lives and trusted us to tell their story.

📺 Our Lives: The Last Miner in the Band�

Tonight | 7:30pm | BBC One

30/07/2026

Eddie Howe, where to begin.

Just under five years ago, you walked through the door at Newcastle United, but it was a world away from the club we know now.

In just five short years, you’ve saved the club from the brink of relegation, given fans two Champions League campaigns, and a historic piece of silverware in the Carabao Cup.

But more than that – you’ve brought the fans closer to the club, brought exciting football back to St James’ Park, and given fans the hope we desperately needed.

Much like Sir Bobby Robson and the late, great Kevin Keegan, you arrived at Newcastle as a manager, but you leave a legend.

Thank you for everything, Eddie.

We will always be Eddie Howe’s black and white army.

🖤🤍

28/07/2026

Last week, Bonny Lad welcomed our first-ever work experience student! 📚

Lacey joined us from Monkwearmouth Academy and was brilliant from start to finish: polite, curious, full of questions and genuinely keen to learn more about the television industry 📺

One of her main goals was to develop her communication skills, so she joined Zoom meetings connected to a BBC programme we’re currently working on and later pitched her own idea to us 💡

She also wanted to learn more about professional work ethic, so we put her to task as she planned, filmed and edited her own material, as well as helping with edit-assisting work on one of our current, unannounced projects 🎥

Across the placement, she got a proper introduction to the different stages of production, from pitching ideas and researching through to filming and post ✏️

She approached everything with enthusiasm, took feedback on board and wasn’t afraid to ask questions. She also discovered she had plenty in common with Jonny, particularly a shared love of 80s and 90s music and old school video games 🎮

It was especially nice that Lacey approached us directly about the placement. She set the bar very high as our first work experience student, and we’ve no doubt she’ll go on to do great things at Monkwearmouth and beyond! 🚀

17/07/2026

Now available in both the UK and Australia:
Outback Terror: The Falconio Murder.

Twenty-five years after the murder of British backpacker Peter Falconio and the attack on his girlfriend, Joanne Lees, geoforensic specialist Dr Mark Harrison MBE and former FBI profiler Kathy Canning-Mello re-examine the case and its last remaining mystery: where is Peter Falconio?

It was great to work with Prospero Productions again, building on a trusted partnership and helping deliver a story with genuine international reach.

Having recently attended the Partnering with Australia event, this feels like a strong example of what UK-Australian collaboration can achieve - bringing together talent, expertise and perspectives from both sides of the world.

The programme is now available on U&W in the UK and has premiered on Channel 9 in Australia.

10/07/2026

Over the past few weeks, we’ve had the pleasure of visiting St Anthony’s Girls’ Catholic Academy on a couple of occasions.

The first visit was with Sixth Form students, talking through how television programmes are developed, commissioned, funded and made - a real deep dive into the business of TV, how it all works and what it takes to survive in a notoriously competitive industry.

We then returned to work with a group of Year 7 students, giving them the chance to get hands-on with professional camera, sound and lighting equipment, while showing them that careers in the creative sector are absolutely within reach.

Both groups were great. The Sixth Form students were confident, talkative and curious about what it takes to work in telly. But the Year 7s really surprised us, asking plenty of questions about sound in particular, and showing a real, natural instinct for lighting. They created some beautiful shots using different colours, intensities and setups.

The wider aim of both visits was to make the television industry feel a little less distant, and show that careers in the creative industries, are possible for young people from working-class backgrounds in the North East.

We’re also proud to be working with an all-girls school and helping show that production, editorial and technical roles are open to them too.

A huge thank you to St Anthony's Girls' Catholic Academy and Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust for inviting us in and making us so welcome 💛

30/06/2026

Some stories are too important to be forgotten.

Over the past few months, we’ve had the privilege of helping to tell one of the North East’s most remarkable stories.

The Last Miner in the Band is a new film for BBC One’s Our Lives, following the Easington Colliery Band and the final miner still playing in its legendary ranks.

On the surface, it’s a film about brass bands.

In reality, it’s about so much more.

Community.

Identity.

Resilience.

It’s about a mining heritage that still echoes through every note, long after the pits themselves fell silent.

This is why Bonny Lad exists. To tell stories that matter. Stories rooted in ordinary people with extraordinary lives. Stories that remind us where we come from and why those roots are worth protecting.

We genuinely can’t wait for you to meet the people at the heart of this film.

📺 The Last Miner in the Band
▶️ BBC iPlayer | From 10th July
📺 BBC One (Our Lives) | Friday 31st July | 7pm

Making documentaries is never a solo effort.

