Sharron Ashcroft, Granada Television Casting Department, c.1970
 
THE AGENCY

Sharron Ashcroft became an Agent in 1991.  She joined ATS Casting following a twenty-year
career as a Casting Director, having worked for Granada Television and Yorkshire Television,
as well as freelance.

"AMONGST OTHERS, SHARRON TRAINED CASTING DIRECTORS SUCH AS PRISCILLA JOHN
('MAMMA MIA!', 'ABOUT A BOY', 'SEVEN YEARS IN TIBET') AND SUE JACKSON
('EMMERDALE', 'HEARTBEAT', 'THE ROYAL')."
Priscilla John on IMDB

During her career as a casting director, Sharron has worked with directors Charles Sturridge,
Roland Joffe,  Mike Apted, Tony Dow, Alan J W Bell, Derek Grainger and Leslie Woodhead.
Sharron Ashcroft Management was established in 1996.  Sharron and former husband
Ken Ashcroft started the company together despite being separated.
The company was re-named Ashcroft Management Talent Agency in July 2010 and is now managed
by Emma Ashcroft. Emma joined the Agency in 1997 as Sharron's assistant.  Kerry joined in
2007 following a career in advertising. And Ian joined in 2010 having previously worked as
a documentary researcher. He is also a part-time lecturer in Media.
The Agency represents actors and creatives, and all genres, from fringe/profit-share ventures
to Hollywood blockbusters with Spielberg's DreamWorks Pictures.
 

Dean Clough [Photo: John Vinters]
The Agency was based at Dean Clough Mills, a restored complex of mills in Yorkshire (also home to
IOU Theatre) for thirteen years. The offices are now shared with Collective Elements and based
at the Elsie Whiteley Innovation Centre.


Elsie Whiteley Innovation Centre
 

Ken Ashcroft [right], c.1960
 
FAMILY HISTORY
Ken Ashcroft worked with Brian Epstein during the early '60s, touring with The Beatles,
as well as managing acts such as Billy J Kramer and disc-jockeying at "the most famous
club in the world", 'The Cavern Club'.

"HE WAS PART OF THAT SIGNIFICANT TIME: FLAT-SHARING WITH PRISCILLA WHITE,
TOURING WITH THE BEATLES IN THE VERY EARLY DAYS AND THERE WHEN VOLLMER
CUT THAT VERY FAMOUS MOPTOP HAIRCUT FOR THE FIRST TIME."

 

The Beatles, early publicity image
Ken went on to work at Granada Television, starting as a researcher, ultimately becoming
a Senior Transmission Controller.
Emma's brother Simon Ashcroft worked briefly in television before a move into the
music industry.
 

Simon Ashcroft, 2008
Currently based in the UK, Paris and Berlin, Simon runs Satellite of Love Records,
and is Label Manager for Gigolo Records as well as European Label Manager for
LA-based Delicious Vinyl.
Previous creative associations include periods with the late Antony Wilson (Factory Records),
Trevor Jackson (Output Recordings) and Robert Miles (S:alt).  More recent clients
include Florence & the Machine and Bryan Ferry.
 

Stan Hibbert, c.1950
Sharron's father, Stanley Hibbert [pictured above], was a professional touring musician,
a trumpeter with bands including the Syd Lawrence Orchestra, the Tommy Sampson Orchestra
and the BBC's Northern Dance Orchestra.  He also taught Roy Castle along the way,
as well as performing numerous times with Frank Sinatra.
 

Tommy Sampson Band [Stan Hibbert pictured second in from right, second row back]
He retired from touring, moving from Manchester to London to become the Assistant General Secretary
of the Musician's Union for over a decade. A fascinating character, Stan's career included polarities
such as judging an Hawaiian beauty contest alongside Cleo Lane and Liberace, regular participation
at the Festival de Cannes, as well as numerous television appearances on programmes such as
'The South Bank Show'.
Following his retirement from the Musician's Union, Stan worked closely with Sir Malcolm
Arnold , coming close to being honoured himself following a nomination campaign during
those latter years.
 

Sir Malcolm Arnold
Stanley's father, George Hibbert, was a fervent socialist who campaigned for manual
worker's rights in the workplace.
And Sharron's brother, Andy Hibbert, is a Lighting Cameraman with over twenty years
screen experience.
"MANAGEMENT, MEDIA AND THE ARTS IS OBVIOUSLY A FAMILY THING AND IT'S
IMPOSSIBLE NOT TO BE INFLUENCED BY ALL OF MY FAMILY. AND MY BROTHER
CONTINUES TO IMPRESS UPON ME A DRIVE AND A DESIRE TO MOVE FORWARD."
Emma became a mother in 2006, the Director of Sharron Ashcroft Management in 2007 and the
Company Secretary of Satellite of Love Records in 2008. In 2011 she started the Collective
brand: Collective Artists, Collective Extremists and Collective Voices, as well as
Image Impossible with partner Ian Burton.
Sharron now lives in France, running a separate business in South Brittany.