Entertainment One UK

Last updated

Entertainment One UK Limited
eOne UK
Formerly
  • Contender Limited (1994–2009) [1]
  • E1 Entertainment UK Limited (2009–10) [1]
Company type Subsidiary
Industry Entertainment
PredecessorsMedusa Communications & Marketing
Founded14 November 1994;30 years ago (14 November 1994)
FounderRichard Bridgewood
Headquarters45 Mortimer Street, ,
United Kingdom
Area served
United Kingdom
ProductsTelevision
Parent Lionsgate Canada (2007–present)

Entertainment One UK Limited, trading as eOne UK (formerly Contender Limited and E1 Entertainment UK Limited), is a British entertainment company and a subsidiary of Lionsgate Canada. The company was formed as the Contender Entertainment Group in 1994, initially functioning as a home video distributor before expanding to produce television shows and theatrical films before being acquired by the Canadian-based Entertainment One (now Lionsgate Canada) in 2007.

Contents

Since 2023, the company has exited the physical media and theatrical markets, with only its unscripted television branch operating.

History

Contender Entertainment Group logo used from 2000-2006. Contender Entertainment Group logo.svg
Contender Entertainment Group logo used from 2000–2006.
Contender Entertainment Group logo used from 2005-2009. Contender Entertainment Group logo 2.png
Contender Entertainment Group logo used from 2005–2009.

The company was formed in 1994 by former HIT Entertainment employee Richard Bridgewood. The company was initially formed as a home video distributor, mainly handling the distribution of children's properties onto VHS. [2]

During the late-1990s to early-2000s, Contender operated under five sub-labels: Kult TV, Kult Kidz, Nippers, Bonkers, and Golden Times. [3] Popular shows within these labels included the cult-classic Farscape from The Jim Henson Company, to anime properties such as Medabots and Beyblade from Nelvana. [4]

2002 and 2003 saw Contender enter the children's television market with its first television production, Tractor Tom . [5] The series, which featured the voices of Liza Tarbuck and James Nesbitt was pre-sold to ITV and became a successful programme in its CITV programming strand. [6] [7] In the same year, the company expanded to the physical print market with Contender Books. [8] [9] [10]

The success of Tractor Tom led to Contender greenlighting a second pre-school property, Peppa Pig , from indie studio Astley Baker Davies in February 2003, with a pre-sale to Five and Nick Jr. occurring at the same time. [11] The company greenlit a third pre-school property, Mojo Swoptops, in February 2004. [7] However, it would not see the light of day due to its concept being similar to another show that was in development at the same time, Roary the Racing Car , and would not officially be produced until 2024. [12]

In February 2004, Contender purchased rival distributor Medusa Communications and Marketing for more than £20 million. The purchase allowed Contender to expand its investments in the UK media industry. Medusa's founders David Hodgins and Stephen Rivers would become directors at Contender. [13] The Hong Kong Legends and Premier Asia DVD labels would also remain as is [14] At the end of May 2004, Peppa Pig would premiere in the United Kingdom on Five's Milkshake! strand. [15] The series would become an immense success, with its first DVD release selling over 100,000 units by the end of October 2005 alongside a successful toyline by Character Options. At the end of 2005, the series would be picked up in over 120 territories, [16] including the United States under a broadcast deal with Cartoon Network, secured in November 2004. [17]

On 7 July 2005, the company announced that it would split its operations into two stand-alone subsidiaries, with the Home Entertainment division becoming Contender Home Entertainment, and the television division becoming Rubber Duck Entertainment. The split was done in favour of the success of Peppa Pig, of which Rubber Duck would greenlight new pre-school properties for Contender to distribute and market. [18] [19] On the same day, Rubber Duck announced they had greenlit another pre-school property named Humf . [20] In October 2005, Five and Nick Jr. recommissioned Peppa Pig for a second series. [16]

On 14 June 2007, the Canadian-based Entertainment One Income Fund announced it would purchase Contender for $97 million. [21] The same year, Entertainment One would secure a film output agreement with Summit Entertainment, of which Contender Films would release their output in the UK. [22]

