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Banijay UK (company)
TV production company From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Banijay UK Productions Limited,[1][2] trading as Banijay UK, is a British television production company. Since 2020, the company has been a subsidiary of Banijay Entertainment. Banijay UK is most known for producing TV series Big Brother, Celebrity Big Brother and MasterChef.
Banijay UK incorporates a number of production brands, including Artists Studio, Darlow Smithson Productions, House of Tomorrow, Initial, Remarkable Entertainment (previously Brighter Pictures and Cheetah Television), Tiger Aspect, Tigress Productions, Zeppotron, and their digital divisions: Endemol Games[3] and Endemol Digital Studio.
After entering a joint venture with 21st Century Fox, additional companies under the new Endemol Shine UK umbrella include Dragonfly, Kudos, and Princess Productions (now defunct). The various television production brands specialise in a broad range of genres including entertainment, reality series, drama series, specialist factual, arts, live events, music entertainment, documentaries, youth shows and comedy.[4]
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The UK branch of Endemol originated from Peter Bazalgette's sale of his television company Bazal to the Guardian Media Group (GMG) in 1990. In September 1998, Dutch entertainment production & distribution company Endemol Entertainment (now Endemol) acquired a 50% stake in GMG's British production subsidiary Broadcast Communications alongside Bazal Productions, marking Endemol Entertainment's entry into the UK production business as Broadcast Communications became Endemol's newly UK division and had it renamed to GMG Endemol Entertainment with Bazal founder Peter Bazalgette became creative director of the renamed unit. Endemol would later bought the company outright from GMG in August 2000.[5]
In April 2000, GMG Endemol Entertainment announced that they had acquired a 50% majority stake in interactive TV digital company Victoria Real.[6]
Since 2000, a series of corporate owners and public stock transactions has culminated in the joint venture of 2014 with 21st Century Fox's Shine Group to form the rebranded Endemol Shine UK, effective January 2015.[7][8]
In April 2001, Endemol UK announced that they've acquired London-based television production company Brighter Pictures a production unit that was founded back in 1992 by producers Gavin Hay and Remy Blumenfeld, the studio had offices based in both Scotland and India. The acquisition of London-based television production company Brighter Pictures had marked Endemol UK's first expansion as Brighter Pictures became a subsidiary of Endemol UK with Brighter co-founders Gavin Hay and Remy Blumenfeld continued leading the subsidiary.[9]
In November 2009, Endemol UK announced that they were expanding their British television production operations by acquiring three British comedy production companies. These included Tiger Aspect Productions and their animation division, Tigress Productions, giving parent company Endemol an entry into animation production. Also included was the acquisition of London and Brighton-based documentary/drama production company Darlow Smithson Productions from American-based global sports and fashion media company IMG under their media division IMG Entertainment. [10][11][12][13]
On 28 July 2014, Endemol UK and their European-based television production and distribution company Endemol announced that they had launched a new production label with Charlie Brooker named House of Tomorrow.
In May 2014, Endemol UK and their parent company Endemol along with its owner Apollo Global Management announced that they're intending to merge Endemol UK's Dutch-based global entertainment production, distribution and parent company Endemol with 21st Century Fox's British-based global production and distribution company Shine Group and Apollo's CORE Media Group to create one global production and distribution company under one group with Endemol's own UK companies will combine with Shine Group's UK production labels.[14][15] Five months later in October of that same year, Endemol UK's parent company Endemol alongside its owner Apollo announced that they've finalized an agreement with 21st Century Fox to merge Endemol UK's Dutch-based global entertainment production, distribution and parent company Endemol with British entertainment production and distribution company Shine Group to create a global production and distribution company with Endemol UK being part of the merged company.[16][17][18]
In March 2015 after the completion of the merger between Endemol and Shine Group to form Endemol Shine Group, Endemol Shine UK and their parent company Endemol Shine Group announced that they launched its first scripted production label after the merger named Bandit Television.[19]
In August 2015, Endemol Shine UK had announced that they had brought a controlling stake in London-based animation production outfit Simon's Cat Ltd with the animation company being fully interrogated into their Endemol Beyond division.[20]
On 4 December 2015, Endemol Shine UK announced that they launched a new production company unit dedicated to food, factual and lifestyle formats with creative director of Masterchef UK Karen Ross named Sidney Street.[21]
