Red Arrow acquires UK indie

Red Arrow Entertainment has acquired non-scripted British production company CPL Productions.

The deal marks first investment in the non-scripted market in the UK by Red Arrow Entertainment, the ProSiebenSat.1-owned production and distribution company. Red Arrow took a majority share in British drama producer The Mob Film Company last year. 

CPL, the company that was formerly known as Celador Productions, produces series including Sky One’s A League of their Own and ITV’s All Star Mr and Mrs.

The deal, which is expected to have cost Red Arrow around US$10 million, will give CPL first look to all of Red Arrow’s formats and will also see SevenOne International distribute CPL series and formats internationally.

Separately, the German broadcaster’s international arm has opened an office in Hong Kong as part of an expansion drive in Asia.

SevenOne International has already sold formats in Asia, most notably the format rights to Mein Mann Kann to Chinese broadcaster Jiang Su Satellite and a local version of science series Galileo to Shanghai Docu TV. It hopes that the Hong Kong base will allow it to expand its activities in these regions. The office will also manage its business in Australia.