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MGM lands Live PD prodco

Live PD follows US police departments in real time

US studio MGM Television has struck an agreement to acquire the producer behind A&E’s hit true crime show Live PD.

Big Fish Entertainment was founded in 2006 by president Dan Cesareo, who will remain in the same role and will report to Barry Poznick, MGM president of unscripted.

The company, which will continue to be based at its New York City headquarters, has been behind an array of shows including Chris Paul’s Chapter 3 for ESPN and Tattoo Girls for TLC.

It is also working on the forthcoming Just Tattoo of Us for MTV, while Live PD, which follows various police departments from across the US in real time, entered its second season in October.

Dan Cesareo

Big Fish joins MGM’s other acquisition Evolution Media, which is behind shows such as The Real Housewives of Orange County, Vanderpump Rules and Botched.

Mark Burnett, president of MGM’s TV group and digital, described Cesareo as “an innovator who has grown Big Fish into a dynamic company,” adding: “We are going to have fun together.”

Cesareo said the MGM deal would allow Big Fish “to scale and broaden while keeping the brand’s spirit of agility and independence intact.”

MGM Television has series on four of the US TV networks, with Survivor on CBS, The Voice on NBC, Shark Tank on ABC and Beat Shazam on Fox. It is also behind The World’s Best on CBS, which will also air forthcoming series TKO: Total Knock Out.

Its scripted output includes Fargo for FX and The Handmaid’s Tale for Hulu.

Earlier this month, MGM revealed that Burnett was resurrecting one of his veteran race formats, Eco-Challenge, with survival expert Bear Grylls on board.

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