In March 2008, Contender secured worldwide distribution rights outside of the US and Canada to the PBS Kids series It's a Big Big World . [23] In December 2008, the company announced that Channel 4 had secured broadcast rights to Lost & Found, a short-film produced by Studio AKA based on Oliver Jeffers' children's book of the same name. [24] The special aired during Christmas Eve of that year. [24]

On 22 January 2009, EOIF announced that it would rebrand all its operations as E1 Entertainment. Contender Entertainment Group's operations, including Contender Home Entertainment, Contender Films and Contender Merchandising, would be consolidated as E1 Entertainment UK, while Rubber Duck Entertainment would rebrand as E1 Kids [25] with founder Richard Bridgwood remaining as marketing director. [26] E1's next pre-school properties, [27] Humf, a co-production with King Rollo Films, and Ben & Holly's Little Kingdom , their second co-production with Astley Baker Davies, would make their world premieres on Nick Jr. UK on 2 March [28] and 6 April [25] respectively, with the latter becoming another financial success for the division. [29]

In June 2010, E1 UK announced that Richard Bridgewood had departed from the company. [30]

On 30 September 2015, eOne acquired a 70% stake in British animation studio Astley Baker Davies, best known for producing the pre-school TV series Peppa Pig . [31]

On 11 July 2019, eOne announced it would purchase unscripted factual studio Daisybeck Studios. [32] In November 2020, the company was renamed as Entertainment One Unscripted Television UK, although Daisybeck continues to trade as a division. [33]

Closure of theatrical division, split of children's division (2023–present)

In July 2023, Hasbro announced that the theatrical division of Entertainment One UK would cease operations, with the company blaming structural changes in the film industry following the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and issues with the structure of independent distribution in the country for the reasons. The television and home media divisions would remain in operation for the time being. [34]

Following the purchase of eOne by Lions Gate Entertainment Corporation (now Starz Entertainment) on 26 December 2023, eOne UK remained in operation and the company's children's assets remained with Hasbro. In January 2024, Entertainment One Unscripted Television UK, including Daisybeck Studios, was consolidated into the newly-formed Lionsgate Alternative Television; but would remain as subsidiaries. [35] [36]

eOne UK was included as part of the Lionsgate Studios split in Mid-2024. [37] [38] The company's name remained as such even after its former parent company was renamed as Lionsgate Canada in June. [39]

On 25 July 2025, it was revealed that HM Revenue & Customs had attempted to seek a court order to place the company into liquidation after failing to pay a large £176 million tax bill. Lionsgate would soon settle with the HMR&C in what was classified as a "clerical error" on its part. [40]

Properties

Direct-to-video features

Television shows and specials

Unless noted, all shows listed in this section are now owned by Hasbro Entertainment.

