Banijay closes UK’s RDF Television after three decades of operation

The Secret Life Of Four Year Olds (Source: Banijay)

Banijay-owned UK production firm RDF is to close its doors after more than three decades in operation.

The prodco was launched by the late David Frank in 1993 and sold to Zodiak in 2010, with Banijay taking ownership of the Wife Swap producer when it acquired Zodiak in 2015.

Banijay UK merged RDF and Remarkable Factual last year, with Kitty Walshe – who had headed up both labels – departing.

RDF employs around 20 staff, whose futures remain unclear, and has been behind shows including The Secret Life Of… shows for Channel 4 and Eat Well For Less for BBC One.

Returning shows such as Only Connect for BBC Two will find new homes within Banijay UK, with the move coming amid a broader decline in lower cost unscripted commissioning in the UK.

RDF also housed entertainment labels Fizz, Wonder and Little Wonder, which were behind gameshows including The Crystal Maze and Shipwrecked for Channel 4 before a reorg saw the labels closed in 2022. UK trade Broadcast broke the news.