Banijay Entertainment S.A. (formerly Banijay Group and later Banijay) was a French multinational television production and distribution company. It was the world's largest international content producer and distributor, with over 130 production companies across 23 territories, and a catalogue of over 185,000 hours of original programming. Headquartered in Paris, the company was founded in January 2008 by Stéphane Courbit, former president of Endemol France, and has risen since its inception, to become a €3.2bn turnover business. It was a subsidiary of Banijay Group, a sports betting and entertainment company based in Amsterdam.
The company has expanded over the years through multiple acquisitions, including its purchases of Zodiak Media in 2016, Endemol Shine Group in 2020, and Beyond International in 2022. The group's non-scripted television formats include Big Brother, Survivor, Deal or No Deal, Temptation Island, MasterChef, Don't Forget the Lyrics!, and Hunted. In March 2026, a merger between Banijay Entertainment and RedBird IMI's All3Media business was announced, completing in July. The new company, jointly owned by Banijay Group and RedBird IMI and based at All3Media's London headquarters, continues to use the Banijay Entertainment name.
History Banijay Entertainment was formed in January 2008 through the successive acquisition of production companies, first in France, then internationally under the leadership of Stéphane Courbit (previous CEO of Endemol France) alongside Groupe Arnault, the Agnelli and De Agostini families and AMS Industries. Their first acquisition was Nagui's production company Air Productions, which was renamed Banijay Production Media ten years later on 9 April 2018.
In January 2009, Banijay Entertainment sold its Madrid-based Spanish production company El Terrat back to its founder Andreu Buenafuente. Four days later in that same month following Banijay's sale of El Terrat, Banijay Entertainment acquired 51% of Spanish production company Cuarzo Producciones on 12 January,
On 2 July 2009, Banijay announced it was expanding its operations into Germany by acquiring a 50% stake in German television producer Brainpool TV. Five days later in that same month of 2009, Banijay Entertainment announced it had expanded its growing television empire and its entry into the American television production industry by launching its American reality TV production outfit Angel City Factory with veteran producers Chris Cowen and Jean-Michel Michenaud.
In October 2009, Banijay Entertainment announced it had entered the Scandinavian television production industry by acquiring the entire Nordisk Film TV television division from multinational media group Egmont Group and its Copenhagen-based film production studio Nordisk Film, alongside its distribution division Nordisk Film TV World and its production company subsidiaries. These included entertainment company Respirator and Finnish production house Solar Television, marking Banijay Entertainment's first entry into the Scandinavian production industry. The company's executives Jacob Houlind and Peter Hannsen continued to manage the company under Banijay Entertainment.
In January 2010, Banijay announced it had bought British indie production company Zig Zag Productions, marking Banijay's entry into the British market. However, in September 2010, Banijay announced it had sold Zig Zag Productions back to its co-founders Danny Fenton and Kevin Utton, resulting in Banijay's exit from the UK market.
In March 2010, Banijay Entertainment established its international distribution division Banijay International, to distribute its own programmes as well as those of producers worldwide. Two weeks later, Banijay Entertainment acquired Los Angeles-based American reality television production company Bunim/Murray Productions for an undisclosed amount, expanding Banijay's American television production operations with co-founder of Bunim/Murray Productions. Jonathan Murray remained as chairman of the acquired company.
In April 2012, Banijay Entertainment announced it had restructured their American production arm and shut down US production company Angel City Factory. Co-founder Chris Rowen departed the subsidiary to join American multimedia production company BermanBraun and all of ACF's development negotiations were moved to Banijay's other US unit, Bunim/Murray Productions.
In September 2012, Banijay Group announced it had entered the Australian and New Zealand television market by acquiring a majority stake in Australian scripted and unscripted production company Screentime along with its New Zealand division Screentime New Zealand and a 49% stake in Irish producer Shinawil (which would be sold back in 2015) further expanding Banijay Group's international television production operations and it also marked the first time Banijay Group had entered into the Australian and New Zealand television business along with Banijay's first with Banijay Group's international division Banijay International representing Screentime's library with Screentime founders Bob Campbell and Des Monaghan continued to be CEOs of the company.
That same year, French celebrity channel Non Stop People and Cyril Hanouna's became new members of the Group,
In April 2013, Banijay Group announced it had hired former Endemol executive and founder of Ambra Multimedia, Marco Bassetti, to become CEO, with Banijay Group acquiring a majority stake in Italian production company Ambra Multimedia marking Banijay Group's first entry into the Italian television market and expanding its international operations into that same country.
In July 2013, Banijay Group expanded its Spanish operations, acquiring Spanish drama and entertainment production company DLO Producciones. This became Banijay Group's second Spanish production label and its first entry into the Spanish scripted genre with DLO's founder José Manuel Lorenzo.
