UK-based sports and television production firm The Whisper Group has returned to private ownership following the decision by Sony Pictures Television (SPT) to divest its 30 percent shareholding. The move follows a highly successful five-year partnership that saw the production house achieve significant global growth.
Record-Breaking Growth and Expansion
Since Sony’s initial investment in 2020, Whisper has experienced exceptional financial expansion. Company reports indicate that revenue grew by nearly 500 percent during the partnership, climbing from approximately £20 million to £100 million.
Sunil Patel, CEO and founder of Whisper, described the five-year period as a transformative journey. He noted that the collaboration with Sony helped elevate the company into a truly global force, while maintaining its core focus on creative and commercial excellence.
Strategic Future and Employee Ownership
In its return to private ownership, Whisper is implementing a new strategy supported by external financing. A central component of this roadmap is the creation of an employee equity scheme, designed to ensure that staff share directly in the future success of the business. Patel emphasized that this “next chapter” will continue to place the company’s people at the heart of its growth.
Ongoing Collaboration
Despite the divestment, the two organizations will maintain a professional relationship. Whisper and Sony Pictures Television have confirmed that they will continue to work together through strategic partnerships on entertainment products, including the production of Wheel of Fortune, alongside various other sports and media projects.
About The Whisper Group
Founded in 2010 by CEO Sunil Patel, broadcaster Jake Humphrey, and former Formula 1 driver David Coulthard, Whisper has established itself as a leader in sports broadcasting and unscripted production. The firm holds prestigious contracts with major global organizations, including Formula 1, Roland-Garros, and the Paralympic Games. With its new independent structure, the company plans to focus on further market expansion and innovative content development across its UK offices in London, Manchester, and Cardiff, as well as its international hub in Riyadh.