Stephen Leahy
STEPHEN joined Granada Television in 1972 as a Researcher, then Promotions Editor and Producer: Regional Programmes. In 1982 he became Granada’s Senior Producer of ITV Network Children's Programmes, where he created several series including Alphabet Zoo (which was included in a Royal Variety Show), Tickle on the Tum, Hold Tight and Starstrider.
In 1987 he became Granada's Head of Entertainment, where he developed his passion for quiz shows, with ITV network productions including The Krypton Factor, Busman's Holiday, Connections, Runway and University Challenge.
In 1988 he was poached from Granada to turn format importer Action Time into a producer and creator of entertainment shows both in the UK and internationally.
The company soon became the first British Independent to supply all major broadcasters (both terrestrial and satellite) and he formed an International Division which enjoyed an equally meteoric rise with Action Time formats on-air in over 40 countries.
As joint MD of Action Time he was also responsible for bringing formats to UK broadcasters from abroad including Wipeout, Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy, Lingo and Catchphrase (US) You’ve Been Framed (Japan) Stars in their Eyes (Holland) You Decide/ Do the Right Thing (Brazil) and The Mole (Belgium).
Original Action Time formats (many of which he devised) included Lose A Million (ITV1) Love at First Sight (Sky1) Spellbound (Sky1) Surprise Chefs (ITV) Caught in the Act (BBC1) ITV Chef of the Year, Timekeepers (BBC1) Backdate (C4) Bank Raid (Israel & Poland) Joker in the Pack (BBC1) Live 6 Show (Sky1) Men For Sale (ITV1) Mum’s The Word (Granada) The Answer Lies in the Soil (ITV1) Porkies (NZ Portugal, Denmark, Norway, Belgium) Raise The Roof (ITV1) Second Guess (Challenge tv) Sabotage (C4) 1to 3 (Sky1) Trivial Pursuit (Challenge).
Stephen is one of the few successful creators of game shows with a worldwide reputation. He has broken down conventional game show subject matters, bringing to the screen shows based on board games (the murder classic Cluedo was a hit on ITV1) and biblical knowledge - he co-devised the world's first multi-faith religious game show, Heaven Knows (ITV1) and the fitness based Bodyheat (ITV1).
Surprise Gardeners (ITV1) became Action Time's first format deal in the US, followed by Love At First Sight (Paramount) and Million Dollar Chance of a Lifetime (Fox) - which he first devised for Channel 7 (Australia) and has since been produced in 15 countries including as a twice daily live quiz for 5 years on Sat 1 (Germany).
Middle East Broadcasting commissioned 2 nightly game show series (Spellbound and Wipeout) to be produced by Action Time in Arabic, broadcasting LIVE to the gulf from studios in London. An Arabic home video show series was produced for MBC in Manchester.
Stephen was also joint MD of Action Games GMBH, a Munich based co-venture with Bavaria Studios. An Action Time production base was also opened in Delhi.
In 1993, he joined with fellow Joint MD of Action Time, Trish Kinane, in effecting a management buyout of 70% of Action Time from its owners Carlton Communications and Paramount Pictures. They then sold the company back to Carlton in 1996, agreeing to 5 year personal contracts, which ended in 2001.
In 2002 Stephen and Trish set up LUDUS Entertainment.
In 2008 Stephen and Trish received the prestigious IFA Gold Medal Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Formats Business in the C21/FRAPA Media International Format Awards at MIPCOM, the international tv convention in Cannes.
In 2010 Stephen was a guest speaker at the Berlin Entertainment Masterclass.
Stephen also consults and executive produces internationally, sometimes as a “Flying Quiz Doctor” for other producers and broadcasters’ new formats, pilots or series – and has worked in studios in Sydney, Moscow, Berlin, Munich, New York, LA, Amsterdam, Barcelona and Rome.
Clients have included Channel 4, TwoFour, All 3 Media ( Maverick, Optimen, Objective), Sony Pictures/Two way Traffic, Channel 7 Australia, ITV, Abu Dhabi Tv, STV, Gala Tv, Czech Republic Tv.