In April 2014, Banijay Group further expanded its American operations by announcing their establishment of its American production division based in Los Angeles, California named Banijay Studios North America with Banijay Group appointing former Endemol North America executive and chairman David Goldberg served as the CEO of Banijay's American production division.
On 9 January 2015, Banijay Group acquired a controlling share in New York City-based American unscripted production outfit Stephen David Entertainment.; However, ten years later in June 2025, Banijay Entertainment announced it had sold back its share in New York City-based production studio Stephen David Entertainment to its founder Stephen David as Banijay Entertainment continued partnered with him to develop new projects.
In June 2015, Banijay Group announced it was in advanced exclusive talks to merge with rival Paris-based Swedish/French global international television production group named Zodiak Media, alongside its production division and subsidiaries that could merge Banijay Group's operation with those of the Zodiak Media company under one international television production and distribution company under the Banijay Group name. A month later in July of that same year, Banijay Group announced it had agreed to merge it operations and production labels with those of the Paris-based Swedish/French independent international television production and distribution company Zodiak Media, the deal would also bring Banijay back to the UK market and expanding into other countries and genres with the founder of Banijay, Stéphane Courbit continuing to work for the newly merged company under the Banijay Group name with former Endemol France president Marco Bassetti becoming Banijay's CEO. A year later in February 2016, Banijay Group announced it had completed its merger with Paris-based Swedish/French international television and distribution company Zodiak Media alongside its production divisions and subsidiaries with Banijay Group becoming the world's biggest leading indie television production and distribution company, with Zodiak's production divisions and companies like RDF Television, Jarowskij and Zodiak Kids became subsidiaries of Banijay Group. This marked Banijay's return to the British television market, its first entry into the Swedish television production industry and Banijay's first entry into the animation production business. Banijay's distribution arm, Banijay International was folded into Zodiak's distribution division Zodiak Rights with the latter name being retained. Vivendi also became a shareholder in 2016.
In July 2016, Banijay Group had announced that it had backed the launch of an Italian production company with former Magnolia executives Fabrizio Ievolella, Danila Battaglini, Francesco Lauber and Leopoldo Gasparotto which was named Dry ("Don't Repeat Yourself") with Banijay Group acquiring a minority stake in the new company, expanding Banijay's Italian operations in that country. The new company was placed within Banijay Group's Italian division.
On 16 January 2017, one year after Banijay and Zodiak Media had completed their merger, Banijay announced it was dropping the Zodiak name from its global international sales distribution division and renaming it as Banijay Rights.
In May 2017, Banijay Group announced it had expanded its British operations and British scripted portfolio by launching a new scripted production label with Phil Trethowan and Ben Bickerton named BlackLight Television.
In July of that same year, Banijay Group announced it had acquired the British-based television production company behind Survivor, Castaway Television Productions, along with the format from owners Charlie Parsons, Lord Waheed Alli and Bob Geldof, expanding Banijay Group's operations and placing the Survivor format under Banijay's distribution arm Banijay Rights. One week later Banijay Group announced it had launched a new British script production company with Jolyon Symonds which was named Fearless Minds.
In January 2018, Banijay Group announced it was expanding its British drama business by launching a new London-based drama label named Neon Ink Productions with former ITV Studios drama executive producers Kate Lewis and Julia Walsh. A week later in that same month, Banijay Group announced it had acquired French digital company Shauna Events in order for Banijay Group to expand it operations in the digital market.
In February 2018, Banijay Group announced it had acquired Britain-based unscripted television production company 7Wonder, marking Banijay Group's first British factual production company acquisition with 7Wonder's founders Alexandra Fraser, Liza Abbott and Simon Ellse continuing to run the company as CEO, chief creative officer and chief financial officer, with the acquired company ending its relationship with Australian television network Seven Network and Banijay's distribution division Banijay Rights taking over 7Wonder's programmes following the acquisition.
At the beginning of March 2018, Banijay Group announced it had expanded its Germany presence by launching a division based in Cologne named Banijay Productions Germany with Arno Schneppenheim founder of Endemol Shine-owned German production company Florida TV leading the new outfit.
In April 2018, Banijay Group announced it had entered a joint venture with Indian film producer Deepak Dhar to launch a new production company named Banijay Asia, to expand Banijay's Indian and Southeast Asian operations with Deepak Dhar becoming CEO and heading the new joint venture division.
In June 2018, Banijay Group announced it was expanding its Italian businesses by launching a scripted content division based in Rome named Banijay Studios Italy with former Endemol Shine Italy executive Massimo Del Frate heading the new division.