ITV eyes bid for Big Brother producer

THE City welcomed rising speculation yesterday that ITV, in conjunction with Silvio Berlusconi’s Mediaset, is running the takeover rule over Endemol, the debt‑laden producer behind Big Brother.

It is believed ITV’s chief executive, Scots‑born Adam Crozier, sees Endemol as a way of delivering on his promise of increasing the broadcaster’s production earnings to lessen its dependence on a volatile advertising market.

ITV declined to comment but Roddy Davidson, media analyst at Altium Securities, said: “I think it is a case of there being no smoke without fire as regards this.

“I also think such a move would be welcomed by ITV’s shareholders. The company has for some time expressed a desire to increase revenue from content but has not made a huge amount of progress, and this would fit the bill.

“They need to offset the advertising pressures and broaden their revenue base. From that perspective it makes a lot of sense.”

It is understood Mediaset, which owns about 30 per cent of Endemol, is thinking of forming a joint venture with ITV to make the takeover bid.