TellyCast - the content industry podcast show

25/07/2025

🚨 “Public service media is an endangered species.”
That’s the stark warning from Ofcom’s Cristina Nicolotti Squires.

In this TellyCast interview, she breaks down:
📺 Why YouTube is now essential for public service broadcasters
⚠️ What’s holding traditional media back from digital transformation
🤖 How AI and misinformation are reshaping trust in content
📉 And why it’s time to stop treating digital platforms like second class screens

Whether you’re a creator, indie producer, or exec navigating the social video landscape, this conversation is packed with insight on what’s next for UK media.

🎙 Hosted by Justin Crosby
📍 Recorded in London
▶️ Watch the full interview now and join the debate.

25/07/2025

Cristina Nicolotti Squires doesn’t mince words. “Public service media is an endangered species,” she told TellyCast this week. And while that may sound dramatic, for anyone working in digital-first video, it’s just confirmation of what’s been obvious for years: the UK’s traditional broadcasters are still dragging their feet when it comes to playing where audiences already are - and that means YouTube, TikTok, and the platforms that drive modern media culture. As Ofcom’s Director of Broadcasting and Media, Nicolotti Squires has just delivered a six-point plan designed to prevent PSBs from fading into irrelevance....

Why PSBs must stop snubbing YouTube - or risk irrelevance Ofcom’s Cristina Nicolotti Squires tells TellyCast why UK public service broadcasters must embrace YouTube and digital-first strategies or risk becoming irrelevant in a world dominated by social video platforms li...

23/07/2025

The founder of newly minted Mako Studios and a key architect of Wall of Entertainment’s meteoric rise, Taf Makopa has emerged as one of the most dynamic figures in the social video economy - a restless creator, strategist, and matchmaker who thrives at the collision point between talent, brands, and content. Speaking on TellyCast, Makopa comes across as part showman, part realist, and all-in believer in the power of digital-first formats. “Production costs aren’t going down, talent fees aren’t going down, and the cost to retain people isn’t going down,” he says....

From Wall to Mako: How Taf Makopa is Building Social Video’s Next Powerhouse Taf Makopa, founder of Mako Studios and former Wall of Entertainment exec, reveals how he’s building a new wave of creator-led, brand-backed social video formats with global IP potential.

16/07/2025

Taf Makopa, one of the most influential figures in the UK’s digital content space, has unveiled an ambitious first slate of projects for his new venture, Mako Studios. Speaking exclusively on the TellyCast podcast, Makopa announced four brand-funded series, all developed in partnership with fashion giant BoohooMan. Makopa, who made his name at Wall of Entertainment with viral hits like Does the Shoe Fit and Worst in Class, is now channelling his creator-led, format-first approach into Mako Studios, with a clear focus: original, social-first IP that puts talent, brands, and production companies into smart, scalable partnerships....

Exclusive: Taf Makopa Unveils Four BoohooMan Projects at Mako Studio

15/07/2025

When Alex Morris joined forces with Alexandra Hirschi, aka Supercar Blondie, few could have predicted the scale and speed of the brand they’d build. What began as a single influencer channel has now become a fully-fledged media company - SB Media Group - with a global audience, multiple revenue streams, and ambitions to break into television. Speaking at the TellyCast How to Make Money in Digital event, Morris, the company’s Managing Director, outlined how a business that began with one woman and a camera is now shaping the future of creator-led media....

How SB Media Group Turned a Single Influencer into a Global Automotive Brand How Supercar Blondie’s SB Media Group grew from influencer channel to global media brand, expanding into news, e-commerce, and TV, while redefining what creator-led business can be.

14/07/2025

Andrew Trotman didn’t set out to build one of the UK’s most dynamic creator businesses. In fact, his first brush with digital fame came from beating the bookmakers at their own game—using data science to tip winners in horse racing. But that obsession with numbers would become the foundation for Komi Group, a Manchester-based powerhouse now producing 40,000 videos a year and clocking 4.5 billion monthly views across 40+ owned social brands. “I realised early on that if you can own distribution and build a loyal audience, you’ve got something incredibly valuable,” Trotman tells TellyCast in this week’s episode....

Inside Komi Group: The Data-Driven Studio Turning Creators into Brands Behind the scenes at Komi Group: how Andrew Trotman is helping creators scale, diversify, and survive the creator economy - from social video to brand building and beyond.

10/07/2025

Quintus Studios MD Gerrit Kemming reveals how the company transformed from a traditional TV distributor into a global YouTube documentary powerhouse using multilingual strategy, AI dubbing, and content-first monetisation....

Quintus Studios: From Linear Legacy to YouTube Powerhouse Quintus Studios MD Gerrit Kemming reveals how the company transformed from a traditional TV distributor into a global YouTube documentary powerhouse using multilingual strategy, AI dubbing, and content-first monetis...

05/07/2025

In an era where the race for attention is unrelenting and the power dynamics between creators and traditional broadcasters are shifting, Hayley Morris stands out as a rare example of a creator who knows exactly what she wants - and what she won’t give away. With more than nine million followers across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, Morris has built a formidable comedy brand rooted in vertical video and quick-fire sketches. Her humour is distinctly self-deprecating, her characters disarmingly relatable, and her knack for turning life’s smallest humiliations into viral hits has propelled her to the front of the social video landscape....

Hayley Morris: The Relatable Comedy Star Who Won’t Let Go of Her IP Comedy creator Hayley Morris explains why protecting her IP is non-negotiable as she builds her social video empire and explores self-funded TV-style projects on YouTube.

04/07/2025

Multi-platform production company Spirit Studios is set to become one of the first partners to utilise Channel 4’s Generative AI Solution for TV advertising, in a move designed to unlock the power of TV for new and emerging brands....

Spirit Studios partners with Channel 4 on groundbreaking Gen AI ad campaign

30/06/2025

For many traditional TV producers, the move into the digital-first world can feel like stepping into chaos. Storyboards, set pieces and tightly written scripts have long been the backbone of broadcast production. But Ben Doyle, the creative force behind After Party Studios, has built his career by rejecting that structure in favour of something much looser - and it’s working. Known to many as RubberDuck, Doyle has spent nearly a decade building social-first hits by working hand-in-hand with digital-native talent. Speaking at the recent TellyCast How to Make Money in Digital event, he made it clear that the rules of the YouTube game are radically different to those of television....

13/06/2025

Tafara Makopa, former Managing Director at TellyCast Digital Video Awards-winning Studio of the Year Wall of Entertainment, has launched MAKO Studios, a new creative consultancy and digital production studio aimed at connecting talent, brands and production partners in the digital space....

Tafara Makopa Launches MAKO Studios to Connect Brands, Creators and Production Partners in Digital Space Tafara Makopa, former Managing Director at TellyCast Digital Video Awards-winning Studio of the Year Wall of Entertainment, has launched MAKO Studios, a new creative co...

09/06/2025

Studio B is an award-winning digital-first studio, creating branded entertainment for some of the world’s most iconic brands - including Disney, Lego, Netflix, Google, and many more. Founded by a creator, we have an instinctive understanding of digital platforms and what makes content truly resonate. Our social-first approach has propelled Studio B to extraordinary heights, generating over 15 billion views and cultivating an audience of more than 25 million followers across the globe. What sets Studio B apart is our unmatched blend of creativity and cutting-edge technology. With significant investments in world-class infrastructure, including a leading VFX team and dedicated AI task force, we continually unlock advanced production capabilities....

Head of Formats - Studio B