BBC News: New faces join Channel 4's Gogglebox line-up

Story from BBC News:

Gogglebox will welcome a raft of new faces when it returns with an expanded cast of couch-based TV critics on Friday.

Advanced Television: Channel 4 revives Brookside for Hollyoaks crossover

Story from Advanced Television:

Channel 4’s iconic first soap Brookside is set to return to screens – as part of a crossover with current soap Hollyoaks.

Deadline: All3Media Writes Down Value Of Lime Pictures By £25M After ‘Hollyoaks’ Cuts

Story from Deadline:

All3Media has written down the value of a number of its production houses, including Lime Pictures by £25M following the reduction in weekly episodes of Hollyoaks.

STV News: Scottish couple 'dumped' from Gogglebox after three years

Story from STV News:

A Glasgow couple has been “dumped” from Gogglebox after more than three years on the show.

Advanced Television: Prime Video UK acquires True Crime package from Story Films

Story from Advanced Television:

All3Media International has partnered with Prime Video on a new true crime title package from prodco Story Films, which will debut on Prime Video in the UK and Ireland this year.

Advanced Television: The Kim Kardashian Heist leads slate of new Warner Bros Discovery content

Story from Advanced Television:

Warner Bros Discovery UK & Ireland has announced a new discovery+ true-crime commission The Kim Kardashian Heist (w/t), alongside three new linear series Guz Khan’s Custom Cars (w/t), Zero Stars and Rav Gill’s Chop House.

Advanced Television: All3Media promotes Stevens to SVP Global Digital Partnerships

Story from Advanced Television:

Independent distributor, All3Media International, has promoted Amanda Stevens to SVP Global Digital Partnerships.

Deadline: Channel 4 Engages Headhunter To Find In-House Production Chief

Story from Deadline:

Channel 4‘s plans to move into in-house production are heating up.

Deadline; ITV For Sale: Behind The Headlines Of A Deal That Everyone And No One Is Talking About

Story from Deadline:

If you’ve watched ITV’s The Assembly, you will know that it involves stars like Danny Dyer and David Tennant subjecting themselves to no-holds-barred questions from a captivating cast of neurodivergent interrogators.

Deadline: Paramount UK & All3Media Bosses Debate Trump Tariff Plan Spooking The Industry: “Let’s Keep Calm & See What Happens”

Story from Deadline:

“The chat in the UK market is let’s keep calm and see what happens.”

Media Guardian: ITV and Channel 4 face summer of uncertainty amidst leadership issues and potential mergers

Story from Media Guardian:

With Channel 4 facing months of stopgap interim leadership and ITV in talks over a potential merger of its programme-making operation with a rival belonging to an Abu Dhabi-backed fund, the UK’s biggest free-to-air commercial broadcasters face a destabilising and uncertain summer.

Advanced Television: All3Media launches Demand Drama FAST channel

Story from Advanced Television:

Independent distributor All3Media International is expanding its portfolio of channels with the launch of original new FAST channel Demand Drama, which will be available in the UK this April.

CityAM: ITV’s deal with ‘Traitors’ producer sparks fears for local news

Story from CityAM:

ITV’s early stage discussions with Abu Dhabi-backed RedBird IMI to spin off its production arm into a seperate £3bn entity have sparked growing concern over the future of its commitment to local and regional news.

Hollywood Reporter; ITV CEO Won’t Address Studios Deal “Speculation”: “We Will Continue to Build the Business”

Story from Hollywood Reporter:

U.K. TV giant ITV continues to focus on growing a successful production business, CEO Carolyn McCall said during an earnings call with reporters on Thursday after posting record full-year earnings for its ITV Studios production unit as she declined to comment on market chatter about a possible merger for the division.

Hollywood Reporter: ITV Reports Full-Year Studios Profit Record, Ad Revenue Rises 2 Percent

Story from Hollywood Reporter:

U.K. TV giant ITV on Thursday reported record earnings for its ITV Studios production unit and a 2 percent advertising revenue increase for the full year 2024, compared with 2023.

Deadline; BBC Content Chief Runners & Riders: Who Will Claim The Most Powerful Creative Job In British TV?

Story from Deadline:

Charlotte Moore’s decision to quit the BBC has opened up the most powerful creative job in British television — and within minutes speculation was rampant about who could succeed the outgoing content chief.

Broadcast: Potential ITVS deal supported by investors

Story from Broadcast:

Investors in ITV are broadly supportive of moves by the UK commercial broadcaster to sell its production and distribution arm ITV Studios, according to a report.

BBC News: BBC says The Traitors met Scottish staffing rules

Story from BBC News:

The number of Scotland-based staff working on reality TV show The Traitors increased between the first and second series, the BBC has said.

Variety: ITV, RedBird IMI in Early Talks to Merge Production Arms

Story from Variety:

ITV has held early talks with the Abu Dhabi-backed investment group RedBird IMI, led by CEO Jeff Zucker, about a potential merger of their production businesses, according to a report.

Advanced Television: MPs publish production inquiry evidence

Story from Advanced Television:

The Culture, Media and Sport Committee of the UK House of Commons has published written evidence submitted to the Committee’s inquiry into British film and high-end TV on TV production ahead of evidence sessions.