Thomas

[maxnod]

From Monday's Daily Mail:

"Thomas the Tank Engine is at the centre of a £1bn tug of love between entertainment firms including Disney and the tycoon behind the Power Rangers.
HIT Entertainment - which owns the rights to Thomas, as well as Bob the Builder and Pingu - has been put up for sale by the private equity owner Apax with a price tag of up to £1bn.
Sources said early interest has come from Disney, toy-makers Mattel and Hasbro, TV giants Viacom and Chorion, and Haim Saban - who bought Power Rangers from Disney last year,"

 

[Oracle]

Poor Britt Alcroft must be wishing that she could have realised anywhere near that money when she held the rights. Which reminds me that I feel very empathic towards the Estate of the late Rev Wilbur Audrey and of course his son Christopher.

Such a situation does not arise in the case of the rights to Winnie The Pooh, which Great Ormond Street Hospital benefit from.

 

[Mvann]

Apax have been looking to sell hit since last September as it's revenue has been shrinking. Can't think why?