Bristol-based animation studio A Productions (JoJo & Gran Gran) has reacquired its majority stake from Cyber Group Studios and will operate independently once again.

France’s Cyber Group bought a majority stake in A Productions back in 2022, with studio heads Katherine McQueen and Mark Taylor retaining the rest of the company’s shares. After Cyber Group closed down earlier this year, McQueen and Taylor were able to buy back the rest of the shares, and the company is now back to 100% indie status again.

McQueen plans to be the sole managing director by the end of this year. Taylor, who founded the company back in 1985, is giving up his leadership role as joint managing director but will stay on as a shareholder and advisor.

Mark Taylor and Katherine McQueen.

A Productions’ projects over the years have included Love Monster for CBeebies and several animated Sesame Street specials. The studio is currently working on 2D-animated preschool series My Friend Maisy, a co-pro between BBC Studios Kids & Family Productions and Trustbridge Entertainment that was commissioned by Sky Kids. And it’s also producing The Underglow, a new 2D-animated preschool series, with Finland’s Gigglebug for BBC and YLE.

Once a strong studio that had a bonafide hit on its hands with the CG-animated series Gigantosaurus, Cyber Group was forced into liquidation in April after it went into insolvency. At the time, A Productions made it clear it wasn’t part of the liquidation and was seeking to reacquire its shares.

Correction: An earlier version of this story’s headline misnamed Katherine McQueen. We apologize for the error.