Saffron Cherry Productions, creator of the international hit show The Madame Blanc Mysteries (C5/Acorn TV) co-produced with Clapperboard Studios and creator of multi-award-winning show The World According to Grandpa (Milkshake!), has announced the show’s star, Trinidadian-born British actor Don Warrington MBE, as its new executive producer.
The esteemed actor already knows the Saffron Cherry family from his title role in The World According to Grandpa and will officially join the team with the focus of developing his hugely varied slate of established and emerging ethnically diverse writers and a vision of telling new, important stories.
The World According to Grandpa was the only British nominee in an incredibly strong category at the 2023 BANFF World Media Festival Rockie Awards, which included Fraggle Rock, Sesame Street, Clutter in the Courtyard and Odd Squad.
The ground-breaking show, which has been commended for its commitment to diversity on screen and behind the camera, has already won Broadcast and VLV awards, plus was nominated for three RTS North West Awards, an RTS National Award, and a Content Innovation Award.
Warrington currently stars as Inspector Patterson in the long running Death in Paradise (BBC) produced by Red Planet. He is also well known for playing Philip in Rising Damp (BBC Television) He has played the lead in three Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester shows; All My Sons, Death of a Salesman and King Lear. As a director Don’s credits include Rising Damp (UK Number 1 Tour) Rum and Cola (West Yorkshire Playhouse) and The Coloured Museum (Talawa Theatre Company at the V and A).
Saffron Cherry is a multi-genre production company based in Manchester committed to all types of diversity and representation in the television industry, in front of and behind the camera, which is clear to see across all of its output.
Founded and led by its managing director, BAFTA winning producer Caroline Roberts-Cherry, with writer, producer and actor Sally Lindsay as creative director, the team sees Don as the perfect fit for the company as it moves forwards on its mission.
Warrington said: “Ethnic diversity in television is getting better, but it will only be where it should be when I’m not surprised to see a person of colour on screen. How to improve things depends on whether you think art and culture should lead society or vice versa; I believe that art and culture should always lead so the more diversity within the industry, on every level, the better.
“I was asked to join the team at Saffron Cherry by Caroline with whom I have a great working relationship. I saw it as a fantastic opportunity to work more closely with her and the team to develop new projects for television and film. I have always had a passion for new writing, and for ensuring that there are spaces and opportunities for Global Majority writers to develop their craft. I think authentic, original stories, told by British Global Majority writers are, to some extent, still missing from our screens. I’m excited to help fill that gap, alongside Caroline, Sally and the team at Saffron Cherry.
“It is always a pleasure to be involved at the very beginning of a creative process that brings inventive, new voices to as wide an audience as possible. This country is a hive of incredible cultural talent, and it is important that we continue to provide ways in which that talent can be cultivated and celebrated here. All I can say is watch this space…”
Saffron Cherry’s creative director Sally Lindsay added: “We are delighted that Don is joining us as part of our creative team. He is already working on an adaptation of Edson Burton’s Deacon drama series (Radio 4) and with him on board we are excited by the different stories we can now tell.”
