Lambert emerges from Queen scandal to set up own company

by Jennifer Whitehead, Brand Republic 25-Mar-08, 10:50

LONDON - Stephen Lambert, the television producer who quit RDF Media after the scandal over a trailer featuring the Queen, is setting up his own company.

Lambert has previously had huge successes with reality TV shows such as 'Wife Swap', 'Faking It' and 'The Secret Millionaire', which is nominated for a television Bafta.

His new venture will be called Studio Lambert, after the advertising agency founded by his father in the 1960s. It is being launched in partnership with All3Media, which owns numerous production companies including Maverick Television, Cactus TV and Objective Productions.

Lambert is joined by executives including: Peter Moore, who produced the first series of 'The Apprentice' for the BBC and 'Jamie's Kitchen'; Jenny Crowther, who worked on 'Wife Swap' and 'The Secret Millionaire'; and Tamara Abood, who produced 'Brat Camp'.

Michael Bywater, the author and journalist, joins as a development executive and Jamie Donald, former deputy editor of the Today programme, is head of development. Jo Crawley, who produced 'Faking It' is head of production and Andy Coker, former finance director of Carlton International, is head of finance.

Lambert said: "We all wanted to be involved in building something new. We are delighted to be working together and for my part, I am really pleased to be starting afresh with such a great team. We are looking forward to announcing soon the names of several other colleagues who will join as we get going."

Lambert resigned as chief creative officer at RDF last year after it emerged that a trailer for the BBC documentary 'A Year with the Queen' that appeared to show the Queen storming off during a photoshoot with Annie Leibovitz was edited misleadingly. The BBC and RDF apologised for the incident.

The scandal also cost BBC One controller Peter Fincham his job. He has since re-emerged as ITV's director of television, replacing Simon Shaps.