TV business pays tribute to much-loved formats pioneer Peter Van den bussche

Peter Van den bussche 1966-2024

Charlie Gardner, a long-standing friend and colleague of the late Peter Van den bussche, reflects on the life and achievements of one of the international TV industry’s best-known faces.

Peter Van den bussche, a much-loved veteran of the international TV business, passed away peacefully on March 30 at the age of 57, following a brief illness. Known affectionately to his close friends and colleagues as ‘Bushy,’ Peter was one of the most recognised and well-liked characters on the international circuit.

Throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s, Peter was a pioneer in the TV formats business, globally distributing titles such as Big Brother, Ready Steady Cook and Changing Rooms as head of international sales at what was then Endemol Entertainment.

He went on to prominent industry roles including VP of international format distribution at 20th Century Fox TV Distribution, head of business development at Zodiak Media Group and MD of D&D Productions in Belgium. He also held senior programme financing positions at MCap and Omnicom Media Group, and oversaw branded content projects at Mindshare, PHD and Drum.

Most recently he led international sales, business development and UK operations for Peking Express and Ninja Warrior producer Eccholine, which he joined in 2019.

Peter had an encyclopaedic knowledge of his industry – and a remarkable instinct for identifying a hit format. Throughout his career, which spanned three decades, he continued to build his reputation as a driven and talented dealmaker. He truly loved working in the TV business.

But what he loved most about the business was the people in it. A stroll down the Croisette with Peter at any of the Mip markets in Cannes could take hours, as he would stop and talk to another industry pal almost every few steps, effortlessly transitioning from English to French to Flemish. He seemed to know everyone.

Anyone fortunate enough to have known Peter will be unsurprised by tales from friends and colleagues around the world applauding his larger-than-life character and mischievous sense of fun.

Sir Peter Bazalgette, former chairman of Endemol UK and creative director of Endemol Group, remembers recruiting Bushy in the mid 1990s, when hit BBC shows Ready Steady Cook and Changing Rooms first began to garner interest from overseas. “We needed someone to sell these formats internationally, and the only plausible candidate to come forward was this extremely enthusiastic young man called Peter Van den bussche,” says Bazalgette.

“Bushy arranged a fabulously boozy cricket match between various media luminaries, and among other things it turned out he was a pretty decent wicket keeper. As we staggered home from that day at around 1am it was clear to me that we had found the right man to sell our international formats!”

As his career took flight, Peter became an increasingly recognisable presence at the Mip markets, including at the legendary Hotel Martinez bar. “I remember one broadcaster asking me why I had hired the Martinez bar waiter to sell TV formats,” recalls Bazalgette. “They had seen Bushy carrying rounds of drinks so many times they genuinely thought he worked there.”

Malcolm Gerrie, chairman of Entertainment One UK, recalls how “Peter would reign supreme” at Mip. “Last man standing in a nightclub and the first to arrive for a power breakfast, his energy was irrepressible,” says Gerrie. “I once joked over one too many Martinis that we should do the first ever concert live from the Moon and the next day it was front page of the Mip Daily News! He’d already pitched it to MTV and the Russians!”

BBC Studios executive Jacob de Boer also remembers spending many Mip markets with Peter. “One time, we decided to go skinny dipping on the beach at Cannes at 4am, only to run straight into senior clients from a Dutch public broadcaster as we legged it back to the hotel,” says de Boer. “Bushy, of course, had to stop to say hello.”

Banijay chief operating officer Peter Langenberg recounts a spontaneous road trip to the antebellum town of Natchez in 2002 after a night of “too many Hurricane cocktails with the locals” at Natpe in New Orleans.

“First of all, Bushy drove us to the wrong Natchez – we nearly ended up in a scary looking place. Finally, after a flat tyre and hours of more dubious navigation we arrived at the correct Natchez where Bushy had booked us all a room in a motel called The Lucky Lady. Cue another wild night, which ended with an ever-cheerful Bushy losing all his money on the blackjack table and running off with a local gentleman’s baseball cap!”

Similarly, media executive and close friend Dirk Guldemont remembers he and Peter renting a car to Las Vegas in the early 2000s: “Since that time, I never visit Vegas without thinking about Peter and our desert road trip. Pink was on the radio: ‘I’m coming up, so you better get this party started.’ They know what to expect up there!”

Other friends remember Peter’s capacity for quick thinking and improvisation. Famously tall TV presenter Richard Osman recounts how “Bushy once got me into an LA rooftop nightclub by pretending I was his bodyguard.” And music TV producer and branding specialist Andy Woodford was left stunned by another incident: “We were recording a local version of The Pepsi Chart in Beirut one time and the presenter failed to show up. Without missing a beat, Bushy was up on stage introducing the show in French, and he ended up hosting the entire event.”

Others fondly remember Peter’s unique sense of style. “He was always a dapper dresser and wore the most expensive cologne,” remembers TV formats specialist Lisette van Diepen. “And when the occasion called for it, he would wear some of the loudest and most colourful shirts imaginable. Only he could pull those off.”

Friends from across the TV business have also paid tribute to Peter’s kindness and generosity of spirit. Colleagues at Eccholine recall his “cheerful and optimistic” nature and how he combined “warmth, passion and professionalism in his work.” Similarly, format creator Jonathan Glazer describes him as “the kindest of men in an industry that can often seem a lonely place,” while remembering “that wonderfully cheerful ‘hello’ of his.”

C21Media founder David Jenkinson adds his reflection on “so many memories of this amazing man. Spending 30 minutes blowing raspberries at each other in The Grand Hotel lobby, him flying in two fast-bowling ringers from Holland for the annual cricket match between Endemol and C21, the regular calls to tip us off about a story, his relentless optimism and energy. There were very few people who managed to do their job and retain such great humanity. I know we’ll all miss him dearly.”

On a personal level, Peter always dreamed of getting married and was able to fulfil his wish a few weeks before he passed away, marrying Chloe Saxby in a small ceremony in hospital surrounded by close friends and family, including his mother Hilde, sister Inge and brother Tom.

Throughout the television industry and beyond, Peter was lovingly known as a charmer, a gentleman and a consummate salesman. Above all, he will be remembered by so many around the world as a true and dear friend.

Peter’s funeral will take place at 3.15pm on April 22 in London. The service will be streamed live here with username hibu2021 and password 919533. In lieu of flowers, a donation in Peter’s memory may be sent here.