Apax Eyes Endemol

LONDON, June 22: Private
equity group Apax Partners, parent company of HIT Entertainment, is mulling a
£1-billion bid for Telefónica’s 75-percent stake in Endemol, British press
reports indicate.

Apax may team up with
venture capitalists to acquire the Netherlands-based format giant. Also said to
be interested in the company is Mediaset, which is reportedly in talks about a
joint offer with Endemol co-founder John de Mol.

Telefónica is expecting to
get about 1.75 billion euros for its majority interest in Endemol, which it
acquired in 2000.