Left Bank Pictures Latest Indie To Be Bought Over By Sony

Television giant Sony is to take over the UK independent production company Left Bank Pictures, in a deal that values the indie at £40m.
A majority stake of the company will be sold to Sony Pictures Television and its founders, former ITV executives Andy Harries and Marigo Kehoe, will stay on, reporting to Sony president of international production, Andrea Wong.
Sony will also distribute future TV shows from the five-year-old company, which was behind the film The Damned United and the BBC's remake of Wallander, starring Kenneth Branagh.
Other shows produced by Left Bank Pictures include Mad Dogs and Strike Back for Sky and DCI Banks for ITV.
The company doubled pre-tax profits to £1.85 m in the year to June 2011, on a 36% increase in turnover £28.9 m, according to its latest accounts.
Sony Pictures Television already has stakes in three UK independent producers - Gogglebox Entertainment, Victory Television and Silver River.
www.leftbankpictures.co.uk/index.php
(NE)