ITV reportedly bidding for Endemol Shine
September 17, 2018
ITV has reportedly entered the bidding for Endemol Shine, the major indie production company which has been put on sale by owners the VC Apollo and 21st Century Fox.
Endemol Shine has been valued at between $2 billion and $3 billion, and RTL has already walked away from the heated bidding. ITV CEO Carolyn McCall has it would look at acquisitions but also it would be “very disciplined” about purchases. The bid was reported in The Sunday Times, owned by News Corporation, the sister company of Fox.
In July, Endemol Shine hired Deutsche Bank and Liontree to advise on a sale. Other bidders are thought to include All3Media co-owner Liberty Global and ITV and Vivendi-backed Banijay.
ITV Chairman Peter Bazalgette knows the business well, having sold his own indie to the company, prior to its merger with Shine, and worked as chief creative officer and UK chairman under former owners Spanish telecoms giant Telefonica.
Shows produced by Endemol Shine include Peaky Blinders, Broadchurch, Black Mirror, Celebrity MasterChef, Big Brother, Humans, Flowers and Fortitude.