Endeavour v ITV for Endemol Shine?

Broadcast-streaming. TV production group Endemol Shine is on the block. Rumoured bidders in what could be a $2.5bn auction include: the UK network ITV, Liberty-owned All3Media, Banjay (Vivendi) and – the hot tip – the Hollywood talent group Endeavour. Endemol Shine’s hit programmes include The Fall, MasterChef, and Peaky Blinders. The current owners, 21st Century Fox and private equity firm Apollo, are selling four years after forming it in a merger of Endemol (best known for Big Brother) and Shine, the producer of MasterChef founded by Elisabeth Murdoch. Endeavor’s bid is backed by Silver Lake and Softbank. Formerly known as William Morris Endeavor and representing Hollywood stars such as Charlize Theron and Ben Affleck, Endeavor has expanded rapidly in recent years. Co-chief executives Patrick Whitesell and Ari Emanuel (the “super agent” who inspired the lead character in TV show Entourage) have acquired the $2.2bn sports producer and agent IMG and the $4bn Ultimate Fighting Championship. Insiders suggest that the auction is nearing its climax and that the final bidders are likely to be ITV and Endeavour.