eOne Buys Majority Stake in Whizz Kid

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Entertainment One (eOne) has acquired a majority stake in the British factual producer Whizz Kid Entertainment.

Founded by Malcolm Gerrie and Lisa Chapman, Whizz Kid is behind the show Ex on the Beach, which is currently being adapted by eOne for MTV in the U.S. The deal marks eOne’s first U.K.-based TV production company acquisition.

“Whizz Kid gives us a strong footing in one of the most creative markets in the world and is a great first step in our ambitious non-scripted global expansion strategy,” said eOne’s Tara Long, executive VP of alternative television. “Malcolm is a highly-respected industry executive with broad experience in the international market. We couldn’t be more excited to hit the ground running together with new series on both sides of the Atlantic.”

Gerrie, CEO of Whizz Kid Entertainment, commented, “From the first moment we met Tara and the eOne non-scripted team we knew there was a real chemistry. eOne is a major player on the world stage and I’m thrilled to partner with them on this next chapter of the Whizz Kid story. Our former partners Ingenious have been terrific from the very beginning and we thank them and Patrick McKenna for all their unwavering support.”

‘’The team at Whizz Kid always set the bar high creatively,’’ added Chapman, managing director of Whizz Kid Entertainment. “Having already collaborated on Ex on the Beach with eOne in the U.S., we are now looking forward to creating even more ambitious and daring global entertainment formats.’’