ENDEMOL ENTERTAINMENT BUYS BRIGHTER PICTURES

ENDEMOL Entertainment have bought UK independent producer Brighter Pictures, in a deal thought to be worth £10 million.
Brighter Pictures will now join the ranks of Endemol Entertainment UK beside existing production arms Bazal and Initial.
Television producers Gavin Hay and Remy Blumenfeld, who originally founded Brighter Pictures in 1992, will remain directors of the company.
In the last year Brighter Pictures have more than doubled their turnover while rapidly growing their reputation internationally for cutting edge format-based entertainment programming that challenges traditional conceptual television.
Gavin Hay, Managing Director of Brighter Pictures, said: “We are proud of what we have achieved as a private company and feel that the time is right for this strategic alliance. Over the last year we have got to know the team at Endemol UK well and on every level it’s a match that fits.”
Brighter Pictures are producers of shows such as ‘Bombay Blush’ on BBC2 and the music show ‘Flava’, on Channel 4, that promotes urban lifestyle. They are currently producing a factual entertainment series for BBC 2 and the Trouble channel as well as the European output for the Columbia-Tristar reality series ‘Ripleys Believe It Or Not’.
Tom Barnicoat, chief executive of Endemol UK said: “Brighter’s original and provocative approach will be a powerful addition to Endemol’s creative talent base. Brighter also shares our vision of developing content for cross–platform, multimedia and international exploitation.”
Following Guardian Media Group’s sale of their 50 per cent stake in the company in summer 2000, Endemol Entertainment UK is now wholly owned by Netherlands based Endemol Entertainment, owners of successful formats including ‘Big Brother’. (AMcE)