ITV expands with Denmark’s United

UK commercial broadcaster ITV’s recent expansion has continued with the acquisition of another international production company, this time in Denmark.

Paul Buccieri

The London-based company has acquired factual and entertainment prodco United, which was founded in 2012 by producers Louise Ellerbæk and Mads Lund.

Its slate includes factual, entertainment and reality shows including Legal Aid, Ski School and The Modern Mother, and has been recently focusing efforts on international formats.

Paul Buccieri, MD of ITV Studios International, said the acquisition would further strengthen the firm’s production capabilities in the Nordic region, where it also owns prodcos Tarinatalo, Mediacircus and Silverback. United “has a great track record in the region,” he said.

The acquisition comes after ITV reported stellar financial results earlier this week, thanks to its growing production business and international sales.

The broadcaster’s expansion through acquisition has been dramatic over the past 12 months. Its deal for US prodco DiGa earlier this month was its fourth recent US acquisition, after it paid US$40m for a 61.5% controlling stake in Duck Dynasty prodco Gurney Productions in 2012.

Since then, it has paid US$25.65m for a controlling stake in US reality TV producer High Noon Entertainment (Cake Boss) and US$30m for a controlling stake in Thinkfactory Media (Hatfields & McCoys).

In the UK, ITV paid £18m (US$27.4m) for London-based indie The Garden, the production company behind formats 24 Hours in A&E and The Audience.

Then, in July last year, it acquired comedy specialist Big Talk (Friday Night Dinner) for an initial sum of about £12.5m, which could rise to almost £30m, depending on Big Talk’s future performance.