Steve Coogan’s Production Company Baby Cow Tease New Alan Partridge, Eye U.S. Expansion

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor Snap announced that it was cutting 20% of its workforce in a bid to contain costs — eliminating nearly 1,300 positions — and that the company will discontinue funding original series. With the moves, Snap estimated it will save $500 million in cash expenses on an annualized basis relative to the second quarter of 2022. That includes a $50 million estimated reduction in fixed content costs with the elimination of Snap Originals. Shares of Snap were up 10% Wednesday in mid-morning trading on the restructuring news, but the stock price is still down more than 75% year to date.

EXCLUSIVE: British producer Rabia Sultana (Sour Milk) has announced the launch of her production company, Sultana Film, unveiling details on two projects that she has in development.

The Lost King, will reduce their role in the extraordinary historical find. One member of the University of Leicester team, Professor Turi King, carried out key DNA studies, providing conclusive evidence and spending hours in the laboratory. “I had to start from scratch, both on the historic work and the modern-day samples from Richard’s living relatives,” said the Canadian-British geneticist.

EXCLUSIVE: Dana Honor, a respected TV producer and development executive, has signed an exclusive overall deal with Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group. Under the pact, Honor will develop and produce projects across various platforms under her newly launched Defining Eve Productions banner.

Harry Styles earned himself some major friend points on Monday night.

Thania Garcia Actor and comedian Steve Coogan joined Coldplay on stage for the band’s penultimate show at Wembley Stadium in London Saturday night. Coogan appeared in character as Alan Partridge to sing covers of Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)” and ABBA’s 1976 hit “Knowing Me, Knowing You.”For night five out of six scheduled shows at Wembley, Coogan emerged on stage as the erratic talk show host from his BBC sitcom series.

Coldplay performed their nightly duology of covers with the unique trio of Steve Coogan (in character as Alan Partridge), Jacob Collier and Nicole Lawrence.As all shows on the run have been thus far, Coldplay’s show on Saturday (August 20) was split into seven segments, which saw the band perform across three different stages. They welcomed out the impromptu supergroup for the second-to-last of those segments, taking to the “C-Stage” in the middle of the dancefloor. Clad in a gaudy red tracksuit, Partridge took the reins from Chris Martin on lead vocals, while the Coldplay frontman played acoustic guitar and sung backup. Lawrence added depth to Martin’s strumming with her performance on a pedal steel guitar, while Collier fleshed out the soundscape on piano. For their two-song micro-set, the group covered ABBA’s 1976 hit ‘Knowing Me, Knowing You’ and Kate Bush’s newly-made-cool-again ‘Running Up That Hill’.

Steve Toussaint is set to star in the HBO House of the Dragon series as Lord Corlys Velaryon. The character, known as the Sea Snake, is the head of House Velaryon and will feature prominently in the fantasy drama.

K.J. Yossman Steve Coogan’s production company Baby Cow has snapped up a new series from “Stath Lets Flats” star Katy Wix and Adam Drake (“The Chosen”) called “Fat Camp,” Variety can exclusively reveal.Wix, who has also appeared in shows including “Torchwood” and “The Windsors,” has co-written the series with Drake.

EXCLUSIVE: WME has signed the Emmy-winning husband-and-wife filmmaking team of Bryan Storkel and Amy Bandlien Storkel, as well as their non-scripted production company, Sidestilt Films.

British YouTube star Joe Sugg is launching a production company backed by BBC Studios to develop entertainment and factual entertainment formats.

K.J. Yossman James Norton is no stranger to playing less than salubrious characters thanks to his turns as psychopath Tommy Lee Royce in “Happy Valley” and a Russian mafia boss’s son in “McMafia.” In “Rogue Agent” he once again steps into the skin of a man whose moral compass is, to put it lightly, skewed.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media ReporterIFC Films nabbed North American rights to “The Lost King,” which will have its world premiere at the 47th Toronto International Film Festival.Directed by Stephen Frears, the feel-good true story stars Sally Hawkins as Philippa Langley, an amateur historian who uncovered the remains of King Richard the III after they had been lost for 500 years. Langley spent years researching — and searching — for the remnants, even when family, friends and academics openly doubted her.Steve Coogan (who also co-wrote the screenplay with Jeff Pope) is playing Philippa’s husband, John Langley.

IFC Films is acquiring North American rights to Stephen Frears’ drama The Lost King, starring Sally Hawkins (The Shape of Water) and Steve Coogan (The Trip), ahead of its world premiere at the 47th Toronto Film Festival.