Banijay Group Embarks on Adventure with Bear Grylls and Delbert Shoopman

Banijay Group, the world's leading independent content producer and distributor, today announces the launch of new production label, The Natural Studios, from Bear Grylls and Delbert Shoopman. As the premiere home of adventure, the new prodco will be a global go-to adventure TV / Film production studio across all platforms, further bolstering the Group's position in this space.

The Natural Studios, which is now open for business , is led by Grylls and Shoopman as co-CEOs. Backed and funded by Banijay Group, which serves as production and distribution partner, the deal will see the pair build the business into the ultimate Home of Adventure', where they will develop original IP with mass global appeal and nurture the next generation of adrenaline-fueled TV stars worldwide.

While Grylls and Shoopman benefit from direct access to Banijay Group's global production and distribution network, they will maintain full strategic control with the view to building an international production powerhouse responsible for serving traditional and digital platforms worldwide with both non-scripted and scripted content.

The latest launch further cements Banijay Group's position as a global leader in the adventure space, having built a strong reputation to date with brands including Survivor, 71 Degrees North, Fort Boyard, The Crystal Maze, SAS: Who Dares Wins and Stars on the Rocks.

Collectively, Grylls and Shoopman's shows have been watched by over 2 billion people worldwide, with an aggregated audience of 120 million for Running Wild(US). And most recently, 3.6 billion online impressions were secured when Grylls embarked on an adventure with Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi.

Bear Grylls comments: It has been such a journey for Delbert and I to get to the stage where we can build out our adventure shows under our own Studio. We stand on the shoulders of many giants. The ACF Investment Bank team have been incredible guides through the process at its heart this is about building the ultimate home of adventure programming worldwide.

The Natural Studios will be providing a home for the best adventure talent to help them create shows with us that inspire and move people to go for it in their lives and to never give up.

Marco Bassetti, CEO, Banijay Group comments: In a crowded marketplace, with many new players, only strong talents can cut through and as the face of adventure globally, Bear does just this. Both he and Del bring an incredibly strong portfolio and track record in this space and fit harmoniously with our existing catalogue of world-class adventure entertainment brands.

Further bolstering our strong expertise in the adventure field, and instantly building our audiences worldwide, The Natural Studios was the perfect fit for us and supports our organic growth strategy internationally. Already open for business, we are confident the new label has a strong path ahead and we look forward to collaborating on building an even bigger following for their brands across the globe.

The deal was brokered by ACF Investment Bank, as advisors to Grylls and Shoopman.

LINK:	https://www.banijay.com/news/banijay-group-embarks-on-adventure-with-b...
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