Fremantle buys into Bend It TV

FremantleMedia has bought a 25% stake in scripted prodco Bend It Television.

This is the latest in a long line of similar investment deals RTL Group-owned Fremantle has closed under CEO Cecile Frot-Coutaz.

Kenyan-born British film veteran Gurinder Chadha is behind Bend It. Her credits include Bend It Like Beckham, Bride and Prejudice and Angus, Thongs and Snogging.

“When we set out to build our scripted business, at the top of my list was working with and supporting the best creative talent in the world and this new partnership truly exemplifies that goal,” said Frot-Coutaz.

“I am so impressed with Cecile, Sarah [Doole, Director of Global Drama at FremantleMedia] and her team at FremantleMedia and their understanding and support for creative storytellers like me. I look forward to working on our vibrant, international drama slate and bringing our brand of stories to our global audience, now excitingly, on TV.”

In the last 18 months, Fremantle has bought into Israeli formats firm Abot Hamieri, Simon Andreae’s Naked Entertainment, Man Alive Entertainment, Full Fat TV, Corona Pictures, Dr Pluto, Dancing Ledge, Wild Blue Media, Eureka, No Pictures Please, Fontaram, Kwai and Wildside.