GECs
Celador completes first stage of buyout
MUMBAI: UK production house Celador Productions, which developed the Who Wants to be a Millionaire? format, has completed the first stage of a management buyout led by its MD Danielle Lux.
Reports state that Lux’s interest in acquiring the company became public after parent company Complete Communications Corporation (CCC) put Who Wants to be a Millionaire?, plus licensing and distribution arm Celador International up for sale last year.
Outgoing Celador Productions chairman Paul Smith is supporting the buyout and will remain a shareholder in the company until his shareholding is purchased in its entirety by the management team. Smith will also keep an ongoing, non-executive role in the company.
In addition to the management buyout team, Celador Productions management includes: Ruth Wrigley, the recently appointed head of entertainment; and Liz Anstee the head of the group’s radio interests.
Lux said: “This is an amazing opportunity. It’s not every day that a fistful of programmes, including You Are What You Eat and one of Britain’s best production companies are landed in your lap. But that is what has happened to us.”
GECs
Samsung TV Plus launches Kings of Comedy channel
New free FAST channel brings iconic Hindi comedy shows to millions of Samsung Smart TV owners.
MUMBAI: Samsung TV Plus has just turned up the laughter volume and it’s completely free. The leading free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) service in India has launched Kings of Comedy, a premium comedy channel featuring some of the country’s most beloved primetime shows. Available exclusively on Samsung TV Plus, the channel delivers back-to-back hits including Comedy Nights with Kapil, Khatra Khatra Khatra, and Comedy Nights Bachao, with no login or subscription required.
The launch marks a milestone for free streaming in India, offering audiences a dedicated comedy destination directly from their Samsung TV home screen. It arrives as Samsung TV Plus India celebrates its 5th anniversary, during which the service has grown its monthly active users by 42 per cent and more than doubled its total viewing hours. The platform now offers over 180 free channels across 14 languages.
Samsung TV Plus India general manager and head of business development Kunal Mehta said, “Comedy is the heartbeat of Hindi entertainment, and Kings of Comedy brings together the shows Indians already love, completely free on their Samsung TV. Our focus remains the same take the content people know and make it effortless to access.”
Globally, Samsung TV Plus has surpassed 100 million monthly active users across more than 4,500 channels, solidifying its position as one of the world’s leading free streaming services.
Kings of Comedy is now available on all compatible Samsung Smart TVs. For viewers seeking non-stop laughter without any cost, this new channel delivers a royal treat proving that sometimes the best entertainment really does come with no strings (or subscriptions) attached.
