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DevelopmentConfirmed DealLegacy CrossoverSeriesTier 1High confidence
ITV Studios and Zoo 55 launch Steve Penk’s Animal Radio FM
Event Summary
ITV Studios’ Creative Network partnered with Steve Penk and Abadi Films on a digital-first animated comedy, using AImation’s Omnigen in production and Zoo 55 for social distribution.
Verified Facts
- ITV Studios’ Creative Network partnered with radio host Steve Penk on Steve Penk’s Animal Radio FM, an animated comedy built around Penk’s archive of prank calls. James Abadi of Abadi Films handled production design, AI image and video generation, music composition, sound design and final editing using AImation’s Omnigen. The series launched through dedicated YouTube and TikTok channels, while Zoo 55 distributes it across ITV Studios’ wider digital ecosystem.
Deal Board Interpretation
The release is evidence that ITV Studios is treating digital-first originals as a distribution and development lane in their own right. It also shows a practical AI-assisted production workflow moving from pitch support into a live, social-native format.
This is analysis, not verified fact.
Why It Matters
ITV Studios has turned an AI-enabled proof-of-concept workflow into a launched original digital series, then put Zoo 55 behind distribution—a concrete bridge from legacy-studio development into social-first programming.
Professional Action
Not researched
Evidence Sources
Primary Source read
Source tier: Tier 1Last verified: 2026-07-23