MIPCOM 2026 Special Part 1: Steven Moffat, Sue Vertue, After Party Studios, Dentsu and Sister

In the first of two TellyCast specials recorded in Cannes at MIPCOM 2026, Justin Crosby talks to the producers, studio founders and agency leaders working out where scripted, social video and brand-funded content meet. Steven Moffat and Sue Vertue of Hartswood Films open the show with Number 10, their new Channel 4 comedy drama set behind the most famous door in Britain. They explain why Downing Street works as a workplace drama, why authentically British shows travel best internationally, and why Moffat sees micro drama as a real creative challenge. As he puts it, there is nothing special about the hour-long episode, which only came from the technology of the time. They also answer the inevitable Sherlock question. Josh, Ben and Jamie from After Party Studios talk about life after the Sister acquisition. They discuss bringing the craft of Gangs of London and Black Doves to young audiences at social speed, the case for 15-minute episodic series on YouTube, the growth of their sports division, and what the Red Bull and Disney+ Max Verstappen vs 100 project shows about live, creator-led brand activations. Kathy Boxall, Head of Entertainment at Dentsu, explains the agency’s title sponsorship of MIPCOM’s new BrandWorks strand and its 55-episode micro drama for P&G’s Native, which it describes as the first brand-funded full-length micro drama in the US. She shares Dentsu’s Gen Z research showing long viewing sessions on micro dramas, and makes the case for shoppable social video as the missing link between entertainment and proven sales. Lucinda Hicks, Group CEO of Sister, closes the episode with the thinking behind the After Party deal, Sister’s minority investment in Common Interest Group, and the new Amol Rajan venture. She explains why the group is cautious about piling into micro drama, why it sees vertical scripted content more broadly, and why the next 12 months are about making the whole worth more than its parts. Sign up for The Drop newsletter www.Vuulr.com Enrol on the TellyCast Digital Bootcamp Buy tickets for the Digital Content Forum Subscribe to the TellyCast YouTube channel for exclusive TV industry videos Follow us on LinkedIn Connect with Justin on LinkedIN TellyCast videos on YouTube TellyCast website TellyCast insta TellyCast Twitter TellyCast TikTok