Monday round-up: Latest news, deals & hires

Monday, 4pm: Disney’s Hulu+ Live TV to merge with Fubo

Disney is to merge its Hulu+ Live TV unit with sports streamer FuboTV, creating what is expected to be the second-biggest internet-based pay-TV outfit in the US after YouTube TV.

The combined company will be led by Fubo chief executive David Gandler and will be 70% owned by Disney and 30% owned by Fubo. The new entity will retain the Fubo name and existing management team.

The deal, which does not include the main Hulu service, will create a company with revenues of $6bn (£4.8bn) and more than six million subscribers across North America. Read more

Monday, 2.43pm: UK’s ITV poised to score more Bullseye

12 Yard Productions’ reboot of the darts-themed quiz show Bullseye looks set to return to ITV in the UK, with the recent special having racked up over 6m views since it launched just before Christmas.

The one-off episode hosted by Freddie Flintoff was announced in October, before Broadcast revealed that ITV Studios had proposed the closure of 12 Yard Productions following a review.

Monday, 12.21pm: ITVX acquires DC’s Pennyworth

ITV’s streaming platform ITVX has acquired DC original series Pennyworth.

The show follows former SAS soldier Alfred Pennyworth who forms a security company in 1960s London and goes to work with young billionaire Thomas Wayne, who is yet to become Bruce Wayne’s father.

It is exec produced by Bruno Heller and Danny Cannon for Warner Horizon Scripted and is distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. International Television Distribution. All three series will be available on ITVX from 12 January.

Monday, 11.44am: Channel 4 returns to Renovation Rescue with new hosts

Hello Sunshine’s property format Renovation Rescue will return to Channel 4 for a second run, with Vogue Williams and Luke Mabbott taking over presenting duties from Stacey Solomon.

Williams, who has degrees in construction design and management and quantity surveying and former Love Islander Mabbott, who is a heating and plumbing engineer, will share their expertise with homeowners wanting to transform their properties on their own.

It will be executive produced by Sara Rea and Sarah Lazenby for Hello Sunshine.

Monday, 11.20am: RuPaul’s Drag Race UK winner The Vivienne dies

RuPaul’s Drag Race star James Lee Williams, known professionally as The Vivienne, has died aged 32.

Williams rose to fame after winning the debut series of the UK iteration of RuPaul’s Drag Race in 2019 and later appeared in RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars. Outside of Drag Race, Williams was a finalist in the UK series of Dancing on Ice in 2023.

Monday, 10.11am: Canela Media hires ex-Crackle chief

Former Crackle chief Philippe Guelton has joined US Hispanic-focused streaming firm Canela Media.

Guelton becomes global president at Canela with a remit to expand the company’s growth in the US and globally.

His appointment comes six months after Crackle owner Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment (CSSE) closed down. Guelton had been chief revenue officer and president at the streamer, which CSSE had fully acquired from Sony.

Monday, 9.50am: Huge illegal streaming network taken down

An anti-piracy operation called Operation Kratos has led to the dismantling of an illegal distribution network providing sports, TV and movie content to 22 million users worldwide.

Operation Kratos, which took part last year, brought together law enforcement authorities from EU and non-EU Member States, EU agencies and private digital content companies.

The operation was led by the republic of Bulgaria, the law enforcement authorities of the Republic of Italy and the Republic of Croatia, supported by Europol and Eurojust, in direct cooperation with the Alliance against Audio-Visual Piracy (AAPA). Read more

Monday, 9.47am: l Baby Reindeer stars for UK at Golden Globes

Baby Reindeer was the major UK winner at the Golden Globes yesterday picking up two gongs.

Richard Gadd’s dramedy won out in the best TV limited series, anthology series, or motion picture made for TV edging Netflix siblings Ripley and Ryan Murphy’s Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story. The controversial series also saw off HBO pair The Penguin and True Detective: Night Country to scoop the TV series prize. Read more

Monday, 9.35am: Crave extends Shoresy ahead of fourth season

Bell Media’s Canadian streamer Crave has ordered a fifth season of Shoresy, its spin-off from hit series Letterkenny.

The extension comes ahead of Shoresy’s fourth season debut on Friday, 24 January, which will see two episodes launched followed by weekly releases.

The show was created by, and stars Jared Keeso, with New Metric Media producing in association with Play Fun Games. The fourth run follows Shoresy (Keeso) as he explores life after hockey. The fifth run goes into production later this spring.