Photo by Savo Save on Unsplash

ABOUT US

Studio Crook is a versatile regional independent production company with its home in Brighton.

In 2021 Matt Crook, creator and producer of successful formats The Real Hustle, Thief Trackers, and Honey I Bought the House, founded Studio Crook and was joined by Siân Johns, Director of Production, soon afterwards.

Since inception Studio Crook has delivered to many of the major UK broadcasters, working in both the unscripted as well as the scripted space. 

We have partnered with many high-profile organisations including Comic Relief, Choose Love and War Child.We are passionate about developing new and diverse talent and champion alternative voices both in front of and behind the camera in all genres.

In 2023 Channel 4 invested in Studio Crook and the company became part of the C4 Indie Growth Fund portfolio.

PEOPLE

At the heart of Studio Crook are its founders — Matt Crook and Siân Johns — who together bring decades of experience across every corner of television production. 

Between them, they’ve worked across an extraordinary range of genres and formats, from major primetime entertainment and factual series to scripted projects and brand partnerships. Their combined expertise shapes the creative and production backbone of the company. 

Studio Crook’s strength lies in its ability to evolve. Around Matt and Siân is a talented, ever-shifting network of producers, creatives, and technical specialists whose skills are assembled and re-aligned to suit each production. The team adapts quickly to the demands of every brief — growing, reshaping, and refining as projects progress — ensuring the right blend of talent is always in place to deliver exceptional results.

MATT CROOK

managing director

My career started as a BBC researcher on Breakfast News and Newsnight before a stint in the CBBC Broomcupboard. I produced at Disney and The Big Breakfast before going onto look after Ricky Gervais on The 11 O’Clock Show and then Big Brother 1. I worked with Objective Productions from the very early days up to their sale and then built Crook Productions and sold it to ITV in 2021.

Siân Johns

Director of Production

In 2022 Siân joined Matt Crook as a Director of Production and founder. At Studio Crook she oversees the company’s production output as well as the business, commercial affairs and finance.  With over 25 years in broadcast production, her career spans many different genres and filming styles from sensitive access documentaries, factual entertainment to current affairs filming on single camera, rig set ups, live and studio.  Working with companies of all shapes and sizes from small indies, to large corporations, including the BBC where she started her career. Working in both staff and freelance production roles in London and Brighton, she spent ten years working as a Production Executive at Ricochet and was a Head of Production at a smaller Brighton based production company, prior to joining Studio Crook.