Distribution only

References

  1. 1 2 "ENTERTAINMENT ONE UK LIMITED overview - Find and update company information - GOV.UK". find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. Archived from the original on May 3, 2025. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
  2. "Peppa Pig and Me: Enterprise Journey With Richard Bridgewood". Emma Experience. November 21, 2024. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
  3. "Contender Entertainment Group - Labels". contendergroup.com. Archived from the original on March 6, 2001. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
  4. Leigh Godfrey (November 5, 2002). "Nelvana Closes Mipcom With Strong Sales". Animation World Network. Archived from the original on November 13, 2024.
  5. Maria Esposito (May 13, 2003). "Contender staffs up for kids development". C21media. Archived from the original on February 7, 2024.
  6. "Lofts Tractor Tom motors to CITV" . Broadcast. October 24, 2002. Retrieved August 21, 2025.(registration required)
  7. 1 2 Bulkley, Kate (February 23, 2004). "The tale of Tractor Tom". The Guardian. Archived from the original on November 14, 2024. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
  8. Sangster, Jim (2002). 24: The Unofficial Guide . London: Contender Books. ISBN   1-84357-034-3 . Retrieved February 10, 2025 via Internet Archive text collection. Contender Books is a division of The Contender Entertainment Group 48 Margaret Street London
  9. "Search - Contender Entertainment Group". Open Library . Retrieved February 10, 2025. Publisher - 12 works
  10. "Search - Contender Books - 2002–2003". Internet Archive . Retrieved February 10, 2025.
  11. "Five hopes pig will bring home the bacon" . Broadcast. February 13, 2003. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
  12. Bharanidharan, Sadhana (June 14, 2024). "Inside Mojo Swoptops' long journey to the screen". Kidscreen. Archived from the original on July 25, 2025. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
  13. Charlie Franks (February 23, 2004). "Contender buys into DVD business". C21media. Archived from the original on January 19, 2025. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
  14. Sarah Baisley (October 12, 2004). "Contender Acquires Sweby for Acquisitions Post". Animation World Network. Archived from the original on November 11, 2024. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
  15. Charlie Franks (February 19, 2004). "Contender's Pig flies overseas". C21media. Archived from the original on February 7, 2024. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
  16. 1 2 Ball, Ryan (October 14, 2005). "Five, Nick Jr. Squeal for More Peppa Pig". Animation Magazine. Archived from the original on November 27, 2024. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
  17. "Contender launches Peppa Pig in US" . Broadcast. November 4, 2004. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
  18. "Contender divides into two companies" . Broadcast. July 7, 2005. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
  19. Lees, Nancy (August 1, 2005). "Quick Hits - Contender splits in two". Kidscreen. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
  20. Sarah Baisley (July 1, 2005). "Contender Ent. Group Forms Two Separate Operating Divisions". Animation World Network. Archived from the original on November 13, 2024. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
  21. Mitchell, Wendy (June 14, 2007). "Entertainment One to acquire UK's Contender in $97m deal". Screen Daily. Archived from the original on March 2, 2025. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
  22. Mike Goodridge (September 20, 2007). "Summit signs Canada, UK deal with Entertainment One". Screen Daily. Archived from the original on October 28, 2014. Retrieved September 13, 2013.
  23. Annemarie Moody (March 20, 2008). "Big Big World Headed Out To the Big Big World". Animation World Network. Archived from the original on November 12, 2024. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
  24. 1 2 Annemarie Moody (December 3, 2008). "Lost and Found Finds a Home on Channel 4". Animation World Network. Archived from the original on November 12, 2024. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
  25. 1 2 Annemarie Moody (March 27, 2009). "Nick Jr. Welcomes Preschoolers to Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom". Animation World Network. Archived from the original on January 23, 2025. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
  26. "Entertainment One rebrands as E1 Entertainment". Screen Daily. January 22, 2009. Archived from the original on April 21, 2025. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
  27. "Winning contender". C21media. January 29, 2009. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
  28. "Nick Jr. U.K. Gets Purple Furry Thing". Animation World Network. February 20, 2009. Archived from the original on November 12, 2024. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
  29. Annemarie Moody. "Ben & Holly Moves Forward with Licensing Program". Animation World Network. Archived from the original on November 15, 2024. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
  30. "Bridgwood exits E1 UK". C21media. June 2, 2010. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
  31. "Entertainment One Acquires 70% Stake In 'Peppa Pig' Producer Astley Baker Davies". Deadline Hollywood. September 30, 2015. Archived from the original on October 1, 2015. Retrieved September 30, 2015.
  32. https://deadline.com/2019/07/eone-daisybeck-studios-1202644746/
  33. https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/08447415
  34. Wiseman, Andreas (July 20, 2023). "UK Distribution Stalwart eOne Shutting Down Theatrical Operation As Hasbro's Global Cuts Continue To Bite". Deadline. Archived from the original on July 26, 2025. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
  35. https://www.c21media.net/news/newly-formed-lionsgate-alternative-television-signs-with-talent-agency-uta/
  36. Elmes, John (January 10, 2024). "Lionsgate consolidates unscripted operations" . Broadcast. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
  37. Goldsmith, Jill (December 22, 2023). "Lionsgate Studios to Become a New Public Company, Splitting with Starz in SPAC Deal". Deadline. Retrieved January 16, 2024.
  38. Vlessing, Etan (December 22, 2023). "Lionsgate to Spin Off Studio and 20,000-Title Library From Starz in $4.6B Deal". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 20, 2024.
  39. Townsend, Kelly (June 7, 2024). "Entertainment One rebrands to Lionsgate Canada". Playback. Retrieved June 8, 2024.
  40. Kanter, Jake (July 25, 2025). "Lionsgate Halts Forced Closure Of EOne UK By Settling Unpaid Tax Bill". Deadline. Archived from the original on July 25, 2025. Retrieved August 21, 2025.