Channel 4 and Crackit Productions are going behind the scenes of an extraordinary family business for a one-off documentary. The Sex Shop Family (w/t) (1 x 60’) will follow the Richardsons, whose stock in trade is sex toys and whose staff meetings focus on the merits of a gimp mask or the latest vibrators.

Head of the family is dad and self-made businessman Tim. He’s run Brighton sex shops Taboo and Lust for over two decades, and his family life is as unique as his business backdrop. Tim’s current wife Calandra works alongside ex-wife Nancy, who’s also mother to Tim’s two children – Kizzy and Taz, the heir apparent whom Tim hopes will one day take over the sex shop empire.

As well as explore the intriguing family dynamics, the film will welcome viewers into the colourful, secret world of the sex shop, where every kink is catered for, whether the customer is hankering for fluffy handcuffs or a life-sized sex doll. The family’s eye-wateringly frank dealings with their clientele will give the audience a unique insight into the nation’s sex lives.

The Sex Shop Family (w/t) was commissioned by Lee McMurray, Commissioning Editor for Factual Entertainment at Channel 4. The Executive Producer for Crackit Productions is Jon Connerty and the Producer/Director is Matt David.

Lee McMurray, Commissioning Editor for Factual Entertainment at Channel 4, said: “The beating heart of this entertaining comedy-doc will be the larger-than-life Richardsons, but their unique family business will also afford Channel 4 viewers a fascinating insight into the bedroom habits of modern Britain.”

Elaine Hackett, Creative Director at Crackit Productions added: “Crackit loves to find and deliver rare access that offers humour alongside little known revelations. That’s exactly what this eye-opening film does, going behind the often-intimidating show window of the sex shop. The Richardsons, their team and their customers are funny, warm and honest, offering us a view into a world that many of us are intrigued by, but very rarely see.”

ENDS

About Crackit Productions:

Crackit Productions was launched in 2008 and creates intelligent TV that balances integrity with compelling content across Factual, Features and Factual Entertainment series and one-off programmes for all the major UK channels as well as US broadcasters.

Recent critical and ratings successes include: Bad Habits a hugely successful documentary series for Channel 5; two series of BBC One’s Secret Life of the Hospital Bed, an access series to four NHS hospitals; My Extreme OCD Life and a further seven-part series My Extreme….also for Channel 5 and 5 Star which explored the complexities of young people living with different challenges from stammers to facial disfigurements or Dissociative Identity Disorder; Tower Block Kids for Channel 5; Casualty 24/7 a four-part series for Channel 5 following the day-to-day running of an A and E unit (which returns for a second series later this year); British Made with John Prescott a two-part series for Channel 5 and Saving Poundstretcher for Channel 4.

Crackit Productions also produced two series of Save Money: Good Food for ITV – a primetime format with Susanna Reid and Matt Tebbutt and has created a six-part competition format for Channel 5 which celebrates a love of gardening, The Great Garden Challenge (w/t)

Currently transmitting is the run-away success that is Truckin’ Hell, an access-driven, observational documentary series following the rescue drivers working for two of the country’s leading heavy rescue specialists (Crouch Recovery and Lantern Recovery). It is currently in its second series on 5Star and is repeated on Channel 5. A follow-up, four-part series with John Prescott, Yorkshire Made with John Prescott is currently transmitting on Channel 5 and Animal Ambulance, a eight-part series for ITV is due to broadcast later this year.