Cathy Payne: Last News

Tara Conlan Guest Contributor After five years of quietly gathering steam within the international TV community, the 2023 edition of the London TV Screenings is its biggest outing yet. Running Feb. 27 to March 3, the event features more than 25 distributors and 400 buyers. But how did the confab evolve from a set of casual screenings by rival distributors of the BBC into an event that now rivals MipTV in Cannes? Its genesis goes back to 1976, when BBC Showcase was created from 25 European buyers gathering in Brighton’s Old Ship Hotel to watch episodes of shows such as “Fawlty Towers,” and buy such programs for audiences back in their home countries. The showcase then moved to other locations, including Edinburgh and Harrogate, before returning to Brighton, and eventually relocating to Liverpool in 2012.

EXCLUSIVE: Big Brother seller Banijay Rights has signed a former BBC Worldwide Director as the head of its sales and co-pros in German-speaking territories.

The boss of one of the world’s biggest TV distributors has predicted streamers will return to commissioning originals in bulk once they “break even.”

Banijay’s powerhouse lineup at what promises to be one of the biggest presentations at next week’s London TV Screenings. Mixing third-party pick-ups and Banijay productions, further scripted titles take in second seasons of two Banijay hits, the sumptuous and revisionist “Marie Antoinette,” and “Rogue Heroes,” a big WWII special ops adventure story which hit high ratings on BBC. Unspooling over Wednesday Feb.

EXCLUSIVE: Ocsar-nominated Shine director Scott Hicks‘ projects aboout musician Ben Folds have been taken on for distribution by Banijay Rights.

Top International execs from ZDF Studios, Fremantle, All3Media and Banijay have said the potential U.S. writers strike and changing market economics can create opportunities to strike new business.

Banijay Rights extensive and wide-ranging lineup at what promises to be one of the biggest presentations at this week’s London TV Screenings. Further scripted titles will take in “This Town” and “The Sixth Commandment” for the BBC, “Domina” for MGM+ and Sky, and “Safe Home” for SBS, as well as doc feature “Lara.” Given the iconic talent behind some titles – “It’s a Sin’s” Russell T. Davies serves as an executive producer on “Three Little Birds – scripted is likely to command large buyer attention. 

Beyond Rights CEO David Smyth is leaving the UK-based distributor following its parent’s sale to Banijay.

Premium documentaries, co-productions and the changing streamer landscape are set to dominate next week’s Mipcom Cannes as thousands of buyers descend on the Croisette after three years off, according to a wealth of senior sales bosses.

Naman Ramachandran Banijay has revealed an eco-friendly stand ahead of the 2022 Mipcom market at Cannes. Located at a prime location in front of Cannes’ Palais des Festivals, the two-floor structure – a re-usable construction made of wood – comprises more than 500m2 of floor space including meeting rooms, a reception area, several terraces and hospitality areas. Created by Romain Larue from Orati and designed by architect Nicola Spinetto, the build uses Cross Laminated Timber – a technology noted for its strength, versatility and sustainability. The construction will optimize brightness throughout its central patio area and terraces and will be home to Banijay’s 250+ Mipcom team.

EXCLUSIVE: With Mip TV almost underway, Banijay Rights has kicked off the market by picking up the rights to two buzzy BBC formats: The Drop and Extraordinary Portraits. 

A few weeks before Banijay announced its $2.2 billion takeover of Endemol Shine last year, Endemol Shine International’s esteemed distribution chief Cathy Payne stepped down from her role. Her resignation was not directly related to the takeover, she says, but as the months rolled on with the mega-merger, Banijay founder Stéphane Courbit and its CEO Marco Bassetti (whom Payne had previously worked with at Endemol) knew they’d need a seasoned exec who could manage what is now a monster 110,000-hour catalogue of content and global brands including Big Brother and MasterChef.

Tim Mutimer, Banijay Rights’ executive vice president of EMEA, is to become the new CEO of Cineflix Rights.

EXCLUSIVE: Banijay, the world’s largest independent production company, has told staff that internal data was stolen after it was the victim of a cyber attack last week that could impact hundreds of current and former employees.

Manori Ravindran International EditorWhen Banijay closed its $2.2 billion takeover of Endemol Shine earlier this summer, it became the largest independent production player outside the U.S.

Jake Kanter International TV EditorBanijay has confirmed what has been unofficially known for months: that its distribution arm Banijay Rights will subsume Endemol Shine International following the two companies’ mega-merger.Cathy Payne was confirmed as the CEO of Banijay Rights in April after running  Endemol Shine International for nearly five years. She will be responsible for bringing the two businesses together under her leadership — starting this month.The process is likely to result in a number of redundancies, with around 80 staff currently working at Endemol Shine International.

Banijay Rights, the global sales arm of French production giant Banijay Group, which is behind such hit formats asSurvivor,Wife SwapandTemptation Island, on Monday named John Richards CFO. Roisin Thomas will remain COO of the unit, with both reporting to Cathy Payne, who started her new role as CEO of Banijay Rights on Monday.

By Tim Dams

Veteran TV executive Cathy Payne, former CEO of Endemol Shine International, has been confirmed as CEO of Banijay Rights, the global sales arm of the French production group behind such hit formats as Survivor, Wife Swap and Temptation Island. At Endemol Shine, Payne oversaw the global rollout of drama series including Peaky Blinders and Grantchester and international formats, including MasterChef and Big Brother.

By Jake Kanter

By Elsa Keslassy