‘Dolly Parton: Here I Am’ Producer Man Alive Entertainment To Shut After Fremantle Divestment

EXCLUSIVE: Man Alive Entertainment is set to become the latest UK producer to close its doors amid the content slowdown.

Founded by former Channel 4 entertainment chief Justin Gorman, Man Alive has filed for voluntary liquidation after nine years of trading. Insolvency firm Wilson Field is overseeing the closure.

Man Alive launched with investment from Fremantle in 2015, but financial filings show that the European super producer divested its 25% stake last year.

Dolly Parton: Here I Am, a 2019 BBC documentary with exclusive access to the country music icon, was among Man Alive’s most notable projects.

The company also produced Discovery+ series The Faking Dead and Stand Up To Cancer content for Channel 4.

Man Alive founder Gorman has been contacted for comment. Fremantle had no comment.

A number of UK producers have closed in recent months. Deadline revealed in April that Zig Zag, the 25-year-old indie behind shows including Fox‘s I Wanna Marry Harry, was shutting its production arm after being hit by the unscripted commissioning drought.

Banijay shut Wife Swap and Only Connect producer RDF Television after 30 years in February. UK trade Broadcast reported this week that Vienna Blood producer Endor Productions is closing, citing the “persistently difficult” market for scripted.