Celador

Celador is an entertainment company originally formed in 1983 as a UK independent television production company. It created and produced a number of popular light entertainment shows and is best known for the TV format Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? and the film Slumdog Millionaire, which, in 2009, collected seven BAFTAs, four Golden Globes and eight Oscars including Best Director and Best Picture.

Celador owns twenty UK commercial radio stations.

The name Celador is a re-spelling of "cellar door", a phrase whose sound is often noted to be particularly euphonious.

Celador was founded by Paul Smith CBE and included Jasper Carrott as one of its founder shareholders. After establishing itself as a leading UK production company it expanded into TV format licensing, film production and radio station ownership and operation. In 2006 Celador International and the rights and associated properties of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? were acquired by Dutch group 2waytraffic. Celador Productions' management completed a buy out of the company.

In 2004 Celador commenced legal action against The Walt Disney Company for what it claimed were unpaid profits from Disney's licensing of the programme in the US. At a trial by jury in Los Angeles in June 2010 Celador was awarded $269m (£177m) in damages after ruling it failed to receive a fair share of profits.

The current portfolio of stations comprises:

Paul Smith CBE, is Chairman of Celador Entertainment Limited which is the parent company for Celador Films, Celador Radio, Celador Theatrical and Lusam Music.

Following the new structure of Celador's previous constituent divisions, Celador Productions, (renamed CPL Productions) is now run by managing director (since 2003) Danielle Lux. Christian Colson left Celador Films as Managing Director in 2009 to form Cloud Nine Films, now renamed Cloud Eight Films.

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