BBC Worldwide tips large profit uptick

BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of UK public broadcaster the BBC, will record a profit of about £140m (€162m) this year, according to director general Mark Thompson.

He revealed the 2009/2010 annual profit at a conference in London, two months ahead of the corporation publishing its annual report in which the figures will be officially unveiled. A profit of £140m would be a significant increase on the published figures for the previous year, which revealed a profit of £103m.

Programme sales have spurred the profit boost with shows including Top Gear and Doctor Who being sold into numerous international territories.