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ITV, Mediaset eye Endemol buy-out

UK broadcaster Endemol, according to reports.

Under the deal being discussed, the two partners would form a joint venture company to buy the Big Brother prodco, according to The Daily Telegraph.

Endemol, which is said to be billions of euros in debt, is currently owned by three partners – Mediaset, Dutch investment fund Cyrte Investments and Goldman Sachs Capital Partners.

As part of its five-year transformation plan, ITV has previously said it is keen to increase the number of shows produced for the network by in-house production unit ITV Studios (ITVS).

As well as boosting new formats, the purchase of Endemol would allow the broadcaster to dramatically expand its international production footprint alongside ITVS, which last month appointed Paul Buccieri, the head of ITVS America as a MD of ITVS International.

Reports also suggest that as an alternative deal, Endemol co-founder John De Mol could be asked to return as executive chairman or chief executive, which would see it link up with De Mol’s Talpa Media.

ITV was one of a number of companies reportedly interested in buying UK indie All3Media, owned by private equity firm Permira, but was unwilling to meet the £750m (US$1.2bn) valuation.

Both ITV and Endemol declined to comment. Mediaset were unable to comment at the time of going to press. Endemol is currently looking for a new CEO to replace Ynon Kreiz, who left the company in June.

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