ITV Studios acquires Swedish prodco Elk Prods

ITV Studios has acquired the Swedish production company Elk Production, a subsidiary of Elk Entertainment Group.

Elk Production has 15 shows in production and on air across Sweden’s free to air and pay TV channels including Drömpyramiden (Stacked), Ett jobb för Berg (A Job For Berg) and Superskaparna (Supercrafters).

ITV Studios’ majority stake in Elk Production will see the company combine with ITV Studios’ existing Swedish production business, with the amalgamated companies operating under the brand ITV Studios Sweden.

ITV Studios Sweden has produced Come Dine With Me for TV4 since 2008 creating 19 seasons so far. It is also producing a local version of This Time Next Year for SVT, which today saw its own format, Doobidoo sold to Kanal D in Turkey by UK-based Magnify Media.

Elk Production’s current managing director, Anna Rydin (pictured), will lead the newly combined ITV Studios Sweden reporting to Mike Beale, managing director of the Nordics and Global Creative Network, at ITV Studios.

Maria Kyriacou, president at ITV Studios International, said: “Anna and her team are enormously respected producers in Sweden, with an impressive track record in producing hits through both original shows and existing formats. Combining the force of both ITV Studios and Elk Production, along with Talpa and Twofour formats, we become one of the leading formats companies in the Nordics.”

Elk Formats is not included in the acquisition and remains part of Elk Entertainment.

However, ITV Studios will be its exclusive formats partner in the Nordics with the right to produce shows, including Stacked and All Inclusive, through ITV Studios’ production companies in Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Norway.

The move follows a range of international acquisitions ITV-owned ITV Studios has made this year, including deals for French prodco Tetra Media Studio and World Productions.