Sony Pictures Television Invests in The Whisper Group

Sony Pictures Television (SPT) has invested in The Whisper Group, which comprises the live sports and non-scripted production company Whisper, Chapter 3 Graphics and East Media.

Co-founded by CEO Sunil Patel, broadcaster Jake Humphrey and former F1 driver and current F1 commentator David Coulthard, The Whisper Group produces sports entertainment shows, including coverage of NFL, the Paralympics, Formula One, SailGP, Women’s Super League, International Cricket and W Series. It recently retained Formula One for Channel 4 and has a number of additional upcoming productions for 2020 that are yet to be announced.

The move brings an end to Channel 4’s Indie Growth Fund involvement with Whisper. In 2015, the fund took a minority stake in the company.

“This is big news for Whisper,” said Sunil Patel, Whisper co-founder and CEO. “Our absolute belief is that Entertainment is Everything and Sony Pictures Television is one of the top players in the entertainment world.

“Sport is at our heart and we’ll remain committed to immersive sports broadcasting, however, we have other ambitions which this move can help us to realize. We are keen to grow internationally and to develop formats that can help build an exciting IP catalog.

“We’re grateful for the support of Wayne Garvie and his team at SPT. We look forward to working together to expand Whisper’s reach and exploring opportunities to develop new ideas around their existing assets.”

Wayne Garvie, president of international production at Sony Pictures Television, said, “Whisper has become one of the most talked-about production companies in the U.K. Very quickly, they have established themselves as an innovative leader in sports content. We are thrilled to be joining Sunil, David, Jake and the team in helping to take Whisper to the next level.”

Coulthard added, “The company’s progression from 2010, when we were established, to now has been remarkable and this significant agreement marks a new stage for Whisper and its continuing growth. The weight of experience and expertise at Sony Pictures Television can directly help us progress into new areas while continuing with our award-winning sports coverage, which is what attracted SPT to us in the first place.”

Sunil continued: “We would never be where we are today without the trust and belief that was placed in us by Channel 4. They have been a fantastic partner and we thank them for everything they have done with and for us over the last four and a half years.”

Alex Mahon, chief executive of Channel 4, said: “Since joining our Indie Growth Fund family in 2015, Whisper has taken their business from strength to strength—successfully transitioning into TV production and building an incredibly talented team. We’ve really enjoyed working with Sunil, David and Jake and wish them every success for the future as they continue to the next stage of their development with Sony.”