Entrepreneur John Gore acquires Kaleidoscope, Platform, Icon owner KFilm
L-R: Spencer Pollard, John Gore and Adam Sergeant
Media entrepreneur John Gore has acquired KFilm, parent company of UK distribution businesses Kaleidoscope Home Entertainment, Platform Entertainment, Icon Film Distribution and Kaleidoscope Film Distribution.
The deal, financial terms of which were not disclosed, was negotiated by Gore’s team at John Gore Media and KFilm’s CEO and founder Spencer Pollard and chief operating officer Adam Sergeant.
It sees John Gore Media acquire 100% of the share capital of the group, including the shareholding of KFilm’s previous investor, Schneider Investment Associates, which acquired a minority stake in 2014.
The group operates its own free, ad-supported, streaming TV channels and subscription VoD service, Icon Film Channel, while financing independent animation features, documentaries and commercial genre films such as horror.
Gore and Jonathan Lack will join Pollard and Sergeant on the board of KFilm, and the current senior management team will remain in place to manage the day-to-day operations of the business.
Pollard founded Kaleidoscope Home Entertainment 16 years ago, with Sergeant joining the company soon after.
Over the past decade, the business has grown with investment from Schneider Investment, leading to the corporate acquisitions of Platform Entertainment in 2016 and Icon Film Distribution in 2018.
Pollard said: “We cannot wait to start working with yet more established IP in the film and music space, as Kaleidoscope has a long history of success in both areas, domestically and internationally.”
Gore added: “With the acquisition of KFilm, we are preserving the legacy of British film and television, while getting the chance to champion new stories. KFilm’s success, reputation and global reach give us a unique foundation to bridge past and future – honouring classics that shape British culture and advancing new stories to captivate audiences worldwide. It’s a commitment to both heritage and growth, ensuring these narratives endure.”
John Gore Media was represented during the purchasing process by Dr Saverio Salandra of HCR Law, while KFilm was represented by James Greenslade, Peter Weiss and Robert Hepburn of Simons Muirhead and Burton.
