In a move that’s turning heads across the British television industry, acclaimed drama producer Preethi Mavahalli is departing Poison Pen Studios to launch her own ITV Studios-backed label, Paper Mill Productions. Set to open its doors in April 2026, Paper Mill aims to carve out a new space in the premium scripted drama market—one that’s both deeply rooted in the ITV Studios family and ready to reach audiences well beyond the UK.
For those who’ve followed Mavahalli’s career, this leap feels like the natural next step. As she herself put it, “Almost my entire television career has been as part of ITV Studios so it only felt natural to take this exciting and significant step as part of the family. I’m thrilled to launch this new venture and continue to collaborate with exceptional storytellers and creatives, Julian [Bellamy, ITV Studios boss], and the wonderfully talented team at ITV Studios.” According to Deadline, her move comes after nearly four years at Poison Pen, where she was instrumental in developing high-profile dramas for ITV.
Paper Mill Productions will focus on developing and producing premium scripted content designed for both UK and global audiences. ITV Studios will handle international distribution, ensuring that the label’s output will have a reach well beyond British shores. As Variety reported, “ITV Studios is launching Paper Mill Productions, a scripted label led by Preethi Mavahalli, to develop and produce premium scripted series for UK and global audiences.” It’s an ambitious vision, but one that’s firmly grounded in Mavahalli’s impressive track record.
During her tenure at Poison Pen, Mavahalli oversaw the development and production of two much-anticipated ITV dramas: “Adultery,” starring Dominic Cooper and Romola Garai and written by Danny Brocklehurst, and “The Dark,” a serial killer thriller based on G.R. Halliday’s debut novel “From the Shadows” and adapted by Matt Hartley. Both series are set to launch on ITV later this year, and their buzz is already palpable among industry watchers. According to Variety, Mavahalli played a hands-on role in shepherding these projects from concept to screen, cementing her reputation as a creative force in British drama.
Mavahalli isn’t making the move alone. Luke Woelhaf, another key executive from Poison Pen, will be joining Paper Mill as executive producer. Woelhaf’s own resume is nothing to sniff at—he was director of development at Poison Pen and also served as executive producer on “Adultery” and “The Dark.” Before that, he was head of development at Left Bank Pictures, with credits including the BAFTA-nominated ITVX thriller “Without Sin,” Netflix’s “Behind Her Eyes,” and the BAFTA award-winning “Sitting in Limbo.” As Variety noted, Woelhaf’s arrival signals that Paper Mill is serious about assembling a powerhouse team from day one.
Looking back, Mavahalli’s career reads like a greatest hits reel of British television drama. Her credits include the critically acclaimed BBC/Netflix hit “The Serpent,” “Noughts + Crosses,” “The City & the City,” BAFTA-nominated “NW,” “The War of the Worlds,” “McDonald & Dodds,” “Tripped,” and “Next of Kin.” She previously served as director of drama at Mammoth Screen, another ITV Studios label, and held roles at Sky Studios, Film4, and Film London. As Deadline highlighted, she’s widely regarded as one of the UK’s most talented and versatile drama executives.
ITV Studios, for its part, is no stranger to nurturing creative talent and launching successful drama labels. Its stable already includes industry heavyweights like Quay Street Productions, World Productions, Happy Prince, Mammoth Screen, Hartswood Films, and Moonage Pictures. On the international front, it boasts partnerships with Cattleya, Plano a Plano, Lingo Pictures, Windlight Pictures, TM Studios, Tetra Media Fiction, Colette Productions, Good Cop, and L’Intruse. In this context, Paper Mill’s arrival feels less like a gamble and more like a strategic expansion of ITV Studios’ already impressive drama portfolio.
Julian Bellamy, managing director of ITV Studios, was quick to praise the move. “ITV Studios has a long tradition of championing talented drama executives. I am delighted that the launch of Paper Mill Productions marks the next exciting phase of Preethi’s journey with us, creating a dedicated label for bold and impactful drama.” His words, reported by Variety and Deadline, underscore the company’s commitment to fostering homegrown talent and pushing the boundaries of what British drama can achieve.
So what might viewers expect from Paper Mill Productions? While specific projects have yet to be announced, the label has made its ambitions clear: to develop and produce “premium scripted content designed for UK and global audiences,” as ITV Studios put it. The focus will be on bold, impactful storytelling that resonates with viewers at home and abroad. Given Mavahalli’s past work—from the twisty, true-crime intrigue of “The Serpent” to the genre-bending “Noughts + Crosses”—there’s every reason to believe that Paper Mill’s output will be both adventurous and high quality.
The timing of Paper Mill’s launch is also noteworthy. The global appetite for prestige drama has never been higher, and British producers are increasingly looking beyond their own borders for audiences and collaborators. With ITV Studios handling international distribution, Paper Mill’s shows will have a built-in pipeline to global platforms and networks—a major advantage in today’s competitive content landscape.
For ITV Studios, the launch of Paper Mill Productions is a statement of intent. It signals the company’s desire to stay at the forefront of scripted drama, to nurture the next generation of creative talent, and to keep pushing the envelope in terms of both storytelling and scale. As the industry evolves, having nimble, creatively led labels like Paper Mill in the fold could prove to be a winning strategy.
For Preethi Mavahalli and her team, the months ahead will be all about building something new—drawing on years of experience, a deep well of creative relationships, and the backing of one of the UK’s most influential studios. It’s a tall order, but if her track record is anything to go by, Paper Mill Productions is set to make a splash both at home and on the world stage.
With the buzz already building and two hotly anticipated dramas on the horizon, all eyes will be on Paper Mill as it takes its first steps. The British drama scene just got a little more interesting—and for fans of bold, ambitious storytelling, that’s very good news indeed.