Reality TV specialist Roll To Record has become the latest OB outfit to put itself on the market with its management team citing personal reasons rather than financial difficulties as reasons for selling up.
Reality TV specialist Roll To Record has become the latest OB outfit to put itself on the market with its management team citing personal reasons rather than financial difficulties as reasons for selling up.

The move follows ITV's plans to sell its OB outfit 021 Television (Broadcast, 30.9.05) which was viewed by chiefs as "non core" to the broadcaster's business.

Roll To Record's managing director and chief engineer Peter Webber said that business at the company was good and that there were various projects in development. He said: "We are not selling because work is drying up and not profitable; we wish to regain our personal lives as directors." He added that he wanted to spend more time with his family.

The self-proclaimed "kings of reality" provided technical support for this year's Big Brother and is currently used for Cactus Television's Richard & Judy for Channel 4.

The 25-year-old company's sales director, Peris Edwards, refused to disclose Roll To Record's latest sales figures - but the OB facility boasts contracts with All3Media, Endemol and Outline Productions.

The company is currently at work on BBC3's House of Tiny Tearaways and is pencilled in for Celebrity Big Brother in January.

Webber revealed that the decision to sell was made two months ago and said the business has already attracted "significant" interest. The managing director refused to disclose the expected sales price but said that the management team would be "picky" when it came to accepting an offer.

All the technical equipment provided by the facility will be included in the sale, which includes four OB scanner trucks, an MCR truck and support vehicles.

It is expected that the company will continue to specialise in reality shows and the management said it hoped the sale would not lead to any job losses among its 14 permanent staff, who it hoped would be kept on after the sale.