The race to buy BBC Broadcast has been narrowed to four bidders, leaving Apax Partners - the company advised by Greg Dyke - with a strong chance to take over the corporation's promotion and distribution business.
The race to buy BBC Broadcast has been narrowed to four bidders, leaving Apax Partners - the company advised by Greg Dyke - with a strong chance to take over the corporation's promotion and distribution business.

The other three companies left in the running for the BBC business are French trade specialist Thomson/Technicolor, Exponent Private Equity - founded by former 3i Group plc director Tom Sweet-Escott - and Australian venture capitalists Macquarie Group.

A preferred supplier will be announced by mid-July with the sale expected to be complete by the end of the summer.

Losers from the streamlined list, down from the eighteen announced last month, include Advent International, Ascent Media Group, Bank of Scotland Corporate, Barclays Private Equity, Bridgepoint, HgCapital, Kleinwort Capital Limited, Montagu Private Equity, Palamon Capital Partners LP and The Carlyle Group.

BBC Broadcast specialises in the distribution and promotion of multimedia content and employs close to 1,000 people across its three divisions. The commercial arm has felt keen support in the recent strikes against job cuts and privatisation. Bectu claims that support for industrial action was higher at Broadcast than among its members elsewhere in the BBC.