Banijay Rights

Show of the week: Ray Winstone’s World: Sicily

Banijay’s latest doc sees well-known actor Winstone bring his passion for Sicily to audiences as he explores the island of his second home. “Ray brings a passion and authenticity to the project – knowing the island like the back of his hand as he has a second home there – as well as a very […]

Ray Winstone visits Sicily in factual TV debut

British actor Ray Winstone is to front his first ever factual TV series Ray Winstone’s World: Sicily, which will be a 6×60 minute travelogue about the Italian island. It is currently in production and being financed by Banijay Rights, the distribution arm of Banijay Group, and producer SWR Media in association with Dash Pictures. Winstone, […]

Former Zodiak bosses, Sky exec launch SVOD quiz service

Former Zodiak Media chiefs Rod Henwood and Marc Antoine d’Halluin and former Sky and Lovefilm exec Nick James are creating an SVOD service for quizzers. The trio have created Inquisitive Media (stylised InQuisiTiVe Media), whose interactive on-demand service IQTV is first launching in the UK before an international rollout follows. The service is dedicated to superserving […]

Banijay buys My Kitchen Rules UK producer

Banijay Group has acquired 7Wonder, the UK-based unscripted producer behind the British remake of My Kitchen Rules. The deal, financial terms of which were not revealed, marks a first non-scripted acquisition for the superindie since Banijay and Zodiak Media Group merged in February 2016. Banijay has made a number of additions to its scripted ranks, […]

Television’s love affair with the People’s Princess

Yearlong activities have taken place to mark the twentieth anniversary of Princess Diana’s death, and the television industry has followed suit with a raft of documentaries and series to signify the landmark event. Kaltrina Bylykbashi reports on the ongoing influence of the late British royal, as her son, Prince Harry, continues to make headlines thanks […]

MTG reveals Hidden Swedish original

MTG Studios has revealed its next original drama Hidden, fronted by Izabella Scorupco (GoldenEye) and August Wittgenstein (The Crown). Based in Stockholm, the Swedish thriller will premier exclusively on MTG’s Nordic streaming service Viaplay in 2018, followed by TV3 in Sweden. A similar model has been used for various Viaplay originals, including upcoming Norwegian drama Wisting. […]

SVT buys Anglo-Welsh drama Bang

SVT in Sweden has bought crime drama Bang, which was created in both English and Welsh. Bang premiered on Welsh pubcaster S4C earlier this month and was sold to SVT by Banijay Rights. The 8x60mins drama is produced by Joio and Artists Studio for S4C. Set in the steel town of Port Talbot, it features […]

TBI Weekly: Disney challenges loom

Disney has had a tough week. On one end news emerged that the company is looking to cut costs, which may lead to significant job losses, and on the other a New Zealand broadcaster has claimed its deal with the group is behind a drop in its profits. The Walt Disney Company is looking to […]

Returning miniseries

Distributors will tell you that if they could have one drama production in their portfolio it would be an evergreen returning franchise that rakes in the cash year after year. But this doesn’t alter the fact that TV movies, minis and limited runs are also regarded as valuable assets and are increasingly getting recommissioned as […]

Banijay secures €365m as Survivor deal nears

Banijay Group has raised €365 million (US$416 million), which will be used in part to fund its takeover of Survivor owner Castaway Television. The cash injection will also be used to service debts accrued in its merger with Zodiak Media last year. Nataxis, Société Générale and Credit Suisse lead the bond issue transaction, which Banijay […]