With over half a billion followers across its platforms, LADbible Group has built a global social entertainment powerhouse. NDA editor-in-chief Justin Pearse sat down with Becky Gardner, Head of Originals at LADbible Group, to discuss how her team develops hit formats, works with brands, and is expanding into new distribution models like FAST.
Can you start by telling us about your role at LADbible Group?
I’m Head of Originals, which means I look after all of the broadcast IP for the business. I joined four and a half years ago from TV, where I’d worked on shows like The Wall with Danny Dyer and Gogglebox.
Moving to digital back then felt like a risk, as TV was still strong, but people I knew here told me it was a huge opportunity. At the time, YouTube wasn’t the quality powerhouse it is today.
We’ve built year on year, and LADbible now has over half a billion followers. My part of the business, LAD Studios, focuses on IP and broadcast. Other parts, like 360, handle branded content, and we also have a huge data department and web pillar. It all works together to entertain our audiences and offer creative solutions to brands.
What were the biggest differences moving from TV to this space?
The main difference is pace. In TV, projects could take months, but here, we turn things around in a week. We aim to release content when it’s most relevant in the cultural zeitgeist. Some formats, like Minutes With, have a six-week lead time for casting, but even that’s quicker than TV.
We operate like a small TV hub, with development, production, talent and editing all feeding into each other. We release at least three videos a week, and want to grow to five or six by the end of the year.
How do brands work with your team?
We do sponsorships where we retain the IP and the brand has light-touch attribution. It’s all so that the audience doesn’t switch off to something they think is just an ad and fully engages with the content. For example, Uber Eats sponsored Snack Wars during the Euros to help them cut through without being an official partner. This model is different to linear TV, as our content is evergreen, meaning brands keep getting views long after release.
Elsewhere in the business, there’s a branded content arm creating bespoke work for advertisers, but in my world, sponsorships fit the content and the audience naturally.
How do you use your audience insights?
Our reach is huge, with millions of subscribers on YouTube alone and hundreds of millions of minutes watched each month. The difference from TV is we get almost real-time performance data. We can see view duration, drop-off points and engagement within days, which lets us tweak upcoming episodes, whether it’s changing the intro, the hook, or even re-editing.
We apply TV’s quality and storytelling standards but optimise them for digital: compelling thumbnails, sharp titles and A/B testing to make sure people click and stay.
How do you decide on new formats?
Like TV, we have a slate and review it regularly. Sometimes audience shifts inspire new ideas. The Jury Room is our digital take on Question Time, with six people from different walks of life debating topics like billionaires or conscription, trying to change each other’s minds.
We’ve got more entertainment projects in development, involving talent, which will also roll out strategically on FAST once we’ve tested them.
How is working with talent different today?
Authenticity is key. Formats like Snack Wars put people in natural situations, where you’re just watching them eat and chat, which brings out genuine moments.
We build trust with both talent and studios, so they feel comfortable and want to come back. That’s why stars like Margot Robbie, Tom Holland and Pedro Pascal return again and again.
You recently launched on Samsung’s FAST platform. What’s the thinking behind this?
FAST wasn’t initially on our radar as a digital-first business, but it’s huge in markets like the US. It’s another way to get more eyes on our content.
We already have a strong US presence with brands like Betches and UNILAD, and an office in New York. Our content is global and bingeable, so FAST offers a natural extension.
