Chrysalis to expand TV arm beyond sport

Media company Chrysalis is restructuring its TV arm as it expands its sports-based programmes into music and general entertainment.

Chrysalis Sport, which makes programmes for ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 such as Gazzetta Football Italia, ITV’s Formula One coverage, and Rugby Express, will be one of five new divisions under the umbrella Chrysalis Television.

Chrysalis Sport managing director Neil Duncanson becomes managing director of the new group, which includes a division called Chrysalis Entertainment. He will concentrate on music and lifestyle TV projects.

He says: “We think we are reaching saturation point with sport on domestic TV so we are looking to other areas.”

The company’s next TV project will be a series of football derby clashes from around the world, under the working title “Dangerous Derbies”, to be screened on Channel 4 in March.

The company also has three music projects and a number of factual programmes, in the style of laddish-magazine Loaded, that are under consideration by terrestrial TV stations.

Chrysalis Television will comprise Chrysalis Sport, its UK sports TV arm; Sport Inc., its US sports TV unit; MACh 1, which televises Formula One for ITV; Chrysalis Creative, a TV graphics company, and Chrysalis Entertainment.