UK commercial broadcaster Channel 4 has acquired a minority stake in sports production company Whisper Films.
Founded in 2010, Whisper Films has produced programmes for various brands related to the Formula One motor-racing world championship.
The company has also produced documentary programmes for UK public-service broadcaster the BBC as well as highlights shows for UK commercial broadcaster ITV. Additional international sports documentaries programmes are also due to be broadcast by a number of major networks around the world.
Channel 4 will use its Growth Fund Investment for the investment, which the Guardian newspaper reports will be a 25-per-cent stake in Whisper Films.
Under the agreement, Whisper Films will hire a new head of television and a development team to leverage the company’s contacts and develop the television production arm of the business.
David Abraham, chief executive at Channel 4, said: “Sports production is an important part of the industry and I’m excited that we’re making our first Growth Fund investment in this area.”
Whisper Films is part-owned by Sunil Patel, a former producer at BBC Sport, as well as former F1 driver David Coulthard and sports presenter Jake Humphrey.