In January 2016, Endemol Shine UK announced that they had acquired the short-form and branded content production house Electric Robin and the digital talent management firm OP Talent.[22]
In May 2017, Endemol Shine UK and their parent company Endemol Shine Group had announced that they're shutting down their production label Princess Productions at the end of 2017 after 20 years with its shows such as Sunday Brunch will move to other Endemol Shine labels.[23]
In July 2017, Endemol Shine UK announced that they've striked a deal with Sharp Jack Media founders and former ITV Studios creative executives Elliot Johnson and Amanda Wilson by launching a new London-based entertainment and factual production company named Sharp Jack TV and placing it as their label with their founders becoming joint MDs along with Sharp Jack Media's existing IP and developments becoming part of the group.[24]
On 30 June 2020, the European Commission approved Banijay's purchase of Endemol Shine UK's parent company Endemol Shine Group.[25] A month later in July of that year, French production & distribution company Banijay Group (who owns its British subsidiaries) completed its merger with Endemol Shine UK's Dutch-based global production and distribution parent Endemol Shine Group from The Walt Disney Company and Apollo Global Management turning Banijay Group into a global international production and distribution titan as Endemol Shine UK became Banijay's new British production division with Banijay placing all of its British subsidiaries such as RDF Television and IWC Media (the two were former Zodiak Media subsidiaries) into the acquired Endemol.Shine UK division and had it renamed to Banijay UK although it retained the former name until 2023.[26][27]
In late-October 2021, Banijay UK announced the launch of its scripted production label called Double Dutch with Banijay-owned Tiger Aspect development executive & drama producer Iona Vrolyk leading Banijay UK's new scripted production unit as its president of the new subsidiary alongside writer Julie Gearey who became a collaborator within Double Dutch as the new label launching its focus on delivering high-end, character-led original series.[28][29]
On 1 January 2024, Banijay UK announced that RDF Television, RDF West and Fizz would be absorbed into the company, with RDF shows such as Only Connect and Tipping Point being made by Remarkable Entertainment instead.[30]
On 6 June 2024, Banijay UK acquired Caryn Mandabach Productions (CMP) and renamed it Garrison Drama Limited. Caryn Mandabach, who had produced shows in the United Kingdom under the Caryn Mandabach Productions banner, will now produce shows under the Conduit Productions banner, with a first-look deal with Banijay.[31]
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Darlow Smithson Productions
Darlow Smithson Productions also known as DSP is a British documentary & drama production subsidiary of Banijay UK that is based in London and Brighton. It was founded in 1988 by documentary producers & directors David Darlow and John Smithson.
In June 2002, Darlow Smithson Producitons (DSP)'s co-founder John Smithson acquired full control of the documentary production company Darlow Smithson Productions from its co-founder David Darlow.[32]
In April 2006, American sports and media company IMG through its independent sports producer Trans World International (TWI) (now IMG Studios) announced that it will acquire British documentary & drama production company Darlow Smithson Productions (DSP) in a move that would bring TWI into factual programming.[33]
In November 2009, Darlow Smithson Productions (DSP) alongside British comedy production company Tiger Aspect Productions and its documentary division Tigress Productions had been sold by its former American media and sports parent company IMG to Dutch entertainment production group Endemol through its UK division Endemol UK, Darlow.[10][11][12][13]
Filmography
IWC Media
IWC Media is a Scottish/British television production company based that is known for creating popular and award-winning factual TV programming. It's a subsidiary of Banijay UK which turned to be part of French production group Banijay Entertainment
In October 2005, RDF Media Group who previously partnered with IWC Media was in exclusive talks to acquire IWC Media in order for RDF to expand their regional production outputs. The deal would could expand RDF's factual production activities with the Scottish production company.[34] Two months later in December of that same year, RDF Media Group completed their acqusition of IWC Media with Alan Clements remained CEO and president of the acquired company[35][36]
IWC Media alongside its Swedish/French production & distribution parent Zodiak Media had merged with French-based independent international television production and distribution company Banijay Group in February 2016, with IWC Media's parent Zodiak Media being folded into Banijay Group as IWC Media became Banijay's new British television production subsidiary with Banijay's international distirbution arm Banijay Rights started distributing IWC Media's programmes.[37][38][39][40]
Productions
Mam Tor Productions
Mam Tor Productions is a British drama production company that is part of Banijay UK.[42]
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