Charles Tremayne

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Charles Tremayne is a television executive and producer who has created and led many series in the UK and the US. In the UK, he became known for editing ITV’s World in Action and for his role in investigations around the Birmingham Six case. In the US, he created or developed numerous programs for PBS and other networks, including The First 48, American Pickers, Room Raiders, and Sinking Cities. He has produced television movies and other scripted projects as well.

Tremayne first came to America to run a joint venture between The New York Times and ITV Granada, where he won a News and Documentary Emmy for a NOVA bioterrorism program. He later ran RDF’s New York office, joined Cineflix Productions in 2009, and became President in 2013. He has served as Chair of BAFTA New York and is a Fellow of the Royal Television Society.

He began at Granada Television’s World in Action in 1983, moving from the BBC as a graduate trainee. His early work included a high-rated “life swap” program. He then helped investigate the Birmingham Six case with Chris Mullin, which contributed to the men’s release and to reforms in criminal justice. Tremayne and colleagues also revealed the activities of the Economic League, which led to its collapse. He co-authored a book on the Economic League and worked on other investigations that affected public figures and policy.

In the 1990s he became Editor of Regional Features at Granada, then Executive Producer of This Morning, and later returned to World in Action as Executive Producer. One notable investigation into Defense Minister Jonathan Aitken led to a libel dispute and Aitken’s perjury judgment. ITV later replaced World in Action with Tonight with Trevor McDonald.

In 2000 Tremayne moved to the US to launch the Granada-New York Times venture, producing programs for PBS, Discovery, TLC, and A&E, including Anatomy of 9/11. After the venture ended, he led Granada America and created Room Raiders for MTV and co-created The First 48 for A&E. He then joined RDF USA in 2007 and Cineflix in 2009, helping launch American Pickers and other hit series.

As president of Cineflix Productions from 2013, he oversaw shows such as Property Brothers and Mayday/Air Crash Investigation, and developed many other true-crime and non-crime projects. He later became Chair of the Cineflix Content Group and started his own company, First Story Productions, with partner Caroline Grist.