RDF considers management buy-out

'Wife Swap' and 'Scrapheap Challenge' programme maker RDF Media today said it was in talks over a possible management buy-out.

The TV production firm said it had received an indicative offer from a consortium including the management team, headed by founder and chief executive David Frank.

Shares in the company leapt more than a third on the news, although the company stressed there was no certainty of a bid.

The potential offer comes after a turbulent year for the business, which was at the centre of a huge controversy last July over a re-edited trailer for its documentary 'A Year With The Queen' – apparently showing the monarch storming out of a photo shoot.

The scandal cost RDF’s former creative director his job and the business was also slapped by commissioning bans from broadcasters ITV and BBC.

Although both channels have now lifted the bans, the move hit revenues at the business and forced RDF into two profit warnings at the end of last year.

The approach from the management team, which also includes chief financial office Janice Price and chief operating officer Joely Feather, will be assessed by RDF’s independent directors.

At a trading update last month Mr Frank said the company had fully addressed the “significant challenges and difficulties” which hit second-half trading.

Mr Frank, a former BBC journalist, founded the business in 1993.

The group has since expanded into the US market and its stable of programmes also includes 'Location Location Location', 'Ladette to Lady' and 'Don’t Forget The Lyrics', a series hosted by celebrity Shane Richie on which contestants attempt to win £250,000 (€313,751) by singing the missing lyrics from 10 songs.

The group’s annual results for the year to January 31 are due next month. RDF made underlying profits of £9.2m (€11.5m) on sales of £99.3m (€124.6m) in the year to January 2007.