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Ex-Asda Boss Leighton To Join Peppa Pig Owner

The media group behind the Twilight film franchise and the Peppa Pig cartoon character is in talks to appoint Allan Leighton, one of Britain's best-known businessmen, as its new chairman.

Sky News understands that Entertainment One (LSE: ETO.L - news) , which is based in Canada but listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE: LSE.L - news) , is in advanced discussions with Mr Leighton about taking on the role.

His appointment is understood to have been agreed subject to Entertainment One entering the FTSE-250 index when the next reshuffle of its ranks takes place later this month.

The recruitment of Mr Leighton, who also formerly chaired Royal Mail, would be a coup for the content group following its elevation to the main London market earlier this summer.

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While his background has principally been in the retail sector, he spent more than a decade on the board of BSkyB (LSE: BSY.L - news) , the owner of Sky News.

In addition to the Twilight films starring Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart, Entertainment One distributed other Hollywood hits such as Django Unchained and owns the rights to The King's Speech following the £175m takeover of Alliance Films last year.

The company also holds an extensive music and television catalogue and is expected to seek further acquisitions under Mr Leighton.

Its shares have performed strongly during the last 12 months, rising by more than 35%, and now has a market value of more than £600m.

Darren Throop, Entertainment One's chief executive, said last month that a $650m (£418m) valuation attached to the company's content library underlined its growth prospects.

"This significant increase in our library's value reflects the group's continuing strategy of investing in world-class film and television content and exploiting our rights through our international network on a multi-territory, multi-platform basis.

"Our substantial content library underpins the group's valuation at a key point in its development with the company being considered for inclusion in the FTSE UK Index Series."

Entertainment One's current chairman is James Corsellis, a partner at Marwyn Investment Management, which is among the media company's biggest shareholders.

If Mr Leighton's appointment is confirmed, it would add Entertainment One to a growing cluster of non-executive roles held by the businessman who coined the phrase "going plural" after his departure from Asda.

He chairs Pace (LSE: PIC.L - news) , the set-top box manufacturer; runs Pandora (Other OTC: PNDZF - news) , the Copenhagen-based jewellery-maker; is chairman of Entertainment Magpie, the online DVD business; and has the same role at Office Retail Group, the shoe retailer.

Mr Leighton has not enjoyed unblemished success in the recent past, however, chairing the discount fashion retailer Peacocks before it went into administration last year.

An Entertainment One spokeswoman declined to comment.