Matt Baker’s prodco to produce a Travels with Mum and Dad festive special as part of new C4 trio

Matt Baker and Gareth Collett’s regional production company, Big Circus Media, has landed a trio of commissions from Channel 4.

The Berkhamsted-based indie specialises in fact-ent and documentaries, with the latest tranche of orders comprising Matt Baker: Christmas Travels with Mum and Dad; John Lewis at Christmas and Hotel Chocolat at Christmas.

Matt Baker: Christmas Travels with Mum and Dad, will be delivered to More4 as 2 x 60’ episodes; it is the first festive version of the family travel format and will follow the Baker family as they go aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia and visit the king’s suppliers of tartan. The other episode features Matt and his parents as they explore Robin Hood’s Bay as it prepares for the Christmas festival.

John Lewis at Christmas, is a 1 x 60’ behind- the- scenes documentary for Channel 4, exploring the store and following its staff in the run-up to the bumper festive season, including a look at how the much-anticipated seasonal ad is filmed.

Also from Big Circus, Hotel Chocolat at Christmas is a 1 x 60’ documentary for Channel 4, about the lengthy advance planning the chocolate-making firm undertakes for the festive market, and featuring chief exec Angus Thirlwell.

Big Circus Media is also behind the commission of My Life at Christmas with Anita Rani, for BBC One.

Baker and Collett said: “We are delighted to play our part in the great British Christmas TV schedule with seven hours of Christmas programming across BBC One Channel 4 and More 4. We hope they’ll bring some Christmas cheer to everyone watching.”