BSkyB has purchased a 70% stake in Love Productions, the independent production company behind the Great British Bake-off and The Great British Sewing Bee.
The move comes after the BBC announced plans to open more of its output to independent production companies – while planning to compete in the sector itself.
Founded in October 2004 by Richard McKerrow and Anna Beattie, Love Productions has production bases in London, Bristol, New York and Los Angeles. In addition to factual entertainment it also produced documentaries Baby Borrowers, Famous Rich and Homeless, Benefits Street, Make Bradford British and My Last Summer.
Sophie Turner Laing, Managing Director, Content, Sky said: “This is a significant step for our growing international content business. Love is one of the UK’s most innovative and creative independent producers with a track record of success across a range of genres, both in the UK and globally. Led by Richard and Anna, Love has a hugely talented team with exciting plans for the future. We are really looking forward to supporting them as they build on their relationships with different broadcasters throughout the industry and helping them to grow the business”.
Love Productions will continue to operate as a distinct company under its new ownership structure while Sky’s international distribution business, Sky Vision, will become Love Productions’ distribution partner, representing all new finished programmes and formats and leveraging its relationships with leading networks and producers across the world. Love Productions’ current agreements with other broadcasters and distributors will remain unchanged.
