Corus Entertainment’s Waterside Studios and its Curiouscast podcast network, have partnered with Boston-based Blanchard House to produce four podcasts, which will also be adapted for television.

The first production under the partnership, Black and Blue: Behind The Badge, is a true crime podcast centered around the experiences of Black officers in law enforcement. Hosted by Seren Jones and launching Oct. 17, Black and Blue follows the story of Michael Morrison and his struggle with racism, violence and hostility on the job as he’s torn between being a police officer and being Black.

“Black and Blue is such a timely and provocative story, but most importantly it’s a story about a group of people who are often talked about, but not spoken to. It’s extremely rare to hear the voices of Black police officers in the mainstream media and we’re thrilled to be able to bring their stories to light,” said Rosie Pye, Creative Director and Co-Founder of Blanchard House, in a Corus announcement. “It’s been fantastic working with the team at Curiouscast and Waterside Studios to bring this story to listeners and set up this incredible story for development for international TV audiences.”

“From the very beginning, our goal at Curiouscast has been to partner with and elevate exceptional creators and storytellers,” added Chris Duncombe, Curiouscast’s Director of Streaming and Podcasting. “We are thrilled to launch our new multi-platform partnership with Blanchard House and Waterside Studios, furthering that goal to bring compelling stories and unique perspectives to global listeners.” 

Waterside Studios, which launched last year, is focused on producing scripted Canadian content for youth and primetime audiences with an eye to adapting IP for television. Its first production is the forthcoming Geek Girl, based on the Holly Smale novel, for YTV in Canada and Netflix globally. 

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