Big Brother producer could be Setanta savior

International formats giant Endemol has emerged as a potential suitor for troubled Irish sports broadcaster Setanta. This follows a last minute offer by Access Industries, which is headed by US-based, Russian-born billionaire Len Blavatnik, to acquire a stake in the company.


Endemol is reportedly looking to acquire a stake in the firm. The producer and distributor is run by Ynon Kreiz, a former partner at private equity firm and Setanta stakeholder Balderton Capital. It also launched a sports division last year and is keen to expand this part of its business. Any deal for Setanta would be the first time Endemol has bought into a broadcaster, marking a significant shift in strategy for the company. 

Setanta, meanwhile, has started accepting new subscribers after temporarily refusing new customers last week.