A huge thank you to Peter, Graeme, Dan, George, Sophie and everyone at the brilliant Easington Colliery Brass Band. Thank you for welcoming us into your world and trusting us with your story.

To our fantastic crew — Graham Smith, for making sure every spoken word and every musical note was captured beautifully. Simon Glass, for bringing Durham Cathedral to life through the lens. Reed Ingram and Ingram AV, for creating such a spectacular visual backdrop. And photographer Paul, whose stunning images feature throughout this carousel. Thank you all for your talent, commitment and generosity.

And to Victoria Holden, Sally Nunn-Hammond, Ava Axtell and everyone at CHALK Productions — thank you for inviting us on another special journey. It’s always a privilege to work alongside such a thoughtful and passionate team.

If your family has a connection to mining, brass bands or life in the North East, we’d love to hear your memories in the comments. Every story deserves to be remembered.

We’ll see you in July.

💛

19/06/2026

Back in the North East after a great couple of days in London attending the Partner with Australia event at BFI Southbank 🇦🇺🇬🇧

It was brilliant to meet producers, writers and screen businesses from across Australia and explore opportunities for future collaboration.

Despite being on opposite sides of the world, it’s clear we share a lot in common - from our language and culture to the stories we tell and the way we tell them.

We’ve been lucky enough to work with Australian producers before, so it was great to build on existing relationships while making plenty of new connections along the way.

A big thank you to Screen Australia, Ausfilm, Film London, BFI and Pact for bringing us all together.

Looking forward to seeing where these conversations lead!

16/06/2026

Some shoots really stop you in your tracks. This was one of them.

Over the years we’ve filmed in all kinds of places and met some incredible people, but every now and then you come across a story - often right on your own doorstep - that reminds you what really matters.

When we were approached to film this project, it was pitched as an appeal film for Comic Relief. Jill Scott would be running and cycling 388 miles from Wembley to the Stadium of Light, raising money along the way. Good cause, great idea, one camera, a couple of mics - simple enough.

But what we quickly realised, was that this wasn’t really a story about miles.

It was a story about people.

Behind every fundraising total are families trying to get by, community organisations holding people up when they need it most, and individuals facing challenges most of us can barely imagine.

Spending time with those willing to share their experiences was a humbling privilege. It was a reminder of the resilience, kindness and strength that exists in communities across the North East, away from the spotlight.

It’s easy to watch a film and see the finished product. What you don’t always see are the conversations, the trust and the courage it takes for people to tell their stories.

We’re incredibly proud to have played a small part in bringing this one to the screen.

Jill has been amazing and her Coming Home Challenge has raised a staggering £500,000+ already! This money will be truly transformational to the lives of ordinary people.

Please watch and, if you’re able, please support Jill’s appeal. We saw first-hand where the money goes, and organisations like SNYP and The Bread and Butter Thing are making a genuine difference every single day.

Link to the film and the donation page, in the comments ⬇️

02/06/2026

Now May is over, it’s time to look back on our busiest month of the year so far - starting with our work on the fantastic Double Tops podcast🎯

A trio of Newcastle players, darts and a YouTuber - what could possibly go wrong? More on that later! 👀

We’ve been absolutely chocker over the past few weeks, but this one came at the perfect time. At Bonny Lad, we’re big on having a laugh at work, and this pod was certainly that. From the wonky Double Tops sign that needed more adjustment than we’d care to admit, to the frankly excessive amount of debate that went into the darts eight-a-side team, and the bits of the pod that (rightly!) ended up on the cutting room floor - it was the most we’ve laughed on a job this year!

So much football content you see now is really forced, wooden and awkward and this wasn’t that at all. All the lads love their darts, and that was obvious for all to see. And the way they spoke about how much they loved the club, being adored by the fans and feeling welcome in Newcastle, was genuinely heartwarming.

Of course, no shoot is complete without a bit of behind-the-scenes drama either…

Our A camera decided it’d had enough and no longer wanted to record, just minutes before filming began. Thankfully we had a spare, quickly dialled the settings in and were ready to roll just seconds before the players arrived. Nothing like a little tech failure to get the blood pumping! 😅

Big thanks to everyone involved; our amazing clients Platform and BetMGM UK, host of the pod and cracking digital creator JaackMaate and our always brilliant hosts, Newcastle United

The full episode is available here right now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mS9fTHTiMTI

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Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

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http://www.bonny-lad.com/

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