LONDON — ITV (www.itvstudios.com) has agreed to acquire a controlling stake in High Noon Entertainment, a supplier of non-scripted entertainment shows in the US. The move is another step in ITV’s strategy of building a strong international content business and is a significant addition to the group’s growing portfolio of production companies. Last December, ITV acquired Gurney Productions in the US.
Founded in 1997 by former Liberty Media executive Jim Berger, and his partners Duke Hartman and Sonny Hutchison, High Noon Entertainment offers a diverse slate of shows across many genres. The company produces more than 25 shows across 18 networks including Cake Boss on TLC; Guinness World Records Gone Wild on TruTV; and Tough Love on VH1. High Noon Entertainment started out based in Denver before expanding to Los Angeles and New York.
“High Noon Entertainment is a wonderful addition to the ITV family,” says Kevin Lygo, managing director of ITV Studios. “We’ve admired them for a long time and their company ethos. Their shows both complement and strengthen our existing portfolio of high quality programs and we look forward to working with them.”