MUMBAI: Media baron Rupert Murdoch owned UK pay TV operator BSkyB has acquired a stake in one of UK’s leading production houses- Love Productions. The investment is a strategy to grow a broad, international content business spanning broadcasting, production and distribution.
Love Productions, launched in 2004 by Richard McKerrow and Anna Beattie has created shows such as Great British Bakeoff and Great British Sewing Bee as well as documentaries like Baby Borrowers, Famous Rich and Homeless, Benefits Street, Make Bradford British and My Last Summer. It has bases in London, Bristol, New York and Los Angeles.
Under the new ownership of BSkyB, it will operate as a separate company while continuing its work of producing programs and formats. The owners will run the company along with the existing management team.
BSkyB’s international distribution business, Sky Vision, will become Love Productions’ distribution partner, representing all new finished programmes and formats and leveraging its relationships with leading networks and producers across the world. Meanwhile, existing agreements with broadcasters and distributors won’t be affected.
Sky Vision deals extensively with independent producers, sourcing programming for distribution, largely from the UK and the US. It has development deals with a number of production companies including Ugly Brother Studios in the US and in the UK with back2back productions and Roughcut TV. The investment in Love Productions is part of this strategy to grow a broad, international content business.
Sky MD content Sophie Turner Laing said, “This is a significant step for our growing international content business. Love is one of the UK’s most innovative and creative independent producers with a track record of success across a range of genres, both in the UK and globally. Led by Richard and Anna, Love has a hugely talented team with exciting plans for the future. We are really looking forward to supporting them as they build on their relationships with different broadcasters throughout the industry and helping them to grow the business”.
Love Productions joint chief creative officers Richard McKerrow and Anna Beattie said, “We are extremely excited by the prospect of a partnership with Sky. We feel it’s the perfect time to be working with a group who can help us realise our creative and commercial potential and fulfil all of our international ambitions for the Love brand. Love has always sought to be a pioneering company, launching new ideas and breaking new ground. Sky feels like a company of the future, full of dynamic and extremely creative leaders who will back our independent spirit and are keen to support all our future ambitions.”
