U.K. production company All3Media is buying British independent TV company Optomen for £40 million (about $62 million), company announced on Friday.
As part of the deal, All3Media also will pick up One Potato Two Potato, a joint venture between Optomen and popular TV chef Gordon Ramsay that produces hits like "Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares."
Ramsay can definitely use the cash.
Since December 2009, Ramsay has closed his restaurants in Prague and Cape Town and sold his outpost in New York amid cash woes and tepid reviews. Ramsay racked up $2 million in back taxes associated with the troubled New York restaurant.
His share of the Optomen deal should go a long way toward getting him back on his feet.
All3Media's press release announcing the deal describes Optomen as "one of the UK's top factual TV producers" and a "leader of the food genre." It also said the deal was a "coup for Gordon Ramsay."
Ramsay, quite understandably, said he was "very happy to be joining All3Media.
"I'm confident we can take things to the next level," the chef said.
